Ignore . . .

[CJSF]

To those that have been watching the Rega up grades I have been making . . . with a view possibly to going that route?

Please ignore all my views and comments, I dont know what I'm talking about . . . :help:

All over . . . CJSF

 

[BenLaw]

What happened?

 

[mitch65]

What happened?

bang goes my 2012 upgrade path :wall:

 

[CnoEvil]

Experimentation and learning are never wasted. Finding out what doesn't work is often as important as what does....but you already know this. A bad day can make things seem worse than they really are.

I expect that normal service will be resumed shortly.

Don't beat yourself up

Cno

 

[BenLaw]

Experimentation and learning are never wasted. Finding out what doesn't work is often as important as what does....but you already know this. A bad day can make things seem worse than they really are. I expect that normal service will be resumed shortly. Don't beat yourself up Cno

+1

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

CJSF,

What's the lowdown?

We need you and your insights here.

 

[DandyCobalt]

Personally, I've just changed on my P3-24 last week:

Drive belt to the white Rega upgrade one

Counterweight

Sub-platter damping kit

New mat

It all sounds great, but frankly I can't remember if it sounded any worse/different before. :?

 

[plastic penguin]

Personally, I've just changed on my P3-24 last week:

Drive belt to the white Rega upgrade one

Counterweight

Sub-platter damping kit

New mat

It all sounds great, but frankly I can't remember if it sounded any worse/different before. :?

Hence why I personally leave small or subtle upgrades well alone. If it ain't broke...

 

[nads]

intrigued

 

[Lost Angeles]

Vinyl v CD

 

[plastic penguin]

Vinyl v CD

Do we have to dredge that old chestnut from the closet?

 

[CJSF]

Going mad? nearly . . . need to step back, not had a turn like that for years! Put everything back to what it was a couple of weeks ago, all mods in place, 2M Black dumped it, Blue suits much better, more musical . . . probably because it uses proper copper wire instead of the silver plated soulless rubbish, just my humble opinion you understand

You all enjoy your Christmas . . . CJSF

 

[chebby]

Did you fit the 2M Black cartridge body as well?

(The other day you had only tried the Black stylus in the Blue body and you were going fit it over Christmas.)

The silver wiring thing seemed to have coloured your opinion. Did you first listen to it before or after you found out about the silver plated copper windings?

Had you given the 2M Black a good 20 hours of play to run it in a bit?

 

[floyd droid]

Going mad? nearly . . . need to step back, not had a turn like that for years! Put everything back to what it was a couple of weeks ago, all mods in place, 2M Black dumped it, Blue suits much better, more musical . . . probably because it uses proper copper wire instead of the silver plated soulless rubbish, just my humble opinion you understand

You all enjoy your Christmas . . . CJSF

It dosnt really matter if you run the Black for another 50 hrs. It will still sound dull/boring/soul less/ fill in your own description, compared to the Blue. Although the Black measures technicaly correct, it sounds as dull as ditchwater compared to the Blue which has a brighter balance giving it more insight and detail. Ergo the Blue sounds more musical to you, which it is !!.

Sorry CJ, but your not the first to fall for the Black bull hype. Try a Dynavector 10x5 or perhaps a Goldring 2300 methinks that either/or will be right up your street.

Flog the Black, somebody will buy it for sure. But state 'no returns',lol.

 

[plastic penguin]

Going mad? nearly . . . need to step back, not had a turn like that for years! Put everything back to what it was a couple of weeks ago, all mods in place, 2M Black dumped it, Blue suits much better, more musical . . . probably because it uses proper copper wire instead of the silver plated soulless rubbish, just my humble opinion you understand

You all enjoy your Christmas . . . CJSF

It dosnt really matter if you run the Black for another 50 hrs. It will still sound dull/boring/soul less/ fill in your own description, compared to the Blue. Although the Black measures technicaly correct, it sounds as dull as ditchwater compared to the Blue which has a brighter balance giving it more insight and detail. Ergo the Blue sounds more musical to you, which it is !!.

Sorry CJ, but your not the first to fall for the Black bull hype. Try a Dynavector 10x5 or perhaps a Goldring 2300 methinks that either/or will be right up your street.

Flog the Black, somebody will buy it for sure. But state 'no returns',lol.

Or even...ahem... the ClearAudio Classic Wood

. It's a very agile sounding cartridge. Wonderful for the price. For some reason it gets totally blanked on this forum. No idea why.

 

[CJSF]

I do say it as it is . . . get a few hackles up me thinks because of it . . . its just my personal view. Yes Chebby, I did fit the Black body, I was getting real twitchy. As I think I said my suspicions were that the wire was silvered, and yes I did know before I listened, but I have an open mind. I dont like silvered/copper speaker wire or interconnects, but I had no idea how the sliver would affect a cartridge coil?

As you say I did try the Black stylus in the Blue body, and as I reported I liked the subtlety of the extra information . . . its an area I will try again maybe, but not this side of Christmas, I need to get my head together, settle down . . . relax.

I'm thinking, we both like the Blue but we are aware of the rough edges it can exhibit on occasions. So the search will resume in the new year. I've set a budget of £350, I know the Black is more new. I think in truth, I was aiming to high in relation to the system anyway; Rega P5 modified, 700 arm, Croft CI-P integrated, PMC LB1.

I've always said I like the warmer, even fuller sound? its time I looked in that direction. So, Grado Platinum, Benz Micro Silver/Gold, Dyno 10x5 and the suggested Clair Audio Classic Wood is a new one to the list. Pushing the financial boat a Denon 304 is one I am very drawn to? I base my 'warm/full' likes on the cherished Ortofon fully denuded SPU Gold, that I used for a long time in the 80's. If I had the Rock TT I had then, there would be no hesitation.

Time to relax and ponder, all is calm now, lots of music to enjoy over Christmas . . . CJSF

 

[mitch65]

I do say it as it is . . . get a few hackles up me thinks because of it . . . its just my personal view. Yes Chebby, I did fit the Black body, I was getting real twitchy. As I think I said my suspicions were that the wire was silvered, and yes I did know before I listened, but I have an open mind. I dont like silvered/copper speaker wire or interconnects, but I had no idea how the sliver would affect a cartridge coil?

As you say I did try the Black stylus in the Blue body, and as I reported I liked the subtlety of the extra information . . . its an area I will try again maybe, but not this side of Christmas, I need to get my head together, settle down . . . relax.

I'm thinking, we both like the Blue but we are aware of the rough edges it can exhibit on occasions. So the search will resume in the new year. I've set a budget of £350, I know the Black is more new. I think in truth, I was aiming to high in relation to the system anyway; Rega P5 modified, 700 arm, Croft CI-P integrated, PMC LB1.

I've always said I like the warmer, even fuller sound? its time I looked in that direction. So, Grado Platinum, Benz Micro Silver/Gold, Dyno 10x5 and the suggested Clair Audio Classic Wood is a new one to the list. Pushing the financial boat a Denon 304 is one I am very drawn to? I base my 'warm/full' likes on the cherished Ortofon fully denuded SPU Gold, that I used for a long time in the 80's. If I had the Rock TT I had then, there would be no hesitation.

Time to relax and ponder, all is calm now, lots of music to enjoy over Christmas . . . CJSF

Phew! 2012 upgrades back on track.

If you are looking at Denon you might want to add the 160 to the list. On my previous deck (Thorens TD160 super/TechnoArm) it sounded just fine and the plan was to change it but on the Rega it seems to have found a very happy home so no change there - just my opinion you understand .

Bretty loves his Grado (the b****r hasn't invited me round to listen so cannot verify lol!) so maybe a rock solid choice.

 

[CJSF]

Personally, I've just changed on my P3-24 last week:

Drive belt to the white Rega upgrade one

Counterweight

Sub-platter damping kit

New mat

It all sounds great, but frankly I can't remember if it sounded any worse/different before. :?

???????????? Hi Dandy, cant remember the sound as it was? Take a couple of opposing sections out of the sub-platter damping kit, have a listen, you will get the idea, then replace the white belt with the old black belt, listen, then go back to the white belt. The lest obvious for me was the counter weigh, but its the item that hold everything together with the improved tracking that it gives to the cartridge, try reducing the tracking weight by tiny increments.

You might even prefer the lighter sound the removed damping sections present as I did?

New platter mat . . . I found no worth while improvements, preferring the Rega mat.

Choose simple music to asses, solo female voice is good, I use Jennifer Warnes as an initial first listen . . .

CJSF

PS, just noticed, you have a P3-24, thats got the TT-PSU I think? If it has, listen very carefully to the Whit belt/Black belt, I dumped my TT-PSU in favour of the 'white belt' . . . ? Not sure you have the option, so be very sure what you are hearing, TT_PSU and white belt seemed to cancel each other out, strange one? Also remember, all my upgrades are using an acrylic platter.

 

[floyd droid]

Mornin CJ. What phono stage do you have ?.

 

[chebby]

The technical details about the new Rega RP6 might interest you. (£798 ex-cartridge but including new TT-PSU). Two part, bonded glass platter with thicker 'flywheel effect' outer rim. Machined aluminium sub-platter with six-point support.

Me?

I'd like one in piano gloss yellow with the blue mat (and the optional factory fitted Rega Exact cartridge).

I think they were a bit tight not to include the smaller/denser tungsten counterweight as standard.

I could get a pair of matching Neat Iotas

 

[DIB]

I could get a pair of matching Neat Iotas

As was stated at the time of the show back in October, these sound amazing for the size of them.

Have you heard a pair yet?

.

 

[chebby]

I could get a pair of matching Neat Iotas

As was stated at the time of the show back in October, these sound amazing for the size of them.

Have you heard a pair yet?

No, but i'd like to. Our local Audio-T/Sevenoaks doesn't stock Neat. (I am not upgrading anything for a good while yet, so I won't be travelling especially just to hear them.)

 

[DandyCobalt]

Thanks CJSF, I'll have a play over Christmas. Perhaps my problem is that I haven't had a really good listen yet to the new setup.

Any time to myself to listen to music, especially vinyl, I get a weird sound that I can't track down.

It sounds....very strange...like my 11-year old son coming into the room (to play PS3), a sigh, a loud "tutt" and then a feet stomping sound. This series of sounds repeats every 15 minutes or so, and whilst I have thought of mains interference, cables, or perhaps changing the cartridge, the problem might be more genetic than mechanical

 

[CJSF]

The technical details about the new Rega RP6 might interest you. (£798 ex-cartridge but including new TT-PSU). Two part, bonded glass platter with thicker 'flywheel effect' outer rim. Machined aluminium sub-platter with six-point support.

Me?

I'd like one in piano gloss yellow with the blue mat (and the optional factory fitted Rega Exact cartridge).

I think they were a bit tight not to include the smaller/denser tungsten counterweight as standard.

I could get a pair of matching Neat Iotas

Sounds about right Chebby, especially the 2 part platter if its done right its a broken bell? . . . although one suspects the 20/25mm Acrylics will still have the edge? Not for me, I'm going to get to grips with the modified P5 (get to grips with myself as well!) Its about listening to music and a limited vinyl collection that will be added to . . . slowly. Get enough vinyl, I might look at upgrading . . . ?

Puke yellow, I dont think so . . . good old boring 'Grandad black or charcoal grey' for me:dance:

CJSF

 

[CJSF]

Mornin CJ. What phono stage do you have ?.

Floyd,

Phono stage is a very quiet valve MM built into my Croft CI-P, however I do have a pair of Ortofons T5 direct phono plug-in MC coil step ups. If I go the l/o, MC rout, I'm not sure if I see the T5's as a stop gap to something better or as I have read, they are surprisingly good and very much under rated?

The whole thing in my mind at the moment is to have a balanced system, which means cartridges at £200-£300? I like the reviews I read on the Benz Silver/Gold, but need to hear them with my amp, see how they match? The Grado Platinum should present no problems but, the Benz is said to be better??????

Biggest problem at present, tracking down a Benz dealer who will at the very least dem using my amp and step ups, therefor needs to be with in a reasonable distance, say up to 100 miles. I have a dealer who will let me home evaluate cartridges . . . but he dont do Benz. Appreciate any suggestions?

CJSF

PS, Just had a conversation with my local dealer (10 minutes drive) he suggested a Suiko Blue point Special, not the warmest of cartridges he says but a particularly good match to the Rega arm he says, the black version is the best and a little warmer, but at £600 . . . ? Any way, he says borrow and try . . . pay if I damage it, seems fair enough. Any thoughts?