I gots good bourbon.......flights are cheap......just sayin........
Finding my way home (The 20 - 21 Analog upgrade plan)
- Thread starter S0und Dragon
- Start date
I gots good bourbon.......flights are cheap......just sayin........
I will tackle the Arm. I will reach out to the forums collective wisdom. But I am so frustrated with it that I just need a break. I suspect that with some proper alignment tools and a few FaceTime calls, I can get it sorted. But I need to move on and circle back to it. For my own sanity sake.
A Jelco TK-950s has been ordered. New Arm boards too. I am ok with the addition as I was planning on an add on that I will put off for another time. I was thinking about doing a separate 12” arm on its own mini pod/plinth, for a Mono cart. I was thinking of going with a SAEC 308L. All on a custom pod in Rosewood like the plinth. I am so extra sometimes. The Jelco will allow me to swap carts which is cool.
A Jelco TK-950s has been ordered. New Arm boards too. I am ok with the addition as I was planning on an add on that I will put off for another time. I was thinking about doing a separate 12” arm on its own mini pod/plinth, for a Mono cart. I was thinking of going with a SAEC 308L. All on a custom pod in Rosewood like the plinth. I am so extra sometimes. The Jelco will allow me to swap carts which is cool.
I heard good bourbon.... 😃
Sonetimes stepping away for a minute is the best move.
The Graham will remain on the Deck till the Jelco arrives. Not to discredit the Arm. The deck is the best I have ever heard Analog sound. My issues are that the arm goes passed the arm lift in the run out groove. an since it is riding low already, I have to be super careful lifting the arm up from the finger lift. No bourbon and Vinyl for me at the moment!
I am also thinking about taking the next step with the Cyrus Phono Signature. That would be adding the PSX-R2 External power supply. It is supposed to elevate the Phono signatures performance bigtime, which if truth be told is already really high. This is it for me as far as Analog goes. So I am inclined to upgrade now and be done with it. All in, I will still be cheaper than my original choice, the Luxman EQ-500 which for whatever reason is 4 times more expensive in the US than Japan or Europe. WTF!!
I am also thinking about taking the next step with the Cyrus Phono Signature. That would be adding the PSX-R2 External power supply. It is supposed to elevate the Phono signatures performance bigtime, which if truth be told is already really high. This is it for me as far as Analog goes. So I am inclined to upgrade now and be done with it. All in, I will still be cheaper than my original choice, the Luxman EQ-500 which for whatever reason is 4 times more expensive in the US than Japan or Europe. WTF!!
I managed to align the Graham a bit this weekend. Will still need to redo the whole arm board as it is crooked in its current state, and it bothers me to leave it like that long term. I also went ahead and mounted the Spectral LCR signature tonight. An older cart from Scan Tech that I think predates the Lyra’s. This vintage cart really surprised me with its airy ness and open presentation. Light, fast and open is the best I can come up with. I am really enjoying it tonight. Hope to spend more time with it tomorrow.
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The current pandemic has slowed my momentum....but an interesting alternative has arrived here. Looking forward to seeing if this works out.
Will need to wait on the new Arm boards before I can Mount this up!
Will need to wait on the new Arm boards before I can Mount this up!
Well, since I am stuck indoors for the next while......
Arm boreds? 😀
I did a thing.......
A fantastic acquisition and I am over the moon about it! My Belt Drive to pair with my Direct Drive SP-10. The Deck is a Micro Seiki BL-99V turntable with a SAEC WE 407TM tonearm and (another?!) almost-new Lyra Lydian B cartridge. Table and arm used to belong to Sam Telling, the audio reviewer which adds to the decks charm and pedigree. The arm came with both the SAEC headshell and the coveted SAEC pure copper phono cable. The arm is really killer and held the Lyra on an old warped Mono pressing of lady day without "skipping" a beat!
This combo would normally be designated the BL-99VW. But this one is not. I believe it was either a one off, or custom build/order. While the BL-99 was common in Japan, not many were made for US voltage or export. So having one in actual 120V is super rare. I have also never seen it in this color, they are almost always a darker walnut Veneer. The Vacuum works well and the deck is in very nice condition. Setup was pretty simple and straightforward. As usual, proper dial in will happen over time and play. I played a few favorites and am really impressed with it. It offers that different perspective and contrast to the Technics. Overall, I am super pleased.
www.thevintageknob.org
This combo would normally be designated the BL-99VW. But this one is not. I believe it was either a one off, or custom build/order. While the BL-99 was common in Japan, not many were made for US voltage or export. So having one in actual 120V is super rare. I have also never seen it in this color, they are almost always a darker walnut Veneer. The Vacuum works well and the deck is in very nice condition. Setup was pretty simple and straightforward. As usual, proper dial in will happen over time and play. I played a few favorites and am really impressed with it. It offers that different perspective and contrast to the Technics. Overall, I am super pleased.
Micro Seiki BL-99V on thevintageknob.org
vintage Micro Seiki 1980s audiophile turntable with record air seal
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Dayum! I thought that might be a Micro... Scroe!
BillWojo
Junior Member
Thought it was a MS to but the light color threw me off. Both really beautiful tables.
Quick question. Is the main issue with your other tonearm the arm lift? If so that is easy to resolve. Use a sharp pencil and lightly draw a line around the tone arm mounting base. Most tonearm mounting bases are round. At that point remove the screws holding the tone arm to the base and rotate the arm base so that the arm lift is in the proper position to lift the arm at end of play. Make sure your still centered in that circle that you drew and using the sharp pencil mark the locations for the new screw holes. Hold the pencil uprite and draw circles in the holes using the holes as a guide. The center of the circles are the points to drill new holes.
If you need to move the position of the arm a small amount that is possible to and since the base needs to be rotated you will be far enough away that you will be clear of the old holes and most likely the base will still cover the old holes. The same arm board will still work.
You might as well have him cut you about 10 arm boards, I can see a nice collection of arms in your future. A display case in matching walnut is in order to. It's fun spending your money. LOL
BillWojo
Quick question. Is the main issue with your other tonearm the arm lift? If so that is easy to resolve. Use a sharp pencil and lightly draw a line around the tone arm mounting base. Most tonearm mounting bases are round. At that point remove the screws holding the tone arm to the base and rotate the arm base so that the arm lift is in the proper position to lift the arm at end of play. Make sure your still centered in that circle that you drew and using the sharp pencil mark the locations for the new screw holes. Hold the pencil uprite and draw circles in the holes using the holes as a guide. The center of the circles are the points to drill new holes.
If you need to move the position of the arm a small amount that is possible to and since the base needs to be rotated you will be far enough away that you will be clear of the old holes and most likely the base will still cover the old holes. The same arm board will still work.
You might as well have him cut you about 10 arm boards, I can see a nice collection of arms in your future. A display case in matching walnut is in order to. It's fun spending your money. LOL
BillWojo
Finally secured a Cart I had been hunting for a while. I took delivery of a Dynavector Te Kaitora Rua. Though this one was involved in a user mishap early in its ownership and was rebuilt by Andy Kim. It now sports a Ruby cantilever and Micro Ridge Stylus. I am really digging the cart so far.
Very cool. That must sound lovely.
And I gotta say I’m impressed. I had no clue Andy Kim did cartridges too.
And I gotta say I’m impressed. I had no clue Andy Kim did cartridges too.
While it is still way to soon to truly classify the Te Kaitora Rua, it just gave me one of those aha moments. I was thinking that while it sounds very good. It was not particularly better than the Spectral MCR Signature it replaces, an exceptional and very special Cart in its own right. But playing Nat Coles Just One Of Those Things and the sound of the big band is just so present. Every instrument is vivid and the Harbeths are playing it so true. What a wonderful experience.
So on the other end of the spectrum I scooped up another Graham Phantom Arm wand. It wasn’t cheap by any stretch, which is sort of my issue with it, and why I was tempted to move on from the Graham. In the end I bit the bullet and paid the proverbial pound of flesh. I knew this going in but it still stung a little. That said, the ability to swap carts with reduced fear of damage to arm and Cart is worth it in the long run. The spectral will be going out in a few weeks to get a check up and re-tip as I think it is near its end. All in all, I am blessed. I just wanted to vent about my first world problem.
The Day has come where I have to pull my lovely Lyra Lydian out of service. I also believe that the Spectral is not too far behind. I am kind of bummed as I was hoping to hold off on new Audio purchases. But this hobby is an ever burning furnace and they are truly stellar performers in their own right. So The Lyra will go out tomorrow to be evaluated. I have no doubt that it will come back in need of a new rock. The options will then become interesting.
The Spectral will go out when the Lyra returns. This one is a bit trickier. I can send it to Lyra for a full rebuild at what I can only assume will be no small penny. But they built it and these are not exactly common Carts to begin with. Or I can send it to Steve at VAS. Whom I trust with pretty much all my Carts now. I will reach out to Lyra and see what they say about it. But it will most likely go out to VAS.
The Spectral will go out when the Lyra returns. This one is a bit trickier. I can send it to Lyra for a full rebuild at what I can only assume will be no small penny. But they built it and these are not exactly common Carts to begin with. Or I can send it to Steve at VAS. Whom I trust with pretty much all my Carts now. I will reach out to Lyra and see what they say about it. But it will most likely go out to VAS.
So according to the US Distribution outlet. Lyra no longer has the parts to rebuild the Spectral MCR. I am not sure how much I believe that. But that is the response I received, which makes my decision all the more easy on where to send it. Probably saved me some money too!
So in the spirit of my wandering eye, A new contender is entering the cart harem for my love and attention. need to keep it semi close to the vest as it is shipping from the UK and international shipping is such a shit show these days. Things either arrive in record time or........not. But I have once again rolled the die on a fixer and hope to net a rewarding experience. It does mean that for the moment, the Spectral refurb is on pause. It will go on the bench and await a replenishing of the fun fund.
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