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Recently, the stylus on my ADC TRX-2 just seemed to fall off. I'm really not aware of any trama that caused it, but I suppose it's possible. Anyway, I could be looking at a repair by Sound Smith. (Neither the cartridge nor replacement styli are available.) I won't spend the $450 plus for a retip. I might consider the rebuild for $250, which would include a Ruby cantilever and a nude contact line stylus.My first question is whether I should expect better, worse or equal performance. The ADC already has a saphire cantlever and the stylus was a VITAL III-type PH line contact (0.32x1.57 mil). It was wonerful in many ways. Very detailed and refined.
Here's the rub. I'm actually enjoying the old ADC ZLM I went back to more. It has better bass and a more palpable sense of dynamics. Drums are so real it's scary. Not as "accurate" perhaps as the TRX-2, but more fun.
I realize, of course, the variables that might be contributing factors, such as:
1) I never had the TRX-2 quite dialed in with setup.
[Possible, but I put a lot of time and effort into getting it right.]2) My arm (a Grace 707) doesn't let the TRX-2 really shine. [Also possible, but I'm not in a position to upgrade the arm.]
If I spring for the $250 rebuild, I'll have as much in this TRX-2 as I would have if I bought a Grado Sonata which I've been curious about for a long time. Then I still might not like the TRX-2 as much as the ZLM.
I realize only a few folks have experience with these ADCs, but any experience with how Sound Smith rebuilds compared to the originals would be helpful.
Thanks!
Sam
Follow Ups:
Cant comment on your equipment application or matching, but can comment on Sound-Smith's work. It is top notch. I have had
8 pieces of high end vintage equipment restored by them, as well as a retip of a Grace F9E cart. I am a very happy camper. His no hassle warranty is second to none. I consider myself lucky as he is only 75 miles away which means I can drive my gear to him. I recommend you call them directly (not e-mail), as you will get quicker response. You may want to talk to Peter directly regarding your cart concerns, he may have had past experience with your application. Good luck.
...My arm (a Grace 707) doesn't let the TRX-2 really shine...I also own the TRX-2. In addition, I own a Grace G727 tonearm which is essentially the last incarnation of the Grace G707.
Your tonearm is the reason the cartridge doesn't shine, in my opinion. I realize that you don't want to drop a lot of money into another tonearm, but you might keep an eye out for an ADC tonearm. I managed to find an LMF-1 for $50, although I use my TRX-2 with a Magnepan tonearm. Still, I believe that you might see improvement with an ADC tonearm.
EDIT: See below where Ray-O-Stat mentions that the cartridge does well with a medium mass tonearm, and my response. He is correct, so the ADC tonearm is not a viable alternative to the Grace. Sorry.
I wasn't impressed with the cartridge's performance on a Grace arm, either. It was a bit bright to me....If I spring for the $250 rebuild, I'll have as much in this TRX-2 as I would have if I bought a Grado Sonata which I've been curious about for a long time. Then I still might not like the TRX-2 as much as the ZLM...
I believe, but cannot say for certain, that a Soundsmith rebuild will basically restore the TRX-2 to its former self without adding or subtracting much from its stock sound. Then again, I could be wrong. It makes sense that the change would be apples to apples, considering the materials involved.
Having owned a Sonata in the past, I can say that it is certainly no match for the TRX-2, or the TRX-1 for that matter. The Signature XTC is a superior Grado, but I honestly believe that the Sonata is not. In fact, my ears prefer the Platinum Reference to the Sonata. Again, your mileage may vary.
...I realize only a few folks have experience with these ADCs, but any experience with how Sound Smith rebuilds compared to the originals would be helpful...
This I don't know firsthand, but...
I have heard nothing, but praise for Soundsmith's work.-mosin
Thanks for the post and the edit. Just curious, did you try the TRX on an ADC arm? If so, did it help bring more body back to the sound?Anyway,
Thanks again.
My TRX-2 actually sounded its very best on my highly modified Rega RB-250 tonearm with the black paint removed, shrink wrapped, silver tonearm wires and a Kerry F2 titanium counterweight.This thing really delivered in every area. It also played equally well on my SME 3009 Series III tone arm with 60k cst silicone in the trough.
I have mine playing on a Magnepan Unitrac and it sounds just a trace thinner. I am using all copper tonearm wiring on the Unitrac so this surprises me a bit.
I love the TRX family for what it does well. However my Grado Ref Master throws a larger soundstage and has lots more detail retrieval in every area.
I plan to have this retipped by Sound Smith with a ruby / line contact to see just what more I can get out of the Grado.
I also have the ADC TRX-2(on a Rega RB250-Incognito), and never got it to dial in to my liking, plus I always thought the stylus was very fragile. I recently installed a NOS Audio Technica 20SLA, it dialed in immediatley and sounds very nice, it's a keeper. The other table in the system has a Soundsmith retipped Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood, the $250 retip. The cantilever was broke when I bought it for $50, the retip is incredible. Best sounding cartridge I have at the moment.I would someday like to retip the ADC TRX-2, but it only has maybe 75 hours. Maybe it would work as well as the Clearaudio, in any case I'm sure it would be worth the $250.
It is all in the listening, isn't it ? Sometimes, the predicted results are not the real end result. With the added costs of a sapphire cantilever and super duper line contact stylus, we expect good results. However, as you noticed, the jewelled cantilever might not be needed. What is wrong with a simple, thin walled aluminum cantilever ? I like the aluminum better than the boron and beryllium levers.
Since Soundsmith does have a great reputation, how about seeing if he can use your sapphire cantilever for his new tip ? If not, then maybe he has an aluminum cantilever option.
The high tech material situation is very analagous to using mil-spec, low tolerance, resistors and capacitors, in amps. Sometimes, the older, tried and true materials seem to have a better sound. Easy evidence is the older paper in oil capacitors vs. the newer high tech plastics, propylenes and teflon caps.
Vintage cartridges, that are classics, often surprise me, with their so-called outdated construction techniques. Many of these respected classics have long or wide aluminum cantilevers and bonded diamonds; some even have stiff suspensions. Yet, their sound is quite endearing...ENJOY !!!
for the trx2. i had an XLM on the 707 for YEARS and they were all good ones. it also sounded great on the rabco st4 tt!a rebuild with the ruby/line contact sounds like an interesting twist.
...regards...tr
All the ADCs (XLM, ZLM, & TRX) I've tried seem to have the low mass and high compliance the Grace likes.
1 - They are not low in mass,2- They are not in any way associated with the "LM"'s of ADC's past,
3- They require extensive break-in,
3- They seem to sound their best in a Medium Mass tonearm, not a low mass one like the Grace.
Me, I'm just a lawnmower, you can tell me by the way I walk....
-Ray
Thanks. Maybe, if I get the TRX rebuilt, I'll try it in my Rega arm. I was able to get good tracking at about 1.25 grams on the Grace, which made me think it was a good match for the arm. But when I went back to the ZLM, they really sang together. Proof is in the listening.Thanks again.
Sam
You may be right about the medium mass arm part. I know you are right about the rest. Anyway, I use the low mass Magnepan arm with good results, so I suggested an ADC arm as an alternative. I may be wrong about that, however, because the cartridge sounds great with the EPA-500's 14 gram effective mass armwand that I also use. I believe your comments warrant my edit of the previous post that I made.Thanks for pointing it out.
Is that they developed the wrap around the pivot point counterweight specifically to fake the cartridge to see high mass while the stylus navigates the groove wall while allowing vertical travel like a low mass arm.My Grado Ref Master picked up a great deal of inner detail on the Unitrac while it sounded just great on the SME arms.
The Unitrac is such a uniquely engineered tonearm you simply cannot just look at the effective mass and say this is what it might work with. You owe it to try everything on this tonearm and the TRX II works just fine on this arm.
I did not like my Denon DL 103R on the Unitrac. This was the only cartridge that underperformed. Interestingly the DL103R did not like my Technics SL1210 arm, either of my SME arms or my Rega arm. It really needs high mass. The Empire worked much better.
I love this darn Unitrac!
The TRX2 and TRX3 really smoothed out on the A501M wand on the EPA-500. I find it curious since this is MC-like behavior. Likely another hint of the cartridge's true origins...I have noit played with the TRX-1 at all, but it probably falls right in line with the others.
Me, I'm just a lawnmower, you can tell me by the way I walk....
-Ray
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