2. analog
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Any decent improvments left for my ES-1?

Yes, I'm still using my AR ES-1. Over the years it's been modified with parts and whatnot from Scillia and Sound of the Wood. New springs, platter, bearing, motor, plinth heavily damped with the SotW damping material. By and large it sounds pretty good. I'm using a Denon 103R which I will probably send to Soundsmith for a new tip and Ruby cantilever.

I'm sure the thing that's really holding me back is my old MMT arm (don't laugh!). Not a great arm in the history of arms. So I'm looking to replace it. Willing to buy used. I need some firsthand recommendations on a good arm that works really well with this table and low to medium compliance carts.

I will admit that if I took all the money I spent over the years on this table and had it now I could probably buy a nice used VPI or Clearaudio. But if I can improve something that's already had the investment made by finding a good arm I'd choose that route.

Oh, if I can get an arm with some means of azimuth and vertical height adjustment, all the better. Looking for used << $1K.
tonyptony
rccc
216 posts
 
I just set up a highly modded ES1 with a modded rb300 (incognito, mitchell etc) and a riggle vta. I made a custom arm board which entailed modifying the acrylic sub chassis. I was skeptical about the vta until I heard it. The guy I did it for was just going on conversations he had with Pete. In short I dont know how this combo could be improved on and with the cartidges I listened on it (I hate to say it) sounded as good or better than my SME V . I think total investment was not much more than a grand.
ddarch44's avatar
ddarch44
40 posts
 
Great. Did you do the stub/spindle too? Don't discount the improvement of this part over the mass produced shaft/spindle pridcued by AR in the 1000s. These are singly made of a much better grade stainless steel to much finer tolerances.

Dave
tonyptony OP
615 posts
 
Rccc, that's great info. I've heard that the Rega may or may not be a good match for the 103R, though. Something about tonearm resonances. I wonder if an Origin-modded version with the slots would address that.

Dave, yes I got the spindle too.
rccc
216 posts
 
It worked well with a 103d, I dont know how comparable the 2 are.
tonyptony OP
615 posts
 
Just had a friend over for some listening. We spent most of the day listening to my digital front end (PDT3 + Boelen modded DSP7000 Mk.III) and things were fine. Went to analog toward the end of the day and we were pleased with the extension and articulation at both the low and high ends and the quietness of the music. But there was just no "life" to the music. He used to own a MMT on his Thorens and said the same thing I was thinking. The MMT is just a dead, dead, dead arm. I haven't heard one cart on that arm over the years that didn't come off as having the same sort of dead sound. He concurred with his experiences.

I gotta get rid of this thing.
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