stonedeaf

Responses from stonedeaf

Your Nominations: Top Phono Stages under $1,000
Own two iFi iPhono II's - versatility of loading via ( small) switches and the quietest phono stage I've ever had in my home. Own 2 Lounge Audio LCR III and one  Copla MC stage. In the last couple of months the Lounge Audio stuff has sorta landed ... 
Is anyone still using kimber 4pr?
I still use it . Mine is all at least 20 years old or more . One of the things that impresses me about this wire is that when I go to strip the insulation - there is no visible oxidation/corrosion . Some of the other brands of  speaker wires of si... 
What is Technics thinking?
The review (incl. Paul Miller's lab test) in the June 2016 Hi Fi News and Record Review should put to rest the idea that this is just a rewrap twice baked version of the originals. This 1200GAE is a new table period. The just plain G will be a lit... 
Cartridge
Consider a JICO SAS in one of the Shure bodies (V-15-III,IV ,V or ultra 500) or a SAS in a M97xE. SAS styli are all high compliance -should be a reasonable match for your very low mass arm. 
Who needs a MM cartridge type when we have MC?
I realize that this is not close to news for this thread - but recently got around to trying several Shures at higher input impedances and am very impressed.Have used V-15-V/JICO SAS in Rega RB-600 at 100kOhm/200pF with truly excellent results.Tri... 
CARTRIDGE SETUP
Have you looked at VinylEngines arc protractors ? Big thing with them is to make very sure you printer doesn't scale them and create a error - they all have a scale built into them that makes this easy to check.They are free - great turntable/arm/... 
Thorens Turntable Speed Indicator Accessory
Dual included a aluminium strobe disc for years with their turntables that didn't have a built in strobe and had adjustable speed (1209,1218 ,etc.). Used one of these for decades until it finally became so scratched up that that I had to replace i... 
Vinyl cleanliness
none. But will have to admit that some of the new 180 gram vinyl starts out pretty amazingly quite . Favourite new albums ( Jeff Beck "Emotion and Commotion fer instance) do pick up surface noise after may be 30 to 50 plays - still not terrible. T... 
Audio Research service
The fact that you can get schematics for old stuff is simply great. Friend of mine was working on a SP-8 - turns out there were something like three or four pretty distinctly different versions of this product - because the unit had been worked on... 
Mechanical buzz coming from the chassis
This is a matter of degree - so how close does your ear need to be to hear this ? 
Advice needed as to Shure M 97 HE / Era IV
half the story. What arm are you using this in ? Who set it up in that arm ? What tracking force ? Why do you think it's new /unused ? Is the stylus all the way seated into the cart body ? 
12ax7 tubes can be enterchanged with xxx tubes?
I know this is stating the obvious - but any ECC-83 is a direct sub for a 12AX7. 
Grado TLZ ???
Measure the coil resistance. If it's a Prestige Gold it's going to be somewhere around 470 ohms. IIRR - the TLZ is way lower than that -around 70 ohms or so ? You may have what I'm listening to right now - a FrankenGrado - a standard output (4.5 m... 
Troika on RB-300
It's going to be used on a very old and heavily modded LP-12.Very happy with this setup except it has a original motor in it (no Valhalla) and am considering a Origin Live DC motor upgrade. It has been 20 years since I last mounted a Troika into a... 
HD FM tuners
Currently use 2 Sony's - gave away a Insignia and have a Sangean that's sitting in it's box not being used.Yah - antennas do make a big difference - has always puzzled me why folks think they wouldn't ?It's radio! really do wish the Sony had a dig...