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Post by Boomzilla on Oct 6, 2013 7:03:44 GMT -5
I scored the title at a yard sale yesterday for $10. The stylus appears clean, but without microscopic examination, how does one know if it is safe to use on valuable vinyl? The only record I currently own is a 6-eye Columbia pressing (pristine) of Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Time Out" album. I'd rather not damage it...
Also, who makes reasonably priced cartridges these days? Back in the day, the $150 Shure V-15 was an "expensive" cartridge (I normally made do with less expensive Empires, Grados, etc.). The most expensive cartridge I ever owned was a $250 Denon 103s moving coil. Now, I see cartridges priced higher than my HOUSE!
I'm not ready to move back to vinyl, but I would like to at least have the option...
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Post by brubacca on Oct 6, 2013 7:42:09 GMT -5
I had seen a lot of people talking about the Nagoaka stylus.... Think it was on vinylengine.com..
People seem to like the audio technica 95e and the grado black for inexpensive cartridges. I like my ortofon red.
Check out needledoctor.com for a possible new stylus for your existing cartridge.
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Post by geebo on Oct 6, 2013 8:01:53 GMT -5
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Post by Boomzilla on Oct 6, 2013 8:07:29 GMT -5
Well, I went to Needledoctor & I see that the venerable Denon 103 is still available. Based on past experience, I'm fond of that one...
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Post by brubacca on Oct 6, 2013 8:26:05 GMT -5
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Post by tweed on Oct 6, 2013 10:19:31 GMT -5
Boom,
Congrats on your find!
You have to be the king of yard sale finds...amazing.
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klinemj
Emo VIPs 
Official Emofest Scribe
Posts: 15,092
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Post by klinemj on Oct 6, 2013 10:45:10 GMT -5
Which Dual is it?
Mark
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Post by GreenKiwi on Oct 6, 2013 11:00:29 GMT -5
Any pics?
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Post by AudioHTIT on Oct 6, 2013 11:19:02 GMT -5
Another service lost with the B&Ms, I remember having very nice microscopes in our stores, we'd checkout your stylus and show you the wear (be nice to know about that Ortofon). I was a fan of the Denon 103 series as well, especially with the Verion step-up transformer, very nice sound.
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Post by Boomzilla on Oct 6, 2013 11:52:58 GMT -5
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Post by autiger on Oct 6, 2013 12:24:06 GMT -5
email needle Dr. and explain your needs. They are great to work with. Congrats on your new treasure.
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Post by novisnick on Oct 6, 2013 12:25:04 GMT -5
geeno, thanks so much for the link. I'm tempted to upgrade my cartridge but I don't know or think my TT will benefit or if the cartridge would be worth more then it. He,,,He,,,,, Nick |
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Post by Boomzilla on Oct 6, 2013 13:46:06 GMT -5
Now who makes a good phono-only stage (low or high output + RIAA equalization) with line level output? A tubed one would be OK too...
After all, the Stealth DAC has an analog input!
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klinemj
Emo VIPs
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Posts: 15,092
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Post by klinemj on Oct 6, 2013 14:20:42 GMT -5
Emotiva's XPS-1 is coming very soon!
Mark
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Post by brubacca on Oct 6, 2013 14:21:12 GMT -5
Do you have your usp-1 around still? Use that until the Emotiva external box comes out. Use the tape out to the analog in on the stealth.
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Post by Boomzilla on Oct 6, 2013 17:06:26 GMT -5
I let the USP-1 go. If I'm to do a preamp, the Audio Research tubes sound better to me than the Emotivas (USP OR XSP). I'm not yet convinced I want a preamp at all, though. The Stealth DAC should arrive tomorrow (they tried to deliver Saturday but my business address - a UPS store - was closed). The Stealth should be able to handle my music via the TOSLINK input, my movies via the Digital RCA input, and my phono/tuner/other-analog-source via its analog input. I'll FINALLY get to try out balanced interconnects from the Stealth to my XPA-2 (not that I expect to hear any difference).
Since I'll be back (temporarily) to the "short interconnects + long speaker wires" model, I have a variety of speaker wires to play with too - The 8 gauge "jumper cables," the biwire set, and the Kimber 12TC set. If I don't like the sound of any of them, then it's time to buy a second XPA-2 and go back to vertical bi-amplification using long XLR interconnects + short 8 ga. speaker wires.
I could outfit the Crown amps to take balanced inputs, but it isn't worth the cost. Easier to add a second "Generation-One" XPA-2.
Both my DefTech SM65 speakers and my (yet to arrive) Magnepan 1.6 speakers are bi-wire and bi-amp capable. I'm toying with the idea of making some bi-wire 8-gauge cables (I like to melt LOTS of solder), but I've yet to figure out how to get a banana plug that will accept TWO 8-gauge leads. I may need to solder an 8-gauge "pigtail" to the dual 8-gauge leads and put the plug on the pigtail. A simple hose clamp should hold them all in place while a propane torch does the heating (even my dad's megawatt iron won't provide sufficient heat for all that surface area). This is NOT a kitchen-table project... In fact, I wonder if after the 8-gauge pigtail, I should use two 6-gauge or maybe even 4-gauge wires? They'd need another 8-gauge pigtail at the speaker end too, but the pigtails' combined length would be less than a foot - the majority of the run would be larger wire.
There's probably no practical reason to do any of the above - 12-gauge speaker wire is certainly adequate. But having discovered that I can hear differences in wires, I'm not opposed to experimenting provided that there's not a lot of money involved. My current 8-gauge, home-made speaker wires are some of the best I've heard (and I've compared them to Kimber, Nordost, and Monster). I also have lengths of 8-gauge, 12-gauge, and 14-gauge just laying around unterminated in a variety of lengths.
Maybe some 8-gauge interconnects? LOL
Boomzilla
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klinemj
Emo VIPs
Official Emofest Scribe
Posts: 15,092
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Post by klinemj on Oct 6, 2013 17:30:19 GMT -5
Go 7...I have dual 10 gauge for an effective 7 gauge. Homemade from Home Depot wire....just because I could.
Mark
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Post by Boomzilla on Oct 6, 2013 18:13:07 GMT -5
Go 7...I have dual 10 gauge for an effective 7 gauge. Homemade from Home Depot wire....just because I could. Mark LOL - You're as bad as I am! Here I thought I was the only loon in the Lounge! |
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Post by geebo on Oct 6, 2013 18:54:40 GMT -5
Both my DefTech SM65 speakers and my (yet to arrive) Magnepan 1.6 speakers are bi-wire and bi-amp capable. I'm toying with the idea of making some bi-wire 8-gauge cables (I like to melt LOTS of solder), but I've yet to figure out how to get a banana plug that will accept TWO 8-gauge leads. I may need to solder an 8-gauge "pigtail" to the dual 8-gauge leads and put the plug on the pigtail. A simple hose clamp should hold them all in place while a propane torch does the heating (even my dad's megawatt iron won't provide sufficient heat for all that surface area). This is NOT a kitchen-table project... In fact, I wonder if after the 8-gauge pigtail, I should use two 6-gauge or maybe even 4-gauge wires? They'd need another 8-gauge pigtail at the speaker end too, but the pigtails' combined length would be less than a foot - the majority of the run would be larger wire. These should do the trick...  |
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Post by Boomzilla on Oct 7, 2013 2:28:18 GMT -5
Hollow core - air dielectric - carbon-fiber nanotube conductors - I'll take about 18 feet!
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