2. analog
  3. 1037142820

very disappointed about my system setup

i need help. here is my system: speakers=decapos ref 3a,
amps=quicksilvers silver 60's, preamps=blue circle bc-3 and
cj premier 3, analog= lp12 with ittok and dynavector mk2 cartridge, digital= wadia transport and d/a.
here is my story. i am 47 years old. loved vinyl but because of life's trials and tribulations was forced to sell my lp-12 years ago. decided to get back into about a year ago. purchased a basis tt, rega rb-300 and grado sonata cartridge with a black cube phono. sounded dry as hell no life etc... so i sold that setup and waited for an lp-12. i thought i remembered how good it sounded. so..... i purchased another lp12 and bought the cj on the high recomendations of people on the gon. it was said the phono rocked. hooked it up and nothing. the tt is set up better than any setup i have had, adjustments to rake and angle, isolation etc... lifeless, very dark, no detail. now my digital setup rocks on the cj or b.c. beautiful sound. 3D. i either need to give up on vinyl forever or make this work. money is an issue at this point. i have spent way to much already. can anyone make a recomendation before i give up ? is anyone familar with the cj phono? i thought about buying a grado just to see if it is the cartridge "it came with the table and looks o.k. under the mag glass.
thanks, tim
bluebottle
bluebottle OP
18 posts
 
i assume i have set the tt up properly. it has been a long time since i had my previous linn but most of it is logical.
i have done everything i know how to do. the tt is dead nuts level using a precision instrument that is accurate within .001 per 12". the tonearm is p/l with the platter and the cartridge is p/l with the headshell and overhang is within .010 of where it should be. i am not sure how to check the springs but the arm board appears to p/l with the plinith and the space around the armboard appear to be an equal distance around the outside parameter.
the dynavector is a 10x4 mk2. what is the tracking force of this cartridge? i initially had it set @ 1.5 grams and increased it to 1.7 grams and this improved the sound quite a bit. becaause of the way the cartridge is built i am reluctant to add any more weight. your help and constructive criticism is needed and encouraged. its not the first time i have been called a dummy !
thanks everyone,
tim
lugnut
1,190 posts
 
Bluebottle,

You are not a dummy. A dummy wouldn't ask questions. You'll get this thing working fine, just be patient. It does sound like the power supply is going south, IMHO. You described exactly what happened to my table.

Pbb, relax. It's okay. You don't have to like vinyl or understand our love for it. Come to my house and I'll be nice and show you a vinyl library that is in excellent condition with nearly all of it being very quiet. You can choose what we listen to and you can be the judge. I honestly don't think you've heard a reasonably good vinyl rig set up correctly. Please don't throw insults at us though. We do have feelings and remember, you're insulting what is very near and dear to our hearts. Every one of us would change if it was warranted.

No hard feelings here. You?

Patrick
avivey
42 posts
 
Get a tube phono pre-amp.

Also check your VTA.

I can't even listen to CD's anymore and I'm 25 years old and recovering from multi channel syndrome.
Post removed 
sean
6,231 posts
 
Thoroughly cleaned records played back on a "reasonable" linear tracking table have a MUCH lower surface noise level and blacker background than even a well set up pivoted arm. Obviously, differences in cartridges, stylus shapes, VTA, etc.. can throw some BIG variables into the equation.

Here's an excerpt from a post made on AA regarding this very subject. You can read the whole post by following the link below.

"I own, use, and love a Studer/Revox B791 linear tracking turntable. I have a Dynavector Karat 17D Cartridge. This table is ultra reliable, quiet, and fantastic sounding.
A friend of mine has the exact cartidge on a Denon DP72L with an SEAC tonearm.

I took my tt to his house one day. We used the MoFi "Crime of the Century" to compare. The Revox was at least 10db quieter! I'm talking about groove noise, not hum. My friend stood transfixed with his jaw hanging for the entire 22 minutes. Then at the end of the album, it picks up the arm and goes to sleep. Gues how the side ended on the single pay manual!

This table sounds great, and you can find them for $300-$500. I paid $500 but mine came mint in the box with the service manuals and a Grace Ruby Cart (now my backup). This table also tracks warped disks almost perfectly. The thing never skips or hangs."

surface noise

Here's a comment made by the owner of a Linn LP12 that also own's a Revox: "Actually, the turntable is not bad at all. It is direct drive and therefore more noisy than belt drive, but it's certainly a good sounding turntable. I also own Linn LP12 with Syrinx and Clearaudio Evolution and sometimes I do switch to Revox!"

supposed "king" of musical turntables vs budget linear tracker

Here's a comment made by reviewer and vinyl addict Thorston Loesch regarding the same "budget" linear tracker and a well respected pivoted arm table: "Sonically it ain't that hot, then again, I'd suspect it'll walk over the average Rega Planar quite easily".

Thorsten's comments about "budget" linear tracker

This is NOT to say that i think that this is "THE" turntable to own, not by any means. I can think of dozens of ways to improve it and make it more user friendly. Having said that, i think that it would embarrass a lot of other "well respected" tables if properly set up. Sean
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