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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?
128x128halcro
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
Thuchan is a very special 'collector' of all things 'audio'.....but particularly analogue and specifically tonearms and cartridges.
He has acquired a full series of Toho armtubes and has had a special Axiom tonearm made to accommodate these arm-tubes.
This is really a one-off design which no other person in the world will be able to replicate.
So no-one will be able to argue with Thuchan that he doesn't have the very best?
But then again......on-one will be able to say very much at all? :-)
Except that.....he is one very lucky audiophile!
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
I have always used an active MM and MC stage (all built-in) with my separate preamps and have read in the Forums and magazines about the Pros and Cons of using SUTs for LOMC cartridges instead.

Usually......there are just so many varying results and opinions and it all seemed to be specific-cartridge dependent.....so my impressions were that SUTs were generally not worth the effort unless you really knew what you were doing?

Recently......a friend (who had heard my system)....lent me the Kondo KSL SF-Z SUT for a try-out.
The results were truly astonishing with my 3 LOMCs (Dynavector XV-1s, Fidelity Research FR-7f/Lc and ZYX UNIverse) all sounding purer, richer, more transparent and ultimately more enjoyable than directly through the Halcro DM10 Active LOMC Input.

It's no secret that I have preferred the sounds of high-compliance MM cartridges in my system over the last few years.......but this will now force some new 'play-offs' over the coming weeks.

Oh......and I bought the Kondo from my friend.
He has 'golden' ears :-)
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Dear Lew, The modesty may hinder Thuchan to answer your question. 'ToXion' is a product of collaboration between Dertonarm and Thuchan. Thuchan bought in Japan 6 beautiful wooden (arm) wands and needed a special tonearm to accomodate them. Dertonarm just finished his Axiom tonearm and was obviously willing to accomodate Thuchan. Those wooden wands are called 'Toho' so both names together make a toxic (?)combo.
lewm
13,175 posts
 
Japan in my opinion produces the world's finest toilets: Toto is the brand. I guess there is no relationship between Toto and Toho.

Nandric, This is way OT, but I am enthralled with the Beveridges. And they are set up in my basement where my wife says she cannot even hear the music whilst she is trying to get to sleep on the second floor of our home. (My musical curfew is typically around 11:30 PM in the upstairs system, which is just one floor below our bedroom.) This means I can listen to music all night long. I bought a cheap preamplifier with a phono stage so I can have vinyl in the Bev system. When I get the woofers up and running, it should be even better.
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Dear Lew, Toho, Toto and Beveridge are obviously all unique. So who would be not interested to hear more about them? But I am wondering when the Beveridge will move upstairs? To be honest I am skeptical about those woofers you made 40 years ago with Kef B 139. You can get them 'up and running' but I would prefer modern subs with fast (25cm) bass drivers and fast amps. It is not easy to keep up with those 'stats'.
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