Hi Banquo
How do you like the 801's firing down the long wall ?

ct0517 October 25, 2015 04:08

I'm truly happy wth my matrix 801 speakers, but I would like to have a SS amp with some serious muscle just to catch glimpse of the 801's so far untapped power. So, if a pair of these ever crossed my path and didn't require I mortgage my house or divorce my lovely wife, I'd probably jump on them.

Banquo - from my own experiences big SS amp/s on the 801's will move you from the 15th row to the 5th. But it may also put you out into the garage permanently with your wife due to bass seepage. So be careful what you wish for.

This has been my experience with the 801's.
Imagine listening to a 4-5 person music ensemble in a medium size venue like a Jazz Bar. Think of what the drums would be like if sitting 5-10 feet away from the drummer, and then 20 feet away. That's the kind of impact the SS amps will have to the bass with the 801's.
In your chest...

Now for mids and tweeters; for me a real good SS amp will try to match the sweetness of tubes.
I would ensure any SS amp purchase if vintage has had its electronics/capacitors checked out and performing as designed.
If not the very revealing 801's will show the amps shortcoming - especially weak capacitors that cannot hold their charge and the result will be "harsh" sounding and weak bass. If the capacitors are good the bass will be full and overall the music rounded out. Not too lean or bloated. Also ensure any vintage design can be worked on by someone local to you first - or be ready for a potential head ache down the road.

ct0517 May 27, 2015 06:55

BEAUTY

Now Halcro ..are you not concerned about aesthetics AT ALL. I mean come on. You're an architect man. Does the contorted positioning of your cartridge and its affects not bother you at all ?

I see no such contortions in pics of your Taj Mahal reference.

Enjoy your vacation Henry. :^)

imo - both you guys do have common DNA happening with your turntables. No doubt there.
Question I have. Is this "Form over Function" ?

As opposed to your ET 2 & 2.5 tonearms Banquo - which are "Form follows Function" imo.

Banquo so you were able to go from a 12 foot cable length down to 3 foot. Well done. Only in this audio hobby that I can think of, does shorter length equate to better ?

ct0517 January 21, 2015 21:25

..,cutting a rather large hole through the living room wall. I don’t dare tell my wife

Banquo - how in the world are you going to keep that from her ? I thought I was good at hiding things, then it dawned on me. Didn't you recently install curtains? Am I correct to assume they are proving beneficial in more ways than just sonically ?

You mentioned Sonic Craft. I was curious so I looked them up. Wow..how do they stay in business with an 88% off sale ?

ct0517 January 19, 2015 22:35

This is a well traveled cart: started in Italy, then So. California, then Toronto, then Florida, back to Toronto, then to the embrace of its final resting place, my ET-2 arm.

Too bad you can't collect on those travel points.

ct0517 December 23, 2014 07:34

Oh I hear you Banquo. I have just always done VTA changes by ear. I even removed the stock ET2 VTA dial gauges on my arms. We should note also that some cartridge/stylus profiles make VTA adjustments not required as often. It is imo a more rounded sound, but many like this. Some even call this more musical, less Hi Fi and just get into the music more not worrying about so many VTA changes. Hey different strokes. Just another example imo of the beauty of analog over digital. Individual tailoring. But it still all depends on proper setup.

ct0517 November 20, 2014 05:10

Now I can carry on with my neurotic habit of writing down the optimal vta for each cartridge and album.

If I had to actually write something down for this hobby, it wouldn't be my hobby for very long. That sounds like way too much work to me. I say this to you as a certified PMP :^)

ct0517 November 20, 2014 03:56

Banquo - Just a thought. I am thinking the air compressor may be introducing noise into the system ? Mute the system and lower the arm without the air compressor running then unmute. Is there still buzz ?

ct0517 October 09, 2014 09:58

Especially when my wife walked into my room, looked at the external compressor regulator/gauge and said "It looks like a bomb"

too funny .. I can just hear her conversations with her friends.

"You won't believe what he has set up now....in addition to the record player with the exposed insides, there is now tubing going half way through our house, a hanging bottle with numbers on it, even wires hanging from our beloved wall. The only good thing I think, is that he has started praying again the last few nights."

:^)

ct0517 October 09, 2014 06:55

Did your wife notice the air pressure gauge on the wall ? Its a good thing your dog is past the teething stage or I would fear for your ET2 lifeline.

Congrats on getting the initial setup done Banquo. If I can use an analogy as in the sport of racing; once you have had your first good run with this ET2, I found things can become addictive as there is much to learn and tweak and its all wide open access. You can venture more into the arm setup/mechanics, air supply/pump, or the wiring design further. The good thing is this is all for the most part DIY and you are not forced to purchase overpriced, over hyped audiophile products :^) to get there. You are already on the fast track with the wiring setup. Looking at your system page you came up with a neat DIY alignment jig based on your Mint. Great idea. Consider modifying it to force the ET2 to walk a really fine thin line. You will really hear the difference. Some other things that come to mind for future if your are looking for ideas. lol. Consider making a solid mass one material armpod (Brass/Aluminum) that will allow the three aluminum spiked Et2 legs to drain energy. The Pump is a wildcard - more time is needed to determine if your pump is an Ace or Joker but based on your Timeter's reputation in the medical world I'll bet on the former. Wiring - once noise has been reduced - I would split out the two wires going to wall from the armtube into four separate strands. This will make them that much more pliable with less resistance.

As Henry I enjoy seeing your rig progress and all the "fun" you are having.

up to my ears in puppy training....:^(

ct0517 October 08, 2014 21:30

Banquo you are forgetting your other speaker blood brother on your thread ...
Vegasears also owns 801 (who I still feel has the best moniker on audiogon)

I am now living with 'the tombstones' as my wife derisively calls the B&w 801's.

Well I have never heard them called that before. thats a new one :^)
I guess as long as she's not thinking of your tombstone; when she calls them that - you're ok and have nothing to worry about ?
Bit of a coincidence as I have told my my wife to just make one coffin out of both 801 many times when the time comes.
All females that see them seem to think that they represent evil and no good anyway - thats been my experience.
there is no sugar coating this thing.

I can't really imagine moving the tombstones once spiked.

You will score points with your wife if you keep them on castors, and when not in use place them up against the wall.
This will help with the transition. 801 Tip # 8
Cheers

ct0517 May 01, 2014 21:38

Nice job on the Discovery wire Banquo. I just saw the pic.

The exposed tonearm wire alongside the exposed guts of the victor make my system look like a spawn of the great George Pompidou Center in Paris.

You made me have to google the GP Center in Paris

:^) ..... hah !

ct0517 March 13, 2014 07:11

One condition is that they must be small in diameter (in order to fit inside the pod) yet large enough to work with analysis plus cables. Anyone have any ideas?

Banquo - there is an alternative but you need to think outside the box (armpod) on this one.
My recommendation is to bypass your beautiful armpod and go from the clips direct into the phono stage.

Otherwise with audiophilia you may end up with 10 pairs of interconnects hanging somewhere.

The approach I am recommending means one set of wires, You can experiment between copper and silver and port them from one tonearm to another when the need arises.
What is in this
picture

including the WBT nextgens was $250 in total.

How strong is the RF in your room? Does your cell phone work really well. If so you can go with a partly sheilded cable.

Just a thought...

Cheers

ct0517 February 25, 2014 01:27

Capacitors can be really funny things.
Some observations.
When my Studer lost power the tech thought it was the 4 large power supply capacitors for sure that needed replacing.
He had new ones set aside when I arrived.
When he checked them they were in perfect shape - the right voltage - made in West Germany.
it turned out to be another transistor part that went down and needed replacing.
Finding the problem is where his experience with the machine was invaluable.

Another example is my first real amp which is an Onkyo 5060r and I bought it new way back. A dual mono design.
It was recently checked and it came out fine as well.

In talking with another tech he had a bunch of flat screens in for repair.
Turns out that an Achilles heel with these TV's are the capacitors - they have only been lasting four years.

One more example. My Classe CA300 which I recently sold.
In talking with Classe they only purchase 25 capacitors from their source at a time used for repairs and restores.
This is because they have a shelf life.
Their amps I was told by the tech should not be left on 24/7, as it causes shortened life for the capacitors.

ct0517 February 24, 2014 23:03

I think the choice of platter mat...or not....is dependent on the turntable?

Henry - Yes I agree.

The TT-101 however...has a slight lip around the platter which prevents the record from sitting directly on the aluminium surface.
With that arrangement....it becomes purely a CHOICE of mats....

Ahh ! I was not aware of that. that explains all the activity around "skins" ? :^)

I am curious to know what the underside of the Victor platter looks like, specifically the weight distribution in a design that does not use a heavy platter. For example.

Here is the Jean Nantais Custom Lenco Platter

http://s1173.photobucket.com/user/CT-993/media/JNLencoPlatter_zpsb616b917.jpg.html

The top pic shows the thick metacrylate plate. It could probably considered a platter onto itself.
The bottom pic. See how the rim is much much thicker - a genius design imo from those that created the Lenco.
This provides for momentum.
The whole thing weighs quite a bit but have not weighed it.

Can I see a pic of the underside of the Victor platter ?

Someone just started a thread on wood versus metal tonearms. Maybe a thread on platter design / types ?

ct0517 February 08, 2014 00:48

Hi Banquo - I agree with you. and also I feel
Mr. Verdier gave me a good manufacturer's answer.
I guess he doesn't sell platter mats; or I am thinking he would have recommended one ?
I am getting real close to tape with the stock platter so I am happy with it and have not been tempted.
I did try the sp10 copper platter on it quite a while back when I was still figuring it out.
The riddle was meant for a little fun; poking fun at commitment.
once you glu-eee there is no return -eee...

Remember crazy gluing cartridge styluses holders to their bodies ?
My empire 4000d is crazy glued. She's mine for life.
If a mat showed up at my door I would try it to hear its effects.
Cheers

ct0517 February 07, 2014 10:57

Hi Henry - thats interesting about the pigskin mat. Have never felt a need to use a mat with the Platine. But I was curious so I asked JC Verdier his thoughts on it;

If I was curious to try one, which he would recommend. He answered me today.

"I always recommend to use the turntable without mat"
JC Verdier

With that I do have a copper mat for the SP10.

I asked a platter mat riddle on another thread, and I was disappointed with no guesses from anyone? So Banquo I hope you don't mind if I ask the riddle here again ? ...but this time with the riddle answer supplied....

How do you know when someone "really" loves their platter mat ?

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They bond it permanently to the platter. :^)

My Jean Nantais Lenco is this way with its metacrylate plate.
Cheers

ct0517 February 07, 2014 04:39

Banquo and Halcro - Just thinking out loud. I use a chamois made of I believe lamb/sheep to dry off my car after washing. It is able to hold alot of water. When dry it is very hard and not bendable. Are any of these audiophile "skins" treated and not affected by room humidity. humidity would change their composition and therefore how they react to whats on them ? You may prefer them better at a certain humidity. cheers

ct0517 February 02, 2014 02:14

At the time I was changing out wires on the ET2 which was on an armpod. I should have removed the cartridge when I brought it to the work table 20 ft away. When it got clipped I made myself feel better by saying - well it was a 5 year old cartridge and was due for a retip . The real downer - was Peter saying it was not retip-able/repairable due to suspension damage (well lets say it was work he was not interested in doing anyway) I sent Hi rez pics to Axel in Germany and he said no problem it could be fixed. It took a long time and if you recall he was waiting on a bolt that he ended up making himself to complete the job. I can't recommend him enough - but I hear he is quite busy these days too.

ct0517 January 22, 2014 22:56

but I had some unquenchable and inexplicable desire to try out the Jico stylus. In taking out the old one I clumsily broke its plug.

Hi Banquo - of all things audio I think I hate handling cartridges the most. probably because of my knobby fingers.
so they usually stay on for quite a while if they are delivering to expectations.
I beheaded an XV1 once if you recall. A pivotal moment - my audio soul left me for a while and did not return in whole till Axel rebuilt the cartridge for me and it was returned. But the event still lingers and I am sure contributes to my comments.
I hope sending the cart to Andy works out. As Peter at SS is so busy, and Axel is across the pond; I look forward to hearing of the results and Andy as a good alternative.

Cheers

ct0517 January 22, 2014 10:03

Thanks for sharing the journey banquo.
Love the shot of your canine audiophile. He appears in a trance from your music. :)
Brings me memories of my old black lab buddy.
Cheers.

ct0517 August 03, 2013 08:54

Sweet looking setup ...enjoy the tunes Banquo....

ct0517 March 05, 2013 22:35

Nice job on the sandbox Banquo. I just saw your system pic.
For me - Improvements in sound based on DIY bring alot of satisfaction. The knowledge gained along the way is priceless. I also feel vinyl people would trade in their analog rigs for other rigs less frequently, if they would just get structure feedback under control.

Cheers

ct0517 May 11, 2012 09:53

Hi Banquo

My first tube component was a an ARC SP8 MK II Preamp. I still kick myself for selling it. It started me on the tube rolling. I amassed a large number of tubes - most of them NOS. Crazy was the feeling when winning an ebay bid for a set of matched tubes. I even bought a tube tester but rarely use it.

Incredible how much different tubes change the sound. Like changing a cartridge.

Happy Tube Rolling !

ct0517 October 02, 2011 10:02

Congratulations Banquo - love the gear especially those wonderful looking Armpods ! Glad u finally got the SP10 going. Please don't ever sell that amp without contacting me first. It would go great with my Quad 57's. :^)

Cheers Chris

ct0517 August 01, 2011 09:22