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Optimizing TNT, Triplanar, Transfiguration Temper

I'm writing because of a combination of frustration and potential in my turntable set-up. I have never gotten the sound from the system that I expected, but feel that I am beginning to glimpse the potential of achieving it. I have made some changes recently that have led to more changes that have brought me closer to what I have heard from other systems with similar components. I am hoping someone can guide me toward finally obtaining the basic qualities that I'm looking for and I can fine-tune from there.
What I have heard before from lesser components and am not getting is the sound of the transients jumping off the record. I thought this problem was merely from the characteristics of the Transfiguration Temper Supreme, but with some modifications of the table I am beginning to hear it and wanted to see if I could bring it out further.
Let me back-track and tell you my components and what modifications I have made so far. I am running a VPI TNT upgraded to 4 (w/ the rectangle cutout for the motor), with the original motor and just added an SDS (which made the biggest improvement), a Wheaton Triplanar tonearm upgraded to VI, and a Transfiguration Temper Supreme cartridge.
When I upgraded to the SDS, the timing and solidity of the sound improved dramatically. I then found that using a single belt directly from the motor to the table actually outperformed the three-pully design originally designed for the table, perhaps with some trade-offs, i.e. voices sound clearer and better-defined, but piano may have a little less air and realism.
Finally, the table sits behind the speakers, particularly the left speaker. Moving the speaker forward a few inches seemed to significantly clean up the sound, so vibrations from the back of the (B & W 803) speaker may be muddying the water. My other components are Spectral DMC-20 and DMA-180 and MIT/Spectral reference cables.
Like I said, I am glimpsing the potential of this setup, and the music is starting to clean up and jump off the record, but it's just not quite there. I feel like I'm missing something simple and would like advice before making a lot of changes. I think I've set the cartridge up properly with regard to alignment, azimuth, VTA and no anti-skate. I have not removed the damping trough yet, and that is the next thing I was thinking to try. I am planning to try to further isolate the table from the speakers - the cable lengths prevent me from totally moving the preamp and turntable. I was also considering using different belts or string/dental floss etc. Another possibility is investing in a single-motor flywheel, which also would not use the three pulleys included with the TNT turntable. But, I feel that there is something simple and straightforward with the front-end that I am missing. Any advice?
128x128ctlphd
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
Well ptm, I believe anti-skate is unnecessary when:
1. A high quality tonearm is used. I'm not talking Rega 301 or JMW-9 here. The arm using anti-skate in my systems is a stock Technics SL1210 M5G. I use this table for my vintage moving magnets. Some need AS and others don't.
2. The arm is aligned very precisely. I can't tell you how many arms I've checked that are misaligned. Proper alignment is critical.

So the arm and alignment are key IMO.

And I can prove it here if you'd like a listen.
ptmconsulting
1,000 posts
 
Well, I've got a Moerch DP6 arm, and I find that some amount of anti-skate is necessary for me and when adjusted properly it improves the sound of my finicky MC cartridge. Maybe it's just a matter of whether a cartridge is susceptable to this adjustment or not.

The DP6 also has a progressive anti skate, so the amount of anti skate is varied as it approaches the center of the record. That is the right way to implement it since the forces to be countered vary with the distance to the center and the circumferance of the groove.
ctlphd's avatar
ctlphd OP
42 posts
 
I think I’ve worked out the main problems with the cartridge-arm-table. The rubber covering between the cable and the tonearm had come loose at the junction with the cable sleeve, and every time I pushed it in, the tension on the wires going into the tonearm became too much and it put tension on the arm itself. Once I was able to determine this and fix it, it became evident that the cartridge still wasn’t tracking. So, I bit the bullet and traded in my cartridge for the Transfiguration Phoenix. I just installed the cartridge, and the tracking problems are resolved. I still feel that I have some minor adjustments to make, but for the most part, things really cleaned up, focused, and I don’t hear any of the obvious tracking problems. Of note, the new cartridge output is 0.4 mV (vs. 0.2 mV of the TS).

I can’t say yet that I am totally thrilled with the cartridge yet, though. While the big problems essentially vanished, I feel that a slight amount of openness and detail that I previously appreciated in the Temper Supreme is missing. I suspect some of this is that the cartridge needs to be broken in. Also, as I said I probably need to fine-tune things. But, it may also not be quite up to par with the original Temper Supreme. Although the price point is similar to the TS, I think the more expensive Orpheus may have been more the replacement for the TS (I just can’t afford it right now). The problem I was having with the rapid transient attacks seems significantly improved with the new cartridge, but there just aren’t as many layers of detail as I might like. Does this sound like a break-in issue that will likely improve over time? Or, need for adjustments? Or, do you think the cartridge is just not going to give the ultimate performance? How long does it take to break in a cartridge?
ctlphd's avatar
ctlphd OP
42 posts
 
I just tried putting a slight amount of anti-skate on, and to my surprise this made a big difference. Some of the clarity, smoothness, and details that I felt I had lost in switching from the Transfiguration Temper Supreme to the Phoenix suddenly returned. Voice and instrument timbers became more realistic. Even more surprising to me, the soundstage expanded significantly. Even before this occurred, I felt the pace and rhythmicity was more accurate with the Phoenix than with the Temper Supreme, and the cartridge just seems more stable. It's still early to say, but I may end up liking this cartridge more than I initially thought.
ptmconsulting
1,000 posts
 
I am extremely interested in the comparison between the two, especially if you can actually trade between them for an accurate compare. The Temper is indeed getting a bit long in the tooth, being 10+ years old (but still sounding great). Not sure of the difference in design between the Phoenix and the Temper and what the "improvements" might be.
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