I've just skimmed the entire thread and have seen only one reference to a cartridge in use on one of these tables (versafan's Koetsu).
As I near completion of the fettling and as the availability of a proper mat seems a near prospect, I was wondering if those with experience of these TTs had any recommendations for types of cartridge etc.
Given the tonearm type, I'm assuming that compliance is not too much of an issue and a wide variation of cartridge weights can be accommodated.
I generally run very low output MCs (e.g. Yamamoto YC-03S) on short runs to a SUT and on to a phono stage, but I have a variety of HOMCs, MIs and MMs available to play with.
Any thoughts please?
Thanks
Peter
As I near completion of the fettling and as the availability of a proper mat seems a near prospect, I was wondering if those with experience of these TTs had any recommendations for types of cartridge etc.
Given the tonearm type, I'm assuming that compliance is not too much of an issue and a wide variation of cartridge weights can be accommodated.
I generally run very low output MCs (e.g. Yamamoto YC-03S) on short runs to a SUT and on to a phono stage, but I have a variety of HOMCs, MIs and MMs available to play with.
Any thoughts please?
Thanks
Peter
Comparing cartridges is a pain! Just getting the VTA set properly takes me hours with a USB microscope. If I were motivated to buy several top cartridges I would probably have to make digital recordings of each so I could go back and play them against each other to at least narrow them down. I guess if you indexed the VTA adjuster knob and kept track of where each cartridge needed to be set you could do "live" back to back listening quick enough to remember what the sound was like.
A friend of mine really likes the Air Tight PC-1 and has the new "Magnum Opus" version on order. Might be worth looking into. (Sorry he doesn't have a Versa and I doubt he will loan me his
)
New Air-Tight PC-1 Magnum Opus Phono Cartridge Not For the "Faint of Bank" | Analog Planet
A friend of mine really likes the Air Tight PC-1 and has the new "Magnum Opus" version on order. Might be worth looking into. (Sorry he doesn't have a Versa and I doubt he will loan me his
)New Air-Tight PC-1 Magnum Opus Phono Cartridge Not For the "Faint of Bank" | Analog Planet
A friend of mine really likes the Air Tight PC-1 and has the new "Magnum Opus" version on order. Might be worth looking into. (Sorry he doesn't have a Versa and I doubt he will loan me his
New Air-Tight PC-1 Magnum Opus Phono Cartridge Not For the "Faint of Bank" | Analog Planet
$15,000! I've not paid that much for most cars I've owned! I thought I might stretch to a Miyajima Madake at a third or so of that...and even then I'd probably have to keep the purchase price rather secret from my other half... P
I'm sure the "reality" price is much less, but yeah, it's not gonna be cheap!
P
mat thickness effects on sound quality
A little bit of background on the Versa Mats. John has told me that the various iterations of his mats ranged from 0.010" to 0.020" Some had a light adhesive on the back, some didn't. His current mat on his personal record player is 0.020". I have had early thin versions and am now running one of the new batch which is nominally 0.5mm but measures 0.0238" thick with my calipers.
I have made a a couple of digital recordings to make it easier to compare the "sound" of my original prototype mat which was 0.0123" thick to this new batch which are 0.0238" thick. I would someone to take a listen and give me their opinion as maybe I'm biased but I don't hear any obvious differences.
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2ceYgRGBXdba1h6aHdaS2lWNHc&usp=sharing
The files are simply named "A" and "B" please post any comments you have on the differences you hear. I adjusted VTA to account for the difference in thickness. The recording is the 2nd side of Sibelius Symphony NO. 2 RCA Living Stereo (Re-issue) LSC-2342. Thanks!
A little bit of background on the Versa Mats. John has told me that the various iterations of his mats ranged from 0.010" to 0.020" Some had a light adhesive on the back, some didn't. His current mat on his personal record player is 0.020". I have had early thin versions and am now running one of the new batch which is nominally 0.5mm but measures 0.0238" thick with my calipers.
I have made a a couple of digital recordings to make it easier to compare the "sound" of my original prototype mat which was 0.0123" thick to this new batch which are 0.0238" thick. I would someone to take a listen and give me their opinion as maybe I'm biased but I don't hear any obvious differences.
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B2ceYgRGBXdba1h6aHdaS2lWNHc&usp=sharing
The files are simply named "A" and "B" please post any comments you have on the differences you hear. I adjusted VTA to account for the difference in thickness. The recording is the 2nd side of Sibelius Symphony NO. 2 RCA Living Stereo (Re-issue) LSC-2342. Thanks!
My order has just arrived. They are very well finished and will not put your equipment to shame at all. I shall report on sound when I have the opportunity (there is an internecine Rugby international going on the moment with Welsh and Scots intent on annihilating each other, which is more urgent if not important than fitting a new mat
) The higher the body count, the better for England when they meet both later in the campaign...Peter
There are a lot of happy Versa customers in Italy.
I know personally 4 of them, and iI am sure there are a lot more..
Thiss TT has an excellent reputation for the sonics, among the best ever..
My only concern is that I need a new mat and do not know where to look.
Versafan if you are reading this.. please give me a notice..
Best wishes
Alex
someone help me?
I know personally 4 of them, and iI am sure there are a lot more..
Thiss TT has an excellent reputation for the sonics, among the best ever..
My only concern is that I need a new mat and do not know where to look.
Versafan if you are reading this.. please give me a notice..
Best wishes
Alex
someone help me?
It varies. I have upgraded the compressor on my 1.2 and am running 80 psi now.
I think 30-40 psi was "stock" for the 1.2 but I would have to check my notes to be sure.
I think 30-40 psi was "stock" for the 1.2 but I would have to check my notes to be sure.
To my experience, higher air pressure for an air bearing tonearm will make the sound more dynamic. In the meantime, it can cause edgy sound for some of cartridges. So, there is no one answer for all. Usually, 80 psi may not be necessary. 60-65 psi should be way enough. A pvc tubing around 1/16” in size can take maximum air pressure 55 psi. If you feed it with 65 psi, you may be still ok. But I will not feed it with 80 psi compressed air. For most of air bearing tonearms out there, I believe they use pvc tubings, otherwise, the tubings are too stiff and may introduce too much resistance for the bearings.
80 psi air bearing will produce louder noise than a bearing under 60 psi even for a very well implemented air bearing arm. The noise is caused by stronger air flow. However, this kind level of noise is almost ignorable.
80 psi air bearing will produce louder noise than a bearing under 60 psi even for a very well implemented air bearing arm. The noise is caused by stronger air flow. However, this kind level of noise is almost ignorable.
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I haven't had any major problems with 80psi. I did have to secure the hose to the arm with a twisted wire to keep it from blowing off. Nothing has exploded though in the 8 years or so that I have been running the higher pressure. I suggest you try the higher pressure and see how you like it. It's been a long time since I did any comparison maybe I will reduce the pressure to 40 and see if I can describe the difference or get an unbiased friend to listen and give an opinion in a single-blind test one of these days. I don't think any noise from airflow is going to exceed the noise floor of vinyl. I could measure it to see but I suspect it is not something that will show up with the equipment I have for such measurements.
Hi at all!
the turntable works superbly ..
I have one doubt:
when I turn it on, the engine "creaks" for a few seconds, until it reaches the speed.
and the same thing, when I turn it off.
During operation is extremely quiet.
The same thing happens when I turn on the engine without the belt, so it can not be the cause. (The spindle is perfect, so I suspect a motor issue..)
I wonder if it is normal, this noise during the accelerations phase ...
Some experience?
the turntable works superbly ..
I have one doubt:
when I turn it on, the engine "creaks" for a few seconds, until it reaches the speed.
and the same thing, when I turn it off.
During operation is extremely quiet.
The same thing happens when I turn on the engine without the belt, so it can not be the cause. (The spindle is perfect, so I suspect a motor issue..)
I wonder if it is normal, this noise during the accelerations phase ...
Some experience?
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