To those with multiple tables/arms/cartridges


How do you 'play' your system?
For 30 years I had only one turntable, one arm and one cartridge......and it never entered my mind that there was an alternative?
After upgrading my turntable nearly 5 years ago to a Raven AC-3 which allowed easy mounting of up to four tonearms......I decided to add two arms.
RAVEN
A few years later I became interested in Direct Drive turntables and purchased a vintage 30 year old Victor/JVC TT-81 followed shortly after by the top-of-the-line TT-101 and I designed and had cast 3 solid bronze armpods which I had lacquered in gloss black.
TT-101
By this time I had over 30 cartridges (both LOMCs and MMs) all mounted in their own headshells for easy interchange.
STORAGE

Every day I listen to vinyl for 3-4 hours and might play with one cartridge on one arm on one table for this whole day or even two or three days.
I then might decide to change to a different arm and cartridge on a the same table or perhaps the other.....and listen to the last side I had just heard on the previous play.
I am invariably thrilled and excited by the small differences in presentation I am able to hear....and I perhaps listen to this combination for the next few days before again lusting after a particular arm or cartridge change?

Is this the way most of you with multiple cartridges/arms listen?......or are there other intentions involved?
128x128halcro
This way :-), anyway my client does. The photo was taken before cartridges were mounted, on the SME 312S is a Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement V2, on the Moerch is a Koetsu Blue Lace Signature and on the Graham is a Ortofon MC Anna. This currently feeds into a AMR PH77, which is to be upgraded shortly with three Olympia PX phono preamps.

GrooveMaster Custom

Good Listening

Peter
"Is this the way most of you with multiple cartridges/arms listen?"

Who is going to be the wise guy who says, "No. I listen to music, not equipment?" :-)

I guess I just did! Actually, for LPs that are on the cool side, I use my warmer-balanced Grado Sonata. For LPs that are on the warmer side, I use my cooler-balanced Shelter 501 Mk. II. That's about it!
-Bob
Differences ...

I had Arms for Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sunday
I had Arms for Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
I had Arms for Winter/Spring/Summer/Autumn
I had Arms for Reissues/Originals
I had Arms for Direct Drive/Rim Drive/Belt Drive
I had Arms for 2k carts/5k carts/10k carts/20k carts
I had Arms for Turntables I even didn't buy
and one day... there
I heard differences
One friend has three tables, each with arms with fixed headshells and a dedicated cartridge. That requires more space but only minimal time to change the wiring.

Anyway he uses one system to listen to instrumental jazz, another for classical, and a third for vocals.