I am enjoying my analog system, but what can I do to improve?

Dear @chungjh  :  good that @lewm  will come over your place do that's he is a very knowledge an experienced audiophile and along that he own SounLabs speakers and I think you will receive a first hand advises where " things " happens that's at your room/system.

Don't make radical changes in between his visit to you till he can gives you his specific opinion. 

Good luck.

R.

@pindac :  " I have heard modified TT's of all drives and especially......."

Seems ridiculous but such is life.

R.

@pindac  : Again, I dont care about yur pedigree/history or the like. This is not a thread about you and you are encouraging the OP in the wrong direction with the vintage TT. My advise is forgeret about but you can go on and certainly you have material to " elaborate " your next post . 

All those is boarding " stupidity ".

R.

@pindac : "

I have a history on this forum of being met with your expression, that shines through with discontent.

I absorb your attacks ...""

With all respect I don’t care about your " pedigree " because is not the main subject here.

Your last two contribution do not help rigth now the OP: SUT and a modified SP10 that you deven not experienced.

During this thread the OP changed his preamp, he does not needs that SUT or whatever but to fine tunning his room system.

My post is not an an " attacks " but only : COMMON SENSE that seems to me is very low on you or way different.

Forums is a " free " place to post for every one and you can follow doing with your personal " sense " that just does not helps the OP : rigth now. Or you can start threads with the subjects you like.

R.

Who cares @pindac  ? Can you let in calm/peace the OP. It needs to enjoy what he had and needs to fine tunning the overall room/system: got it?. Sorry.

R

Dear @lewm  : Before your last post the OP changed his preamp and bougth a new SS preamp.

R.

@chungjh  : To fine tunning a room/system and evaluate that room/system quality we need a very well know overall proccess where one of the main proccess characteristics is to listen always the same tracks ( maybe around 10-12 different kind of music tracks. ) and must be tracks that we already know as well as the fingers of our hands tracks that we know its sounds really good tracks that the quality of the sound is showed at the must " natural " and " neutral " way as if we were listen it in a live MUSIC event seated at near field position and if possible that even we already listened in other systems. We can't make any kind of system evaluation using recorded tracks just at random with tracks where we just do not know what to look for..So you need to define specific targets for your listen evaluations/tests.

Digital tracks could be the better way for evaluation purpose instead analog but I'm not saying not use analog you can do it too: a mix of digital/analog tracks.

R.

Dear @chungjh  : At its prie tag your LA4  solid state preamp is really an achievement and a challenge for almost any preamp out there. Very carefully designed and with high knowledge and skills levels.

" 

Benchmark's LA4 is the widest-bandwidth, widest-dynamic-range, lowest-noise, lowest-distortion preamplifier I have encountered.—John Atkinson "

and the unit works in the analog domain.

Take enough play hours with in your system to " understand " the whole improvements and then play again with changes in your seat position and tyny changes in the speaker position. With what you have you need to fine tunning your room/system and then you will know if you need or want to try a " better " cartridge or the like. Enjoy what you have, enjoy MUSIC.

R.

Dear @chungjh  : " the weakness in my system is speakers and source. "

That's a big misunderstood that you have because the speakers are not only good but hard to beat and are mated with a very good amplifier and certainly your source is not the weakness link and yes it needs a good plattform and the tonearm internal rewiring and all what is posted here around that source.

You have to remember that in any audio system the source is something we like to improve even if in reality is not the weak link.

The true/real weak link in your system is  that transformer coupled preamp that " destroy " the signal adding any kind of distortions that no matters what degrades the source audio signal as no other link in that system chain.

You can change the source or speakers and the sound will be different but not necessarily better because the audio signal must pass for that terrible preamp.

First change the preamp weak link and mate the amp with a Pass preamp and after this change and after a some 50-60 hours of play you can decide with better knowledge where in the room/system you need to make a change or maybe you don't need it at all.

Rigth now your evaluation of the weak system links is wrong and this is not a matters of opinions but common sense:

look which of the gentlemans in this thread or which true audiophile could be " happy "/satisfied or accepted that the audio signal pass through a coupled transformers in any preamp having way better option?

With all respect to you and for what your posts in the thread showed about your knowledge levels these levels unfortunatelly for you still are lower than what you think and not ready to take a decision about. Obviously is up to you and you can stay with that BS of preamp and change the source/speakers.

Obviously that the corrupted AHEE ( where all of us belong. ) is ready to " help " you with your source/phono.

R.

@clearthink  : so what?

@chungjh  : Please read in that Technics link all the times Technics mention the TT model you own and that was used as reference for the top fligth model.

R.

Dear @qwin : " All the Technics DD turntables are Coreless are they not? "

Only the Technics new line of TT. As I posted not even the SP10MK3 is coreless motor design. Yes the vintage SP10 is a better performer even with no coreless motor but for other design and build reasons.

Here the today " SP10 " and remember that specs does not " sounds ":

R.

R.

Dear @qwin  : Unfortunatelly specs sheets don't " sounds " by it self.

The new Technics motor is a total departure from what Technics did it  in the past including the SP-10MK3. The new motor is coreless design and this improves the quality performance as it does the magnesium used in the tonearm arm wand.

Again, different " looks like " TTs.

R.

Dear @qwin  : The OP TT is way superior to the one you own, starting but the DD motor and tonearm magnesium build material. Both looks similar but that's all, are way different .

R.

Dear @chungjh  : These items could help you:

https://www.basisaudio.com/basis-reflex-clamp/

https://www.zavfino1877.com/copy-of-leather-mat

R.

Dear @chungjh  :  I neved heard those cables in my or other people audio system but I can see and read in its site that they carry the Zavfino cooper headshell wires. I recommended to you to use the silver by Zavfino headshell wires and the silver tonearm internal wires that after read that site I think that even Zavfino are better cables but with cables is hard to use the word " better or best ".

Cables/wires is an audio item where we have to make several tests in our system with different cables. It does not exist something as an " universal " cables that goes with any system. All cables can work in any system but a<ll owns puts its own signature and develops| different distortion levels duw that the electronics are and have electrical charactreidtics as impedance, capacitances and the like and the cables an electronics " react " to those electrical characteristics. Cables issue is " complex ".

I tested sevarl cables and in all cases I preffer silver over cooper and a safe advise for me are the Silver by AN and AP. Each one of us ahve our prefferences because at the end the " best " one is what we are hearing through today.

You need to test a wider variety of cables even inside the same manufacturer as could be its silver models.

R.

Dear @cleeds ​@mr_m : " Opinion stated as fact, and it’s a very debatable opinion at that. " "" Removable headshells have compromises, not to mention their own set of problems. Not sure if it is worth it. ""

Gentlemans, the owner already has the removable headshell tonearm design and this is what I’m talking about I’m not comparing against any other tonearm kind of design. I’m trying to help the OP to achieve the best of what he own and from here my post is a FACT like it or not. Dont try that I learn or that try to tell I’m wrong with your kind of posts trying to dyscover " black thread " and think that in any audio item as in the real day by day all kind of choices always have trade-offs. Instead of all your " meaning or way of think " try to help the OP with what he already owns and don't try to " hit " me. It does not helps to any one.

Btw, @chungjh I can’t remember if I mentioned but any TT ask for a good isolator plattform and yours is no exception. Other issue that you need to think a little about is the critical and important kind of task that IC cables has in the quality level performance and at least at two places in your system: tonearm to phono stage and phono stage to preamp ( I insist that that preamp should and must goes, is a BS of item. ). There are several alternatives for IC cables and you need to think too if those IC can stays the short as you can: say 0.5m to 0.75 m. and two IC good choices could be Audio Note ( UK. ) and Silver by Analysis Plus.

R.

Btw, " I find the dynamic range too high only on certain recordings. ".

Well that " high dynamics..." could be just higher distortions developed by the analog rig. I'm not saying is distortion.

Are you using Löfgren cartridge/tonearm alignment ? if not then use it. 

If in reality is higher distortion maybe a different TT mat and clamp could help to improve cartridge tracking as the overall cartridge set up: VTA/SRA/AZ/VTF/overhang/offset angle/cleaned stylus-LPs. Accurated set up can helps.

R.

R.

@chungjh : You have to try not one headshell but at least 3-4 or more with different build materials, different weigth and even different building shape and obviously with 3-4 different headshell wires. 

Tonearm removable headshell designs exist because that removable headshell gives us a great opportunity to mate in better way the cartridge to the tonearm and to permit that that cartridge can shows at its best.

R.

Dear @chungjh  : I already talked about why we need to listen our room/system seated at near field position. Please re-read my post.

In any room/system the seat position of the owner is critical for several reasons that includes each one of us hearing lossed, SPLs each one of us prefers and so on.

Good that you improve changing your seat position and then you need to follow about from where you are testings with small/tiny seat position changes looking to find out the " rigt " one position and remember that behind that seat position should be romm/treatment too.

In the other side, try that your audio retailer browse to you at your place a Pass preamp or something similar to the Pass one.

No, it's a very bad move to change the 545 speakers for other speakers when the trouble is not there but is up to you.

Btw, o you already tested 3-4 different hedashells with your cartridge and tested with different headshell wires than the stock one?. This was my advise to you in your tread in 2021. Again, is up to you because I really don't care if you did it or not because at the end is you who must live with that audio system.

R.

Dear @honeyooi and friends :  ""  in my experience near field is the best option. ""

Absolutely true and not only because is almost the only alternative chu has but because is the way we can really appreciate MUSIC as if we were seated in a live MUSIC event at nearfield.

IMHO, if we want to learn how good is our room/system we have to have a several first hand experiences through live MUSIC seated at nearfield and only if we have that experiences we can in true evaluate not only our system but any audio system listening to it at nearfield position. 

For many years now it's that what  I did and do in my system tests whole proccess.

No, normally I don't seat in my place at near field position because I have not a dedicated system room.  has my room/system differences seated at near field than into my normal position?  of course there are differences and my quest is to tweak my system trying that both positions be as nearest is possible, a real challenge.

R.

Dear @mijostyn  : With a removable headshell tonearm design you always can take away mass, AT/Denon have headshell as ligther as 4gr.-5gr. .

In the other side the 545 review that Soundlabs posted in its site came by Enjoying Music and guess what, the speakers were reviewed mated precisely to the Pass 350 !

@lewm  the issue on the coupled transformer is not rocket science but just common sense that for what you posted I can think is different from mine. That's all. Pun is not intented. Period with.

R.

Dear @mijostyn  : " problem with the arm is that it is heavier.. " well that's your problem because the arm is at the lower range of medium mass and about the removable headshell that could be an advantage to mate it with any cartridge but there is no perfect tonearm, all in audio is about trade offs.

R.

Dear @chungjh  :  Applies to all transformer coupled preamps as the L7000.

Btw, you don't need to make any change with the Pass X350 that's very good design and handled perfectly your 545 speakers, don't worry about amp you are totally safe there.

R.

Dear @chungjh : In other Agon thread a gentleman that posted here posted there:

"" The current Technics SL-1200G is a fine turntable at its price point. It is stronger on rythmic drive and bass coherence than it is on tonal refinement, but an excellent performer nonetheless. ""

The tonearm rewiring fix and improves that " tonal refinement " and the overall tonearm quality level performance.

R.

Dear friends : I respect all your opinions and for me exist 3 main issues in that system:

first is to have the rigth room/treatment and this should be does by the speaker/room treatment retailer (s ). @chungjh needs some one with the knowledge levels and " tools " to do it. Soundlabs speakers are just great and trhough adequated room treatment and even that small room it can shines.

second that terrible transformer coupled preamp that the best it does is to destroy the cartridge signal. No matters which analog items analog rig he owns today or in the near future that Allnic must goes out.

and third a tonearm rewiring as headshells options with good headshell wires. I seen that almost all of you gave as advise to change the TT/tonearm but no one of you posted why the Technics tonearm ( other than its internal wire ) must be changed no one of you stated the problems with no one stated why a better cartridge can’t be handled by the Technics tonearm.

Obviously that’s to easy to post any kind of room/system advises/changes using the other gentleman money, even some one siad to take out a wall or something like that.

The OP said:

" My system sounds great, but I am wondering how I can take my system to another level. " Yes, that another levl is not specified but he said " sounds great " so what’s coming? For me: fine tunning that room/system.

R.

Dear @chungjh : " I still don’t understand. Wouldn’t decreasing the gain on the Kitsune do the same degradation? "

Certainly you don’t understand the whole issue and why you are connecting the phono stage Kisune to your Allnic L7000 preamp .

Btw, normally and in general sense as lower gain we need to achieve the desired SPL ( volume ) in our system as lower degradation will be developed.

The sound degradation I talked about is generated/developed inside the L7000 preamp due that it’s a a designed preamp coupled through transformers and it’s inside those transformers where the cartridge signal coming from the Kisune " seen " incremented that signal degradation and that’s why I told you that a good " move " could be to change the L7000 for the Pass X22 or X12.

In the other side:  "" is there a way to quantify/measure the room deficiency? "" please let me know how you did it your room treatment . Only through your ears?

R.

Dear @chungjh  : "" What do you think about the tone arm (on 1200G) or Kitsune phono stage? ""

You have " short memory " because I already gave you my advise about in a thread you started. Here it's:

"" 

@chungjh  : I was very specific: Allnic that's the preamp. 

R.

Dear @chungjh : You need to degrade the cartridge signal a lot lower than the coupled Allnic transformer does, for me this is the weak link in your audio system when we are talking of any audio signal but especially with cartridges.

You have a very good PS that makes a really good job with the cartridge signal buit then that signal goes inside that transfomer and everything comes down.

You need that through the system electronics the cartridge signal suffers the less degradation. You can mate extremely well your PS and amplifier with Pass Labs preamps as the XP 22 or the XP12. These preamps will makes that you find out what you are looking for .

After that you could think to improve the sound quality level with one of the Dynavector top models. In the other side and for what you posted  seems to me that your room treatment works just fine.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.