2. analog
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Am I really smart or really stupid?

I would like your feedback on this theory. The glory days of vinyl to me, as far as high end hi-fi is concerned, were the late ‘60s, ‘70s and early ‘80s, before the dreaded CD made it’s appearance. Back then vinyl was all you had to work with, and the high end folks really needed to get it right.

My thinking is:

1. A phono section basically supplies RIAA equalization (unless there is boost for a low output cartridge). This is basically boosting the bass and cutting the treble to compensate for making the grooves relatively the same width to cut them on the vinyl.

2. This ain’t that big of a deal. It should not cost $3000.00 to do this. These people are trying to put their hand in my pocket.

3. Why not buy a high end preamp from that era, run your TT into it, come out of the Tape Out as a line stage into your preamp input.

4. I bought a Yamaha C-2 for 100 bucks, run my Linn into it and run it into my tube preamp and it “seems” fine.

Am I stupid or enlightened?

Thanks for your input.

jp
jake42
john_tracy
342 posts
 
The bargain "hot" set-up from that era was to use the front end of an Advent 30 reciever as a preamp. Tom Hollman (sp?) of THX fame designed the phono stage in that reciever and it was excellent. It put to shame a lot of high-end stuff in its time. -JT
dubzilla
67 posts
 
Any audiophile that is happy with their set-up is a genius as well as an artist, imo!

Enjoy!
Ag insider logo xs@2x
hammy
176 posts
 
Stupid! (hey, your choice) The C-2 was a great piece. Their tuners from that era were fine too. However, it's 30 years old with dried out capacitors, oxidation, and dust in the pots. In addition, you are going through the phono section AND through the pre-amp section before you get to your gear. Buy an inexpensive high-end pre-pre such as the Lehman black cube or even the little Creek units. You may come out ahead financially after selling the antique, which is why it's stupid to keep it.
cwlondon
1,210 posts
 
I'll vote for "really smart", subject only to the assumption that your equipment is not "dried out" and is working more or less in good repair.

The Yamaha C-2, although "high end" at the time, was nonetheless considered a "sleeper" -- even better than its reputation and price.

Its successor, the barely revised C2a had a near cult following and was drooled over by HP and the audiophile press, even compared to megabuck Audio Research etc. preamps.

I was in high school and working for a Yamaha dealer at the time, and took advantage of my trade price to buy a C2a with a Hafler DH-500, Magneplanar MG-IIa, and another Yamaha cult item -- the PX-2 linear tracking turntable with a Grado Signature cartridge.

My boss who ran the store came over and said "best system I have ever heard?!"

(This is someone who normally yelled at me for being late or hungover on Saturday mornings and was not inclined to paying compliments.)

This was also also in the context of our demo room which at the time had huge McIntosh amplifiers driving Dahlquist DQ-10s and subs, KEF 104s and 105s, and other much more expensive products.

I agree with your "wolf ticket" remark and often think that other than digital sources and material, much of the entire business has stood still or gone backwards in the last twenty years.

Enjoy your system.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
RIAA ain't a big deal??? I think you are smug in assuming you can get something good at a price that precludes better components. As someone has already said, you are certainly not enlightened but probably not stupid. If you don't value realism in your music that is fine, enjoy the music, but don't feel smug about it.
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