very disappointed about my system setup


i need help. here is my system: speakers=decapos ref 3a,
amps=quicksilvers silver 60's, preamps=blue circle bc-3 and
cj premier 3, analog= lp12 with ittok and dynavector mk2 cartridge, digital= wadia transport and d/a.
here is my story. i am 47 years old. loved vinyl but because of life's trials and tribulations was forced to sell my lp-12 years ago. decided to get back into about a year ago. purchased a basis tt, rega rb-300 and grado sonata cartridge with a black cube phono. sounded dry as hell no life etc... so i sold that setup and waited for an lp-12. i thought i remembered how good it sounded. so..... i purchased another lp12 and bought the cj on the high recomendations of people on the gon. it was said the phono rocked. hooked it up and nothing. the tt is set up better than any setup i have had, adjustments to rake and angle, isolation etc... lifeless, very dark, no detail. now my digital setup rocks on the cj or b.c. beautiful sound. 3D. i either need to give up on vinyl forever or make this work. money is an issue at this point. i have spent way to much already. can anyone make a recomendation before i give up ? is anyone familar with the cj phono? i thought about buying a grado just to see if it is the cartridge "it came with the table and looks o.k. under the mag glass.
thanks, tim
bluebottle

Showing 1 response by sean

Thoroughly cleaned records played back on a "reasonable" linear tracking table have a MUCH lower surface noise level and blacker background than even a well set up pivoted arm. Obviously, differences in cartridges, stylus shapes, VTA, etc.. can throw some BIG variables into the equation.

Here's an excerpt from a post made on AA regarding this very subject. You can read the whole post by following the link below.

"I own, use, and love a Studer/Revox B791 linear tracking turntable. I have a Dynavector Karat 17D Cartridge. This table is ultra reliable, quiet, and fantastic sounding.
A friend of mine has the exact cartidge on a Denon DP72L with an SEAC tonearm.

I took my tt to his house one day. We used the MoFi "Crime of the Century" to compare. The Revox was at least 10db quieter! I'm talking about groove noise, not hum. My friend stood transfixed with his jaw hanging for the entire 22 minutes. Then at the end of the album, it picks up the arm and goes to sleep. Gues how the side ended on the single pay manual!

This table sounds great, and you can find them for $300-$500. I paid $500 but mine came mint in the box with the service manuals and a Grace Ruby Cart (now my backup). This table also tracks warped disks almost perfectly. The thing never skips or hangs."

surface noise

Here's a comment made by the owner of a Linn LP12 that also own's a Revox: "Actually, the turntable is not bad at all. It is direct drive and therefore more noisy than belt drive, but it's certainly a good sounding turntable. I also own Linn LP12 with Syrinx and Clearaudio Evolution and sometimes I do switch to Revox!"

supposed "king" of musical turntables vs budget linear tracker

Here's a comment made by reviewer and vinyl addict Thorston Loesch regarding the same "budget" linear tracker and a well respected pivoted arm table: "Sonically it ain't that hot, then again, I'd suspect it'll walk over the average Rega Planar quite easily".

Thorsten's comments about "budget" linear tracker

This is NOT to say that i think that this is "THE" turntable to own, not by any means. I can think of dozens of ways to improve it and make it more user friendly. Having said that, i think that it would embarrass a lot of other "well respected" tables if properly set up. Sean
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