Replace OL Illustrious 3 with Graham 2.2?

Artemus,

Why this haste to upgrade if you've done so little to optimize what you have? In addition to the adjustments you admit you haven't made, if your system photo is current then you also haven't optimized the drive system of your Teres. A 340 set up as in your photo will not match my 320 or any Galibier for dynamics, "oomph" or tonal clarity. It will sound comparitively soft, wooly and undynamic.

Your photo shows the stock Teres black drive tape. That is several generations behind the state of the art in drive tapes. We bettered that material on our 320 several years and tape types ago. Read this thread . Chris doesn't provide the optimal tape and neither does anyone else. You have to DIY (or I will, for $100 each! LOL)

The motor may or may not be an issue. Ours once had problems like what Steve described but no longer does, thanks to an upgrade provided by Chris. Ask him about gold brushes.

I think you'll benefit more from rolling up your sleeves than rolling out your wallet. ;-)

Doug

P.S. From experience I disagree that a 2.2 would be a significant upgrade from an Illustrious. IMO it wouldn't even be a lateral move.

Thanks Doug. Your last statement concerning the 2.2 vs OL was my main question. That said, I would buy the 2.2 if it were an upgrade. They are quite inexpensive right now and that was my reasoning.
The picys and listing of my system is out of date and I need to update the listing. I 've been really busy and so haven't had the time to update the listing. But I have updated quite a few other things. Its easy to see your dismay in light of the system listed. But here are the upgrades

Phono preamp is now Vacuum State JLTi. Got a defective one at first and had to work through that issue. Jay and Allan took care of it though. Both are good people and a pleasure to deal with.

Amp is a tube unit Dynaco ST-70 made by Bob Latino. Its kind of misleading since the only thing used of the ST-70 is the circuit. it has all the upgrades that are possible and sounds better than my former CJ by a good margin IMO

I am now running all "Pure Note" cables. I had Pure Note previously but I had a lesser IC cable on the TT. Duh!!! .

I've installed an Oyaide R1 AC outlet on my dedicate AC line. Stunning!

I have installed new AC cables. Still auditioning them but am towards the end of the 30 days. They are broke in and have made some improvement

So, One of my problems is that I have made too many changes for the time period and am trying to stay on top without fooling myself.
My big project has ended now so i will have time to really get the Teres zeroed in. My wife has given me the OK to build my room.

That said, is the new tape drive system a big upgrade? BTW, I'm using a clear one now. (The black one broke) I was planning on researching the new tape but just hadn't gotten around to it.

One other thing I should note is that in my experiment to separate digital fro analog, I found that my phono preamp was plugged into a regular 50 cent outlet running through a cheap surge protector (another area that needs attention).
Plugging it into the Monster which is plugged into the R1 has made a big improvement also.

Thanks for your input Doug. It is much appreciated. I guess I'll try to get around to updating my system in the next few days so my posts are not so confusing

They are quite inexpensive right now and that was my reasoning.

In an active secondary market comprised of knowledgeable buyers and sellers, a piece of equipmnent that retains a relatively low percentage of its original price is likely to perform:
a) better than average
b) worse than average
c) on American Idol

***

That said, is the new tape drive system a big upgrade?

Read the thread I linked. No one who's tried it has failed to hear improvements.

BTW, I'm using a clear one now. (The black one broke)

Good. The (2 mil) clear tape was a nice upgrade over the (1 mil) black. You're now just two steps from state of the art. Whatever you heard from the switch to the clear tape, you'll hear more of.

***

As you're running the TT on AC power, I'd recommend the battery option from Teres. Batteries eliminate dirty power problems better than any power cord.

If you do, skip the Teres-supplied battery and buy a heftier Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) type. (We actually use two, our TT probably has more cold-cranking amps than my Land Rover! LOL.) AGM batteries are safe and hold their charge practically forever when disconnected, which we do when not listening. Ours only need recharging once or twice a year. We leave our charger disconnected, which further lowers the noise floor.

A big AGM battery's large plate surfaces and mat-stabilized gel electrolyte supply electricity fast enough to push the motor through transients with minimal power lags; AC oomph without the noise and distortion.

Our 320 matches our CDP for transient speed and betters its dynamics, bass depth and clarity. Of course there's no comparison when it comes to a low sound floor.

Doug. I never intended to give the idea that the CDP sounded better than the Teres. However, my exuberance over the improvements which the Oyaide R1 AC outlet brought to the cdp did come through. I'm surprised the cdp sounds as good as it does. However, the TT was not getting the benefit of the outlet. I hadn't realized that at my OP.

That said, I have worked some with the TT. But mostly with the preamp. I plugged the JLTi into the Oyaide as well which helped. But then I got the idea that since the designer of the preamp, Allen Wright, advocates 47K loading, i thought I'd try it. Whoa. More energy and sound stage.

I am running battery power now. Are you saying the battery you suggested would be a sonic upgrade or a maintenance upgrade? IOW's buy that one when this one goes bad?

I am going to try to find the mylar tape later this afternoon. I've read enough of the thread to know what is necessary to make the tapes. Is there a place online to buy all the stuff necessary if my hunt fails this afternoon?

Also, The main reason for asking about the 2.2 was because I have always felt as if I had to compromise on the arm when I bought the TT. I spent all my $$$ on it and could not swing a better arm at the time. It seems that the majority are using Triplanars or Schroeders or other higher end arms. I do not have experience with other arms except those which I have had on previous tables. I live in flyover country and do not get to hear other systems. I like the simplicity of The OL and it seems to do a good job. But I hadn't got around to asking Chris about it.

BTW, I like your quiz

Info on tape source. Enough to last a lifetime.

mylar streamers

you want part #6033665. 1/2" x 100' holographic mylar.

My opinion on the 2.2 is close to Doug's. Your table is far better than the 2.2 can manage.

How about a nice, used Triplanar VII?