Putting together turntable rig

So, went this morning to the local dealer. Since my complete setup is from him, we know us pretty well by now. He is a absolutely honest, trustworthy and very professional guy.

He echoed some of the thoughts you have already shared with me.

First off all he recommended me, since I start only with a handful of records, to finish my digital chain. He loves vinyl to death, he understands my itch to go parallel analog. If I get a new DAC and the wish to go analog doesn’t disappear, I should start to collect records ahead. This makes things easier. 

He suggested 3 DAC‘s: Aries Cerat Helene, Rockna Wavedream Signature and Lumin X1. 
Helene and X1 I heard already some month ago at his store.

Right now he doesn’t have all three in stock, but when he does, he visit me at home with all three of them. We listen for a evening together, I can choose one, keep it for a week to make up my mind and decide then.

If I  keep my AA DAC and choose to go analog, he says,  getting the table and arm as best I could afford, and build the rest around it with time.

Meanwhile he loaned me a Rockna Wavelight.

Lucky me to have a dealer like this near by!

Here is the link for SOTA. Call them and tell them what you are looking for. They can put together everything for you

https://sotaturntables.com/

There is no such thing as new/old stock in cartridges. All the materials used for suspensions harden over time by drying out or oxidation.

No, and you just repeat a fairy-tale promoted by re-tippers who charge money for making a Frankenstains out of original cartridges pretending for "upgrade" for a poor user who bought a bad or broken sample.

Every cartridge can be tasted with a test record for tonearm/cartridge resonance figure, so you can change a compliance and you can compared what stated in the manual. If the compliance is the same then suspension is fine. Do not tell me if you don’t know what you are talking about, stick to your digital.

The suspension on an unused cart that is 20-30 years old will have hardened to the point where it is pretty well solid.

This is 100% BS, read what stated above and search audiogon for MM thread to read comments from real people (various experienced members of this forum), if you don’t have personal experience please do not post this nonsense again.

Such a cartridge requires a new replacement suspension and possibly other parts according to model. With some manufacturers now out of business this may be impossible without specialist fabrication of a like for like replacement.

It requires NOTHING, just plug and play, absolutely no problem, do not expect that people are stupid, NOS styli are available and I bought many of them in the past 5 years for a cartridges made in the 80s.

I want to admit that your average re-tipper can’t change the suspension in MM cartridge, so you don’t know what you are talking about. Suspension on various models can be tuned (there is a tiny screw and tension wire), but even this is not necessary if you can buy a NOS cartridge stored properly (not a used junk from ebay in America from some amateurs).

Frankly it is a much better deal to buy a cart of recent manufacture.

Maybe you can’t read, so I will repeat again that I have cartridges from recent manufacturers in $3000-4000 price range, I tried enough of them.

People who praise vintage MM well aware of the sound of modern high-end cartridges.

It is you not are not aware of the sound of vintage high-end MM cartridges, this is the only reason you post such nonsense.

New is not better, remember, unused cartridge from the 70s or 80s does not have an expiration date. Do not buy broken carts and used junk from the strangers if you want to protect yourself.

Using over 50 different cartridges I am happy with my discoveries and my system is capable for all types on different tonearms with different phono stages. I can compare new to old (nos) and I trust my ears.

Some of the greatest vintage NOS samples are very expensive and people are bidding on them, if you think people are so stupid, so they can’t buy some new carts instead, you are wrong.

And again, I’m talking about unused vintage carts in Mint condition, often still sealed, this is what I’m looking for! If a used sample was nice in my system I will find unused NOS. This is why my top-10 list of carts is the same for over 5 years at least. There are brands and particular models that build very well and does not degrade in time during storage period.


I know very rich local people (audiophiles) who can buy whatever new ultra high-end cartridges from any manufacturer at any price, but for some reason they are looking for vintage NOS (those best and rarest high-end from the 80s). There are some amazing carts made in the 80s and no one can make anything like that today. I’m not gonna say all new high-end cartridges are bad, some of them are great, but do not underrate decent models from the past (especially when NOS available).

My favorite new cartridge is Miyajima Kansui (LOMC) and I like it better than any other LOMC at the moment.

Shelter 5000 also here. In the past I owned ZYX Airy III and Premium 4D SBII.
Those are very expensive cartridges.

I am not aware yet of a new MM that can compete with the best vintage MM or MI from my collection.

And my top vintage MM (purchased NOS) are better than almost any LOMC I have tried!

Some of the greatest MC from the past are also here (Miyabi Standard and Miyabi MCA, FR-7fz, FR-7f, Klipsch MCZ-10 , Dynavector with Diamond cantilever ... and many more). I like LOMC cartridges too. I want to tell you @clearthinker than I do not have any technical problem with any of my cartridges, no matter MM,MI,MC. So leave your horror stories for someone else who never tried decent NOS carts, maybe they will believe you.

Has anyone here listened to a top flight MM or MI on a Schiit Sol?  This elegantly designed and very affordable player may be too cheap to warrant attention from deep pocketed audio snobs but where does it fail in actual listening performance?
Higher up the food chain but still relatively affordable there is the Well Tempered Amadeus 254. As an owner of a 35 y/o WTT, they deliver the goods for the long haul. Goodbye audiophilia nervosa!

Direct Drive Technics SL1200 GR cost $1700 (made in Japan) and will outperform all those belt drives, will last for your entire life. It’s bulletproof, powerful and stable. Available in silver or black. Detachable headshell for as many cartridges as you wish, adjustable VTA of the fly on magnesium tonearm. Technically you will not find anything new and better than this, personal taste in design is another story. Belt drive is inferior technology, watch this. Read about it on audiogon.