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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
manitunc
795 posts
 
nandric,
hearing a difference is not the same as making qualitive observations. Of course, gross differences can be heard, but I am referring to subtle ones. Is there a little more air, a little tighter bass, a little more clarity on the cymbals, a little more forward in the midrange. That is a lot easier to determine in 5 seconds between switching inputs, not so much after an hour, and the loss of concentration while changing and aligning a cartridge. If you can, more power to you. I can't. Not with any certainty anyway.
griffithds
852 posts
 
Hi Lewm,

Before I made the TT purchase, both I and Nikola tried to contact you. We must have the wrong or you have change you email address. It was thought that perhaps you had a Denon TT you might be willing to part with. Neither of us got a reply so we both felt perhaps you were not interested. Your above rely makes me wonder if you ever got our messages?

Regards,
Don
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Dear Manitunc, 'Hearing a difference is not the same as making qualitative observations'? What purpose than have the carts comparisons? I don't believe that there are quantitative comparisons of any kind involved. Except the price difference of course. My experience is that an exceptional cart is immediately perceived but because there are also other 'exceptional carts' we want to know which one is better. There is no other way to decide then to compare them. Well your method with two identical tonearms and other 'identical' conditions is of course the best thinkable. But others my prefer to own two different tonearms. I think that both choices are, uh, 'legitimate'. Besides there are no certainties in our hobby as there are none in science.
lewm
13,118 posts
 
I am not sure I got your email at all. I did have an email from Nikola in the last few months, and perhaps he can remind me if he asked me about selling my Denon DP80 in that exchange. Somehow I don't think that was the subject. But I have not changed my email address in forever.

Oddly enough, my Denon DP80 is up for sale on Audiogon, unless the ad expired already.
manitunc
795 posts
 
Nandric,
Yeah, I get that. In fact, one of my other tables has a replaceable headshell for that very purpose, and I have about 10 cartridges premounted on headshells that I change out once in a while just for giggles. that is certainly easier than going through a full install, and I dont think there is any huge loss in quality from a fixed headshell arm.
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