A Copernican View of the Turntable System

Raul,

Just to add that I am aware that I have drifted somewhat from your response in my reply but would note that my comment is based on my slight preoccupation with acoustic spaces and psychoacoustic factors.

I think the issues of distinct venues and quality of performances on distinct occasions still undermine my moments of certainty that I have captured "a" live event. This rears its head in my concern over distinction between listening rooms and performance venues in my reply. Of course, as your response points out, that is only one aspect to consider when addressing the authenticity of our hifi experience.

Pryso,

Thanks for your valued reflections. I think they develop another dimension of Raul's reference to the distinction between the close mic'ed recording (as relayed to the home stationed audiophile) and the sitting position of the live spectator. I slightly drifted from the point in my initial reply to Raul. However, I find it fascinating.

I'm not sure who came first, HP or Martin Colloms, but the issue about soundstage as a criteria for judging ones hifi has been a fairly standard one since them. I do think your reflections on the importance of sitting position are critical for the general issue of perceptions of staging.

Beyond that, I think that your reflections on the impact of new recording techniques (some popular experiences of which I am still recovering from) provide much food for thought.

Might oak trees for small acorns (rants) grow.

Thanks

Pryso,

Apologies, it should have read: "Mighty oak trees from small acorns (rants) grow".

I tend to be posting before 7am local time and I think this is affecting things. Apologies and thanks again.

ArmPod Instructions - 1,2,3

This is for those that have been reading this thread, are interested in trying this out, but may need some help with it.
I have put together a short document to help with it. You are welcome to it - just send me an email and I will forward you a copy.
It covers.

1) How tall does the armpod need to be.
2) What shape do you want your Arm Pod to be ?
3) Acquiring materials
4) Tools for Holes
5) Drilling Holes on Metal
6) Assembling the ARMPOD

Thx for the pre-edits and feedback Banquo.

This project rates a 3 / 10 difficulty - about the same as assembling IKEA furniture, will cost you $100 and can get completed in a weekend. You can even get someone else to do the drilling of holes for you. I bet you will be so happy with it (sonically) that you may not even want a more expensive one unless you need some eye candy.

I was going to put some bullets into a post here but quickly realized that wasn't going to cut it.

Cheers Chris

I tend to disagree regarding the space between the musicians on stage. My estimation is that with every added gain stage, the apparent body of every individual instrument, becomes bigger. I confirm that the perception of ambience becomes more impressive also and the music surrounds the listener.
But these bodies starting to touch each other closing the empty space between them. This fact alone is enough to put me in doubt about the validation of my (monoblock, batt. PSU, single stage, DHT, with Hytron OOA) active line stage and so, I've disconnected it permanently in favour of a buffered pot. These days I'm in search for a high output cartridge, in order to investigate if this apply also to the phonostage and is worth to retire my (dual-mono, batt. PSU, current mode, with Tele CCa) active pre-pre.
Some speakers don't like this approach, sounding dry & empty, as like they loosing harmonics. But at the same time, the depth, illumination, clarity and especially the definition of every instrument & every single note, becomes unveiled & exposed and maybe not so appealing in their nudity. In my search for an antidote, I've found the VDH "The Mountain" interconnect between pre/power (RIAA/power in my case) that recovers the presence by attaching importance to the substance of each note.
Regarding the armboard, I'm taking Lew's side & just watching your findings for the moment. I believe that we are not capable of integrate it to the bearing's chassis due to our limited knowlege about interactive materials & mechanics & thats the reason we accept the isolation as the only way (but is not the right one).