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Back into vinyl - part 1

About five years ago, while I was living nice, quiet, and boring vinyl-less life, I run across some very nice LPs while walking around my local flee market. I got rid of all my records years ago, almost immediately after Sony and Philips promised us all “Perfect Sound Forever”. My music life was easy and simple, few hundred of my CDs were complemented by couple hundred cassettes and only sometimes I was wondering how come some of my cassettes sounded very obviously better than CDs.
But I would not let these thoughts bother me – digital was better, period. Doesn’t every manufacturer of audio equipment say so for 20 years now?
Anyway, the albums I run across were so dear to me and so impossible to find on CDs that I bought them, without even thinking about the fact that I had absolutely no idea how to use them. Did they even sell turntables anymore?
Being a nerd I started searching the Net for information and to my surprise discovered that not only they still sell TTs, but there is a whole range of them, from 50 Presidents all the way to tens of thousands.
I was considering getting me some of those 78s, so three-speed machine was needed. I quickly found a site of KAB Electro-Acoustics, and called the guy.
Kevin was very helpful and knowledgeable. After hearing my pathetic story he very kindly described me current situation on the marked and few days later I was a proud owner of KAB Broadcast Standard, equipped with Shure V15VxMR.
The LPs that I bought sounded amazing. They were almost 40 years old, though in very good condition, but the sound was so real that no CD could even touch it.
Bare in mind, my system was nothing to write home about – middle-of-the-road ES Sony CD player, amplifier and cassette deck and Mission speakers.
And then I found audio forums.
OK, I have to admit – I am always questioning my knowledge. Even when I am 100% sure about something, there will always be a thought buried somewhere deep inside, saying “What If You Are Wrong?”
So I started asking questions and in return heard condolences about my TT and really stupid explanations about why direct drive is inferior to belt drive. Someone even quoted well-respected magazine reviewer stating that DD table is constantly changing speed at a rate of about 3500 times a second, which is quite audible.
I bought it.
I sold my KAB table (surprisingly very close to the original price), in my heart blaming Kevin for selling me this junk, and got myself a … well, I don’t think I should use any more names here – it is really irrelevant. Let’s just say that the table was listed at $750 and at that price point is considered to be a de facto standard in audiophile world.
Well, this is where my problems started. First, the damn thing was running fast. I was trying to get my dealer to fix it with no positive outcome. “The table is flawless” was the answer. Oh and did I mention “No Returns” policy?
Running fast, switching between speeds was a nightmare, and then in 2000 they released an updated motor in which was supposed to fix speed deviation problem (what problem?) which set me back another $150. With no positive outcome.
I had to let it go, losing a lot of money in the process.
What do you think I did next? Correct, I bought another belt-driven table from different manufacturer. It was about twice as expensive as my first one and was coming from the company that is even more respected in audiophile world.
The construction of the table was very unusual. Almost as unusual as one of the first models from this company, shown in one of Stanley Kubrick’s movies.
Built quality seemed to be better, but as I discovered, in order to achieve best results, I needed much better tonearm, special power supply etcetera, etcetera… Oh and did I mention that you can’t really clean the record on this table? Friction between the belt and the platter is too low for it…
I got back to the previous company and purchased their just-released top of the line model. Exotic materials used for platter, outboard power supply, fancy words used in its description… I was not as stupid as I used to be, so I purchased it from Canada, thus loosing my US warranty, but saving about 30%.
Well, what do you know? The table was running fast! The brilliantly engineered power supply did not allow for speed adjustments without knowing the schematics and friendly technical support staff of the manufacturer was too friendly to respond to my request.
Another bummer.
I was getting smarter. No more purchases, I said to myself, before I am sure I know what I am buying.
Very famous and very local manufacturer just released reasonably inexpensive model, which I borrowed from my local dealer. Build quality was so low that I still don’t understand how people can actually mention the word “quality” when talking about this table? Platter bearing was loose, table was running slow and besides the motor was running hot as hell. I called the company with my questions and they responded that bearing has to burn-in (oh really?) motor has high operating temperature and speed can be easily adjusted by using their power generator costing a mere $1000! Thanks!
I tried few more tables. The more expensive they were getting, the more I was shocked by their poor quality.
I got tired. My vinyl collection was several hundred LPs by now but I had no means of listening and enjoying.
Then I called Kevin.
I told him about my experience and my frustration and his simple and knowledgeable words got me back to real world.
I have a degree in electrical engineer for crying out loud, cant’ I do something?
And I did.
To be continued…
alex_yakovlev
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
I have to call Kevin about that threaded clamp of his - it's something we talked about before, but I hadn't realized he was actually plotting to introduce one. (BTW, do you have the new strobe-defeat feature, and if so do you find it improves the sound?) We've also talked about the wiring - the lead-out cables and the tonearm wire - an area he had expressed a reluctance to get into, but I agree that from a marketing standpoint at the very least, one which ideally needs to be addressed.

The other main limiting factor inherent to the 1200, which is easily bettered in the majority of audiophile-approved TT designs (although not necessarily in the ubiquitous lesser Regas), is its too-resonant, thin aluminum platter. Kevin has thought of a good (if not entirely comprehensive) approach for dealing with this, but I understand it may be prohibitive in cost and production feasability. Still, I think that it (or something like it) can and should be attempted. In the meantime I'm getting by with the combination of the thin Technics rubber mat underneath a heavy Sorbothane mat, which together damps the platter ring better (and sounds better) than any other arrangement I've been able to try - including the stock Technics heavy rubber mat or any other single mat solution - but at the price of some difficulty with clamping thick vinyl pressings, a problem KAB's screw-down clamp ought to aleviate.

(PS - By the way, since I last posted anything substantial to this thread I've upgraded to a $900-list line-contact MC cartridge, and the sonic performance lets me know every day that it is in no way being wasted in this context, just in case anyone doubted such a proposition.)
qualitymanfc28
17 posts
 
I have the strobe disabler. Not as obvious an improvement as the fluid damper but very worthwhile and good value. It is very hard to quantify and describe audio sounds but to me the back ground seems blacker (does that make sense) allowing the instruments to stand out better. Piano especially resonates with authority and the timbre of the notes is very realistic. The ambience of the venue comes across well providing the recording engineer has not stifled it.

One other plus point is it is a sinch to fit. So is the threaded clamp. You must be careful when using the clamp as it is all too easy to exert too much force causing the record to concave. Great at flattening warps, giving the cart a better chance of accurate tracking and completely eliminating any slippage and consequently loss of information from the cartridge.

Happy listening.
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Thanks for your input Qualityman. My take on something like the strobe-disabler is that if you can be sure you do hear a difference, then that difference almost by definition must be for the better, rather than just a subjective change. Personally, I found the outboard PS to be an even more significant upgrade than the tonearm fluid damper, and I imagine the strobe-disabler - while I wouldn't expect the degree of its effect to be quite as important as the PS - would probably fall along the same general lines qualitatively speaking, so I can fathom what you're talking about in theory. With the PS, my number one description for its effect is increased purity and refinement. I'll post my results once I install these further upgrades from KAB. (Fran, have you gotten 'em yet?)
qualitymanfc28
17 posts
 
I have a query. I have fitted the KAB PS1200 power supply to my Technics SL1200 and the improvement is startling to say the least. I wonder if anyone has tried to replace the flimsy power lead from the supply into the turntable with something better? I am thinking some sort of woven Kimber cable with RF shielding properties might improve things even better. Anyone experimented out there?
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
I don't know how big a deal extra shielding is with the DC current and at whatever impedances are involved, but Kevin did tell me he didn't think this was a significant consideration. OTOH Psychicanimal did do roughly what you're thinking of, except with Rat Shack wire I believe (of a heavier guage anyway - I'm not sure about any shielding), and thought there was definite improvement, so I guess it depends who you ask. He urged me to try this as well, but I haven't gotten around to it. Along similar lines, both of us experimented with upgrading the power cord going into the PS-1200; he thought doing so made a worthwhile improvement for sure, I thought it sometimes made a marginal improvement when playing sensitive material (sufficiently small as to make it tough being honestly certain, although on balance I thought I heard just enough that I did elect to maintain the upgrade cord at the position), and Kevin seemed basically doubtful but appropriately deferential on the whole topic. Take your pick...
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