Opinions: Oracle/SME IV/ Monster Alpha2

P.S. Turns out that this is a MkIII with very low hours on it. In fact, unused for a long time since the stylis went South. Aside from a new belt, (just on general principle), is there anything else that should be done. Suspension and motor appear to work perefctly. Any mods or upgrades that are commonly recommended? Thanks again.

Brooks Berdan is considered one of the masters when it comes to oracles. you might want to ask him for some free advice. he's got his own mod which runs around $300 (i think) and consists of adding a weight to the bottom of the platter to increase its mass. he's in the los angeles area 626-359-9131.

i'd recommend oracle's mods - the sub-chassis weight, the bearing, the platter mat, & the delrin suspension upgrade. except for the motor, yule now have a mk-v. for a motor upgrade, go for the origin-live motor/power-supply upgrade - much less $$$ than the oracle motor upgrade. for a nice inexpensive cartridge, try the ortofon mc25-fl, a lo-output mc for $225 from the needle dr.

the above, w/an o-l modified rega rb250, is my current set-up, & it's great! :>) i have a lyra clavis, freshly re-tipped by symphonic line w/a vdh stylus, but the current set-up is so nice that i haven't gotten 'round to changing the cartridge...

good luck, even if ya don't do *anything* to that 'table, yule love it! ;~) doug s.

Doug...Just getting back to normal after Le Mans. Yeah, I did the whole 24 hours on Speedvision. Then, the movie afterwards. Crashed real good after that.

I'm following you at every turn. Hope you're taking a good line ;- First my Shankelized GTWee6 project. Now an Oracle. Scary, man. "Il Mostro" is kicking much "coolo" as a modified 2.5, can't wait to get to 3.0 164S specs for the street later this year (my Christmas present?) and maybe Columbo Corsa cams in between smog checks.

Back to audio...I'm on the cheap for a cartridge. Any thoughts? Thought about a Grado Reference Sonata -- but my buddy with an Alexandria had hum up the you-know-what. I'd like to stay at $500-$700 "retail". My table has a Monster Alpha Genisis 2 which needs to be re-tipped. Everyone I've spoken to says it's not worth it. My budget standby, Blue Point Special, seems like it doesn't live up to my upgrade in tables. What to do?

Thanks, Jim.

hi jim,

ain't life a bitch, havin' more than one obsession? ;~) i yust recently installed the full-stebro exhaust w/euro down pipe, & an sz hedder - *really* opens tings up... :>)

re: cartridges, believe it or not, the ortofon mc25-fl, at retail $450, but always on sale at $225, is a great cartridge. only 0.35mv output (a mfr - was it wavelength audio? - i forget, sez it's really only 0.2mv), but if yer fono-stage has the gain, i tink it's really nice for the money. i've also heard good tings (but no 1st-hand experience) about the audoi-technica oc-9 (?!?), retails for $400, usually awailable for <$200. i was gonna try a dynavector karat d17, but i sheared off the canteliver the wery 1st time i went to mount it - my cartridge horror story. ;~) at least i got it used, cheap. of course, if yure gonna ackshully *spend* $500-$700, wait 'til the right used cartridge comes along. i got my re-tipped lyra clavis from klaus @ odyssey audio, for $490...

good luck, doug s.