$800 Cartridge Shootout and Upgrade Path

From my trial and error experimentation I've come to the same conclusion as TWL and Dougdeacon. Unsuspended turntables don't sound good with spongy isolation beneath them. Now that doesn't mean you can't use some form of vibration damping or isolation - just don't use spongy stuff.

I would love to build a seismic sink (aka sand box), but my situation doesn't allow it. Here's what I improvised, and it works great for me:

http://home.att.net/~ptmconsulting/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-664443.html

TT on a maple butcher block, with DIY rollerblocks underneath. My kids can run through the room without skipping the needle. And the sound is quick and detailed and musical.

Enjoy,
Bob

Much like Goldilocks, I'm looking for "just right".

Good analogy. Aren't we all?!

Paul and I are currently reviewing two ZYX cartridges, the Airy2 and Airy3, with a third model possibly to follow. Without spilling the beans I can say that in one sonic particular we'd both occasionally prefer something in between, at least for certain records.

Paul said he'd like a 2.7, I'd prefer a 2.8! ;-)

Seriously enough, this small difference shows that individual preferences do matter. Oddly, if we'd tried to predict in advance which direction each of us would lean, we both would have predicted the opposite direction from the one I just joked about. Try as we all do to communicate our musical and sonic impressions in words, there's no substitute for hearing.

The Schroeder is a well-respected arm. If you have your heart set on it, you might as well get it. But it does look a little temperamental and perhaps somewhat difficult to install.

The Reference is certainly no more difficult to install than any other arm. You have to fine tune the adjustments of course, as with any good arm, but once set up it looked perfectly stable to me. I didn't perceive anything "tempermental" about it.

It does have a certain delicacy that takes getting used to. There's no finger lift or armtube lock! It's not an arm for the fumble-fingered or careless. The arm itself is robust enough but cantilevers are not. Since the arm is not locked when sitting on the armrest, I'd keep the stylus guard on at all times. That's about the only risk I could see.

Guys, thanks for your very nice comments about my posts.

I just call 'em as I see 'em.

Even though I work for an audio company, I always try to maintain my perspective as an audiophile and a prospective buyer/user of equipment.

Chris(Letch), my phone number at Starsound is 1-800-307-0728. I'd be happy to discuss anything audio related with you, anytime you want to call. Even if it is not Starsound related, or having anything to do with buying anything. People call me all the time to discuss their systems, and what I might think of the possible changes they are making, or what things to consider.

Also, anyone else reading this that would like to talk to me on the phone is invited to call anytime too. I'm sure that some people reading this have already spoken with me on the phone. Alot of people call me about analog stuff, and we don't even sell any TT gear(although I have a couple of designs in the file cabinet drawer). I probably also get about 10 emails a day about analog related stuff, from the Audiogon members.

I actually like discussing this stuff.

And you know how it goes. Eventually, everybody needs some points, or a rack, or something. So we get our chance to get our stuff auditioned. Over 90% of the time, when someone listens to our stuff, they keep it. All we ever ask for is a fair chance in the listening environment. Most of our sales go to buyers who already have something we make, and they know how good it is. We are always looking for a chance to let someone new hear how our products can reveal more of the sound of the components that they already own. We may not have made your components, but we make the stuff that helps your components sound the best they can. It is like an equipment upgrade, but you keep the same equipment. You just hear more out of it.

I'm a bit confused about putting an unsuspended table on a soft surface. My Well Tempered Classic (unsuspended) has a polyurethane rubber type of "footie" over the feet and the factory has told me that it sounds best this way. I've always presumed this was designed into the table to wick away vibrations that are generated by the table (as opposed to preventing external vibration from getting to the table).

I was thinking about making a base out of wood with a space in it to fill it with shot/sand to wick away vibrations caused by the table/cartridge, but maybe I still need the rubber footies??

Perhaps someone could shed some light?

BTW- Frank Schroder- I've read a number of your posts with great interest. Although I don't comprehend all of what you've contributed, it's fascinating. Thanks.

Regards
Jim

Twl,

Thanks for the number, I will call you after I have spent my alloted 4 days with the GPA rack this coming weekend to share my impressions and see where I think about going from there. I appreciate this offer.

Frank,
Thanks for weighing in on this one. To be honest I have never installed my own tonearm, I have my audio dealer do it and do cartridge installation as well. This will be my first experience with a tonearm that I plan to be totally responsible for so when I'd read some people's comments that your arms might be more difficult to set up(which I know have to be taken with a grain of salt) it makes me think that perhaps I should get something that might be easier to use. Not so much to install but for all the settings, like a Graham. And of course, I only have what I read to go on, I've never seen or heard one of your tonearms.
On the other hand it sounds like your arms are truly wonderful sounding and are very highly regarded and this appeals to my sense to get a "final" set-up. My current improvements to my system are to make the stretch to get off the audio merry-go round so I can focus my attentions elsewhere. I imagine that your arms are worth every penny but I don't see the $ going up anytime soon so I doubt there will be a price decrease in the works.

Doug - I can be fumblefingers and careless and though I would never "pull a Fremer" and try to install a $4500 cartridge after 3 margaritas(!) I have whacked the cantilever off a Blue Point Special reaching for the tonearm with my right hand while my left was brushing a record at the same time.......

The Schroeder DPS was what I was thinking of and I still am....thanks for the reality check guys, it keeps me thinking.....

As for the squishie bits controversy, we'll see what happens this weekend. Since the sorbothane footers used in GPA racks are designed for specific weights and for compression I'll guess I'll hear it if it's overdamped. But what I'm hearing now with this amp stand is amazing and it was previously sitting on a Michael Green Amp stand with BDR cones and pucks and this Grand Prix Audio stand has blown that combo so far out of the water it ain't funny......