Yep, I am still tweaking . . . I had a few weeks off after I changed the valves in my amp. Up graded to some very expensive jobbies, two sets and they did not work properly so took a full refund and installed some cheap Russian valves, less than £100. Worked well from the start, and improved as the 'burn in' went on. After 50 hours I stopped keeping count, then I has a few week cervatical from vinyl. Almost 200 hours on with Archers, radio plays and Spotify, it was time to dip the toe again. Wow, big change, rich warm, detailed sound, loads of base. So one listened, with a big smile. The running in had moved things on to a new level . . . is there any more to come? I went back over things I had tried and dumped. Revamped the method in my mind. I have been watching a Gyrodec/Orb thread. ???the Orb is better, why . . . then I thought of the new Rega 6 and its double glass platter, the extra mass, is that what helps it sound better? My P5 is modified to use a light platter isolated from the glass platter that now works only as a flywheel. I have tried massing up the glass platter directly as well as acrylic platters, both smear my sharp tight sound. So mass up the glass, isolating the mass from the glass platter, the mass is cut from rolled sheet lead, in dimension, similar to the extra glass ring under-slung glued to the P6 12mm platter . My mass disc probably weighs twice the amount and is isolated from the main platter with high density, self adhesive double sided industrial foam. It works, smooth, much smoother involving sound, more inner detail, base extension coming through as a continuous base line underpin, or stronger base line, extreme top end is very tidy. Subtleties, yes, complimenting the work I did in the summer as well as the quality Russian valves. It has cost me nothing I had all the bits in my 'useful one day box', took about a couple of hours to mark up and fashion. CJSF
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When should you upgrade your hi-fi? How to control ‘upgradeitis’
Still at it . . .
- Thread starter CJSF
- Start date
Is there not a risk of extra bearing wear/damage with all that extra mass? Linn used to warn against using record clamps on the lp12 for this reason.
CJSF - well done on trying to tweak everything out of the Rega surprised you haven't been shot down on flames! I reckon the RP6 is great on its stock form - at its price point there's not much that can touch unless your talking 2nd hand which can be a risky business (sorry BBB) Is a Gyrodec better ? Probably ? But you would expect it to be I gave demo booked on a Gyrodec this week, hopefully with a few different budget arms ie tecnoarm, 303 etc
CJSF — I saw in another thread you have insulated the glass with a thin acrylic platter on top — how thick is it?
Chipbutty said:
Possible CB, I would agree if using metal to metal point contact bearing. I use a Rubby/metal point arangement, much better. Cant hear any rumbble or bearing noise. Its not an issues I have let pass me by. Probably something I will do as matter of course is change the whole bearing assembly in the next year or eighteen months, looking at the new 'ceramics' on offer?
Screw or press down record clamps on a spung chasse might be a problem?
CJSF
stevebrock said:
Shot dow in flames . . . ? give them time Steve, give the miserable bug*** time . . . :?
My philosophy as already stated, 'get the last ounce from what you have' . . . I keep thinking I've got there and then we move to the next level. It has cost me very little over the past couple of years to get my TT to a standard that would have cost me two or three thousand pounds as a conservative estimate to achive on the upgrade tred mill.
I also get a lot of satisfaction . . . and frustration . . . from doing what I do, one has the pleasure of understanding exactly how things works, very important to me . . . hay??? back to being shot down in flames . . . they dont understan the workings?
CJSF
jcarruthers said:
Standard 3mm acrylic mat, + small self adhesive felt stand-offs, you must have VTA adjustment on the arm or shims.
CJSF
Touch and go there for a while Cno, but the low cost Russian Sovtek valves (£23 a go) restored my faith in getting a sound I like, with out needing to fork out 'an arm and a leg'. Cost has nothing to do with my philosophy, its what it sounds like. The expensive valves (£300 +!) just did not do the business and you cant listen before you buy either. As well as the KT88's I also bought a couple of Russian driver valves (6SN7), they were even cheaper @ £9 inc., postage direct from Russia, a magic Russian sound combination . . . got a 6SL7 (phase-splitter) on its way from Moscow as I type, £3 + p&p, making seance to me. Learned a trick whilst this hassle was all going on, buy any item on the internet from a UK based company and you have a no quibble, 30 day return, money back grantee, thats the law of the land.
Makes cartridge buying a different ball game, doubt UK suppliers like to accept the law though?
CJSF
Makes cartridge buying a different ball game, doubt UK suppliers like to accept the law though?
CJSF
jcarruthers said:
OK . . . ??? Remember, according some on here, I'm a total nutter :bounce: I even believe it myself sometimes :wall: Then I come to my sences and believe what I hear . . . 8)
CJSF
CJSF said:
nothing wrong with tweaking a Rega deck, some will say buy a better TT but they are far from being a bad decks, just Gandys low mass thought process doesn't compute for some
stevebrock said:
Rega has a good enginering base to build on, the trick is to keep the mass isolated from its other self, I have 4 main isolation points to the verious mass loadings, plus, there are 4 secondary isolation points. All isolation points avoid interaction between the main components of the deck. Ad my thinking to the concept of the Rega 5, in my humble opinion, it produces one hell of a TT for around £1350.00, that includes the Audio Mods arm and Sumiko Celebration Pearwood cartridge.
Its is a little more than tweaking, but its all been done at tweaking or is that 'squeaking' prices! . . . I realy cant see any further room for improvement on the TT, small adjustments perhaps yielding subtalies in musical presentation maybe, new ceramic bearing may be if the heavy (3.2kg) triple isolated platter wears the standard + rubby bearing, we will see?
The whole system has been constructed on the premiss of getting the best from what is avaliable, buying used or ex dem, tweak or modify to extract the last penny of performance. Only one true upgrade from the basic Croft intigrated hybrid to the full valve amp I now have, ex dem of course.
The speakers are 23 years old, the interconects are over 30 years old that I made myself, standard speaker cable is only a three years old but was designed back in the early 80's, K20 is still avaliable. All electronics are ex dem, including the P5, cartridge was a worn out item destined for the rubbish bin, two items are new; sub platter and the arm. I see this as having built a sound that I understand, know and love, its warm, rich, open, big and very detailed, valve orientated in presentation, which suits me down to the ground. Sounds great with all mediums, provided the recording is up to standard, if not, it tends to be a bit revealing . . . what more can one ask.
CJSF
Nothing wrong with tweeking, cjsf. I even involved Mrs C in rewiring the tone-arm on my Inspired P3-24.
Through tweeking, I now understand much better how my turntable works, and where the sound is coming from.
Did a good bit of listening this weekend...The London Grammar vinyl (45rpm double LP) can be extremely revealing of bass and mids - female vocals are very to the front on it.
It really makes a smile appear when listening through the t/t.
Through tweeking, I now understand much better how my turntable works, and where the sound is coming from.
Did a good bit of listening this weekend...The London Grammar vinyl (45rpm double LP) can be extremely revealing of bass and mids - female vocals are very to the front on it.
It really makes a smile appear when listening through the t/t.
DandyCobalt said:
Hi DC, its a real pleasure that my Hazel enjoys the hifi as much as I do, in fact I some times wonder if she gets more from it than I do?
Understanding ones system is the essence of getting the best from it, IMHO
Been doing some digging into what is left of my vinyle collection in the past few days. Its interesting that as I have improved the performance of the TT, records have often taken on a new life, noteable is a 1983 RCA 'mono' double album of 'Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli at the Hot Club in France', simply musical magic. A second double album I enjoyed, especialy sides 3 and 4, John Williams leading 'Sky 2', Herbie Flowers doing his thing on base and tuba . . . The album was controvercial on release in 1980, I dont like Trisan Fry's drumming style, he is to fond of the cymbols IMHO, I seem to remember this was an issue with the critics back then? However there is enough on the album to make it a new regular on my play list.
Yes, its the 'Cheshire cat' for me too. Even more, as I have had deliverd by the postie this morning a Russian phase splitter valve, it compliments the other six Russian valves I have in my amp. They are cheap and work as well as the (I think better) over egged, offereings from China, fancy box and paint job have no affect on sound quality . . . very Russian. :cheers:
CJSF
The_Lhc
Well-known member
Clarkey_71
Well-known member
This thread has sparked my interest. I have an old but very faithful Audio Research SP9 pre amp. Recently the pot failed and I had to have it repaired. I asked them the test the valves and they said they came out fine on the rig. However, before that I was in the market for some new valves and the sovtek had caught my eye. They were reasonably priced and got a good write up but I just couldn't quite justify the expense.
Anyway, whilst cleaning a shelf in the garage I was amazed to find some sovtek valves in a box. I don't remember buying them and I don't know how they got there. Because my current valves got the all clear, I hadn't bothered fitting them, but now I'm not so sure.
Should I give them a go?
Anyway, whilst cleaning a shelf in the garage I was amazed to find some sovtek valves in a box. I don't remember buying them and I don't know how they got there. Because my current valves got the all clear, I hadn't bothered fitting them, but now I'm not so sure.
Should I give them a go?
Aye wack em in why dont you. They may be noisy little blighters for a bit untill they have had some gas through them. Caveat and blindingly obvious but never mind, because you dont remember buying them etc , make sure they are the correct valves 
Clarkey_71
Well-known member
floyd droid said:Aye wack em in why dont you. They may be noisy little blighters for a bit untill they have had some gas through them. Caveat and blindingly obvious but never mind, because you dont remember buying them etc , make sure they are the correct valves
Nothing is ever obvious!!
The box says 6922. The valve itself says 6D78 and ECC88, so that's a "check" on that! :dance:
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