How I feel about my DP-80 and yes, I've been guilty of way too much hyperbole myself. Mea culpa. Leaps and bounds above any other table I've owned. The big DD drives just get the job done with no fuss.
Getting the world's finest console turntable back up and running...
- Thread starter JohnVF
- Start date
Another step in the right direction today.
I moved from hanging the TTS-8000 from the sides of the console opening like a shelf, and built up layers of mdf, cork, and birch ply below it so that it could sit on a quad of Still Points feet like a normal table. Bass had a bit of bloom that is now gone, and everything just got more solid. It was excellent before. It is even more so now.
The OC-9ml2 is sounding like I have never heard it sound before. I liked but never loved this cart before, finding it a bit sterile and cold at times, but always tracking well. Now it sounds fluid, solid, tangible and life-like, which I never would have accused it off before.
I'm simply astounded. I had good tables before but this is just something else entirely and all I want to do is sit here and listen to all my records like I"m hearing them for the first time again.
The sound with the Sony is rock solid. It sounds like reel to reel. I can't explain it. But it sounds like good reel to reel playback...analog but not like a turntable usually sounds.
I moved from hanging the TTS-8000 from the sides of the console opening like a shelf, and built up layers of mdf, cork, and birch ply below it so that it could sit on a quad of Still Points feet like a normal table. Bass had a bit of bloom that is now gone, and everything just got more solid. It was excellent before. It is even more so now.
The OC-9ml2 is sounding like I have never heard it sound before. I liked but never loved this cart before, finding it a bit sterile and cold at times, but always tracking well. Now it sounds fluid, solid, tangible and life-like, which I never would have accused it off before.
I'm simply astounded. I had good tables before but this is just something else entirely and all I want to do is sit here and listen to all my records like I"m hearing them for the first time again.
The sound with the Sony is rock solid. It sounds like reel to reel. I can't explain it. But it sounds like good reel to reel playback...analog but not like a turntable usually sounds.
No need to explain it, that just nails it.
As it should be!
Well....still contemplating the Audio Technica ART9. In the meantime, I'm going to try out a new arm for this setup. It'll hopefully be here this weekend.
Techncis EPA 500 with a501h arm wand.
It's a fairly lightweight arm but seems like its not too far off for what could work with the ART9, which has a high-ish compliance for a LOMC. If not, well, back to the Stax, which is singing beautifully with the OC-9mlII.
Techncis EPA 500 with a501h arm wand.
It's a fairly lightweight arm but seems like its not too far off for what could work with the ART9, which has a high-ish compliance for a LOMC. If not, well, back to the Stax, which is singing beautifully with the OC-9mlII.
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It's coming together. I'm using a temporary armboard here, the final will be gloss-black acrylic or aluminum. I just wanted to make sure everything would fit (and that the arm worked). Everything is singing along quite nicely, though the presentation of the V-15vmr I'm testing with is quite a bit different than the OC-9ml2 that I've been using. It's very neutral and QUICK. Not a romantic arm, at least, not at this point, but an extremely neutral presenter of whatever is on the record, and whatever the rest of your gear sounds like. The Stax was more romantic, but also kind of made everything sound a bit similar. I like it so far...!
Looks right at home! I've found the same with my EPA. It just doesn't add any colour of its own as compared to my Audiocraft which clearly does. I'm quite happy to have both possibilities available, actually. Having said that, since I mounted the EPA I've seldom actually used the AC.
Honestly I could see 6 out of a dozen preferring either of these tonearms, they're both fantastic. Right now, when the Technics is great, its better. The Stax is more consistently pleasant sounding. That is kind of the usual tossup, but as I dial in the OC-9 on the Technics arm it's becoming the more obvious choice. I'm hampered by a big problem..you need a scale to measure tracking force with this arm, and mine is lost in the mail somewhere. I'm doing it by guesswork right now, starting at zero and adding weight until it starts to sound compressed then backing off, and that seems to have hit a sweet spot. A minor tweak to the position of the cart in the headshell and I think we're cooking with gas.
A big thanks to @fiddlefye for loaning me his EPA mounting template and alerting me to the sale of this arm. I heard his EPA-250 yesterday, and it was just a phenomenal tonearm. The EPA-250 has the same base as this arm...it's a really unique system. The 250 is the S-arm with interchangeable headshells, and the 500/501 setup has a series of 7 different arm wands available for different compliances (and a p-mount option). I only have one arm wand but plan on keeping an eye out for more, especially the 250 arm.
The operation of this arm is incredible. The arm lift, on the fly VTA, anti-skate, and just the solidity of it are a step above anything else I have ever used. The armtube is titanium nitrate.
The operation of this arm is incredible. The arm lift, on the fly VTA, anti-skate, and just the solidity of it are a step above anything else I have ever used. The armtube is titanium nitrate.
Huh. The 250 wand has a dial for setting the VTF once the arm is zeroed. I used my digital scale as usual to check, but the dial was accurate. If I'd known I could have lent you my digital scale as well as I won't need it all that soon.
So the OC-9 is working well on the light wand? Glory be. One thing I will say is that it has long seemed to me that the better the arm, the more one can get away with in terms of compliance matching.
You're looking for the 250 wand (which is what I got) and I'm looking for at least one of the lower mass wands to go with mine. As i mentioned, it was that hunt for a low mass arm that turned up the whole package you have. Sometimes one just gets lucky!
There's an a501E arm wand but its.... $1200usd
That is sort of the norm. That was why I freaked a bit when I saw the auction I sent you the link for. The usual price for the base generally more than you paid for the whole kit and kaboodle. Really.There's an a501E arm wand but its.... $1200usd
Just found a link that shows all of the arms and their specs. Interesting to note the change in fashion when it comes to carts. The light wands were all made in '79-'81 and the heavier 250 with interchangeable shells ran from '82-'89.
vintagetechnics.audio
Technics Tonearms
Technics tonearms, tone arms, arms, EPA-100, EPA-250, EPA-500, EPA-501G, EPA-8500, EPA-A50H, EPA-A50M, EPA-A50L, EPA-A50E, EPA-A50G, EPA-A250
vintagetechnics.audio
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JP
Junior Member
There's an a501E arm wand but its.... $1200usd
$350-650 is the normal range, with the H at the bottom and the E and 505 at the upper end.
Ahh, I could live with that. There's an SP-10mkII for sale local to me, not as nice as that but nice...and without the plinth. I was contemplating buying it, and putting this arm with it so as to not lose the magic that was happening with the Stax UA-7cf. You certainly have a dream stable of tables there.
And yes, there's a V-15vmr on mine as well.
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