Well, I can see that the Haiku dynamic didn't work out like I had planned. That's the last time I encourage electrical engineers to engage in 9th century Japanese court poetry.
Anyhow, I still need to make a decision on a cartridge before Mrs. Annan finds out about the second credit card I ordered. Plus, there's only so many merchants who take the Glasgow Savings and Loan Livestock BarterCard.
OK-- let's say I go with the Denon DL-103 moving coil. It looks like this will set me back about $200US, right? So, then I need a step up transformer or headamp, unless I can modify Thorsten's circuit to accommodate a MC.
Then I'm imagining that the stylus is not replaceable and I will need to have it retipped, right?
What am I, made of oil-for-food money here? You know I blew that all on backhorns!
I would be willing to entertain the DL-103 if the headamp and retip are not terribly expensive and I can get some direction on how to make the headamp. Otherwise, maybe a high-output MC would do.
How about this one?
Kofi
Anyhow, I still need to make a decision on a cartridge before Mrs. Annan finds out about the second credit card I ordered. Plus, there's only so many merchants who take the Glasgow Savings and Loan Livestock BarterCard.
OK-- let's say I go with the Denon DL-103 moving coil. It looks like this will set me back about $200US, right? So, then I need a step up transformer or headamp, unless I can modify Thorsten's circuit to accommodate a MC.
Then I'm imagining that the stylus is not replaceable and I will need to have it retipped, right?
What am I, made of oil-for-food money here? You know I blew that all on backhorns!
I would be willing to entertain the DL-103 if the headamp and retip are not terribly expensive and I can get some direction on how to make the headamp. Otherwise, maybe a high-output MC would do.
How about this one?
Kofi
I wouldn't take the criticism of MM carts too serious. Sure, there's no alternative to a low-output MC cart. But I bet there are people that say the same about a €100k T+A CD player or the €20k Transparent Opus MM speaker cable.
But if the sky's the limit, then I'd sell the Rega and go with the Decca FFSS tonearm and FFSS C4E cart. This combo is as good as the SME V with ANY cart. The arm NOS you can get for about €100 (that's what I see it sell for at eBay all the time, and I would take it over the SME V even if the price was the same for both) and used cart for €200-300. It was one of two alternatives I considered for my Garrard 301. (I went with the still in production arm and cart out of convenience.) And the really nice thing about the Decca combo is that if you can do better you know that whatever that is it comes with a price tag with at least three zeros.
But if the sky's the limit, then I'd sell the Rega and go with the Decca FFSS tonearm and FFSS C4E cart. This combo is as good as the SME V with ANY cart. The arm NOS you can get for about €100 (that's what I see it sell for at eBay all the time, and I would take it over the SME V even if the price was the same for both) and used cart for €200-300. It was one of two alternatives I considered for my Garrard 301. (I went with the still in production arm and cart out of convenience.) And the really nice thing about the Decca combo is that if you can do better you know that whatever that is it comes with a price tag with at least three zeros.
phn said:
Decca's QC sucked big time... perhaps 1 in 4 cartridges was close to what they are capable of. My buddy just got back 2 of his Deccas he sent of to Garrot in Oz. When they come back from there you can be pretty sure they are spot on. His other Decca (which already made the trip) sounds spectacular in a WIN arm on an 2nd gen Oracle TT.
Kofi... i like Grados. Not the be all and end all, but for a budget they are hard to beat.
dave
Konnichiwa,
Haiku is fine for love poetry and existentialist musings, but too limiting for technical stuff.
Last US prices I heard, buying directly from Denon US was closer to $ 150.
If you read back over the DC phono Thread (where "my" phonostage was extensively covered) you will notice the Bonus MC Headamp, which in engish is known as "Single Stone Headamp". It is a very efficient circuit, ver inexpensive and very good. It took something like the S&B TX-103 MC Stepup and some antique Ribbon Mike stepups I pulled out of Grampian Console Amp to convice me that transformers where really better.
Yes, MC's have to be re-build. The 103 will last pretty well though (better than many expensive High End Pickups) and is not that expensive to simply replace totally.
As a rule - no. High Output MC's just like MM's and MI (eg Grado) Types have way to much moving mass, neccesarily. Stick to low output MC's if you can.
Sayonara
Kofi Annan said:
Haiku is fine for love poetry and existentialist musings, but too limiting for technical stuff.
Kofi Annan said:
Last US prices I heard, buying directly from Denon US was closer to $ 150.
Kofi Annan said:
If you read back over the DC phono Thread (where "my" phonostage was extensively covered) you will notice the Bonus MC Headamp, which in engish is known as "Single Stone Headamp". It is a very efficient circuit, ver inexpensive and very good. It took something like the S&B TX-103 MC Stepup and some antique Ribbon Mike stepups I pulled out of Grampian Console Amp to convice me that transformers where really better.
Kofi Annan said:
Yes, MC's have to be re-build. The 103 will last pretty well though (better than many expensive High End Pickups) and is not that expensive to simply replace totally.
Kofi Annan said:
As a rule - no. High Output MC's just like MM's and MI (eg Grado) Types have way to much moving mass, neccesarily. Stick to low output MC's if you can.
Sayonara
Konnichiwa,
I have heard Decca's a few times. When they are good they great. When they are bad they are awful. In many ways like modern MC's. I notice that reviewers often (if not always) blame the recording/pressing. Yet with a 103 or Ortofon SPU the same recordings/pressings sound great.
Sayonara
phn said:
I have heard Decca's a few times. When they are good they great. When they are bad they are awful. In many ways like modern MC's. I notice that reviewers often (if not always) blame the recording/pressing. Yet with a 103 or Ortofon SPU the same recordings/pressings sound great.
Sayonara
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