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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
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Dear Henry, the most important fact in our hobby is what
one self believes. The other may believe, for example, that
those thin gold platings on the connectors wear off even
from looking at them. But the theory that they get better
by each put in /put out exertion is remarcable. How often
do you need to change all the connectors involved?
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
Once again Lew.......we find ourselves in agreement.
Unlike the famous Linn philosophy which attracts adherents due to a simple logic........if the speakers can't create 'magic'.........no source will compensate (IMHO of course :-))
lewm
13,118 posts
 
Henry, The particular FM station I tuned into plays classical music only. At that time of night, they have a female disc jockey who has been doing the late shows for decades. I have heard her voice on many many different speakers and in many different systems. When she came on the air in between musical pieces to announce the time, the news, or what music was coming next, it was almost eerie; she seemed to be sitting no more than 6 feet away from me. (I know this is a tired audio cliche', but it does apply.) I could sense the resonance of her body as she spoke. That Beveridge guy was clearly a genius of sorts (maybe not an "Einstein" but a genius nevertheless); there is much about the speakers that is totally unique, even including the way the ESL panels work, which is fundamentally different from all the other successful commercial ones. The diaphragms do not carry a high DC bias voltage, which may be why my speakers still work so well after 34 years. (Built in 1979.)
thuchan
1,009 posts
 
To my understanding and hopefully I have learned my lessons we do concentrate very much on the front end while the basics behind the system (power supplies - oh yes it can make a difference, power distribution, fuses, matching parameters between preamp/amp/ speakers) are of some importance in a good system. How much difference does it make when changing a tonearm to the better, or a cartridge, while the back end misses a good standard.

I know some might argue that isolation platforms, speed control, matching of tonearm and cart (compliance) are even more important. of course this is also a crucial workplace. Nevertheless how often did I experience in my High End life that people are not aware what they are missing or just have no idea what it could change in their system. Usually the first reaction is blocking all advisory or consulting hints. Maybe it will also lead to aggression or other kind of lousy behaviour just trying to solve their cognitive dissonance. This is understandable and a certain kind of protection, also not investing too much money in some kind of voodoo toys they might think.

Oh yes, sometimes I start thinking that we were born to reach a level and then defending it for all the time. Are these good perspectives...?
thuchan
1,009 posts
 
Having now experimented with my new ToXion arm I am puzzled about the differences you can hear between the different materials the six Toho-tubes provide on the Axiom arm. One may believe it or not my current favourite is Bamboo. No I had only one glas of wine so far...
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