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To those with multiple tables/arms/cartridges

How do you 'play' your system?
For 30 years I had only one turntable, one arm and one cartridge......and it never entered my mind that there was an alternative?
After upgrading my turntable nearly 5 years ago to a Raven AC-3 which allowed easy mounting of up to four tonearms......I decided to add two arms.
RAVEN
A few years later I became interested in Direct Drive turntables and purchased a vintage 30 year old Victor/JVC TT-81 followed shortly after by the top-of-the-line TT-101 and I designed and had cast 3 solid bronze armpods which I had lacquered in gloss black.
TT-101
By this time I had over 30 cartridges (both LOMCs and MMs) all mounted in their own headshells for easy interchange.
STORAGE

Every day I listen to vinyl for 3-4 hours and might play with one cartridge on one arm on one table for this whole day or even two or three days.
I then might decide to change to a different arm and cartridge on a the same table or perhaps the other.....and listen to the last side I had just heard on the previous play.
I am invariably thrilled and excited by the small differences in presentation I am able to hear....and I perhaps listen to this combination for the next few days before again lusting after a particular arm or cartridge change?

Is this the way most of you with multiple cartridges/arms listen?......or are there other intentions involved?
halcro
sunnyboy1956's avatar
sunnyboy1956
424 posts
 
I thought this was about fun....and the many roads that can get you there. From the dogged empiricism of our Mexican friend where even an inch misalignment of your posterior at 80db on your favorite listening chair can mean missing the holy grail, to the endless variety of numerous carts and arms coupled with an aural acuity that can summon either Lorin Manzel or Claudio Abbado in attendance with the Chicago or whatever symphony at a venue of your choosing , to the Teutonic effluence of some and its implicit condescension....IMHO we take ourselves too seriously and crave acceptance for our idiosyncrasies .
One, two or more, carts, arms and TTs, how does it matter, so long as you can delude yourself and your better half that you think you are having fun...
Relax and Njoy
suteetat
435 posts
 
Halcro, unfortunately my car is an 11 years old Honda CRV and my major transportation mode is walking as it only take me 15 minutes by foot to get to work but in Bangkok traffic, it may take me up to 30-45 minutes by car to go the same distance. I use on average about 1 tank of gas a month in my car so a good car is a big waste on me :(
I think the cost of my TW and Reed 3Q/FR-66s, Air Tight and Lyra costs quite a bit more than current market value of my car by quite a bit! Not sure if that is a good or bad thing.

I never had a chance to hear vintage Grotrian but had a chance to play on a few vintage Erard and Pleyel that were kept in excellent condition. I am sure it must be wonderful.
I would say current Grotrian upright is still one of the best up there with current production piano. A few years ago, I was in Geneva and visited few piano stores that had a few Grotrian uprights, Bluthner, Sauter and C. Bechstein among others and I had a lot of fun trying them all out and thanks to the piano stores that were generous enough to let me try them even though they knew that I was not looking to buy a new piano at that time.

Back to original topic, I think I need at the very least 2 arms and 2 cartridges though, one stereo and one mono!
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
A question for Syntax.....
Do you think that your ability to decide on the one turntable, arm. cartridge and phono-stage perfect for you.....had anything to do with having several turntables and many arms and cartridges in your own system to compare?
thuchan
1,009 posts
 
Sunnyboy1956,
fun is upgreadable! try it :-)
thuchan
1,009 posts
 
Dear Halcro,
why are we talking about limiting? The word limit itself is something I do very hard in most life environments. Maybe better: Take it to the limit... vroom!
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