VTA adjustment

[02audionoob]

So, what do you think about my special high-tech VTA adjustment?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4669835649_a2cddd9613_b.jpg

See the white washers. If they don't work, I'm out 65 cents. :(

[frenchmon]

So, what do you think about my special high-tech VTA adjustment?

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4669835649_a2cddd9613_b.jpg

See the white washers. If they don't work, I'm out 65 cents. :(

Why did you raise it that high? And can you take a picture of the whole table? I like audio porn.

[02audionoob]

Why did you raise it that high? And can you take a picture of the whole table? I like audio porn.

Because the Goldring 1042 is about 3 mm taller than the Rega Elys and rides too low to have the tail down.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4680172151_42d1193c03_b.jpg

Here it is with the Elys...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4651097254_dedfef2313_b.jpg

[frenchmon]

Cool...so you got rid of the MH MMF 5.1? How is the Rega in comparison to the 5.1? Does it leave the 5.1 in the dust? Is the Rega product a better product than Pro-Ject? OR about the same?

[jrhymeammo]

So, what do you think about my special high-tech VTA adjustment?


I would've said..."forget about the VTA, but more importantly when did you get a RB700?". Then I saw a pic of your P5. Congrats and nice grab:thumbsup:
Did you get one with glass platter? Platter doesn't look like glass for some reason.

Nice combination of granite and hockey pucks as well.

JRA

[JohnMichael]

I would've said..."forget about the VTA, but more importantly when did you get a RB700?". Then I saw a pic of your P5. Congrats and nice grab:thumbsup:
Did you get one with glass platter? Platter doesn't look like glass for some reason.

Nice combination of granite and hockey pucks as well.

JRA



Rega paints their glass platters edge black.

[02audionoob]

I would've said..."forget about the VTA, but more importantly when did you get a RB700?". Then I saw a pic of your P5. Congrats and nice grab:thumbsup:
Did you get one with glass platter? Platter doesn't look like glass for some reason.

Nice combination of granite and hockey pucks as well.

JRA

Thanks for the kudos. That's not granite, though...it's particle board with a matte-finish black laminate face. The platter is indeed glass.

And a few more photos, although I can't get enough light at this time of day...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4680866794_4f9894e64f_b.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1280/4680235409_0ea6d8ee00_b.jpg

[02audionoob]

Cool...so you got rid of the MH MMF 5.1? How is the Rega in comparison to the 5.1? Does it leave the 5.1 in the dust? Is the Rega product a better product than Pro-Ject? OR about the same?

My Music Hall is a MMF-5, as opposed to 5.1. On the 5.1, they changed to a metal platter and upgraded to a higher-level Pro-Ject arm. I do still have it. It needs a new motor, which I currently have on order from Roy Hall, but it's still working...just not hooked up at the moment. The MMF-5 has its good points and with the Goldring 1042 really sounds great to me. The 1042 was actually a tiny bit of an upgrade to my ears over the more-expensive Eroica. I figure it's compliance/mass-related.

The P5 has its moments when it clearly separates itself from the MMF-5 with either cartridge. It doesn't seem to prefer one cartridge over the other, like the MMF-5 does. It also produces an undoubtedly more authoritative sound on the lows. The MMF-5 is great on the mids and loses out to the P5 on the highs. I guess what I'm saying is the MMF-5 still sounds great, especially in the mids...which is what I look for most...but the P5 is cleary a cut above.

[JoeE SP9]

That's a very nice table and arm you've got there. The VTA adjuster is quite ingenious. Have you considered an after market VTA adjuster?

[02audionoob]

That's a very nice table and arm you've got there. The VTA adjuster is quite ingenious. Have you considered an after market VTA adjuster?

Indeed I have. I'm planning to get the Rega one with three or four different heights on one device.

[poppachubby]

Lookin good, lookin good! Man those photos are badazz. The arm looks so tough. Was it a major PITA to swap carts?

[02audionoob]

How about that reflection of the LP on the wall...that's semi-cool. Oddly enough, when I installed the 1042 in the same spot where the Elys was, it was almost just right. The front edge of the 1042 is wide and straight, so adjusting it from there to the Baerwald protractor went quickly.

[frenchmon]

Because the Goldring 1042 is about 3 mm taller than the Rega Elys and rides too low to have the tail down.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4680172151_42d1193c03_b.jpg

Here it is with the Elys...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4651097254_dedfef2313_b.jpg

Wow...just fantastic....not only am I going nuts over you table, I am drooling all over the vintage Rantz....noob, my man!

[Jack in Wilmington]

Wow...just fantastic....not only am I going nuts over you table, I am drooling all over the vintage Rantz....noob, my man!

Those older Marantz did have a mystique about them. They were what every guy wanted in his audio setup. Nice table Noob. Ingenious way of solving your VTA problem.

[frenchmon]

My Music Hall is a MMF-5, as opposed to 5.1. On the 5.1, they changed to a metal platter and upgraded to a higher-level Pro-Ject arm. I do still have it. It needs a new motor, which I currently have on order from Roy Hall, but it's still working...just not hooked up at the moment. The MMF-5 has its good points and with the Goldring 1042 really sounds great to me. The 1042 was actually a tiny bit of an upgrade to my ears over the more-expensive Eroica. I figure it's compliance/mass-related.

The P5 has its moments when it clearly separates itself from the MMF-5 with either cartridge. It doesn't seem to prefer one cartridge over the other, like the MMF-5 does. It also produces an undoubtedly more authoritative sound on the lows. The MMF-5 is great on the mids and loses out to the P5 on the highs. I guess what I'm saying is the MMF-5 still sounds great, especially in the mids...which is what I look for most...but the P5 is cleary a cut above.

Actually I should not have asked for a comparison of the two tables seeing that the P5 really out classes the MMF 5. I think a better match for the P5 would be the Pro-Ject 2 Xperience Classic table seeing its in the same price rang as the P5.

[frenchmon]

noob...not a nice as your table, but heres the table the missus surprised me with.

http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/7591/pict0013ko.jpg (http://img704.imageshack.us/i/pict0013ko.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/6439/pict0002ib.jpg (http://img706.imageshack.us/i/pict0002ib.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/7446/pict0011ge.jpg (http://img691.imageshack.us/i/pict0011ge.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/844/pict0023bp.jpg (http://img692.imageshack.us/i/pict0023bp.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/4226/pict0032p.jpg (http://img229.imageshack.us/i/pict0032p.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[frenchmon]

Hey PoppaC what model techics do you have? Look at this...you think its worth it?

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/ele/1781521399.html

[02audionoob]

We'll have to let the Marantz in on the glamor shots...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4683879954_18a39ed031_b.jpg

[frenchmon]

Do you use the Rantz as a back up or do you have it integrated into your two channel?...shes a beauty.

[02audionoob]

Do you use the Rantz as a back up or do you have it integrated into your two channel?...shes a beauty.

I have two complete systems in the same room. I use the Marantz for short listens, recording from my Technics linear tracker to CD on the Pioneer recorder below it, listening to mono records, recording to a computer about 8 feet away and for wireless from a computer on the other side of the room. The remote for that is on the floor to the left. The Marantz gets a lot of use.

The Audio Research amp on the right handles the primary CD player, turntable and a Blu-ray outside this photo. It also does part time with the little laptop.


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4344984148_ddf0145dbf_o.jpg

[Enochrome]

Noob that set up is killer! Are those two mono blocks on the lower right? That Marantz is enviably lustworthy. You have the bridge of the old school and new school :)

[Enochrome]

Frenchmon,

Your set up is crazy nice as well. Love the sleek look and the monolith clamp. You never told me how what your first impression of the 2M Red was/is? It looks great in that setup, and I love the simple design!

Cheers

[02audionoob]

Noob that set up is killer! Are those two mono blocks on the lower right? That Marantz is enviably lustworthy. You have the bridge of the old school and new school :)

The two components in the lower right are a PS Audio GCPH and PS Audio Digital Link III. It's the phono preamp and the DAC.

[Enochrome]

Nice!! That is a massive phono pre with must sound incredible.
Speaking of preamps, heard anything about the Rotel RC 980BX?

[poppachubby]

Hey PoppaC what model techics do you have? Look at this...you think its worth it?

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/ele/1781521399.html

For 10 bucks?!? Of course, why not?

[jrhymeammo]

Hey Noob,

Is that sorbothane I see between Hockey pucks and MDF board?

I'm not sure if you have space constraint in your listening room, but the FOCAL speakers look awefully close to your TT from the old photo above. I'm curious, which TT stands against vibration better? Also, do you plan to go for the PSU upgrade later down the road?

[02audionoob]

Hey Noob,

Is that sorbothane I see between Hockey pucks and MDF board?

I'm not sure if you have space constraint in your listening room, but the FOCAL speakers look awefully close to your TT from the old photo above. I'm curious, which TT stands against vibration better? Also, do you plan to go for the PSU upgrade later down the road?

Ah, yes...excellent questions.

The Focal speakers are never playing while the Rega is playing. They're connected to the Marantz and the Technics SL-7 at bottom left. With the way they're severely toed in, they're aimed right at me. When I play vinyl on that setup, it's most-commonly mono records, so the toed-in arrangement doesn't bother me, even though I like stereo speakers aimed straight ahead when they're this close together. They're positioned so they don't fire into the back of the ProAc floorstanders partially visible near the lower corners of the photo, but I could put them to the outboard side...something to think about. They'd be about 10 feet apart at that point.

The Rega is connected to the Audio Research amp and the ProAc floorstanders. Those speakers are ported straight down and they do vibrate the floor. Strangely enough, they even vibrate the rear wall just a little. Those little IKEA stands are amazing, though. I think they probably vibrate less than anything else in the room. Hardly anything gets up to the Marantz. At my normal listening levels, I can touch the sides of it and hardly feel any vibration.

The things on the hockey pucks follow the sporting goods theme...they're racquetballs, cut in half. There are four sets supporting the board, while the Rega sits on three feet. With the MMF-5, which sits on four feet, I experimented with three puck/ball supports, but I couldn't detect an effect on the sound so I used all four. The board is getting almost no vibration, so I haven't had to worry about which turntable can deal with it better...or else they're both doing an admirable job of dealing with it...one or the other.

As for the PSU...I think I'm going to watch the auction site for a used one. I want one, but I can wait for a bargain.

[02audionoob]

Doing a little more experimenting with the camera and the P5...

http://gallery.audioreview.com/data/audio//500/100_3866.JPG

[frenchmon]

Ahhh...you know imma addicted to audio-porn. What brand of camera are you using? SLR or just point and shoot?

[02audionoob]

Ahhh...you know imma addicted to audio-porn. What brand of camera are you using? SLR or just point and shoot?

Just a Kodak Z740. It's pretty nice for a point and shoot, but it needs a lot of light to really do its thing. When I photograph something to sell, I usually take it to a room we have where the glass is the full width of the room on two sides.

[frenchmon]

Yeah...it takes nice pictures.

[jrhymeammo]

Sounds great.
Are you selling the MMF or keeping both?

JRA

[02audionoob]

Sounds great.
Are you selling the MMF or keeping both?

JRA

Poppachubby has expressed an interest in it. If he decides he wants it, I'll sell it to him. Otherwise, I figure I'll keep both. I like it...would just need to figure out my layout to accommodate it.