128x128

mulveling

Responses from mulveling

Fidelity Research FR-64x
Yes, very good arm, especially with the silver wire. Top notch build quality; still makes most of today’s arms look & feel like toys (compare to a VPI arm, lol). I have the non-silver version and it sounded excellent with Koetsu cartridges and... 
Benz Micro Ace Sh hours
If you're hearing distortion from stylus wear it's likely to be much more apparent on the inner grooves. That was very apparent when I had an old, worn Koetsu. Try to determine if there's a correlation between the distortion and inner grooves. 700... 
Thumbs up for ultrasonic record cleaning
@whatthe I too was considering the KL Audio & AD cleaners, and ended up with Clearaudio DM Pro Sonic. It's changed record cleaning (with a VPI 16.5) from a torture to a pleasure, which has become the most important parameter for me. And of cou... 
Audioquest Niagara 5000 or 7000
AQ published a video tour of their Irvine CA headquarters, that shows their 7000 assembly stations (presumably 5000 as well?). And the capacitor burn-in machine in a different part of the building. There’s a lot of stuff that goes into those boxes... 
From Cadenza Black to A95...
The Windfeld was a LOT better than the Jubilee when I had them several years back (around the time the A90 came out, which is when my dealer sold off those prior carts). The Cadenza Black is just the newer Jubilee. I’ve also had the Kontrapunkt "c... 
Graham Phantom 1 Owner's Manual
That "L" is right where the "II" goes on a Phantom II or Supreme wand, but without the dash. In your case the "L" might be an indicator to the arm wand length. My 10" Supreme wands have "XL - 10" inscribed on the barrel facing down, not next to th... 
Graham Phantom 1 Owner's Manual
I bought a new Phantom II Supreme in 2013, and of course no manual came with it. I was able to get a PDF copy from Musical Surroundings at that time, but they are now no longer a Graham dealer. By all indications, this manual hasn’t changed at all... 
From Cadenza Black to A95...
Nice review! I almost got an A95 to serve as a complement to my Koetsu Coralstone. Maybe I should've gone in that direction (I got a Shelter Harmony). I'm familiar with a good bit of the Ortofon MC lineup -- though not the Cadenza Black or A95, I'... 
Timbernation Platform Problems
Agreed; I’ve been around audio forums for several years and this one pops up every couple years. Buyers beware. Also there are much more high tech isolation options available today, many of which look far better than large blocks of wood. 
Choosing a new phono cartridge
I had a buddy who had a HELL of a time getting a Karat setup on a VPI arm. It's the odd one in the lineup with that super duper short diamond cantilever. He upgraded to an Ortofon Jubilee (now Cadenza Black); much easier! 
Wide dispersion + high efficiency + detail + coherence in a speaker?
There are Tannoys that have all that, except maybe only moderate in dispersion (which aids efficiency and ease of integration into rooms) 
Most satisfying system change in 2017?
I upgraded every single piece of my system in 2017, though it bled into this year. The most satisfying plays, in descending order of impact, were:Phono stage upgrade from Rogue Ares Magnum to VAC Renaissance SE. This was the last major change I ma... 
Koetsu Blue Lace Onyx vs. Coralstone
Thanks @terry9 My phono stage is a VAC Renaissance SE with the LL1931 built-in, and is chock-full of nude Vishays (I counted 36), including the loading slots. I’d previously borrowed a non-SE; the SE model’s Jupiter beeswax caps and nude Vishays m... 
TO BE OR NOT TO BE the user of a record clamp
Get a peripheral ring clamp used in conjunction with a center weight; THAT makes a difference. The center weight alone can't accomplish much.  
Koetsu Blue Lace Onyx vs. Coralstone
@terry9 Very curious about experiences with Koetsu and a silver Lundahl SUT, as I'm eyeing those options right now. Do you have the amorphous core LL1931/1941Ag or a LL1933/1943Ag?I currently have a Bob's Devices Sky 40 and LL1931 (copper). With m...