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In the cart, arm, deck or phonostage?
Me...
Cart = 16%
Arm = 20%
Deck = 45%
Stage = 18%
Numbers don't add up but they are "close"... Where are you?
Brian
Follow Ups:
I used to stuff it into my mattress but now I have so much, it won't fit anymore!Audio Note TT2: 30%
JA Michell Technoarm: 22%
AT OC9/II: 8%
K&K Maxxed Out Phono Preamp: 40%
Edits: 03/22/12 03/22/12
Ummmm... What was your address again?
My wallet ... when I have some :-)
My vinyl system is modest, well actually I have 2 systems and both are modest. Arm is technically included with both tables (SL1200 MK2 and Music Hall MMF5)
Probably ... roughly 50% table + arm, 40% stage, 10% cart, on both systems. But this wasnt planned. The carts are probably the limiting factors on both systems but Im happy with them (inexpensive vintage MM's or modern vintage-like MM's). The tables may be the second most limiting (depending on opinion, especially with the Technics). But I dont really care about "optimizing". In other words, I wont spend escalating amounts to evaluate different carts with any type of goal being to find the cart that pushes the table/arm to its performance limit. I wont do that with the table or stage either.
Im a music lover, that's all. If I like it, I like it. Im not on a quest to seek out and buy the best cart. that I can possibly afford or save up to buy that "ultimate" table or whatever the case. Im happy enough where I'm at and wants in other areas need attention too :-) Not to mention actual needs, which unfortunately, all too often, drag the attention away from all the wants.
Main one, taking the list price:
Table/Arm 48%
Cartridge 24%
Phono Pre 29%
Based on what I actually paid:
Table/Arm 58%
Cartridge 20%
Phono Pre 23%
Hi, Brian,
Main turntable:
Cartridge: 14%
Arm: 30%
Deck: 34%
Stage: 22%
Secondary turntable:
Cartridge: 17%
Arm/Deck: 44%
Stage: 39%
Regards,
Tom
Well, since I just sold my table/arm and phono stage, I'd have to say:
Cartridge: 100%
PS: The cartridge is for sale too. :-)
CART: 29%
'TABLE/ARM: 43%
STAGE: 19%
SUT: 9%
So, almost 30% on the cartridge, 30% on the phono stage (albeit, in my case it has an SUT as well), and 40% on the TT/Arm.
Is there a consensus on PPA (parts per analogue)?
Table = 11%
Arm = 16%
Cartridge = 38%
Phono Stage = 25%
Step Up = 5%
Speed Control = 5%
A gentleman is best defined as someone who knows how to play the accordion ... and doesn't.
...but the table was used so this comparison isn't that meaningful.
Deck/Arm = 48%
phono stage = 30%
Cart. = 22%
Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoid you.
- Winston Churchill
Just the Analog Front End (arm is integrated...):KAB/Technics SL1210M5G w/ mods: $1,288 (62%)
Audio Technica AT-150MLX: $485 (23%)
HypnoToad/Cambridge Audio 640P Phono Stage: $319 (15%)Total: $2,092
My system as a whole:
Cambridge Audio 840A V2 Integrated Amplifier: $1,799 (34%)
NHT Classic Three Monitors on Sanus Ultimate Foundation Stands: $1,089 (21%)
KAB/Technics SL1210M5G w/ mods: $1,288 (25%)
Audio Technica AT-150MLX: $485 (9%)
HypnoToad/Cambridge Audio 640P Phono Stage: $319 (6%)
Ultimate Cable Silver Series C4 Cables: $280 (5%)Total: $5,260
So, the analog front end is about 40% of my system.
I used retail costs just to put every thing on an even playing field. I also didn't include racks, stands, my Tascam CD-Recorder nor the cabling to connect it. Just my basic system for listening to records.
Edits: 03/21/12 03/21/12
My system is allocated as follows:
Cart = 17%
Arm = 26%
TT = 25%
Pre = 32%
Ian
Based on what I paid, not necessarily retail (e.g., phono stage was used)Phono stage/pre-amp 39%
Cartridge 19%
Arm 18%
Deck 8%
Phono cables 13%This breakdown was not "by design" - just how it wound up
rlindsa
Edits: 03/21/12 03/21/12
...in this:
and this:
and this:
Note that the single-slot can hold up to $125.00US in mixed change when full, the multi-slots about $100.00 US.
Later Gator,
Dave
Im from Houston, lived here all but three years of my life. (38 years old) In the summer its unbearably hot. The traffic is a nightmare. Its over-run with illegals. But, the food it fantastic, its cheap to live here, and when its cool outside and the trees get their leaves back it is a beautiful city. Oh yea theres also not a damn place to buy high end gear. Dallas and Austin have loads of places, but here in Houston they cant keep their doors open despite the massive population. Super strange. Super uncool.
Really. The right original analog pressings in good condition, clean, new inner cover. Played on a vintage Pioneer Pl-12D, Shure MM cart, vintage amp/receiver, consumer grade hifi speakers. I sold most of it but i had a collection of vintage 1970s Japanese hifi stuff, all from the fleas and thrifts. I had lots of fun listening to sub 100 euro systems.
Somehow i can't get the vinyl kick from new pressings. Just bought the Sundazed mono John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton. I don't like the lead guitar sound and that's what this album is all about. I have been playing the electric guitar for 30 years. It's probably digitally remastered.
"The torture never stops"Greetings Freek.
So that is six times the value of my entire TTs/carts/phono stuff.
money into reords. I'm with you too on re-issues of many records. I like the sound of the originals too. I'm a guitar player too so maybe this delusion about re-issues has to do with that!
i put the money where i feel its needed.
...regards...tr
Not sure how to deal with multiple tables and systems tho. I'm not going to aggregate them. But my main system has two tables. Another 3 or 4 lurk elsewhere in the house. So it goes like this in just this room (based on what I actually paid, not MSRP):
Tables 34% (Empire 208 + VPI Scoutmaster)
Arms 20% (SME309)
Cartridges 20% (Denon DL-102 mono; Shure V15 V; Dynavector 20xl; Shelter 501)
Phonostage 26% (Rhea)
"Knowing what you don't know is, in a sense, omniscience"
By far my biggest investment is in records, CDs, and tapes. That photo is showing about half of my music collection.
Looking at equipment, I've got more money tied up in cartridges and turntables than anything else. Also a few bucks into a couple of ADC for doing analog to digital transfers.
n/t
My much-more-modest LP collection already exceeds 6 months of 24 hrs/day listening. Have you heard everything you own? More than once? Can you remember it all? Can you even find it all? I'm VERY impressed!!
Grins!
"Knowing what you don't know is, in a sense, omniscience"
QUOTE:
> > > > > > > > > >
My much-more-modest LP collection already exceeds 6 months of 24 hrs/day listening. Have you heard everything you own? More than once? Can you remember it all? Can you even find it all? I'm VERY impressed!!
< < < < < < < < < <
I've listened to most, not all though. Like many dedicated crate-diggers, I seem to acquire faster than listening to & culling. I have a 600 square foot studio with 10' walls, so I've got the luxury of having space to house a sizeable collection.
Many records have been played dozens, some hundreds of times. I own and operate a home-based business, so I can and do play a lot of music during the day while customer's work is in progress. I typically spin 6-8 LPs every day on average.
I have a good memory, particularly with visual cues. So I'm not likely to unwittingly buy dupe LPs as I recognize the cover art. Different story with 45s & 78s though.
Everything is organized alphetically. I can generally find any record, CD, or tape within twenty seconds.
Since my collection is 90% classical, mine is organized by composer, but then there are virtuoso's (e.g. Jean-Pierre Rampal-flute, or Ma or duPre on cello, etc.), groups/orchestras, or conductors' compilations, so organization doesn't neatly fall for me. In fact, it gets arbitrary fairly quickly, and that makes retrieval difficult!
I ended up creating a database, which tells me what I've got, but still sometimes have trouble finding it. Is that Elgar cello concerto filed under Elgar, or under Jacqueline duPre? I know I've got a Bernstein conducting Mahler 6th somewhere...
Do you just organize by title, or by artist or what? How do you find specific songs?
"Knowing what you don't know is, in a sense, omniscience"
What an amazing collection CC. ..And I like how you've taken care to make the library look appealing rather than just stacks and stacks of records strewn all over the place. ...Very nice.
Curious to know how your collection breaks down by genre?
HFH
Heretic,
Thanks for the comments. I do work hard to be organized and make the studio look good.
> > > > > > > Curious to know how your collection breaks down by genre? < < < < < < < < <
Tough question!
I've got close to 7,000 78s, dating from about 1900 to 1957. They cover a lot of genres ranging from Jazz, Pop, Hillbilly, Folk, Blues, to Doo Wop, R&B and early Rock 'N Roll.'
My 45s are mostly Rock, Pop, Soul, and Country Western.
There's about 12,000 LPs covering many genres. I've got sizeable collections of Metal, Punk, and Prog Rock. Rock, Jazz, and Classical dominate but I've also got lots of Folk, Blues, Soul, Pop, and Country Western. About 500 Various Artist compilations, 350 Childrens, 150 Soundtracks, 100 Christmas, 200 World, smaller sections for Hawaiian, Comedy, Misc. (spoken word, etc...).
I have very little Disco, Soft Rock, Smooth Jazz, and New Country, it just doesn't hold much appeal. There's a lot of Pop I pass over too. In general, music that's overplayed on commercial radio is less likely to be in my collection, although I've got a ton of Classic Rock LPs.
It's great having the variety. This evening I was spinning 78s, mostly Hot Jazz and Hillbilly discs from the '20s and '30s. Stuff like Flo Johnson & Her Beale Street Five and Clayton McMichen & His Georgia Wildcats. Where you ever gonna find music like that? Records!
..(bowing) "I'm not worthy!..."
That's amazing CC. ..I think our tastes are quite similar, though my collection is perhaps 1/20th the size. I very much admire what you've done.
One genre you didn't mention (though it's probably in there!) is Hawaiian. ..I grew up in Hawaii and return often to visit family. ..If you haven't already, dip a toe in Hawaiian slack key guitar and Hawaiian pop like The Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau. ..incredible music.
Music is such a wonderful thing, yes? ..As my boy's have grown from toddlers to teens the one constant in our house has been music. At times, I've felt like they must think I'm crazy spending so much time listening to my music. ..But as they've grown I'm gratified to see how music has enriched their lives AND to see how their musical tastes have been expanded well beyond what most kids their age experience. For example: .Just yesterday my 11 year old was humming Leonard Cohen's "The Partisan" while brushing his teeth. ..It made me feel kinda good.
Keep that collection growin'!
HFH
Cart.............13.6
Table/Arm........60.2
Phono & Step Up..26
Currently:
Turntable 69%
Tonearm 11%
Cartridge 9%
Phono 11%
total 100%
But, I am currently researching a new arm, and one the contenders would make the figures look like this:
Turntable 56%
Tonearm 28%
Cartridge 7%
Phono 9%
total 100%
Cheers
Welly
He hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife.
- Douglas Adams
Wow! What arm are you looking at?
Possibly an SME 312S, but I am by no means decided yet. Whichever arm I decide on, it's going to replace a Jelco 750d.
Cheers
Welly
He hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife.
- Douglas Adams
SS Woody Denon 103r (line contact) cartridge - 10%Thomas Schick 12" Arm - 17%
K&K Maxxed Out Phono Stage (w/Lundahl 1931 SUTs) - 37%
Lenco L75 with OMA slate plinth & PTP plate - 36%
Note that the phono stage is new and I do think the other pieces punch a good bit above their relative dollar amounts. Particularly the deck.Fun exercise!
Marc
Edits: 03/21/12
Which version of the Peters plate are you using? I have the second incarnation (small footprint, can use 2 arms), but have yet to have time to build a plinth for it.
It's all about the music!
Support Asylum Trader
Whatis your opinion of the K&K Maxxed Out Phono Stage?
Bob Dickman
I'd say i'm pulling up on the 150-200 hour stage at this point.
It's really starting to open up and relax even more. There are a lot of small Lundahl trafos on it, accompanying wire and two huge Cardas parafeed caps. Some folks who own his stages say it takes at least 300 hours to really be close to being run in well. I've enjoyed it from the get go.
I guess i'm loathe to say it's "neutral", but to me, it sure seems like it is. It's MUCH more dynamic and extended than anything i've had here before. The onboard Lundahl 1931's sound a lot better than when I use my outboard Cinemag SUT with it (yes, even with my SS 103r).
The main thing, and what really was the goal, is that I find it immenently tuneable with the gain tubes I put in it. The stock 70's Russian tubes Kevin spec'ed with it, in my system, are quite nice, though a tad dry in the middle. But it's all so system dependent.
Bear in mind, that i've also just swapped in some new outlets (cryoed, burned in Hubbell 2534s) and popped in a lot of new cords and interconnects from my amp to my preamp. But most of the new wire is pre-owned.
I'm running some nice Philips Miniwatt SQ ECC88s in it now and really likeing it. Same basic dynamics as the stock tubes, with maybe a little more bloom in the bass.. but now the midrange is really sweet, slightly more forward (which was the main goal, as the Ensemble ICs I just popped in solidified everything, but put things a little further back) and there is also some more shimmer on top with the Dutch tubes. I've also tried some Siemens, a coupld Mullard itinerations and a couple others I have around. I'm gererally "an Amperex guy" in terms of front end pre tubes, so I feel great about where the whole rig is at the moment.
I wish I could afford a few more cartidges to try and really utilize the flexibility of it. Not only is there a large range of loading options for LOMC carts, but also for MMs. It's really fabulous if you have multiple arms, headshells/carts ready to swap in and play with.
Here's a pic of what it looks like. Though mine doesn't have the logo of any graphic right in the middle of the faceplate. I just wanted to keep it simple, black and non-descript. The wife preferred it that way too.. and it's in the livingroom. I also have a red wood, swirled, exotic looking knob to match my Alana preamps two attenuator knobs on the front. I'll soon post pics of my unit.
Kevin not only has done an awesome job of updating and improving this puppy, but i'm digging the way it looks too. This will, in all likelihood, be my one real good stage for the long haul.
Last thing: This bears repeating and seems to be mentioned every time someone describes their experience with K&K. Kevin is simply, one of the nicest, straightest shooters I have ever run into in the hobby. Just a great guy to deal with. It makes me feel good knowing that I have someone like this, standing behind an important piece of gear like this, for a vinyl-o-centric system like mine.
The guy is just a total mensch.
Regards, Marc
Okay... a question... The deck is direct drive, correct? Okay... Maybe two ;0) ... The stage is a unique one. Can you describe it's sonics? ...would you buy it again and WTH(eck) did you get it?
Brian
I'd think with the usual, cyclical banter round these parts about Lencos, being in the idler family.. you'd know that for sure. Of course you do. :)
My phono stage is made by AA Sponsor K&K Audio (Kevin Cater).
Nothing too exotic, though less "off the rack" than most.
It sounds great to me so far in my setup. I just posted a little more description above in this thread.
Regards, M
Astroimage, I'm not quite clear who you are asking these questions.
Could be answered two ways for me. What I paid and MSRP.
What I paid:
Turntable & Arm: 69%
Cart: 21%
Phono Stage: 10%
But through patience and luck I have gotten some smokin' bargains on everything but the table (which rarely comes up used)
So here is the breakdown according to MSRP:
Turntable & Arm: 51%
Cart: 34%
Phono Stage: 14%
I mention both because I would probably in the abstract recommend something closer to the MSRP proportions, with likely a bit more spent on the phono stage. See my notes below for details.
Relevant notes:
1) The table & arm are one unit, a Well Tempered Amadeus
2) The cart had a broken cantilever and was rebuilt by SoundSmith, thus the good deal
3) The phono stage is a Dynavector P75 that punches well above its weight if you have a low impedance LOMC that can take the fullest advantage of its Phono Enhancer mode (which I do).
Since I buy everything used, percentages may not make sense or follow any sort of norm, if there is one.Table/Arm (purchased together) 45%
Cartridge 25%
Preamp 30%Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
Edits: 03/20/12
Thank you Dean.
Bank in Houston . . . . . . . 80%
Bank in King George . . . . 20%
;8^)
Opus 104
Been to Houston... flip the percentages...
I spent a week in Houston once. I think it was a Thursday.
Believe it or not... My "day" started on a Thursday... 89 hours from Thursday to Tuesday... Who in the world did you guess Thursday?
since 1977.
Opus 104
Was in there airport a week or two ago... I NEVER want to go back! Damn lines that blew my mind and killed my phone battery!!! Unless it is to have some fun ;) . Long story short, I spent a 21 hour day flying from South Bend to Houston and Houston wasn't where I needed to be! I needed to be in Amarillo!!!! I love the folks in Amarillo! Delta... Not going to fly on there stuff for a while...
I have to admit that I did find a very nice person in Chicago to share the trip (and a few glasses of wine with... okay... a few glasses to many. My wife even complained about the bar bills) . In retrospect I should have slept in the airport and been "done"... I am the wiser after the journey.. At least I was smart enough to put a change of clothes in my carryon... PITA is that I sill be heading back to Texas again soon... Ft. Worth this time. Maybe Killeen also...
Brian
collect on some not-being-paid invoices from a patent attorney there, he beat me for $1300....
for starters.
Opus 104
Austin! I have to agree! I have only been there twice but, damn, the people,food and music are incredible!
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