I posted a little while back about my latest tweak, the total replacement of the Rega main bearing for a Peek Ceramic unit, reporting delicate but noticeable changes, 'the cherry on my tweaking cake'. A few hours in, the bearing appears to have run in, I have not been so well over the past few days. So a lot of time spent listening to music and thinking about what is happening to the hifi, among other things, one does have another life beside hifi, shingles is not recommended, even in the mild form that I have 
However, today, was an off day, felt like doing nothing, so I had a dig around in the vinyl, playing discs long forgotten as well as some not so long but still months since last played.
It was obvious the openness of sound was to be enjoyed, however this in my mind brings with it the need to ask questions . . . can a finer arm/cartridge set up be achieved? Most would not bother, but this is me, the arm has such fine adjustment that can be reverted back if required. The openness and clarity with quiet and silence so perfect, it had to be tried. Two hundredths of a gram was enough to alter the sound to my liking, two hundredths less was to much the wrong way, the sound became airy-fairy, return to original and apply 2/100 extra . . . These are figures I would not have thought practical or audible? It would be hard to point to specifics but in overall presentation it was obvious with I preferred and appreciated.
I was hearing changes on modern, well, reasonably modern recordings, also, one was not hearing things one had come to accept as part of analogue vinyl. I pulled out a record from my late fathers collection, obviously bought from a charity shop, with its £1 sticker. I have never play it and he died in June 2000, a 1976 Decca double album, 'Favorite Composers' this was operatic work by 'Verdi' . . . A compilation of Decca recordings from 1959 to 1971, most from around the mid 60's with top names from the era.
Why I put this on I dont know, I cant stand opera!!! . . . Probably a bit of sentiment, I miss my dear old Dad, recent Fathers day and all that . . . wont be so long before I shall meet him again? . . . Also noting the dates these recordings were made, that was all valve recording gear in those days.
The best word is stunning . . . dynamic, open, subtle, reality and amazing acoustics, not a hint of distortion in such old masters . . . Names like Joan Sutherland, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden is the sort of standard. As I say, I know nothing about opera, but if this is what the old chap had in his collection I will be digging deeper.
Two revelations in one day, just how much more can I squeeze from that original Rega P5. I can enjoy opera, one was particularly taken with Rigoletto and IL Trovatore. Actually, three good things in the day, I forgot about the shingles for a while.
Without a 'cherry', such a tiny thing, the cake is very boring . . . ?
CJSF
However, today, was an off day, felt like doing nothing, so I had a dig around in the vinyl, playing discs long forgotten as well as some not so long but still months since last played.
It was obvious the openness of sound was to be enjoyed, however this in my mind brings with it the need to ask questions . . . can a finer arm/cartridge set up be achieved? Most would not bother, but this is me, the arm has such fine adjustment that can be reverted back if required. The openness and clarity with quiet and silence so perfect, it had to be tried. Two hundredths of a gram was enough to alter the sound to my liking, two hundredths less was to much the wrong way, the sound became airy-fairy, return to original and apply 2/100 extra . . . These are figures I would not have thought practical or audible? It would be hard to point to specifics but in overall presentation it was obvious with I preferred and appreciated.
I was hearing changes on modern, well, reasonably modern recordings, also, one was not hearing things one had come to accept as part of analogue vinyl. I pulled out a record from my late fathers collection, obviously bought from a charity shop, with its £1 sticker. I have never play it and he died in June 2000, a 1976 Decca double album, 'Favorite Composers' this was operatic work by 'Verdi' . . . A compilation of Decca recordings from 1959 to 1971, most from around the mid 60's with top names from the era.
Why I put this on I dont know, I cant stand opera!!! . . . Probably a bit of sentiment, I miss my dear old Dad, recent Fathers day and all that . . . wont be so long before I shall meet him again? . . . Also noting the dates these recordings were made, that was all valve recording gear in those days.
The best word is stunning . . . dynamic, open, subtle, reality and amazing acoustics, not a hint of distortion in such old masters . . . Names like Joan Sutherland, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden is the sort of standard. As I say, I know nothing about opera, but if this is what the old chap had in his collection I will be digging deeper.
Two revelations in one day, just how much more can I squeeze from that original Rega P5. I can enjoy opera, one was particularly taken with Rigoletto and IL Trovatore. Actually, three good things in the day, I forgot about the shingles for a while.
Without a 'cherry', such a tiny thing, the cake is very boring . . . ?
CJSF
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