AudioNervosa

Systemic Development => Analog Devices => Topic started by: rollo on February 15, 2018, 08:43:13 AM

Title: Cartridge Survey
Post by: rollo on February 15, 2018, 08:43:13 AM
  Which one are you using ?
  What TT and arm ?
  What phono stage ?
  What cabling of such ?
  What plinth or support of TT ?
Using a Kuzma Stobi with Stogi S 12" arm, Crystal Cable phono cable [ silver] to Audio Hungary APR 204 preamp with MM phono. Or Loesch and Weisner phono.


charles
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: DRN on February 15, 2018, 09:57:09 AM
I have been messing with digital lately, but yesterday fired up the ClearAudio Emotion SE, Ceramic mag bearing, Carbon Satistfy arm, AT33 PTG II into the Vista 2, and superb! I have had it probably 5 years now. It's on a 27lb 3" maple board.
I just put on the Vista2, Dueland 20ga Shielded Interconnects too and I ain't got no complaints!!!
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: tmazz on February 15, 2018, 09:58:39 AM
VPI HW-19 Mk IV
SME Series IV Arm with the optional dampening trough
Sumiko Blue Point Special cartridge
TT sits on a 1 1/2 inch thick piece of maple butcher block
Connected to the internal phono section of an Audio Research SP-9 preamp with a run of Monster Cable M-1000 (I know the M-100 is not a very highly regarded cable, but it just seems to work. I have tried numerous cables in the phone section and always keep coming back to the M-1000. It's just one of those synergy things.)
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: rollo on February 22, 2018, 12:28:43 PM
  What no one else plays records ? C'mon Men chime in.


charles
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: _Scotty_ on February 22, 2018, 03:42:59 PM
AT 440 ML with a ATN 150 MLX stylus
Maplenoll Ariadne TT
custom TT air supply
Custom Stan Warren designed phono stage
Reality Cables system wide
Key components were Kaplan Cables now Waveform Fidelity Cables, on source components, Felix power filters and power amp. :thumb:
Scotty
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: Nick B on February 22, 2018, 03:52:56 PM
AT ML150/OCC cartridge
Basis Ovation TT
Graham 1.5T arm
Don Sachs phono stage with Gold Lions
ganderwire (ic’s by AN member Gary)
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: _Scotty_ on February 22, 2018, 07:43:44 PM
There are now replacements for the AT 150 MLX and the AT 440 ML. The replacement cartridges can be seen here and are the VM740ML, VM760SLC,VM540ML. There is also a Shibata variant the VM750SH.
http://www.audio-technica.com/cgi-bin/product_search/cartridges/cartridges.pl?lang=eng
Replacement styli types.
http://www.audio-technica.com/cgi-bin/product_search/styli/styli.pl?lang=eng
Link to the cartridges
Scotty
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: Nick B on February 23, 2018, 08:23:23 AM
There are now replacements for the AT 150 MLX and the AT 440 ML. The replacement cartridges can be seen here and are the VM740ML, VM760SLC,VM540ML. There is also a Shibata variant the VM750SH.
http://www.audio-technica.com/cgi-bin/product_search/cartridges/cartridges.pl?lang=eng
Replacement styli types.
http://www.audio-technica.com/cgi-bin/product_search/styli/styli.pl?lang=eng
Link to the cartridges
Scotty

Thanks for the links, Scotty
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: Bill O'Connell on February 23, 2018, 08:44:30 AM
Well Tempered Reference turntable & arm
 Audio- technica Art9 cartridge
Tom Tutay/ Transition Audio Design 12SN7 based all tube phone preamp with separate tube power supply
or Eastern Electric MiniMax phono
Hi-Fidelity Ultra Reference IC's
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: Nick B on February 23, 2018, 02:30:16 PM
Well Tempered Reference turntable & arm
 Audio- technica Art9 cartridge
Tom Tutay/ Transition Audio Design 12SN7 based all tube phone preamp with separate tube power supply
or Eastern Electric MiniMax phono
Hi-Fidelity Ultra Reference IC's

Hey Bill,
To deviate just a bit from the thread, how do you like the Hi-Fidelity Ultra Ref cables? I dont know of anyone who has them.
Nick
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: Putz on March 16, 2018, 11:21:30 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/J3PL64J.jpg)

VPI Aries 1, JMW arm, SDS, Vas Nova cart
Zesto Andros Phono w/Mullard & Telefunken 12AX7s
Morrow PH5 IC
Target wall mount, Boos maple butcher block


Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: StereoNut on March 18, 2018, 09:35:24 AM
VPI Prime with 3D printed tonearm
Soundsmith MMP3 phono stage
Dynavector DV20x2H - Hi-Output MC
TWL (Triode Wire Labs) I/C's

Table sits on a 1 1/2" maple cutting board, which sits on whatever you call the Mapleshade "cork/rubber" sandwich thingies, which sits on the top shelf of my customized Ikea bookshelf/turntable rack that is suspended from the wall. (Look Ma, nothing connects the turntable to the floor!) I'm sure there'a a lot of you that remember my never ending footfall problems when I had my Linn LP12!

SN
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: mdconnelly on March 18, 2018, 01:22:55 PM
Totally missed this thread last month...

Kuzma Stabi S with Stogi S arm
Kuzma stock cable and motor
ZYX Fuji high-output MC cartridge
all into my Devialet 440 Expert Pro phono section input

I love this Kuzma turntable.   Definitely owned this longer than any other piece of gear - maybe 20 years now?   Sounds wonderful but, in truth, I find myself spinning vinyl less and less these days.  Maybe I'm just getting lazy in my old age or maybe streaming has just gotten that much better.  Likely both.
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: BobM on March 19, 2018, 06:31:20 AM
Lyra Kleos cartridge
Morch DP6 tonearm
custom TT plinth made of 1" Corian
VPI ceramic platter and bearing, VPI motor
custom speed controller
Hagerman Trumpet phonostage
Hagerman Piccolo step up/head amp
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: rollo on March 19, 2018, 07:52:03 AM
Totally missed this thread last month...

Kuzma Stabi S with Stogi S arm
Kuzma stock cable and motor
ZYX Fuji high-output MC cartridge
all into my Devialet 440 Expert Pro phono section input

I love this Kuzma turntable.   Definitely owned this longer than any other piece of gear - maybe 20 years now?   Sounds wonderful but, in truth, I find myself spinning vinyl less and less these days.  Maybe I'm just getting lazy in my old age or maybe streaming has just gotten that much better.  Likely both.

   I agree love my Kuzma Stabi as well. Using 12" arm with adjustable VTA on the fly. Crystal Cable phono cables. IMO the Kuzma is a sleeper among the best of the best.
   Just not marketed well by distributor or Manf. When compared directly to other well respected tables with same cart always preferred.
    That is the reason we sell them.


charles
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: jimbones on March 20, 2018, 05:02:02 AM
Benz Micro Glider MC Medium output
JMW Memorial Classic 2
Modwright LS100 Tube pre with Mullard NOS 12AU7/12AX7
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: rollo on March 20, 2018, 10:29:08 AM
Benz Micro Glider MC Medium output
JMW Memorial Classic 2
Modwright LS100 Tube pre with Mullard NOS 12AU7/12AX7

 OOh la la time for a meeting Jim.


charles
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: jimbones on March 27, 2018, 02:59:14 PM
Benz Micro Glider MC Medium output
JMW Memorial Classic 2
Modwright LS100 Tube pre with Mullard NOS 12AU7/12AX7

 OOh la la time for a meeting Jim.


charles

Just had one :) There will be more. We played vinyl almost exclusively. It was clear that vinyl was superior.
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: Bill O'Connell on March 28, 2018, 07:53:55 AM
Well Tempered Reference turntable & arm
 Audio- technica Art9 cartridge
Tom Tutay/ Transition Audio Design 12SN7 based all tube phone preamp with separate tube power supply
or Eastern Electric MiniMax phono
Hi-Fidelity Ultra Reference IC's

Hey Bill,
To deviate just a bit from the thread, how do you like the Hi-Fidelity Ultra Ref cables? I dont know of anyone who has them.
Nick


 If I had to do over again I would not spend that type of money on IC's & speaker cables again.
 Don't get me wrong, they sound great but less expensive options I would be swayed to check out.
 
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: try1256 on April 03, 2018, 03:51:49 AM
I have the Sound Smith Aida. It was rebuilt by Peter Lederman in January.  It is attached to an SME M2-9 tone arm on a Thorens TD-160 rest-mod.  Right now I am using the Van Den Hull Cable that came with the tone arm but I have an Audio Sensibility Impact SE on the way. I have a Morrow PH-3 phono cable that I was using but the capacitance was too high for the Aida. My phono stage is a BAT VK-P5 which was upgraded at the factory with the 6 pak plus option.  I have NOS Phillips 7DJ8's on the input side, Russian 6C45's on the output side and Melz 6SN7's for current source. 
Before I acquired the Aida, I was using an AT OC9 ML II. It is also a very nice cart. I have it mounted on my Yamaha PX-3 Linear tracker now. 
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: steve on November 08, 2018, 01:09:10 PM
  Which one are you using ?
  What TT and arm ?
  What phono stage ?
  What cabling of such ?
  What plinth or support of TT ?
Using a Kuzma Stobi with Stogi S 12" arm, Crystal Cable phono cable [ silver] to Audio Hungary APR 204 preamp with MM phono. Or Loesch and Weisner phono.

charles

I am using an Accutex 320STR moving iron cartridge.
SME Series lll with modified headshell.
My own test phono stage.
my own 1/2 meter "V" interconnects (SAS Audio Labs)

cheers

steve
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: S Clark on November 08, 2018, 04:09:32 PM
Main rig-  Vyger Timor Arm #1 Jelco 370 arm, Ortofon Quintet Blue,  Jelco cable, Dodd phono pre Arm #2 Dynavector 20x2L  on Pioneer P3 arm and Audio Sensibility Impact cable to Jolida JD9 phono pre
Small room rig-  JVC QL-F6 with lots of clay, Dynavector 10x4, Graham Slee Gold, captured cable.  And a Technics SP10 II  w/ Syntec 220 arn with Denon 102 mono cart to Vista phono pre.  I've had the cable so long I can't remember the maker. 
Coming attractions... a Victor TT81  to be recapped and a Jelco 750E with a Sumiko Blackbird.  Just have to build the arm pod and recap the table- maybe before XMas. 
I know, I've got too many turntables. 
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: jbtrio on November 08, 2018, 05:07:23 PM
VPI Classic 3 turntable, 3d printed tonearm, Lyra Kleos SL cartridge, sitting on a 2" maple platform with Herbies tenderfeet under it. K&K Audio Premium Maxxed-out phonostage all connected with High Fidelity Ultimate IC's and TWL power cords.
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: etcarroll on January 26, 2019, 10:27:39 AM
Since 2011;
VPI Super ScoutMaster with the Acrylic upgrade platter and ring clamp.
JMW 9 tonearm - Signature version.
Dynavector 20x2-L
Stainless Steel clamp
SDS
Optional HRX footers on Ginko Cloud base on 5 HVAC vibration suppressors on a Cambre rack.
HRX motor.
E.A.R. 834 Signature Phono Preamp with 3 smoothplate NOS Telefunkens.

Yesterday as I removed the Ginko dustcover, a big piece, I whacked the base of the tonearm assembly and threw off the geometry, the cartridge where the stylus enters appears to be touching the vinyl

If I'm going to take down the tt to adjust everything, I feel like this may be the time to swap out the cartridge, but for what? When I bought the Dynavector I also grabbed a used Shelter 501 off Audiogon, I really preferred the Shelter for the upper music range, but my hearing in the highs was succumbing to age, I'm 61, I went with the DV. And now with the Vandersteen 3A Signature in house, I may need to balance their natural warmth with a 'sweeter in the highs' cartridge.

And maybe I should have a pro do the install, I never really feel like I had the Dynavector 100% correct.

Thoughts?

Gene
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: HAL on January 26, 2019, 10:43:33 AM
Oracle Delphi MKI TT moded with MKV suspension.

SME 3009 Series III titanium arm.

SME cable.

Shure Ultra 500 cartridge and original stylus.

DSA Phono One phone stage or Pass Labs Aleph Ono.
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: toobluvr on January 26, 2019, 11:52:20 AM
Totally missed this thread last month...

Kuzma Stabi S with Stogi S arm
Kuzma stock cable and motor
ZYX Fuji high-output MC cartridge
all into my Devialet 440 Expert Pro phono section input

I love this Kuzma turntable.   Definitely owned this longer than any other piece of gear - maybe 20 years now?   Sounds wonderful but, in truth, I find myself spinning vinyl less and less these days.  Maybe I'm just getting lazy in my old age or maybe streaming has just gotten that much better.  Likely both.

Years ago I owned the Kuzma Stabi / Stogi "s" setup (the pipebomb!).

Loved it.....sold it....would buy it again if I saw a good deal.  Like Rollo sez, hugely underappreciated kit that suffers from  poor marketing.

On another table, I also used the Kuzma Stogi Reference arm.  Tremendous arm, probably my fave of all I've owned:

Rega 300
Graham 1.5 t/c
SME V
Linn Ittok
Moerch up-9
Jelco 750E
Hadcock 242
OL Encounter mk3C
OL Silver mk3A

The OL arms are really excellent in their own right!
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: Triode Pete on January 26, 2019, 06:13:05 PM
Well Tempered Reference TT with carbon fiber WT Reference Arm...

Clearaudio Maestro II MM cartridge...

Specially designed shielded TWL phono cable to MATCH the cartridge and phono input. In the case of my Clearaudio cartridge, I have 220pf of total loading capacitance. My tonearm wiring is 25pf along with my TWL interconnect is 95pf together with 100pf of the phono input, these capacitances form a parallel circuit with a total sum of 220pf that basically guarantees an exact match for my cartridge (and most moving magnet cartridges). This balances the cartridges inductance which is usually in the region of 500mH and the 47K input resistance controls the overall resonant Q.

Extremely important since if the overall capacitance is too low, you would have peaks at a higher frequency, causing upper midrange losses (The midrange is where you live!)... Too high capacitance, you would have peaks in the upper midrange, causing high frequency losses!

I remember SME having a high capacitance phono interconnect and those using a MM cartridge were caught off-guard not knowing the cable was designed for MC!!!

So the lesson here is to have a properly designed phono interconnect to match your cartridge!! Don't forget about that!

My $0.02 for today,
Pete
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: rollo on January 28, 2019, 08:17:10 AM
Benz Micro Glider MC Medium output
JMW Memorial Classic 2
Modwright LS100 Tube pre with Mullard NOS 12AU7/12AX7

 OOh la la time for a meeting Jim.


charles

Just had one :) There will be more. We played vinyl almost exclusively. It was clear that vinyl was superior.

   I would suggest your digital is severely lacking then. :-P :D :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


charles
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: rollo on January 28, 2019, 08:19:39 AM
  Pete, so true. Most do not have the optimum capt. loading. When they finally get it set properly OMG. Wiring counts.


charles
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: steve on February 03, 2019, 09:03:14 PM
Here is a link for anyone who may wish to tinker and explore what is possible, or simply check and calculate
cartridge loading.

http://www.hagtech.com/loading.html

cheers

steve
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: toobluvr on February 04, 2019, 10:05:47 AM
Another good one that's loaded with useful info:

http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/mc_step-up_transformers_explai.html
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: steve on February 07, 2019, 11:59:16 AM
Another good one that's loaded with useful info:

http://www.rothwellaudioproducts.co.uk/html/mc_step-up_transformers_explai.html

Very nice article Toobluvr. Thanks for posting it. I do have a couple of quick comments that I
think will help some.

1. Although photo 1D appears flatter, it actually has almost as much slope as photo 1A. I had
the same misconception when I performed some testing years ago. When I expanded the
vertical of 1D to match 1A on my Tektronix scope, the two slopes were close. Just my observation.

2. For those who wish to minimize the ringing, and don't know what capacitance to use/order, the value
will be in the low pf (uuf) range. This means probably a polystryene type. Just throwing out a value,
maybe a 100pf. Could be much more or less depending upon the ringing frequency.

cheers

steve
Title: Re: Cartridge Survey
Post by: Brap on March 04, 2019, 02:06:22 PM
Ortofon Quintet Bronze
Rega 3
Rega wall mount
Vincent PHO