WOOHOO!!! Got my new KAB SL-1210MK5SE Runnin!

[slate1]

Man - this thing sounds good.... I'm still in the "honeymoon" phase - so no full on review yet. Mod's I added are the KAB Tonearm Fluid Damper and the IsoNoe Feet.

This replaced a Michell table in a huge system down-sizing I've performed over the last month. I'm thrilled so far. The table with the KAB/Stanton Groovemaster II AE cart is blowing me away on my rock records - I've never heard them sound so powerful and good!

<img src="http://web.infoave.net/~slate1/images/img_1936.jpg">

[ericl]

Nice Dude!!
I'm tempted, very tempted. But i'm going to stick with my Thorens.. I am going to get an Ortofon cart from KAB, including a mono and 78 stylus..

eric

[slate1]

Can't go wrong with a Thorens either!

I've got the KAB mod'd Ortofon PRO-S30 too which is basically the Super OM30 that KAB has integrated into the Ortofon Concorde body. It attaches just like the Stanton in the picture, which makes alignment a mute point. I've been so taken by the Stanton that I can't bring myself to try the Ortofon... all in due time!

I was going for EASY this time and thought I'd be giving up some sonics - can't say as I've done anything but GAIN some in the sonics area so far!

[ericl]

That is great to hear about the improvement after "downgrading". I've used those technics quite a bit and have always enjoyed them. They rock. I used to own one but sold it to my friend.

I've had a Thorens 126 mkII for a couple years now. This spring I bought a Rega P5, and just sold it this weekend. The Rega was very nice but the Thorens just seemed to do the trick for me, at 1/4 the price.

I do need a new belt for the Thorens, and I'd like to try one of the old SME arms. Now you've got me all excited. I think I will order the ortofon super today.

[royphil345]

Congrats!!! Nice lookin' rig... Already decided that my next table is going to be MKII or MK5. Would love to hear more about that cartridge and maybe how it compares to the Ortofon when you get to know it better. Haven't been able to find a cartridge that has a really "powerful" sound with rock music. Shure M97xE comes close, can sound a little uninvolving at times though. Would definitely be willing to spend a little more for something a little more revealing that didn't sound "thin" with rock. Enjoy the new Technics!!!

[slate1]

The Stanton sounds ANYTHING but thin - it's a chunky powerful sounding cart with amazing midrange. I'll probably throw the Ortofon on this weekend and I'll post my thoughts on it.

Kevin at KAB has told me that from the Ortofon I should "expect more upper harmonic detail and more punchy bass from the ortofon." but that the trade off is "the tunefulness of the bass and the fullness of the midrange that the Stanton gives". Everyone that I've talked to has described the Ortofon midrange as "transparent".

[dean_martin]

So many questions...where to begin?

-What or who is KAB?

-What are your impressions of the CI phono stage?

-Do you have the upgraded power supply for the CI? (Is it in your future as an upgrade?)

Looking forward to your thoughts on the Ortofon. I've read that the OM20 is more musical (lusher midrange) than the OM30, but not as detailed.

BTW, congrats! Very nice, well-planned minimalist system.

[slate1]

Well - let me address the system first... I recently made a decision to sell off all my high-end gear - down to the last $400 cable...

I just got tired of doing nothing but tinkering with it (a/b'ing cartridge aligments, speaker toe-in, etc. etc.) and not LISTENING to it. When I was listening, all I seemed to be doing was concentratating on the details - listening to the equipment instead of the music. I started thinking about how, when I had "mid-fi" gear all I did was sit and enjoy the music.

The system in my sig. below is the result - all equipment I've owned and had experience with except for the Technics Turntable. I loaded all the "high-end" gear up on AudiogoN - took about 40% of the money and purchased all the new equipment below, socked a bit away to buy some records and gave the rest to charity. Best decision I've ever made - I've got to tell you - I've just got a big ol' smile from ear to ear everytime I slap on a record!

Okay - your questions:

<i>-What or who is KAB?</i>
KAB Electro Acoustics is run by a guy named Kevin Barret who is a champion for the cause of bringing the Technics SL-1200 series of turntables back to the audiophile crowd. I've never met a more genuine or knowledgable person with regard to analog. His web-site is www.kabusa.com and be prepared to lose a couple hours messing around on his site! I was a hard-core "belt drive only" guy and ran a Michell table with Dynavector Low Output Moving Coil carts and Dynavector Phono Stages. No more - this rig has brought me fully over to the Direct Drive camp... it's THAT good.

<i>-What are your impressions of the CI phono stage?</i>
This is the second CI-Audio VPP-1 stage I've owned and it hits WAY above its price point. The bass response and clarity is unheard of in this price range. It's dynamic as hell and is just easy to listen to. Should cost 2-3x what it does. It's not the last word in adjustability but will meet the needs of 90% of the carts people are going to mate with it. It's also one of the few stages to have an incorporated subsonic filter - which was a must for me as I buy a lot of used records that can have slight edge-warps.

<i>-Do you have the upgraded power supply for the CI? (Is it in your future as an upgrade?)</i>
I had the upgraded power supply when I owned the VPP-1 before, but didn't re-purchase it. the stage is fantastic on its own and the improvements with the VAC-1 were pretty minimal. Not really on the radar as an upgrade right now - trying to get off the upgrade bandwagon!

I'll probably load up the Ortofon this weekend and will post my thoughts on it compared to the Stanton. I'm enjoying the Stanton so much it's hard for me to bring myself to remove it!

[Bernd]

Hi,
Congrats. on your new system and revitalised enjoyment.I am sure it sounds as good as you say.
One question though. You said you had to tinker all the time with your other set up. What has changed. I have a high end set up and do not mess with it,I just enjoy it. I admit cartridge instalation is a pain in the a@@e, but nothing needs to be touched after that. I just hope you will not regret it one day. And full marks to you for giving some of your hard earned green to charity.

Enjoy

Bernd

I would rather have my mind opened by wonder than closed by belief.

[dean_martin]

Thanks for the background and the information. I found your link to kabusa in another thread and spent some time there.

I'm in the planning stages of a 180 degree turn. I'm thinking of going from SS seperates to a tube integrated w/outboard phono stage and finally getting the cartridge I've wanted for a while - Ortofon X3-MC. I'm thinking that CI VPP1's 50db gain setting would be sufficient for the X3-MC's 2.0mV output. I'll go back to the kabusa site and use their calculator.

I'm also thinking that a tube phono pre running through the line stage of a tube integrated might be too mushy and that a SS phono stage would be better for bass. Keeping costs down is a concern also. Some of the phono stages I'm considering are the CI - VPP1, Gram Amp 2SE, Monolithic Sound PS2 and the Trigon Vanguard II. All of these (except maybe the Gram) have optional upgraded power supplies, but I don't want to have to add stuff later. I haven't heard any of these so I will probably have to order from a place with a generous return policy. Thanks again for relating your experience with the VPP1.

[slate1]

You said you had to tinker all the time with your other set up. What has changed. I have a high end set up and do not mess with it,I just enjoy it. I admit cartridge instalation is a pain in the a@@e, but nothing needs to be touched after that.

Hey Bernd - Well, the feeling of it being necessary to "tinker" is probably due more to my personality defects than anything! :D

The higher-end gear, especially higher-end ANALOG gear, just begs to messed with. Different cartridge alignments, cartridge loadings, VTA up, VTF down, isolation devices, etc. etc. and, I just couldn't help but feel like I was doing nothing but constantly trying to eek that last little bit of detail out of my gear. I'd get one thing right and something else would sound "off" - like I said, I probably just need some professional help...

When I'd finally get done messing all I could seem to focus on were the "details" I was hearng instead of the music. Recording warts stood out like sore-thumbs - suddenly I wasn't enjoying recordings that I had previously loved.

That's what really got me thinking about how when I had a "set-and-forget" mid-fi system all I did was listen and enjoy and the details didn't jump out at me - I just heard music. I was also looking at all this equipment and thinking about how much money I had wrapped up in it and all the time knowing it wasn't getting me 3x the enjoyment my gear of years ago did. In fact, it was probably the inverse. So, decision made and here we are!

Who knows - I may regret it on down the line - but right now I'm having a ball and I'm hoping it's just a lesson learned. I honestly feel that's what it's going to come down to.

[Bernd]

Hi Slate,
I know exactley where you coming from. I too suffered with set up nervoses,but made after almost going insane, a decision to set it up once and for all and listen. Worked for me. Along the way I almost forgot why I started in this hobby.To listen and enjoy of course. So I have what I have and I enjoy it tremendousley. I hope you found what you wanted, it certainley sounds like you did
.
Enjoy the music

Bernd

[hifitommy]

the Kontrapunkt b. i am all for ease of use which accounts for my going to a sota sapphire/mmt with detachable headshell. i can swap a cart/headshell and push a button to go from mm to mc.

i liked the convenience of my SL120/grace 707 but better sound called to me. i dont tweek constantly either. great table, excellent bearings in the mmt, detachable shell, several cartridges if i want stanton, and i do, i will put the new stylus in my 881s!

http://cgi.audioasylum.com/scripts/system.pl

changes are SLOW!