Expensive vinyl rig - still not performing ;-


Hi Folks:
I purchased a vinyl rig about four months ago comprising a Teres 135 turntable kit, an Origin Live Silver tonearm and a Shelter 501MkII Low Output MC Cartridge. I'm using a Supratek Syrah phono stage section.

I'm confident that each of the componets is very respectable and should work well with each other, but something is not working right - the sound is at a lower par compared to my CD player (YBA CD1a). The soundstage is weaker, less airy, there is some apparent sibilence with vocals, and complex passages tend to be rended in a somewhat muddled fashion. Overall, I'm confident that something is wrong. In the absense of my ability to make comparisons with other components to try and identify the weak point, I'm kind of at a loss. I've tried changing vta, tracking force etc but such tweaking is not the issue really. Overall, I'd be really keen to lend my table to a vinyl nut with some good components to compare it to and so identify what's wrong, or have someone come to my house and maybe determine the issue. I'm having my Shelter repaired/touched up due to another issue, but upon it's return, I'm keen to pursue any suggestions any of you may have. (I'm in Los Altos, Ca, in Silicon Valley). I kind of took the plunge from CD into the vinyl realm with nothing but faith that I would see the light (and it's still dark so far, alas) Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have!!!!
128x128outlier

Showing 2 responses by tok20000

Greetings, I have a mini audio club going in the greater South Bay/San Jose/Monterey area (stressing mini) because it is just 3 of us (and frankly I would not even call it a club... let's just call it a group) that got together recently and did some DAC comparisons. See my Ayre CDP review.

Anyway, one of us lives in Monterey (me), another lives in Aptos, and the other lives in Redwood City.

Maybe you would like to get together with us and do some listening. I would be interested in hearing your system. One of us is getting a Supertek preamp soon. We may be able to help you out with your vinyl problem. I am not the vinyl expert though (I have a non tweaky Rega P9 TT, heh heh).

This goes for any other Audiogoners in the greater South Bay/San Jose/Monterey area.

Just drop me an email.

KF
The Analogue Room is probably your best bet... Especially if you shop for vinyl there. And if you do not, you should go there and pick up some excellent new (or used) vinyl. It is not cheap there, but hey, it's San Jose where only the air is cheap... And you pay for that with having to look at a city that is one very large suburb that has more population than San Fransisco but with one hundreth the character (of San Fran).

KF