In my view, sound and its engineering must be no challenge. It must be an exercise on aesthetics of music reproduction using each one's own means in best possible balance. Everything has to stay under some defined concept. For instance, real engineers know how to make very linear circuits, and know how to eliminate capacitive coupling, noise, IMD. They have a concept. To challenge Audio Precision and HP gear limits. They do that and make great machines that our heads spin 5 minutes after they begin to explain how they work. But then again a Japanese guy pops up with a handful of tubes, and a 1940's measurement results level. But he has listened hard, and he is a craftsman with great aesthetics. We listen, and many of us feel our heart touched. He has a concept too. Soul moving sound.
Each device and part to its own merit, each man to his own wits, abilities, concept and system. In natural procession all find friends or indifferently getting passed by. Circuitry polemics I find boring and non noble at all. Its a hobby to us. We must leave the rest to professional interests.
Each device and part to its own merit, each man to his own wits, abilities, concept and system. In natural procession all find friends or indifferently getting passed by. Circuitry polemics I find boring and non noble at all. Its a hobby to us. We must leave the rest to professional interests.
Enlightement.
Today I had another lesson.... The riaa is so detailed I was able to detect some lack of integration between bass and treble.
Searching led me to find my sub was set with a 90º shift.
Reajusting to 0º phase shift gave an initial impression of "lack of bass", but continued listening showed a perfect integration of all freq.
This results in a larger soundstage, better detail and attack and a "singing fluidity".
Ricardo
Today I had another lesson.... The riaa is so detailed I was able to detect some lack of integration between bass and treble.
Searching led me to find my sub was set with a 90º shift.
Reajusting to 0º phase shift gave an initial impression of "lack of bass", but continued listening showed a perfect integration of all freq.
This results in a larger soundstage, better detail and attack and a "singing fluidity".
Ricardo
Hi,
I`m trying to follow this thread, which is growing.
I thinking of building a version that will work with both MC and MM.
I have a Micro Seiki TT with an unknown cartridge, since there is no writing on it. The cartridge sounds very good, I also have a Shure cartridge that I never used.
What I`m thinking is adding a switch to the input to select the load(R8), and another switch to select the gain, something like this(see attachment)
Do you think this will work
Thanks
Pete
I`m trying to follow this thread, which is growing.
I thinking of building a version that will work with both MC and MM.
I have a Micro Seiki TT with an unknown cartridge, since there is no writing on it. The cartridge sounds very good, I also have a Shure cartridge that I never used.
What I`m thinking is adding a switch to the input to select the load(R8), and another switch to select the gain, something like this(see attachment)
Do you think this will work
Thanks
Pete
P.S. Since you don't know the model of the unknown cart on the TT, maybe you can tell if it is MM by examining if its stylus assembly is exchangeable. Also with what gear do you listen to it by now? Does the gear have MM or MC in? Is the level adequate, and on what kind of input designation?
Hi,
Currently its setup as MM on my preamp. I did notice that when I switch from phono to CD, I have to reduce the volume, I suspect that the cartridge is a H MC type. The stulus is removable. I could unmount it and take it to a high end stereo retailer that's about an hour drive and see if they can ID it.
The second cartridge is a Realistic (Shure OEM) that I purchased at a local Radio Shack, like 15 years ago, when radio shack stopped carrying cartridges. It was their high end model, the cost was $40, this is the reason I purchased it. I think its the V15, I will check when I get home.
Currently its setup as MM on my preamp. I did notice that when I switch from phono to CD, I have to reduce the volume, I suspect that the cartridge is a H MC type. The stulus is removable. I could unmount it and take it to a high end stereo retailer that's about an hour drive and see if they can ID it.
The second cartridge is a Realistic (Shure OEM) that I purchased at a local Radio Shack, like 15 years ago, when radio shack stopped carrying cartridges. It was their high end model, the cost was $40, this is the reason I purchased it. I think its the V15, I will check when I get home.
Hi Salas
After having such good results by replacing the PIO on C1 by an FT-3, I would like to do the same with C2 (Actually a PIO 47nF).
Following your suggestion I searched for 47nF silver mica but found only a russian 40nF so I need to add 7nF.
The issue seems to be the value... I found some PP caps with 6800pF and 7500pF.... Can I use one of those values ?
What should be the impact to use 47.5nF or a lower 46.8nF.... and can I mix silver micas with PP ?
Hope this mod provides more bass detail because that is the only point I need to improve IMO.
Ricardo
PS
nicoch46 sugested using REL cap RT (Polystyrene Film Foil) in 47nF value but I am having trouble finding those in Europe.
After having such good results by replacing the PIO on C1 by an FT-3, I would like to do the same with C2 (Actually a PIO 47nF).
Following your suggestion I searched for 47nF silver mica but found only a russian 40nF so I need to add 7nF.
The issue seems to be the value... I found some PP caps with 6800pF and 7500pF.... Can I use one of those values ?
What should be the impact to use 47.5nF or a lower 46.8nF.... and can I mix silver micas with PP ?
Hope this mod provides more bass detail because that is the only point I need to improve IMO.
Ricardo
PS
nicoch46 sugested using REL cap RT (Polystyrene Film Foil) in 47nF value but I am having trouble finding those in Europe.
Well, so I must understand what are the implications of using a different type of cap in C2 before I decide to mod.... (I am growing afraid to unsolder in this pcb 
)
About removing the opamp, it is one of my goals but I do not want to mod the 101b because I am still using it for the Tuner, the Aiwa Tape Deck and the other TT (JVC CD-4 with Denon DL160 on the Meridian MM input).
I believe I must connect the Riaa directly to the power amp.... I am not sure how to do it without messing up with the impedance matching. (Already built two pedja buffers, but after tuning the Riaa I found caps must be avoided in the signal line so I postponed this mod).
Do you believe an optivol would match the impedances correctly between Riaa / CDP and the 103 power amp?
Regards
Ricardo
)About removing the opamp, it is one of my goals but I do not want to mod the 101b because I am still using it for the Tuner, the Aiwa Tape Deck and the other TT (JVC CD-4 with Denon DL160 on the Meridian MM input).
I believe I must connect the Riaa directly to the power amp.... I am not sure how to do it without messing up with the impedance matching. (Already built two pedja buffers, but after tuning the Riaa I found caps must be avoided in the signal line so I postponed this mod).
Do you believe an optivol would match the impedances correctly between Riaa / CDP and the 103 power amp?
Regards
Ricardo
RCruz said:
Why don't you use a 47nF K72 Teflon? You can use it standing up, and extend its upper leg with a piece of silver wire to connect on PCB. I mix PP with Siver Mica, by using 80-90% PP and the rest Silver Mica. Sounds good. But pure Teflon sounds cleaner. Its the bulk that is the problem.
Thank you Salas
1st I will try the teflons.
If it proves impossible due to size, just found silver micas in the exact 47n value in RS http://pt.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=0495981#header
It is good to know it affects the lower freq (I would love to see a plot of the two situations)
Ricardo
1st I will try the teflons.
If it proves impossible due to size, just found silver micas in the exact 47n value in RS http://pt.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=0495981#header
It is good to know it affects the lower freq
(I would love to see a plot of the two situations)Ricardo
Hi,
I didn`t know that removable stylus means MM.
The new cartridge is a Shure v15 RS. It has 3.5mV output, Optimum Load 47K // 400-500 pF.
I will mount the Shure this weekend and see how it sounds compared to my unknown cartrtdge.
Anyway it seems that the MM version is the way to go, right now.
Attached is a pic of unknown cart, with the stylus removed.(sorry about the quality of my cell camera)
Pete
I didn`t know that removable stylus means MM.
The new cartridge is a Shure v15 RS. It has 3.5mV output, Optimum Load 47K // 400-500 pF.
I will mount the Shure this weekend and see how it sounds compared to my unknown cartrtdge.
Anyway it seems that the MM version is the way to go, right now.
Attached is a pic of unknown cart, with the stylus removed.(sorry about the quality of my cell camera)
Pete
