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Ugraditus is calling....again. Phono stage?

There is likely nothing wrong at all with present phono stage but you know how it is.

Present analog front end consists of.

Nottingham Analog Spacedeck with Spacearm.
Shelter 501 mk3 cartridge with maybe 250 hours on it, regularly treated with Lyra.
Dynavector P75 mk3 phono stage.
Feeds into Lyngdorf 2170 via Nordost Red Dawn RCA cables.

My thoughts were that possibly the Dynavector is the weakest link and would pay most dividend on an upgrade but.....

What do I perceive I am lacking right now?
Really hard to say as this is highest quality analog front end ever owned.
Possibly lacking a little in sheer scale and dynamics? Bass is very very good, instruments are well separated and defined.
Just as an overall presentation I feel it lacks that final wow factor as a whole.
Not sure if that makes any sense?
Please comment honestly especially if you feel it is another area that may reap larger benefits. Or if should just leave well alone....lol.

Oh btw I am fairly sure it is setup correctly in regards to vta etc, at least to the best of my abilities right now. And yes setting it up correctly from initial purchase did make considerable gains in sq.
128x128uberwaltz
robelvick's avatar
robelvick
619 posts
 
Could possibly be the cables being used.

@auxinput made the pair I've been using for the past 9 months, between a few different phono stages/DAC.   DH Lab BL-Ag with Furutech gold XLR connections.  They have always sounded superb in every integration.

What balanced cables did you try?


uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
Only have one set right now
Wireworld gold eclipse 7.
The rca are Nordost red dawn which are traditionally supposed to give a leaner sound so I would be surprised if it was just the make of cable.
How bad it sounds I am thinking something a little more involved
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Uberwaltz, a possibility that comes to mind, which could account for the symptoms you’ve noted with both the phono stage and the Oppo, is that the balanced cables are miswired such that their ground pin (pin 1) is interchanged with one of the two signal pins (pin 2 or pin 3) at one end. Thereby causing one of the two signals, as provided by the source component, to be connected to ground in the 2170. Which would adversely affect the performance (and eventually perhaps even the health) of the output stage of the source component.

If you have or can obtain a multimeter, check that each of the three pins at one end of each cable is connected to the corresponding pin at the other end. And also check that each of the three pins is not connected to either of the other two pins.

In doing so, it would be best to use a magnifying glass to view the pin numbers that are marked next to each of the pins, as their symmetrical layout makes it easy to confuse pins 1 and 2 with each other when comparing the two ends. And for that matter, perhaps the assembler became confused for exactly that reason :-)

Best regards,
-- Al
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
Al
Kind of where my thought process was moving as I noted a few posts ago that SOMETHING is likely wired incorrectly direct from the factory.
But you are right, the cables are relatively easy to test, if they pan out I guess I could plug them into the Gold note and repeat the same test which would hopefully point the way further.

And agreed it is easy to confuse the pinout from one end to the other.
We use similar style plugs for 270vac power in our equipment and some of the "apprentices " in the shop regular misconnect one end in relation to the other, good job we have circuit breakers on all circuits...lol!
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
Well cables measure correctly and thank the Lord for my lighted magnifying glass!
All go to correct pins and no multi crossed signals so next will try them in the Gold note but its time to venture to the airport for another week of fun in sunny Wisconsin!
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