Rega Arm Upgrade

[atomicAdam]

Dropped the P3/24 off at Brooks Berdan today to get a tone arm cable upgrade. Getting new wiring w/ RCA attachments at the deck.

I'm also getting a Zu DL-103 cartridge installed. Should be interesting to hear how it all goes.

I'll replace it again in a bit with the Sumiko to see how the wire upgrade actually sounds. But I hope to get a Blackbird soon. Money, money, oh were art thou?

[JohnMichael]

Dropped the P3/24 off at Brooks Berdan today to get a tone arm cable upgrade. Getting new wiring w/ RCA attachments at the deck.

I'm also getting a Zu DL-103 cartridge installed. Should be interesting to hear how it all goes.

I'll replace it again in a bit with the Sumiko to see how the wire upgrade actually sounds. But I hope to get a Blackbird soon. Money, money, oh were art thou?

Adam I have to ask why the interest in having RCA's at the deck? The reason I went with the Incognito wiring harness is the continuous wire from the cartridge clips to the male RCA's that plug into the phono preamp. My low output MC's do not have as many connections to jump on their way to being amplified.

[atomicAdam]

It is what they recommended as the the best wiring option. I'm going on trust on this one. I know what you mean, but Brooks has such a reputation I'm just going to go with it.

[jrhymeammo]

Dropped the P3/24 off at Brooks Berdan today to get a tone arm cable upgrade. Getting new wiring w/ RCA attachments at the deck.

I'm also getting a Zu DL-103 cartridge installed. Should be interesting to hear how it all goes.

I'll replace it again in a bit with the Sumiko to see how the wire upgrade actually sounds. But I hope to get a Blackbird soon. Money, money, oh were art thou?

Sounds like fun, AA.
Though I'm not big on ICs/wires/cables, I think it's always fun to have wiring options on any audio gear.
As far as the Audio-Sense goes what JM said makes sense, but not sure if we'll hear the difference. Since Incognito doesn't offer other wiring option, we will never know. Out of curiousity, what cable will Brooks Berden use on your TT?

We would love to hear your impression on the Zu. I've been looking at them for years, but never interested me enough to pull the trigger....yet.
Do you have a stock DL-103 laying around for a comparison?

JRA

[Enochrome]

I see your point Atomic, sometimes you don't know the truth about things until
you do it yourself. At the very least it will give more flexibility with table placement.
I was in Brooks one day and witnessed them working on that very mod; good workmanship.
I think they were using Cardas gear for that. I'm I correct on that?

Can't wait to hear the sonic assessment. Most likely it will be great.

I wish Brooks catered to my price bracket more, yet, that is a reason to earn more money

[atomicAdam]

JM -

Yes I know the more points in the line the more options for the signal to deteriorate on, but i'm just going to trust on this.

If it isn't worth it - trust you me - i'll let you all know.

Also I'm going to pick up the DM-103 for compare. I found it only for $120 - so if that isn't a rip off web retailers - than I'll pick it up.

[JohnMichael]

I have often thought that if I buy another table I would want one with interchangeable cables. I would like to try some of the specialty tonearm cables that are available. Do to my vow of poverty I will continue to enjoy the Rega. The Incognito rewire did use Cardas wire in the new wiring harness.

I do enjoy experimenting with cables and would like to have more options. I did find that if I used the unshielded DNM IC's from phono preamp to int. amp I can listen to the radio if the stylus is not in the groove. The Micropurls are resistant to the radio signals.

[atomicAdam]

Do to my vow of poverty I will continue to enjoy the Rega.

I'm considering just dumping my digital all together and going pure analog. When we move back up the Bay Area this July we are going to be a much smaller place. So I'm thinking of picking up a nice small tube amp (maybe the Mystere ia11), building some DIY full range speakers, and just running the turntable.

That is if the Olive O3HD doesn't sound worth in cost. If it does I'll sure I'll snatch that up. Anyways - the point being, the more I listen the more I enjoy my vinyl, so I figure I might as well upgrade the P3 because the start up cost on another table would be too much for me at the moment.

[JohnMichael]

Anyways - the point being, the more I listen the more I enjoy my vinyl, so I figure I might as well upgrade the P3 because the start up cost on another table would be too much for me at the moment.

I can relate to enjoying vinyl more and when I total the dollars for all the tweaks I will be sticking with my Rega. All the tweaks do make for a better sounding table. The next tweak I would suggest is the Michell Technoweight. Your cartridges will track better and less surface noise.

[atomicAdam]

I can relate to enjoying vinyl more and when I total the dollars for all the tweaks I will be sticking with my Rega. All the tweaks do make for a better sounding table. The next tweak I would suggest is the Michell Technoweight. Your cartridges will track better and less surface noise.

Yes, I'd like to try that and that foam platter. I think though, even with the feet on it - I'd like some better isolation feet. Or maybe an isolation table and a Sumiko Blackbird.

[poppachubby]

Hey Adam check out this Technics SLD4 I bought for $6. It's for my son, all he has to do is close it and press play. Perfect.

[poppachubby]

.....

[atomicAdam]

Hey Adam check out this Technics SLD4 I bought for $6. It's for my son, all he has to do is close it and press play. Perfect.

Nope - nah - sorry - no good - he can't caulk the platter.

[poppachubby]

Nope - nah - sorry - no good - he can't caulk the platter.

Hahha, oh man how did I forget about that one?!? Anyhow, it's funny you mention TT inputs just as i bought this wonder of analog. Actually, I have been using it in my bedroom and it's a blast.

It's DD and linear, fully automatic. Quite a machine actually. I am using a combination of Audioquest cabling and my Creek OBH18. I am at the mercy of a questionable P-Mount cart, an old Empire. Still it has great range and a nice sound through my AKG's.

Crumby pic attached...

[RGA]

Audio Note has a new in house tone arm line-up to replace the turbo charged Rega 250 they were using. If I like the new arm I will sell the old one at a cut rate. But a lot of ifs and it will take time as I am somewhat wading through the digital options as well as looking into overseas work - again.

[atomicAdam]

Hahha, oh man how did I forget about that one?!? Anyhow, it's funny you mention TT inputs just as i bought this wonder of analog. Actually, I have been using it in my bedroom and it's a blast.

It's DD and linear, fully automatic. Quite a machine actually. I am using a combination of Audioquest cabling and my Creek OBH18. I am at the mercy of a questionable P-Mount cart, an old Empire. Still it has great range and a nice sound through my AKG's.

Crumby pic attached...

Nice - glad it is doing its job.

[atomicAdam]

Audio Note has a new in house tone arm line-up to replace the turbo charged Rega 250 they were using. If I like the new arm I will sell the old one at a cut rate. But a lot of ifs and it will take time as I am somewhat wading through the digital options as well as looking into overseas work - again.

I heard it and the new TT2 at CES. Took photos and everything... maybe you missed my coverage?

[basite]

We would love to hear your impression on the Zu. I've been looking at them for years, but never interested me enough to pull the trigger....yet.
Do you have a stock DL-103 laying around for a comparison?

JRA

I heard it! and while it's better than a standard 103, no wait, different, I wouldn't spend the money on it.

I modded my standard 103 with a new body, and that made a big difference though, next step is to get it retipped, with a paratrace stylus. In effect, on funk, soul, blues and jazz LP's (especially jazz in a less than superb condition), I like my 103 better than my DL304...

just to get ya thinking

I'm using a Midas body on mine (there is a new version though), and it's a big difference...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[atomicAdam]

I heard it! and while it's better than a standard 103, no wait, different, I wouldn't spend the money on it.

I modded my standard 103 with a new body, and that made a big difference though, next step is to get it retipped, with a paratrace stylus. In effect, on funk, soul, blues and jazz LP's (especially jazz in a less than superb condition), I like my 103 better than my DL304...

just to get ya thinking

I'm using a Midas body on mine (there is a new version though), and it's a big difference...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

Hey Bert - Thanks for the heads up - what are the sonic difference you heard? Could you go into more detail about that?

Thanks,
-adam

[JohnMichael]

Adam any updates on the arm upgrade.

[atomicAdam]

Hey JM -

Yep the tone arm wire was installed. It terminates at the deck and allows me to interchange ICs from the table to the phono stage. While this means more break points in the line, sonic wise there is definitely an improvement over the OEM Rega cable that was previously in there.

It is hard for at this point to attribute specific changes to the cable/vs. the new Zu cartridge that is on. But if I were to guess - and once I switch out for the regular DM 103 and than to a Blackbird - I'll have a better understanding of the cable's affects - but if I was to make an educated guess the Zu cart is butter smooth in the top end and allows for fantastic body and an ability to take the etherealness of music convert it into a singer in my living room. I think the cable helps in this because now with that added to the Granite Audio #470 ICs I'm using between the resolution/or depth of detail has greatly grown.

But putting all the BS mobo jumbo lingo aside it pretty much sounds ****ing awesome right now.

With the Brodmann FS speakers, Mystere ia11 amp, WyWires speaker cables, jazz, opera, vocals, all sound so fantastic at the moment.Rock, electric, big classical pieces, suffer from a lack of low end, but being in an apt now that might be OK. I'm sure I bug my poor neighbor enough as it is w/o having in speakers that go down to the 20Hz region.

I've pretty much been listening to nothing but vinyl since I moved up to Oakland. And most likely tomorrow (Memorial Day) I'm going to switch some stuff around to play with - get back to that power cable shootout - try the WyWires ICs in between the phono amp and amplifier.

But WOW one hell of a system at the moment. Comparing it to the Zu OD and Evo III cart and no wire upgrade, that system was crisper and I heard the nose floor when I would turn up the music to a fun volume. Pops stuck out much more and detail wise the Zu based system was better across the board where I feel the Brodmann system is more forgiving in the 'pop' and 'click' region of vinyl and I almost never hear the nose floor. So I think for vinyl the system is very forgiving. Plus the midrange is fantastic. The way the music materializes and the slight bit of warmth w/o being bloomy or slow is just captivating with music from the likes of Duke Ellington, Monk, Jeff Buckley, Calexico, Belle & Sebastian, etc...

Anyways - hope that answers the Q.