Salas I was concerned about heat but it appears to not be an issue, it seems very stable thermally with the top on or off. I checked the TO220s and they are warm but not hot to touch. I think the vent configuration is working well, the top doesn't get warm. It is quieter, just a very slight hiss with my ear directly on the horns - no hum at all.
I masked one of the holes on the cover so that the bare galvanized steel is exposed. The cover screws are conductive and the threads in the PEM nuts are bare, they plug them before powder coating. I checked and there is continuity top to bottom. I went with your suggestion and used shielded cable for the input inside the enclosure.

Good question about pfarrell's starry night cover? I'm still drooling over his turntables!
I masked one of the holes on the cover so that the bare galvanized steel is exposed. The cover screws are conductive and the threads in the PEM nuts are bare, they plug them before powder coating. I checked and there is continuity top to bottom. I went with your suggestion and used shielded cable for the input inside the enclosure.

Good question about pfarrell's starry night cover? I'm still drooling over his turntables!
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Thanks guys! Yes... delightful in person—pretty much what I was hoping for—Image doesn't come close, but gives you an idea. I may take a proper pro image of it sometime. I didn't fully embed the front white LEDs, so they leak out from the back as well.
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So I couldn't help myself and purchased a used Benz Micro Wood SL for my UFSP. Man -- what an incredible combination. UFSP set to 56db gain -- not at all noticeably louder than my previous Hana SH at 43db. The Benz is in an entire different league compared to the Hana SH. Detailed, but exceptionally smooth -- I particularly like how it holds up at lower volumes. The Hana SH is no slouch AT ALL, but it's a little more aggressive than the Benz. I'm excited to have the Hana now in my second system.
Any Koetsu Cartridge lover here?
Would like to hear your comments
I will be making my first jump over to MC cart.
It's your fault, Salas!
Would like to hear your comments
I will be making my first jump over to MC cart.
It's your fault, Salas!
@ longspeak
Excellent
@ pfarrell
Spectacular
@ jphabc54
Congratulations
@ meanie
Koetsu is honey, check the Rosewood and the Urushi series. But hmm... you won the lottery? 😀
Excellent
@ pfarrell
Spectacular
@ jphabc54
Congratulations
@ meanie
Koetsu is honey, check the Rosewood and the Urushi series. But hmm... you won the lottery? 😀
BTW, I see B&H has AT-ART9 in stock as special order item.
Audio-Technica Consumer AT-ART9 Moving Coil Cartridge AT-ART9
Audio-Technica Consumer AT-ART9 Moving Coil Cartridge AT-ART9
@ longspeak
Excellent
@ pfarrell
Spectacular
@ jphabc54
Congratulations
@ meanie
Koetsu is honey, check the Rosewood and the Urushi series. But hmm... you won the lottery? 😀
Cartridge art. The Blue lace has a nice look to it.😀
I have never really understood the advantage of wood or or other materials like Jade with a cartridge. Or, is it immaterial so you can do anything you want. Doesn't some of that stuff make it heavy?
All these decisions would be a lot easier if there was a precise price to sound output correlation.🙁
Maybe Salas could get a whole bunch of them and do an evaluation and I could just use that.😀😀😀
Don
Don, you have, or are getting the 1200G? Did I read that someplace here? Also if I recall Salas said no less than the ATVM540ML? I own this cart—and can say on my deck it's soundly trounced by the AT33PTG/2 (not by a small margin), IMO.... we've been flipping back and forth between that cart and the Hana ML... Something about MC, dunno. Less is more? Mind blown. LOL.
pfarrell,
Thanks for looking after me. I have a mind boggling number of projects going on - all in various places of completion. Some not even completed already in redo. Not the best way but that's the way it is. Just Q test jigged all my trafos so that is being implemented into my systems. TMI.
I have the AT33PTG/2 in my hands and am getting the SL1200g but have not actually pulled the trigger on it yet. Want to get my speaker project done first.
I hope I am interpreting you correctly and that I am on the right path. Salas has also suggested a wiring mod to the 1200G which I will implement. What a treasure he is.
As long as we are talking, What PS do you use for your M2X Monos and what are your box sizes. I have set everything up dual mono but am really struggling with squishing 2 big trafos into a 4U/400 box. I was not happy with the separation. True monos just seemed like a good solution. I think I am paranoid about EMI and RFI.
Best,
Don
Thanks for looking after me. I have a mind boggling number of projects going on - all in various places of completion. Some not even completed already in redo. Not the best way but that's the way it is. Just Q test jigged all my trafos so that is being implemented into my systems. TMI.
I have the AT33PTG/2 in my hands and am getting the SL1200g but have not actually pulled the trigger on it yet. Want to get my speaker project done first.
I hope I am interpreting you correctly and that I am on the right path. Salas has also suggested a wiring mod to the 1200G which I will implement. What a treasure he is.
As long as we are talking, What PS do you use for your M2X Monos and what are your box sizes. I have set everything up dual mono but am really struggling with squishing 2 big trafos into a 4U/400 box. I was not happy with the separation. True monos just seemed like a good solution. I think I am paranoid about EMI and RFI.
Best,
Don
So we don't derail the magesty of this thread—link: M2X
Posts 2947 & 2951 (dims here), DIY store PSUs.
Curious if you have priced out the procurement and subsequent refreshment of an SP-10MK2—plus arm and plinth. I don't have in my SP-10MKII anywhere near the actual cost of the 1200G new, half perhaps, excluding carts....can't include plinth I suppose, but they can be had for not too much, and improved with lead shot and some holes. (6L6 started the best thread up here re: SP-10s, IMO)
Do post in the Quasi thread or where appropriate any impressions about snubbed vs. non-snubbed amps. I skipped the no-snubber step—got too inspired... Kinda curious about audible differences... I'm gonna attempt to see if I can get some measurements on the snubbed and canned RAW PSU I made for Ultra.
I'd focus on getting the TT solved first—you already have the best phono pre on the planet ready to go?. Biased I suppose...😀
Posts 2947 & 2951 (dims here), DIY store PSUs.
Curious if you have priced out the procurement and subsequent refreshment of an SP-10MK2—plus arm and plinth. I don't have in my SP-10MKII anywhere near the actual cost of the 1200G new, half perhaps, excluding carts....can't include plinth I suppose, but they can be had for not too much, and improved with lead shot and some holes. (6L6 started the best thread up here re: SP-10s, IMO)
Do post in the Quasi thread or where appropriate any impressions about snubbed vs. non-snubbed amps. I skipped the no-snubber step—got too inspired... Kinda curious about audible differences... I'm gonna attempt to see if I can get some measurements on the snubbed and canned RAW PSU I made for Ultra.
I'd focus on getting the TT solved first—you already have the best phono pre on the planet ready to go?. Biased I suppose...😀
Thank you.
I have thought seriously about the SP-10mkII but I have know idea of how to know if it is a good one. Willing to pay price for really good. And, I have no idea how to bring up to standard things that aren't. And I have no idea how to go about the arm and related stuff at the actuator end of the arm. I do have a willingness to be guided and learn. Open to suggestions.
Don
I have thought seriously about the SP-10mkII but I have know idea of how to know if it is a good one. Willing to pay price for really good. And, I have no idea how to bring up to standard things that aren't. And I have no idea how to go about the arm and related stuff at the actuator end of the arm. I do have a willingness to be guided and learn. Open to suggestions.
Don
Nice Esllheadphone!
I might recommended keeping those nice matching cases far apart from each other.
Curious about with and without snubbers too, did you try?
Salas—I finally got around to playing with ground lug isolation, or not. Uh. Didn't notice it before—because it's much less apparent at low volumes, but last night I deleted the isolation on TT ground, ie—TT ground now connected to chassis...and WOW—HUGE difference when the volume is pegged. Massively more quiet in my case. YES! Which is how I did FSP (TT ground connected to chassis) in the first place... so... good learning here. What I haven't tried is connecting ground all the way to PSU.
I might recommended keeping those nice matching cases far apart from each other.

Salas—I finally got around to playing with ground lug isolation, or not. Uh. Didn't notice it before—because it's much less apparent at low volumes, but last night I deleted the isolation on TT ground, ie—TT ground now connected to chassis...and WOW—HUGE difference when the volume is pegged. Massively more quiet in my case. YES! Which is how I did FSP (TT ground connected to chassis) in the first place... so... good learning here. What I haven't tried is connecting ground all the way to PSU.
The two chassis are on different shelves. The turntable is on the top of the equipment stand. Next shelf down is the DCG3 and my Rasberry pie music server feeding a Bifrost DAC, followed by the phono preamp, then on the bottom shelf is the power supply. On the floor is the power strip. All is quiet. I did not notice any difference with the snubbers. But I have not listened for any length of time.
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Finally, I got 2.2K Mills MRA-5 R13 resistors for 56dB gain set and re-BIASed my "classic" FSP. Yep, shipments are getting too sluggish these strange time....
Well, this is the exact gain that is need for 1mV output cart. Same as Dr. Salas prescribed. Harsh mid-heights are gone and sound as it should be, based on my taste.
Now about comparison to UltFSP: we all agreed (me and two friend of mine) that it is the same sound signature in both. No surprise here… It is very well defined, natural and dynamic presentation.
However, I do believe that UltFSP is just a bit more detailed and more crispy-clearer. It might be due to the fact that UltFSP has better immunity for background noise pickup and PCB has massive GND plane. UBIB is also adding own benefit. It is also might be related to that fact that I use 2.2 uF MR vs. CMR on Ult.
Lastly, I like my both phonos (can’t say that I like all 3 of my FSPs since one is gone (one that I used with Mundorfs) and I replaced it with my new Ult).
Well, this is the exact gain that is need for 1mV output cart. Same as Dr. Salas prescribed. Harsh mid-heights are gone and sound as it should be, based on my taste.
Now about comparison to UltFSP: we all agreed (me and two friend of mine) that it is the same sound signature in both. No surprise here… It is very well defined, natural and dynamic presentation.
However, I do believe that UltFSP is just a bit more detailed and more crispy-clearer. It might be due to the fact that UltFSP has better immunity for background noise pickup and PCB has massive GND plane. UBIB is also adding own benefit. It is also might be related to that fact that I use 2.2 uF MR vs. CMR on Ult.
Lastly, I like my both phonos (can’t say that I like all 3 of my FSPs since one is gone (one that I used with Mundorfs) and I replaced it with my new Ult).
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