What VINYL ONLY Are Ya Listening To? Thread! ;)

davidscott

davidscott

Audioholic Spartan
For MC cartridges, I would agree with you that one would need a phono preamp, especially to match the impedance of the cartridge. I wont go down that road of MC cartridges as its too much trouble for not very much return. My setup is very revealing and unlike a tuner working on cars, I'm very happy with stock. I rather get lost in the music than losing myself in the equipment like a lot audiophiles do. :)
Agreed. Though I miss my Dynavector 10x2 on my old Thoren's TT back in the mid late 80s I will probably never go to an MC on my Rega planar 3. I'm happy with the MM carts with replicable styli. Been mostly listening to a WIIM Pro Plus streamer these days anyway.
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
For MC cartridges, I would agree with you that one would need a phono preamp, especially to match the impedance of the cartridge.
First and foremost the need is for 'gain' of the lower output MC cartridges, impedance matching is just part of the equation.


I wont go down that road of MC cartridges as its too much trouble for not very much return.
Actually with today's offerings the 'trouble' is minimal to all but non-existent and the multitude of MC offerings is quite enticing.
 
KenM10759

KenM10759

Audioholic Ninja
First and foremost the need is for 'gain' of the lower output MC cartridges, impedance matching is just part of the equation.




Actually with today's offerings the 'trouble' is minimal to all but non-existent and the multitude of MC offerings is quite enticing.
Agreed! It wasn't until I had an integrated amp with a really good internal phono stage that accommodates moving coil cartridges that I could try one, but now I love them.

Just today I got around to adding an additional ground wire to go between the external phono amp that I've since added to handle a second turntable in my system (a Musical Surroundings Phenomena II+) and the hum I was getting at maximum +60dB gain is completely gone. I had been limiting myself to using my Shure M97xE (with N97EJ stylus) on that TT because it's a moving magnet cart and only needed 42dB gain.

My Hana ML and reworked AT33Sa (Andy Kim changed it to a microline stylus on a better boron cantilever) will both stay in my system a long time.
 
KenM10759

KenM10759

Audioholic Ninja
To bring this thread back onto topic, specifically 'what am I listening to', it's Steely Dan "Two Against Nature", on 180g 45rpm from Analogue Productions.

Until I added a supplementary ground wire from the Phenomena II+ phono amp to the integrated amp today, I had never really heard how good of a pressing this truly is.

Luxman PD-121U, SME 3009R tonearm, Audio Technica AT33Sa Andy Kim retip.
 

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Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
Nice rig Ken, had the same arm on my Kenwood KD500 many years back .....
 
KenM10759

KenM10759

Audioholic Ninja
Got some listening to do. My brother in Durham NC went shopping and sent me these 8, which showed up on my 64th birthday.

Top row, L-to- R: Spider Bags "Someday Everything Will Be Fine", Lambchop "What Another Man Spills", Waco Brothers "The Men That God Forgot", and Mem Mods "Vol.1" (that one the "first official release on Peabody Records Co. label in 30 years)

Bottom row, L-to-R: Combustible Edison "Forbidden Isle Of Demos", H.C. McEntire "Every Acre", Mount Moriah (eponymous), and Khruangbin "Con Todo El Mundo".

I lead a sheltered life compared to my brother, who knows on a personal level at least one person from each of the artists. He seen all of them at one time or another in the local club scene where he lives. He told me how he met Heather McEntire back when she was principal artist in Mount Moriah, but was in a local supermarket looking for a place to sit and eat food she'd bought. He had one of the two tables, so invited her to join him. She told him she was "a librarian", but then met her in a club two weeks later where Mount Mariah was playing. He bought that "Every Acre" LP direct from her at a recent show.

So far I've listened to the Spider Bags, Khruangbin, Mount Moriah, and H.C. McEntire. I liked the new H.C. McEntire the best, though Khruangbin was a very pleasant surprise.

Our son gifted me The Police "Greatest Hits" (half-speed mastered, 180gr press), Pearl Jam "Rearview Mirror" (2-record greatest hits compilation) a week ago, and brought me Adele "19" & "21" yesterday. What a great son!

My collection is still modest as compared to others, though I am now at 542 and running low on space. Likely need to move the few MoFi One-Step records and other bulky ones out of the racks if I'm to get to my 700-750 goal. I hesitate to have my son make any more racks.

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3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
The last couple of day's recording sessions. The top deck is used to record to normal bias tape using Dolby C. These tapes are intended for use outside my home like my walkmans and my cassette deck at the trailer.

The bottom deck is used to record onto chrome tapes using dbx. These tapes stay at home and are played on my decks at home.
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davidscott

davidscott

Audioholic Spartan
First and foremost the need is for 'gain' of the lower output MC cartridges, impedance matching is just part of the equation.




Actually with today's offerings the 'trouble' is minimal to all but non-existent and the multitude of MC offerings is quite enticing.
Actually, to me sending the cart back to be retipped then having to remount it is a very big deal. I do miss the Dynavector DX I had in the late 80s on my Thorens TT, but it was not worth the trouble. Probably the best sounding cart I ever owned but I prefer a replaceable stylus. JMHO.
 
Eppie

Eppie

Audioholic Ninja
And lastly an album that I bet not too many have in their collection.
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