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Would love some feedback / Denon DL-S1 / phono match / cart recomendations

Would love some feedback / Denon DL-S1 / phono match / cart recomendations

- Vinyl newbie and need some help

- Friend has a brand new  Denon DL-S1 for $600 - good deal?

- I have a Mark Levinson No.326s preamp and just bought the dual mono MM/MC Phono module boards. They are the identical boards from the No,32 preamp and read that was a very nice sounding phono preamp.

- No.326s only has a couple settings 42db or 60 db and 47k ohm or 200 ohm load

- I picked up a used Bob's Device 1131 thinking it would help as my No.326s has limited setting options and read the 1131 might not work well with this cart. That this cart is tough to get the most out of but can be great.

- Should I get another cart? Was it a mistake getting the 1131 SUT. I read the No.326s sounded nice with this SUT so went for it but don't know enough to really know better either way but trying to learn.

- The No.326s phono boards has these little gold terminal screws with easy tighten by hand little knobs on the heads of the screws to add either capacitor or resistor to make the phono very adjustable but would have no idea how to figure out how to use that but thought to mention

- just wondering if this is a bad cart for me to try with my phono and SUT set up and any feedback about anything related to a cart would be super appreciated if anyone reads this. Thanks

more info if helpful below but not need to answer my question just thought to add it :)

______________________________________________________________________________________


I just finished up a full system re-fit with some tweaking here and there still to do but I am extremely happy with the sound I’m getting today from my new to me system. I sold my entire old system that was tubes and high efficiency speakers and got new to me: speakers, amp, preamp, speaker cables and upgraded digital transport and got a new turntable. Kept my DAC never changing that. Love my DAC. 

This system is the best I’ve personally ever had. I’m pretty psyched - so psyched I just added a turntable. 

A modern Version of the VPI Prime Aries with HRX Feet, 10" 3D Arm and Base, Prime Signature Platter, Ring and Motor. 

I am looking for a cart and my friend has a new Denon DL-S1 for $600 he also has a  used but good shape Clearaudio Accurate mc cart for a few hundred but i never heard of this one and a  van den Hul blackheart grass hopper which I know nothing of.

I thought because the Denon is new never used that was the best option but any of you know anything about the other let me know please.
  
Would love some feedback / ideas / thought recommendations and help. I’m a digital guy and want to give vinyl and honest to goodness try.

As stated above I just purchased the dual mono Phono board modules for my
Mark Levinson No.326s linestage so it’s now a full function Preamp and added a Bobs Device 1131 SUT and both were attained a very reasonable cost which was great!

Just not sure if these carts will go with my phono and SUT.

Rest of my System:
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5160

- Magico S5 Loudspeakers
- Pass Labs X350.5 Amplifier
- Mark Levinson No.326s Preamp/phonostage
- Bricasti M1 Special Edition DAC
- PS Audio P10 Power Plant
- Kubala-Sosna Emotion SC’s
- Nordost/Cardas IC’s
- Assorted PC's Verastarr/Cardas

- Digital PC based front end that I have been tweaking and evolving:
- Sonore microRendu 1.4
- Full Suite of UpTone Audio Gear
(2) x LPS-1 Ultra Capacitor PS
JS-2 Linear Power Supply
(2) Regens - ISO/Amber
- (8) Canare / Oyide DC cables
- (2) Breeze Audio 12v LPS
- Tellurium Q Black Diamond Reference USB cable
- Curious Regen Link USB Cable.

This Digital Front End beat out: Lumin, Antipodes, Naim and Auralic servers. It needs everything to work so well but man does it work great. My hope is that a turntable can complete and wish some luck I end up liking it better. That’s why I’m asking for help. I want to put my best vinyl foot forward 

** Back Ground info**

** Room is **
14 x 24 w/Cathedral Ceilings - 16 Foot a peak

** Music likes **
Assorted Music but no metal or loud hard rock anymore really - not much Large Scale classical either but everything else. I listen just loud enough to sound its best but not a loud listener. I enjoy normal levels.

** Likes / Priorities **
Transparency - Delicacy - Linear - High resolution - microscope but not sterile not etched or lifeless -some natural warmth and life to the music is key  but love that see through transparency and love precise soundstage - remove as many layers without being clinical - tight bass - hate flab - but don’t need worlds greatest slam but love speed and accurate bass while being musical.

** Perspective **
I’m only a couple months into this new system and I was struggling to get the right Preamp and tried a half dozen or so searching for the right balance and the one that could bring my new system together like only the perfect matching preamp can do. Each system is different so really it must be heard to know it’s what you want. I believe in the Preamp and knew If I could find the right match it would change everything. Well that was the hope.

To make a long story longer the Mark Levinson No.326s preamp did this and more. I was hedging my expectations based on the disappointments of the others I tried and failed but the No. 326s nailed it and honestly it an incredible Preamp and then some. I was so happy I decided to upgrade and add the built in phonostage option and SUT and Turntable here we are trying to chose a cart.

Really appreciate any help you can provide! I know this is kind of long but wanted you guys to know where I’m coming from! If you would like more info please let me know - all comments and feedback are most welcome and deeply appreciated :)




128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xfsmithjack
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
@fsmithjack frankly I worry you are diving in head first and may waste a lot of time and money to no good outcome

Why exactly do you feel the need to add analog to your system anyway? Do you own 1000s of LPs? Are there specific genres you like that are only available on vinyl?

Without a real reason to get into vinyl why would you divert scarce $ that could go elsewhere in your system? Even if you accept (as I do) that the best vinyl can outdo the best digital, current digital (even red book) can sound magical and it will likely take an expenditure of much more than you are currently considering to get a vinyl setup that matches up to your current digital.

Add to this the fincky nature of vinyl and all the things that can go wrong I think you are letting yourself in for a whole lot of pain. Of course it will be fun to learn but don’t expect it to be easy and you should do everything you can at this stage not to make it more complicated than it needs to be (ie not starting out with what sounds like an oddball cart for example).

Anyway maybe i’m too late but do make sure you are prepared for what you are getting into
fsmithjack's avatar
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Um, Yeah heck yeah way too late for any of that,

I am not scared it can't be that hard and if so i will still push through via reading and asking for help and if needed having someone come help me somehow. 

I mean I have jumped in head first as I just purchased a $7,000 turntable, $12,000 Line/phonostage, $949 Cartridge, $1,500 SUT and $2,500 interconnect that I will share with my DAC until I buy a new dedicated phono cable. Thankfully these are new MSRP and I did not pay all those prices as I bought some of this gear used and I already had the linestage and IC but with counting those even at used prices I still have well over $10,000 into this vinyl venture and that is just to put together a semi-competent starter analogue package.

My pre linestage is world class but the phono is not up to the linestage or that I think anyways. The phono i hope is still decent enough as I bought the modules new for $800.

All this said I wanted to best compliment the gear I already had and put this exclusive analogue package together.

I went with VPI because it is not some crazy esoteric piece but rather a pretty common setup that tons of people have so I can find some help pretty easy there.

I mean tons of people talk about this cart but good to know definitely don't want to use a SUT and wish I had a little more gain and with my approach that buying used allows a built in exit strategy I am hoping I like it.

I mean buying a top cd or sacd player is simple but my digital system is not walk in the park either. Actually if you look at the digital I have put together there are more moving parts than this table set up.

There are no short cuts in hifi but hoping to at least get off the ground and can remove the training wheels and get good enough to make me happy sound as i learn. 

With digital I can listen to music for 283 days straight for 24 hours a day and not hear the same song twice, Records i have maybe 20 records but no biggie I will buy one here or there as I go.

I want to hear that sound or close to that sound I have read about a thousand times. Not the worlds best but good enough that I get a feel for what all the hoopla is all about.

No pain  no gain. Who knows maybe I dump this analogue set up and put the resource into the rest of my system. Or maybe I sell my beloved Bricasti and all my digital and focus all my resource into vinyl because I love the sound or maybe I walk a middle ground between both who knows but my gut says there is room for both as long as each is good enough as to not lose interest in the other. This is why I tried to put the best vinyl system i could for the money I had and why I am asking for help so I can learn more. Basically I chose to put the $5000 grand I had into this rather than a $5000 media server so we shall see if that was a good decision. 

One reason I went this route is because I listened to that $5,000 server and though my customer digital set up is better. If I spent $5000 on a digital server and liked what I had better then that would have got me no where and as far as my amp, pre or speakers I think they are good enough where $5000 would have me running into the law of diminishing returns. That leaves cables. I have pretty good cables and some are very good and $5000 in cables doesn't go that far once I get into getting better than I already have so I chose records. Want to take a kick the vinyl can and appreciate all the help. The more the help the better because I need it it :)  



 
dgarretson
2,588 posts
 
Just point the tip of the needle +/- half a mm of the two null points on your protractor, twist the cartridge in the headshell to set the cantilever in parallel with the guide lines, and start sailing.
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rauliruegas
12,784 posts
 
@fsmithjack : Another great opportunity, stop to lost your time, money and making roockie mistakes:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/cartridges-ortofon-mc-a90-2018-01-08-analog



R.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
12,784 posts
 
Dear @fsmithjack : Yes to late for the @folkfreak advise that I concur/agree with him except that LP can't outperform today digital alternative everything the same.

Now, you said:

""" and wish I had a little more gain.... """

YOU DON’T NEED MORE GAIN FOR ANY CARTRIDGE INCLUDING THE S1.

Your up-dated 326S has more than enough but additional to this fact your speakers works at around 4 ohms and in some frequency range goes to 3.0-3.5 ohms and your Magico has a sensitivity of around 90db.

What means all those?: that the Magico puts out 90db SPL with just ONE WATT AT ONE METER and your Pass amplifier puts SEVEN HUNDRED WATTS AT FULL POWER in that 4ohms speaker impedance.

@fsmithjack , 90db on SPL is a real high volume to listen an audio system and normally if we want higher SPL maybe 93-95dbs ( at listening seat. ) could be way higher and not so good for continuous time because we need to mantain a healthy ears.

I know that all the gentlemans in this thread are like me trying to help but in all these regards I disagree with almost all of them. problem is that almost all of them knows nothing about your up-dated 326S as I’m.

As I told you twice I don’t care what you do, as a fact no one cares but you that’s who will live in the future with that system.

Btw, do you already ask VPI for its new gimball tonearm and if you can mount with out trouble in your TT?


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.


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