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Spending is optional

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Posted on March 31, 2015 at 19:14:01
CometCKO
Audiophile

Posts: 873
Joined: August 9, 2002
This evening I've been listening to a vinyl system I assembled on the cheap as a gift for my daughter's upcoming birthday. I've been spinning old spirituals and folk music and loving it! Currently spinning Simon Estes "Spiritual" and before that some Joan Baez. Pretty different than my usual classical fare. I'm having fun!

Over the years, I've spent more money than I'd care to admit on high-end stereo and analog gear. It's kinda refreshing to get nice sounding results from a more modest package.

We're ending up with a cheap used Technics SL-Q2 table with a red Denon cartridge I found in a drawer (DL-110?). I think it came with a table I bought a few years ago and restored. The big bucks -- $300 -- went for the Lounge Audio LCR Mk.III phono stage. The whole setup was about $360. And it sounds darn good! The phono stage is dead quiet with this table and presents a warmish and intimate soundstage with this cartridge/arm/table combo.

I'm ashamed to say I've spent more money than this before just on interconnects and had less sonic reward. It's been great, Spinning records for several hours and feeling no strong need to go back to my "big" system at the moment. Feeling very pleased with the gift I'll be giving and wanted to brag a bit on it.



"Knowing what you don't know is, in a sense, omniscience"

 

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RE: Spending is optional, posted on March 31, 2015 at 20:34:21
Darnit
Audiophile

Posts: 64
Location: Northwest
Joined: March 27, 2015
No bigger satisfaction than feeling good about the sound and enjoying it.
The freedom of not obsessing is priceless.

 

I agree!, posted on March 31, 2015 at 21:54:17
John Elison
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Posts: 23874
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
January 29, 2004
One of the most satisfying aspects of this hobby is discovering components that sound exceptional at a reasonable price. My Yaqin MS-22B phono stage was one such component. My Parasound Halo A21 power amplifier was another. And of course my Technics SL-1200 turntable was yet another. Moreover, there are a number of relatively inexpensive phono cartridges that perform as well as many of the mega-buck cartridges. It's really a pleasure finding these bargain high-performance components.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

Cool story!, posted on April 1, 2015 at 04:10:21
Eddieh
Audiophile

Posts: 297
Location: Canada
Joined: December 19, 2003
Thanks for sharing it, I'm sure it must feel good to not only assemble a thoughtful gift but to have it come together in such a satisfying way!

 

Similar story here. Folund an ADC LT60G linear tracker for $25,, posted on April 1, 2015 at 04:50:19
Opus 33 1/3
Audiophile

Posts: 4184
Location: D.C. Area
Joined: February 19, 2014
including a nice AT PT-600 cartridge.

The seller had just replaced the main belt and tone arm belt.

Then $140 for an Advent 300 receiver with its excellent phono section.

Total outlay, $165, and it sounds very good.













Opus 33 1/3

 

I used to sell those Advents back in the day, posted on April 1, 2015 at 08:46:54
CometCKO
Audiophile

Posts: 873
Joined: August 9, 2002
Sweet system! And you can't beat that price or the quality for anything near that price purchased new today. Did you re-cap the Advent? What are you using for speakers? We used to hook up the small KLH-17's to the Advent with many happy customers.





"Knowing what you don't know is, in a sense, omniscience"

 

RE: Spending is optional, posted on April 1, 2015 at 08:51:40
CometCKO
Audiophile

Posts: 873
Joined: August 9, 2002
Thanks!

It's also nice to know that the recipient (my daughter) will be delighted with what it is, without having that niggling urge to upgrade. It will be fun, which is what it should be all about.

I'll be interested to see what vinyl she uses. Maybe I should start a thread on "best new music for millenials"?





"Knowing what you don't know is, in a sense, omniscience"

 

John, you've been an inspiration to me..., posted on April 1, 2015 at 08:57:52
CometCKO
Audiophile

Posts: 873
Joined: August 9, 2002
Big fan of your posts. Learned a lot about alignment!

I think gratifying is the right word. Now on a fixed income, it's no longer possible to buy gear that is leading edge. So yes, it's really a joy when inexpensive stuff proves out to be pretty darn good.

The arm on the Technics SL-Q2 looks an awful lot like the arm on your SL-1200. Do you know if they are the same or not? Other than the linkage for the semi-auto arm return, that is.



"Knowing what you don't know is, in a sense, omniscience"

 

RE: John, you've been an inspiration to me..., posted on April 1, 2015 at 09:07:18
John Elison
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Posts: 23874
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
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I'm not very familiar with Technics turntables other than the SL-1200 and the SP-10, but I think the arm on my SL-1200 is a pretty good tonearm. I was going to change it but I came to the conclusion that it was more than adequate and not worth the effort to install a better tonearm. If you're happy with your SL-Q2, that's what counts.

Enjoy!
John Elison

 

I agree, seems like an adequate tonearm, posted on April 1, 2015 at 09:25:42
CometCKO
Audiophile

Posts: 873
Joined: August 9, 2002
In any case, it's nothing I'd want to fuss with or change. It just seems better than I would have expected given the price point of the SL-Q2 (I think it was about $200 when new).



"Knowing what you don't know is, in a sense, omniscience"

 

Great story, and I understand the fixed income very well now., posted on April 1, 2015 at 10:51:45
alaskahiatt
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November 1, 2005
When my daughter went off to college in 2001, I purchased a Technics SL-Q2 table for $25, an Audio Technica AT120 cartridge for somewhere near $100, a Bellari VP129 for retail, and Yamaha YST M7 paper cone computer speakers. The sound was very clean and satisfying in her small environment, and I almost enjoyed using it more than my larger system.

 

RE: it certainly is...., posted on April 1, 2015 at 10:53:22
Almost every** analog acquisition I've made in the last 15 years has either been a diy kit or a restoration project.

examples:
Teres model 135: kit. $1200 plus the tonearm for another $400. And at the time we thought we had a serious contender for the high-end record player. In many ways, it was and still is for the individual who purchased mine.

Thorens TD124 (3 of them). Each of those was purchased as fixer-uppers when prices were still reasonably low. And they each did require lots of maintenance and the solving of one issue or another.

That TD150 Thorens build makes an excellent player with a little care and thought. Prices are still reasonable. Plenty of them out there.

Buying tonearms 2nd-hand rather than brand new. Always.

Getting 'once expensive' cartridges re-tipped rather than replacing with new.

I do aim for the best possible SQ I can assemble, but on a 99 per-center working-stiff budget and a willingness/obsession to invest my own sweat equity. What I can't buy new, maybe I can build, or restore or...... something.


-Steve


** ok I did shell out some real dollars for that Hagerman Trumpet phono stage. And glad I did. Some things I can't build. But I do build the rest.

 

AFAIK, the Advent is original. It will be going off to Warren Bendler in Ohio, posted on April 1, 2015 at 11:17:51
Opus 33 1/3
Audiophile

Posts: 4184
Location: D.C. Area
Joined: February 19, 2014
for recapping, fresh diodes, bias check and tuner alignment in a month or two. He did a 300 for me about 5 years ago. Quality work at fair prices. He specializes in Advent 300s.

For speakers, i'm currently using Polk Monitor 40 series II. 89 dB/w/m. I'm looking at Tekton mini lores or Lores V2. They would get me up to 95 dB/98 dB, respectively.





Opus 33 1/3

 

Agree on the SL-1200 arm with a couple of caveats., posted on April 1, 2015 at 11:28:13
Opus 33 1/3
Audiophile

Posts: 4184
Location: D.C. Area
Joined: February 19, 2014
If the KAB fluid damper is installed and if the arm is re-wired with Cardas wire.





Opus 33 1/3

 

Does she still listen to vinyl 14 years later?, posted on April 1, 2015 at 12:51:22
CometCKO
Audiophile

Posts: 873
Joined: August 9, 2002
It seems like most of my daughter's listening is via headphones (Senn Momentums) commuting on the bus to Boston from New Hampshire. She loves music, goes to many live performances, but I wonder whether the vinyl thing will stick. As a new homeowner, the whole music system thing is becoming more important to her. Here's a hoping dad...






"Knowing what you don't know is, in a sense, omniscience"

 

RE: Agree on the SL-1200 arm with a couple of caveats., posted on April 1, 2015 at 13:06:20
John Elison
Audiophile

Posts: 23874
Location: Central Kentucky
Joined: December 20, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
January 29, 2004
I've never heard the Technics tonearm without Cardas wire so I can't comment on that aspect. As far as fluid damping is concerned, it's my experience that all tonearms benefit from it. That's one reason I've used SME tonearms with fluid damping for the past 30-years and it is the main reason I bought the KAB fluid damper.

Another reason the Technics tonearm is a good performer is because of its very low bearing friction. There are not many other fixed bearing tonearms with friction as low as Technics, which also has on-the-fly adjustable VTA. Consequently, sound quality is quite good in my system given the KAB modifications you mention.

Best regards,
John Elison

 

Yes, she does. Her system is still set up in the living room, posted on April 1, 2015 at 15:52:50
alaskahiatt
Audiophile

Posts: 7484
Joined: December 9, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
November 1, 2005
of her apartment despite four moves since then. Even her new husband has a small record collection, but they do want to obtain a computer based system as well like Sonos.

 

RE: Spending is optional, posted on April 3, 2015 at 10:28:03
Munkie_NL
Audiophile

Posts: 4859
Location: Netherlands
Joined: August 24, 2003
That's not junk stuff.

I have a thrift/flea B system consisting of a Philips/Aristona 212 clone (3 green lit touch buttons), Marantz tuner and amp ca. 1975, Rotel CDP, KEF Chorale III monitors, Target stands. Total cost well under 100 euro.

Just spun a somewhat scratched old thrift record, Mingus/Tijuana Moods. I didn't dare to spin that record on my more expensive rig. A bit of crackle & pop but also a very nice warm full sound.

I have been on a CD binge lately because they're so cheap in the thrifts and good used vinyl is few and far between. Today i'm spinning records, real old analog records. It's just a totally different sound.

"The torture never stops"

Greetings Freek.

 

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