A turntable anthology

[E-Stat]

I'm a big fan of VPI turntables...

They also make great record cleaning machines! I forgot to add I bought an HW-16 back in '83. I've replaced the vaccuum tube (not the electronic kind), brush, and recently replaced the platter with one having a threaded spindle. Keeps on tickin' like the Energizer Bunny.

rw

[hifitommy]

hello, i am hifitommy and i am an audio addict.

i more or less started with an all electrophonic system (all in one combo) with ceramic cart et al. my friend had dynaco and ar3s, garrard 88, etc.

so i go to pacific stereo and its between ar4Xs and dyna A25s. the cut jump into the fire by nillsson cinched it. dynas had more bass definition. so-sony rcver/a25s/dual 1215/shure m91ed.

oh the rabco st4/XLM changed all that along with a sherwood s8900a recvr, and then another pair of a25s and a quadaptor. then later, STACKED a25s and some EVs in the rear.

later on, technics SL120/grace 707/XLM, then separate electronics-quatre bod 1c/spectro acoustics 100wpc amp. infinity moitor jr spks, then rogers LS3/5As using the infiinities as subs with a dahlquist xover.

then fried RIIs, and on to the current system:

http://cgi.audioasylum.com/cgi/system.mpl

well, thats more than i intended to write. i will say that i had a vpi hw19III/smeIV/sumiko talsiman lo mc and as much as i loved the sound, i NEED to be able to swap carts so to the sota/mmt i went.

i am to become 64 yo in oct. i LOVE this hobby!

[3db]

Its been almost 6 monthes since I looged in.

I had ac rappy radioshack TT that got dropped off the moving trcuk twice and it finally bit the bullet. Now I own a ProJect Xpression2 and simply love the sound. There is no tt rumble audable at all and I have yet to hear any effects of wow and flutter. Oh, my raduoshack TT served me for over 20 years but as CDs muscled in, it osort fell to the way side. Now I tend to listen to more vinyl thna CD.

[KitR]

An enjoyable post! I recently bought a B-I-C 980 for my disabled girlfriend and after getting it to work, was pleasantly surprised at how good it was: mind you a new Grado helped! I've not heard a CS-5000 but am aware of it's good reputation.
But for those venturing into the Hi-end I respectfully recommend getting a Systemdek II or IIX, putting an RB300 on it, get a REGA Achromat and fit a Denon DL160 to the arm. Then invest in a HEED Orbit 1 power supply(no belt changing!). I owned a Vahalla'd/Nirvana Linn LP12 with both the ITTOK and a strange beast called a Syrinx PU3, and my current (heavily modded!)'dek stands right with them IMHO. LOT's cheaper too!

[zimmythegreek]

Great posts guys. I love this hobby!!! For turntables I've had lets see...

My 1st was a Denon DP47F that was great until the speed control went bad and it had trouble getting up to speed. After that I went to a Thorens TD 145 and then to a Thorens TD-125 with SME arm. I hated both of those tables. You couldn't move without making the stylus bounce (I did keep the SME arm for a time). After that I had a Technics SL1300 that someone gave me. Not a bad table. After that I got a Micro Seiki DDX1000 with a Profile tonearm (made by Jelco) and Koetsu Black cartridge. I still have it to this day some 8 years later. I love this table and I'll never get rid of it. Its the one part of my system that has not changed. Keep up the great posts.


Micro Seiki DDX1000
Musical Surroundings Phenomena phono preamp
McIntosh C504 preamp
Mcintosh MC2105 amp
Pioneer 1011L Reel to Reel
Pioneer PD65 CD player
Tascam CD-RW750 CD Player / Recorder
Vandersteen 2CE speakers
MIT interconnects
Kimber 4pr speaker cables

I almost forgot. I had a SOTA Sapphire table but the motor started making noise and SOTA wanted an astronomical amount of $$ to repair it.

[vinny52]

Hi readers and CS 5000 owners!

IS there an easy way to upgrade the phono cables and tonearm wiring for this turntable?
I can probably do some light soldering and wiring work, but I need some help on what to buy and how to proceed intelligently.

thanks, and happy holidays!
Vinny52

[hifitommy]

like estat, i had an electrophonic all in one unit, maybe even with an 8track player. i had been exposed to better stuff in guam (usaf during the viet nam era-no gun in my hands but 4 years instead of 2).

i came home with an automatic reverse panasonic open reel (it even had a dust cover) but no other components. my friend had AR3s and dynaco tubes, garrard lab 80, etc. i wanted ar speakers but the salesguy was GOOD, i got dynaco a25s.

the tt was a dual 1214/shure m91E. that was ok for a while until i started hearing and seeing other better items. i bought a rabco st4 linear tracker and put an XLM on it. POW, it knocked me off the couch even with the dynaco's limited low bass.

later, i sold it so i could have the technics SL120 (armless 1200) with a grace 707 on it. the XLM loved that setup too as well as my grado F1+ did too.

a few years pass and the 120 starts messing up in the speed dept. i sold it and got a kenwood kd500/707 combo.

enter a friend with a pioneer PLL1000a linear, the same tt as the phase linear 8000. i sold the kenwood to a friend and worked on getting the pioneer to work better. i eventually isolated it with four arm floaties from toysRus. XLNT!

having heard the sota sapphire at absolute audio in woodland hills, i knew i wanted bass like that. to the center of the earth. i eventually got one but not before i had the vpi hw19III/smeIV. i loved the sound of that one but couldnt swap cartridges easily so i got the sapphire/mmt that i have now.

THEN my friend gave me back my kd500/707. i havent hooked it up yet but soon i will get off my kiester.

all that said, if you think belt drive TTs dont deliver bass, then try either a vpi or sota tt. that will turn yur head around.

so its either vpi or sota from the dual 5000 i say.