New Turntable in the house!

audioluvr

jbreezy5 wrote: »

(i.e. no wall-wart).

What's that?

jbreezy5

@audioluvr

Here’s some: https://www.howtogeek.com/93346/undertanding-wall-wart-power-supplies-electronics/

audioluvr

Ah. What's wrong with them?

pitdogg2

audioluvr wrote: »

Ah. What's wrong with them?

NOISE

audioluvr

Well crap!

mhardy6647

Well -- a nce, well-designed and well-constructed, robust outboard P/S should actually be better than an on-board P/S (linear or switching) or a wall wart (ditto).

DSC_4595 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

audioluvr

So something like this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VAC-Statement-phono-2-chassis-preamp-The-reference-phono-80-000-MSRP-/144031803223?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

Clipdat

I just ordered one of these: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_246IPBLKLB/iFi-iPhono3-Black-Label.html

It uses a wall wart. Will report back.

mhardy6647

Clipdat wrote: »

I just ordered one of these: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_246IPBLKLB/iFi-iPhono3-Black-Label.html

It uses a wall wart. Will report back.

We'll get you through this, buddy!



Besides, if worse comes to worst, there's always...

jbreezy5

Clipdat wrote: »

I just ordered one of these: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_246IPBLKLB/iFi-iPhono3-Black-Label.html

It uses a wall wart. Will report back.

Clipdat, here’s an outboard power supply upgrade, when you want to hear what that iFi circuitry can do:

https://upscaleaudio.com/collections/sbooster/products/sbooster-botw-p-p-mkii-power-supply?variant=22207470436412

There was an immediate and noticeable difference in SQ when I upgraded my Cambridge Audio DacMagic’s PS from a wall-wart to Pangea outboard PS, which is nowhere near the quality of this one.

IME, one gets blacker backgrounds, better micro-detail, more expansive soundstage, and more powerful bass with a quality PS.

Clipdat

Thanks, I've heard about those before and might try one at some point.

It doesn't come with a regular wall wart fortunately, it's their iPower X which usually sells for $100 on it's own: https://ifi-audio.com/products/ipowerx/

jbreezy5

Clipdat wrote: »

Thanks, I've heard about those before and might try one at some point.

It doesn't come with a regular wall wart fortunately, it's their iPower X which usually sells for $100 on it's own: https://ifi-audio.com/products/ipowerx/

Interesting, the description seems to suggest the noise-cancelling tech that’s built in will make a significant difference.

Let us know what you think.

mhardy6647

Clipdat wrote: »

...

It doesn't come with a regular wall wart fortunately, it's their iPower X which usually sells for $100 on it's its own: https://ifi-audio.com/products/ipowerx/

Well, cool. The question is whether it's worth $100 -- not in terms of sound quality, but in terms of its guts.

Clipdat

How much are your guts worth?

audioluvr

Looks like a fancy wall wart to me. I like the PS that @jbreey5 posted. Could possibly make any one into a good one

jbreezy5

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Clipdat wrote: »

...

It doesn't come with a regular wall wart fortunately, it's their iPower X which usually sells for $100 on it's its own: https://ifi-audio.com/products/ipowerx/

Well, cool. The question is whether it's worth $100 -- not in terms of sound quality, but in terms of its guts.

Unfortunately, there are tons of things in hifi that are disproportionately priced relative to their actual cost.

Granted mark-up is to be expected for design/engineering, but at the end of the day, I also like to see parts quality justifies some of that mark-up.

In the event that I don’t, I want to see that the claims of the manufacturer at least hold-up in terms of performance.

The real test would be comparing the iPower X against the standard wall-wart, and being able to measure them vs. the numbers iFi provides in their materials. Then listening.

If it measures well and sounds better, $100 may be reasonable in this hobby.

Joey_V

Nice table... I enjoy the analog side of things as well. As for cleaning, I have the degritter which is awesome and I haven’t had to worry about static since then. I am still trying to figure out a partner for the degritter, in terms of a cleaning system that actually involves vacuuming the LP clean.

audioluvr

So I picked up some garage sale albums again, this time for a couple bucks each. Since my stupid internet is down, again, and they aren't able to get to it for a week, decided to give them a good cleaning and see how they sound. Some of the recordings are really well done! Here's one's I've been rocking so far.

Neal Diamond - On the way to the sky
Supertramp - Crime of the century
Fifth Dimensions - Portrait
Willie Nelson - Shotgun Willie

More to come.

msg

mhardy6647 wrote: »

audioluvr wrote: »

So this could be my imagination but I bought a new Beatles Revolver "pressed from digital recordings off analog sources" and "meh..." Clearly the goal is to find vintage vinyl cut off master tapes.

Yup, it's like buying a DaVinci painting* "photographed from a scanned, touched up with Photoshop, and printed copy of the original painting ".

I buy 'em sometimes, too, though, so don't feel too bad about it!
______________
* oh, and paying more for it than for the original

This is the best description for crap, desperate-vinyl purchases that I've ever read. And I've got a bunch of these in my collection, too. But none of those weirdo Beatles records.

You can still play them for the fun of it. I once had the thought that, for the disappointing records, I could always play the record, but be streaming digital for the audio.

audioluvr

One thing I noticed is most of the original pressings sound really good. Very dynamic. This is my new hobby. Searching for those rare original pressings that are in great condition. Cleaning them up and enjoying them when my stupid internet is down 😂

audioluvr

And you all were right. Vinyl makes you listen to the whole album! Well and no internet...

BlueFox

For me, I found most albums (Rock) only have, if you’re lucky, one or two good songs per side. I ruined countless albums dropping the AR-XB tone arm while trying to listen to the songs I like. I will definitely stay with my Lumin X1 file player only playing the tracks I like.

treitz3

Any other useless and off topic insight you would like to spew out tonight?

Tom

audioluvr

All right. Just picked up an unopened vintage "Supertramp - Famous Last Words" LP and after cranking it at 12:00 realized I still have hum. What do I need to do to eliminate this? Could this be coming from my TT? Argh!

jbreezy5

audioluvr wrote: »

All right. Just picked up an unopened vintage "Supertramp - Famous Last Words" LP and after cranking it at 12:00 realized I still have hum. What do I need to do to eliminate this? Could this be coming from my TT? Argh!

Call KABUSA and see if they have a suggestion to help with hum.

Bluesjeanscable.com has an Isolation transformer under the subwoofer section of their website. Call them too maybe?

audioluvr

UPDATE:

Well I have eliminated almost all of the hum! At half volume it's only noticeable if I stick my ear up to the speakers. While trying to isolate my IC's between the TT and the Pre I noticed my antenna for the Cambridge Audio 851N Streamer was in close proximity so I unplugged it from the back and Voila! No more obnoxious buzzing! Crazy how sensitive these things are! I was also told to disconnect the stylus from the cartridge and use a pencil eraser to clean the terminals. This is my next task once I figure out how to do that...

msg

mhardy6647 wrote: »

That'll let 'im test how good of a match the compliance of that Grado is in the low-mass arm of that h/k.

What section of this rekkid has the booms. I see a couple of groupings here that look like they could do something. What's with that one really wide skwiggly?!?

maxward

That’s the groove fakin’ the stylus out of its shoes.

audioluvr

Pulled off the headshell so I could do some thorough cleaning and inspection an this is what I found.



Rusty contacts! So I cleaned them up best I could put a very light coat of deoxit on and put it all back together.

jdjohn

That could just be the grease that Grado uses on the inside.