oldson
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Post by oldson on May 27, 2018 19:43:52 GMT
haha pics will be delayed until i get the wall bracket (donated by Chris) back from the spray shop(my son-in-law).
cant listen through my headphone system yet as i need to shuffle all the gear around so the leads reach. luckily included in the deal was a Rega Fono mini which i was able to use to help bridge the gap temporarily to my amp. so using that instead of the Marantz phono stage. who knows ,it may even be better.
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oldson
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Post by oldson on May 27, 2018 19:56:00 GMT
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on May 27, 2018 20:32:54 GMT
That looks really nice ! Rega phono mini: looks like a neatly made but simple RIAA amp and even includes a USB ADC !
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oldson
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Post by oldson on May 27, 2018 20:47:53 GMT
not bad for a relative freebe. i would have been happy with just the deck for what i paid. i also got some decent looking rca leads and a box of records and of course the Fono. i'm loving it mate
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Crispy
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Post by Crispy on May 28, 2018 19:47:55 GMT
Nice find Simon, to get that deck with the RB330 tonearm and Elys2 MM cartridge and Fono mm phono amp all within your budget is a cracking deal. I guess the table arrived in one piece, it was a bit of a job packing it as the box was not quite big enough Once your son in law has pimped it up I think you will find the Rega will come to life when it is isolated from the rest of your system and the room. Happy listening
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oldson
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Post by oldson on May 29, 2018 18:03:09 GMT
i believe this deck has the older arm RB303, but i doubt i'd notice the difference. (i think it was new but old stock when seller bought it) 32 records in the box inc some i really wanted dire straits ,fleetwood mac, Bowie, ELO etc etc and the box is better than the £40 one i recently bought the wife. cracking deal, the more i think about it.
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Jun 1, 2018 22:32:36 GMT
wow , you need a big fat wallet to pay for your upgraditis on cartridges etc. i best not get caught up in that !!
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Jun 2, 2018 6:49:41 GMT
Yes, cart prices can be really high... just like the turntables them selves.
The problem is that differences between carts are far greater than those of DACs or amps but not nearly as big as headphones or speakers. Then there is the compatibility issues that make cart reviews found everywhere suspect.
The performance of any cart is highly dependent on the mass of the tonearm (low frequency response) and even more dependent on the input characteristics of the attached RIAA pre-amp. Things like load resistance 47k or say 100k and above all input capacitance can make a substantial difference in the higher frequency response with the exact same cart. frequency peaking of several dB in the audible band (below 15kHz) can be quite audible. Also proper azimuth and height adjustment are factors that affect the sound quality.
I would not worry about it too much though and take many of the reviews with lots of salt.
The primary goal (at least the way I see it) is to just enjoy the music on the albums you have while ignoring the distortion, poor stereo separation, noise, ticks, having to turn it over and clean the vinyl. Just enjoy the handling of the vinyl, the smell, the feel of old and analog, the sleeves and the music and be amazed at how good some albums actually sound and are close to the CD version anyway.
You almost made me retrieve (and repair) one of the many TT's from my attick... Yours looks really really nice on the wall !
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Jun 2, 2018 18:33:25 GMT
cheers Frans, it does look a little odd being so high up but i do plan buying a vinyl cabinet to slot underneath. its surprising how quickly your collection grows and its a stark reminder of how much space is needed.
i have noticed on some records that distortion worsens towards the end of the record. i do remember reading somewhere what may cause this , but i'm struggling to find it again. (i've read so much lately).
also (and this may be me imagining it) i think i may have noticed momentary slow down on playback. now i know Rega make an optional psu which is compatible with my deck, which no doubt would resolve the speed issue (if it even exists?) but i was hoping i would not need it. (i believe its standard on higher Rega models) the guy i bought the deck off actually had one which he no longer needed (he now has a technics) but did not try and sell it to me as he believed it made no audible difference (over stock psu).
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Jun 2, 2018 18:40:55 GMT
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Crispy
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Post by Crispy on Jun 2, 2018 19:15:44 GMT
cheers Frans, it does look a little odd being so high up but i do plan buying a vinyl cabinet to slot underneath. its surprising how quickly your collection grows and its a stark reminder of how much space is needed. i have noticed on some records that distortion worsens towards the end of the record. i do remember reading somewhere what may cause this , but i'm struggling to find it again. (i've read so much lately). also (and this may be me imagining it) i think i may have noticed momentary slow down on playback. now i know Rega make an optional psu which is compatible with my deck, which no doubt would resolve the speed issue (if it even exists?) but i was hoping i would not need it. (i believe its standard on higher Rega models) the guy i bought the deck off actually had one which he no longer needed (he now has a technics) but did not try and sell it to me as he believed it made no audible difference (over stock psu). The deck looks great Simon, your son in law made a good job of the paintwork on the table.
I also thought the table was a tad high and I personally would have the deck at around waist hieght, but if like you say you are going to put a cabinet to store your records underneath it then I am sure it will look better.
Records were usually written from the outside working its way into the middle and I have found from past experience that any album with more than 4 tracks on one side tended to suffer as they compress the tracks to fit them on. So the last track on each side tended to be the most compressed and worse sounding - so I would not blame the deck or the PSU but just accept the fact albums with more than 4 tracks each side are likey to sound worse at the end of the side.
Save your money on the PSU and look for albums pressed on virgin 180 & 200 gram Vinyl and you will be blown away by how great the sound is from them.
Just like frans you have nearly gotten me to find a decent record player and go back to the old days - but that is unlikey to happen?
I have trashed a £500 cartridge before today after a couple of beers and vowed never to touch vinyl again
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jun 2, 2018 20:01:03 GMT
cheers Frans, it does look a little odd being so high up but i do plan buying a vinyl cabinet to slot underneath. its surprising how quickly your collection grows and its a stark reminder of how much space is needed. i have noticed on some records that distortion worsens towards the end of the record. i do remember reading somewhere what may cause this , but i'm struggling to find it again. (i've read so much lately). also (and this may be me imagining it) i think i may have noticed momentary slow down on playback. now i know Rega make an optional psu which is compatible with my deck, which no doubt would resolve the speed issue (if it even exists?) but i was hoping i would not need it. (i believe its standard on higher Rega models) the guy i bought the deck off actually had one which he no longer needed (he now has a technics) but did not try and sell it to me as he believed it made no audible difference (over stock psu). End of side distortion can be due to a few things Simon. Cartridge is out of alignment or incorrect weight. Or it can actually be the recording itself where they haven’t compensated for the inner layers. (Normally they are pressed a bit quieter) You might need to align the cartridge halfway into the record. Sometimes, the arm is fitted too far forward or backward which can cause the angle to be wrong. I used to set the cartridge down on a mirror to see if it was ‘off’ from front to back and from left to right. Slowing down on loud sections can indicate a worn motor or a stretched belt. If you get rumble on quiet sections, then the belt might have hardened. I’m afraid it’s of the joys of vinyl and associated setting up and distortions. One of the reasons why digital is a lot easier and more consistent I’m afraid. Digital just lacks the tactile feel of vinyl and the perceived ‘warmth’ that vinyl can give. I always found the centre of records more ‘gritty’ than the outer edges and spent months fiddling and changing cartridges in order to try and overcome it. Digital was a release for me .......
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Jun 2, 2018 22:04:00 GMT
cheers Frans, it does look a little odd being so high up but i do plan buying a vinyl cabinet to slot underneath. its surprising how quickly your collection grows and its a stark reminder of how much space is needed. i have noticed on some records that distortion worsens towards the end of the record. i do remember reading somewhere what may cause this , but i'm struggling to find it again. (i've read so much lately). also (and this may be me imagining it) i think i may have noticed momentary slow down on playback. now i know Rega make an optional psu which is compatible with my deck, which no doubt would resolve the speed issue (if it even exists?) but i was hoping i would not need it. (i believe its standard on higher Rega models) the guy i bought the deck off actually had one which he no longer needed (he now has a technics) but did not try and sell it to me as he believed it made no audible difference (over stock psu). The deck looks great Simon, your son in law made a good job of the paintwork on the table.
I also thought the table was a tad high and I personally would have the deck at around waist hieght, but if like you say you are going to put a cabinet to store your records underneath it then I am sure it will look better.
Records were usually written from the outside working its way into the middle and I have found from past experience that any album with more than 4 tracks on one side tended to suffer as they compress the tracks to fit them on. So the last track on each side tended to be the most compressed and worse sounding - so I would not blame the deck or the PSU but just accept the fact albums with more than 4 tracks each side are likey to sound worse at the end of the side.
Save your money on the PSU and look for albums pressed on virgin 180 & 200 gram Vinyl and you will be blown away by how great the sound is from them.
Just like frans you have nearly gotten me to find a decent record player and go back to the old days - but that is unlikey to happen?
I have trashed a £500 cartridge before today after a couple of beers and vowed never to touch vinyl again
just listened to a couple of old Neil Diamond lp's bought from used record shop @ £2 a pop . only 4-5 tracks per side and no problems at all. so what you say is backed up by this. dont want to get too caught up in swapping carts but i have read that the Rega Exact cart tracks better than my Elys2. there is a member over on pfm selling a low used Exact at a very good price, so i am tempted by this. no re-alignment required due to Rega's 3 bolt fixing, so easy for a novice like me with poor eyesight and shaky hands.
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Jun 2, 2018 22:10:39 GMT
cheers Frans, it does look a little odd being so high up but i do plan buying a vinyl cabinet to slot underneath. its surprising how quickly your collection grows and its a stark reminder of how much space is needed. i have noticed on some records that distortion worsens towards the end of the record. i do remember reading somewhere what may cause this , but i'm struggling to find it again. (i've read so much lately). also (and this may be me imagining it) i think i may have noticed momentary slow down on playback. now i know Rega make an optional psu which is compatible with my deck, which no doubt would resolve the speed issue (if it even exists?) but i was hoping i would not need it. (i believe its standard on higher Rega models) the guy i bought the deck off actually had one which he no longer needed (he now has a technics) but did not try and sell it to me as he believed it made no audible difference (over stock psu). End of side distortion can be due to a few things Simon. Cartridge is out of alignment or incorrect weight. Or it can actually be the recording itself where they haven’t compensated for the inner layers. (Normally they are pressed a bit quieter) You might need to align the cartridge halfway into the record. Sometimes, the arm is fitted too far forward or backward which can cause the angle to be wrong. I used to set the cartridge down on a mirror to see if it was ‘off’ from front to back and from left to right. Slowing down on loud sections can indicate a worn motor or a stretched belt. If you get rumble on quiet sections, then the belt might have hardened. I’m afraid it’s of the joys of vinyl and associated setting up and distortions. One of the reasons why digital is a lot easier and more consistent I’m afraid. Digital just lacks the tactile feel of vinyl and the perceived ‘warmth’ that vinyl can give. I always found the centre of records more ‘gritty’ than the outer edges and spent months fiddling and changing cartridges in order to try and overcome it. Digital was a release for me ....... have not heard the "slowdown" since i mentioned it, so it may have been me( or the old scabby record i was playing at the time). to be fair i was not concentrating on the track at the time. the belt is fairly new and also the Rega upgraded version. i am learning as i go but also mostly thoroughly enjoying what i am hearing.
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Jun 3, 2018 17:38:09 GMT
another question has just popped into my head, which i would like opinions on.....
we all know that the headphone amps built into integrated amps are generally poor, but is the same true of built in phono stages?
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