@pindac intriguing. Your post made me do some research. Maybe this Vevor Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner will do the trick for $200.
The best way to start adding A=analog to my system
When I started this hobby, I never thought I would need a turntable, so I didn’t think about phono stages etc. That changed with a recent listening session. Vinyl just sounds better to me so now I am trying to figure out where I need to spend, where I can go cheap for the moment. Should I balance all parts at the same level or begin with one great piece and gradually upgrade around it?
For context, my current system has:
Blumenhofer Genuin FS2 speakers, Art Audio PX-25 power, Audio Research SP16L pre-amp. I have a Ayre Cx5 CD player/DAC and an MD-90 tuner.
For turntables, I have auditioned Pro-Jects Xtension 9, Rega P3 and the Clearaudio Concept. I am planning to listen to the Clearaudio Performance next and based on what I have read and heard, I think that may be the answer. but that is a $2k step up in price. Part of me is thinking just get the better table and maybe the Tracer arm and start with cheaper cartridge/stage for now, vs matching things that are more within budget and then having to change everything later.
What makes the most sense?
@pindac intriguing. Your post made me do some research. Maybe this Vevor Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner will do the trick for $200.
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Page 120 of the Link will get you to see very good information about US Tank Cleaning and the Hz that deal with certain Particle Sizes. I do believe there is also information about the best place for the Transducer which is bottom mounted. There are lots of user reports on DIY US Tanks along with others that have used Branded Purpose produced models. It is a large document so best to be read in small proportions and take notes to try and remember some of the key points. Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Records - The Vinyl Press
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I think it can be helpful not to get wrapped up in the analog / digital debate. They both can be excellent media, and appreciated for their differences! (I just demonstrated this to myself by listening to the same performance of Gilels playing Beethoven's Piano Concertos on both CD and LP today, and with two different cartridges on the LP.) |
It is difficult to avoid the discussion and the debate that can follow when a Source with a certain type of Medium used to store recorded music is exchanged for another. It is regularly seen between CDP > CDT users and Streamers, the idea of recording the CD Medium in to File is regularly suggested, along with how a certain configuration for a streaming set up will be noticeably advanced in SQ over the older methods employed. These Two methods are commonly seen to be used, to suggest there is enough on offer from these medium types to abandon the use of a Vinyl LP as a medium. This is most likely because in many cases, there has been a movement away from using one recorded music medium, to another method of replaying music, where only one medium for storing music is used to produce the replays, and the strengths of the forgotten medium are not able to be recollected. Those who maintain additional options on the Source used, can replay music recordings using the most typical methods, and are not usually challenging the weaknesses/strengths of each Source selected. The usual outcome is that the Source in use, is embraced for the strengths and the variation on offer from the use of it. The maintained increased options, that enable an individual to listen to replays through a different medium and device is typically seen as an asset and a welcome addition to a system. I have had this experience myself, I class myself as new to digital, and was not for many years 'wed' to the CD presentation through the devices I had encountered. Today this has changed, I have a Two Source Front End, and can not see a reason to abandon the Analogue One for the Digital Other. I am even slowly working through my options to have a streaming set up as a Source, and occasionally have set up a demonstration of a streaming source to assess the method. Prior to this I had very similar wresting with MM > MC, I moved on to MC and had all kinds of description in place to Justify the reasoning for the move over. The same for the follow up exchanges of Phonostages. Today I have simplified it, in my Vinyl LP Source. I have the equipment at hand to enable a MC's or MM's and even a Ceramic to be used with very little effort needed. I do get the sense that when an individual completely separates from one Source to another Source as their only method to replay, there is a cornerstone put in place that will be the need to justify the reasoning for the change made. If a long term user of the Vinyl LP is separating from Analogue replays, along with the Long Term Memories of their Vinyl collection and interactions with others during the building of the Vinyl LP Collection. This can create a wresting condition and any person that did separate, has felt the need to justify their choice made, which can sometimes come across as being critical of the Vinyl LP Medium, when the description for the reasons behind the change that has been made is offered.
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I have reached a very interesting place in the analog vs CD, playing files, and streaming. They all sound virtually the same… and better than I have ever heard any of them. This has been a truly great revelation. How?
All my equipment is made by the same company… Audio Research… very importantly the phono stage and DAC… but also the preamp and amp. My turntable (Linn LP12) has a very carefully chosen cartridge (Koetsu Rosewood signature) to match my musical taste and my streamer (Aurender W20SE) to be extremely detailed and natural sounding. The result is the character of the sound is identical. I just upgraded my turntable with a top of the line arm and sub chassis. The character did not change… but the level of detail increased. Think about this! What this says is the character of what you hear is primarily the result of the signal chain, not the source media. If you think about it, it makes sense as well. It appeared otherwise historically for a very long time because of the inability to build digital equipment to optimize some part of the digital path. But that is no longer true. I am not inclined to profundities, but this is profound. It also points to digital streaming… because if it is only a matter of getting your components right to get the sound right… then you get a nearly infinite library with almost no cost and don’t have to collect physical disks. Unless, you like to fiddle with physical median.
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