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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2020 21:49:57 GMT
I’ve spent more time faffing than listening, Another cable issue led to me having to tear everything apart and put it all back. I ended up with a far better result and that softness and lack of space has improved no end. I will have to listen more to tell more but it’s quite some way from where I started. I still want a vinyl sound that beats what I’ve had, so I will likely be buying again, but I can’t honestly say the sound is bad or displeasing anymore. This Sedley is probably a bit better than my last one but I need more. Only 3 possible causes for the improvement, as far as I can see: 1. I took the lid of the Sedley because the earth terminal was loose. I soon discovered that the solid wire rising up from the PCB which joins to this terminal had snapped. No idea why I wasn’t getting any hum? Could that have affected the sound? 2. I have 11 bits plugged into 2 multi blocks. Nothing is plugged where it was, including the router. All the cabling has also been moved. Did the Sedley not like something on the mains? Or maybe some cabling route. I use screened cables by and large. 3. I reset the tracking weight by ear. I had only roughly set the arm back up when it came back from Johnnie. It’s tracking lighter now, but maybe only 0.2-0.3 I had forgotten how faffy vinyl can be. I will be faffing more over the coming days but thank god I don’t have to mess around with bloody dip switches on the back of an item again. There could be absolutely any number of reasons for the Initial underwhelming sound. Personally, 11 items in multiplug connectors is a big red flag. A broken wire is also never a good thing but even if you arent getting any hum, it can effect hiw the signal behaves. Keep fiddling with it. I can get it down to 9 by moving one headphone amp and the other CD player, but there are two possible causes of nasties I can’t relocate. One is a TV aerial amplifier. The other is a router. Neither can be relocated without a helluva faff. Both plug boards go into the same double mains socket. Router and TV aerial,amp are now in the multi block that has less hifi kit. I THINK the Sedley was sharing that multi block beforehand.
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Post by firebottle on Feb 22, 2020 21:59:01 GMT
The TV aerial amplifier will be very low power so I would be surprised if it wasn't a linear supply on that. So unlikely to be a problem.
The router on the other hand is almost certainly a switching supply if it is the original.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2020 7:44:11 GMT
Thanks, Alan. My wiring is an utter rats nest which I’d never have tolerated previously. One multiblock is really cheap and nasty and the unscreened cables probably aren’t helping either. Trouble is they beat everything else I have used. Lots to sort but hopefully worth it.
Dave mentioning dialling down the tracking weight was a significant step, too. I always tend to track about 0.1 above mid point of recommended range without even trying other settings. I wasn’t getting it right.
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Post by jandl100 on Feb 23, 2020 8:14:30 GMT
You'd better bin it then. Virtually everything can be improved with suitable mods. All commercial stuff is built to a price. I get that but not everyone is a modder or hot-rodder. I’d far rather move something on if I don’t like it than mess with it. As long as you buy used there’s no loss. Just means going through a few bits until you find something that works for you. Yup, I'm the same. I only really go for unmodded gear. Apart from anything else, being a boxswapper (who does it for fun, not out of dissatisfaction), the resale price of modded gear generally crashes through the floor for most punters, you're really limiting the resale market available to you. And also, I have had a couple of pieces modded and what came back was fundamentally the same, just a bit more so. When I change gear I want to hear something different! It's these fundamental differences in presentation that makes the boxswapping interesting.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2020 9:54:32 GMT
I’m getting a hugely enjoyable sound today, following two more changes. Chalk and cheese from where I started. Tbh I’m just not well enough to faff around without good reason so I just assumed (wrongly) tat the crap sound was intrinsic to the Sedley.
Two latest changes were done together, so I’ve no idea if it’s one or both that’s lifted things.
1. Router unplugged pending a move, 2. Switching the relevant Orton input to high gain (this is a feature of the Orton)
I suspect no2 was the big leap. Dave actually mentioned gain as a factor and I wrongly dismissed it (sorry, Dave....you were right about tracking weight AND gain)
Suddenly there is bags of life and rhythm. I’m playing Graceland and it’s so full of spirit and verve, I can’t remember enjoying it so much in ages.
I did some reading and found a forum post about the Sedley, praising it as one of the best with MM but saying it was awful with MC. This led me to consider a gain issue. I was using the Orton at max volume, so I’m not sure why I didn’t see that. My first encounter with a Campion was less than enthusiastic due to gain issues too. I seem to be unusually sensitive to low gain and it makes stuff sound dead and lifeless. All passives bar NVA with NVA have sounded similarly dead to me.
Will I try another phono stage? I’m still curious to try an Iso again, as this was my favourite. I’m not sure it will win over what I have now though. If somebody had told me I’d feel this way a couple of days ago, I’d have laughed at them.
Just shows that the things you think you know (and take as given) can be your undoing.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 24, 2020 10:27:31 GMT
I’m getting a hugely enjoyable sound today, following two more changes. Chalk and cheese from where I started. Tbh I’m just not well enough to faff around without good reason so I just assumed (wrongly) tat the crap sound was intrinsic to the Sedley. Two latest changes were done together, so I’ve no idea if it’s one or both that’s lifted things. 1. Router unplugged pending a move, 2. Switching the relevant Orton input to high gain (this is a feature of the Orton) I suspect no2 was the big leap. Dave actually mentioned gain as a factor and I wrongly dismissed it (sorry, Dave....you were right about tracking weight AND gain) Suddenly there is bags of life and rhythm. I’m playing Graceland and it’s so full of spirit and verve, I can’t remember enjoying it so much in ages. I did some reading and found a forum post about the Sedley, praising it as one of the best with MM but saying it was awful with MC. This led me to consider a gain issue. I was using the Orton at max volume, so I’m not sure why I didn’t see that. My first encounter with a Campion was less than enthusiastic due to gain issues too. I seem to be unusually sensitive to low gain and it makes stuff sound dead and lifeless. All passives bar NVA with NVA have sounded similarly dead to me. Will I try another phono stage? I’m still curious to try an Iso again, as this was my favourite. I’m not sure it will win over what I have now though. If somebody had told me I’d feel this way a couple of days ago, I’d have laughed at them. Just shows that the things you think you know (and take as given) can be your undoing. That's great news and well done for persevering If you think you'll keep it long term, I'd consider the upgrades I suggested. No harm squeezing a bit more out of it. I get you though, about keeping it stock.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2020 11:41:15 GMT
I’m getting a hugely enjoyable sound today, following two more changes. Chalk and cheese from where I started. Tbh I’m just not well enough to faff around without good reason so I just assumed (wrongly) tat the crap sound was intrinsic to the Sedley. Two latest changes were done together, so I’ve no idea if it’s one or both that’s lifted things. 1. Router unplugged pending a move, 2. Switching the relevant Orton input to high gain (this is a feature of the Orton) I suspect no2 was the big leap. Dave actually mentioned gain as a factor and I wrongly dismissed it (sorry, Dave....you were right about tracking weight AND gain) Suddenly there is bags of life and rhythm. I’m playing Graceland and it’s so full of spirit and verve, I can’t remember enjoying it so much in ages. I did some reading and found a forum post about the Sedley, praising it as one of the best with MM but saying it was awful with MC. This led me to consider a gain issue. I was using the Orton at max volume, so I’m not sure why I didn’t see that. My first encounter with a Campion was less than enthusiastic due to gain issues too. I seem to be unusually sensitive to low gain and it makes stuff sound dead and lifeless. All passives bar NVA with NVA have sounded similarly dead to me. Will I try another phono stage? I’m still curious to try an Iso again, as this was my favourite. I’m not sure it will win over what I have now though. If somebody had told me I’d feel this way a couple of days ago, I’d have laughed at them. Just shows that the things you think you know (and take as given) can be your undoing. That's great news and well done for persevering If you think you'll keep it long term, I'd consider the upgrades I suggested. No harm squeezing a bit more out of it. I get you though, about keeping it stock. If it turns out to be a keeper, I’d be far more likely to dabble. Swapping over a few components is something I could do. Plus, I’d be more likely to improve something already good, than something that sounded poor. Seeing someone else having a big issue with its MC sound after loving it with MM was a lucky find. The maker’s recommended settings were very unhelpful and miles off what I’d expect any ordinary MC to work with. I think the other owner likely had the same experience as me.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 24, 2020 11:46:18 GMT
That's great news and well done for persevering If you think you'll keep it long term, I'd consider the upgrades I suggested. No harm squeezing a bit more out of it. I get you though, about keeping it stock. If it turns out to be a keeper, I’d be far more likely to dabble. Swapping over a few components is something I could do. Plus, I’d be more likely to improve something already good, than something that sounded poor. Seeing someone else having a big issue with its MC sound after loving it with MM was a lucky find. The maker’s recommended settings were very unhelpful and miles off what I’d expect any ordinary MC to work with. I think the other owner likely had the same experience as me. Good on ya matey. Get stuck in. If you want my opinions on caps etc, just let me know. I have some really good picks for not a lot of money
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Post by dsjr on Feb 24, 2020 18:26:04 GMT
I've no idea how much distortion or response errors were caused, but a higher output MC like the DL110 didn't 'arf' sound funky played directly into an MC input - all that overload distortion probably
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2020 19:46:41 GMT
Sometimes I just buy things for fun of trying. I’ve now bought a big Jap amp (100v jobbie). It’s supposed to be a giant killer, but we’ll see. I won’t be keeping it but it will be nice to play with. You probs won’t have heard of it but it’s basically the Victor version of that JVC amp the Pink Fish brigade seem to love (AX-Z1010TN) The Jap Victor version is the AX-Z921
Anyone heard one?
when I’m done playing I will probably offer it here for what I paid.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 25, 2020 21:35:48 GMT
Sometimes I just buy things for fun of trying. I’ve now bought a big Jap amp (100v jobbie). It’s supposed to be a giant killer, but we’ll see. I won’t be keeping it but it will be nice to play with. You probs won’t have heard of it but it’s basically the Victor version of that JVC amp the Pink Fish brigade seem to love (AX-Z1010TN) The Jap Victor version is the AX-Z921 Anyone heard one? when I’m done playing I will probably offer it here for what I paid. Never heard one but there is a cult following across the pond too.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2020 10:08:09 GMT
I’ve now got the Sedley sounding great. Better than I ever recall the Dino. I’m sticking with it and letting all other thoughts go. If it had sounded even close to this from the off, I would’ve been happy. I’m not one for leaving kit on but I had to with the Iso and Dino and the Sedley seems even more appreciative of being warmed up. just to recap, it went from awful to fab after these steps. 1. reduced tracking by 0.3 (thanks Dave) 2. Switched to extra gain on Orton (even bigger thanks Dave) 3. Switched off the router and TV amplifier when listening and will move them. 4. Tidied up the wiring. 5. Fixed a broken earth inside the Sedley. 6. changed from the makers recommendation of 1kohm and 220pf to 100ohm 100pf I’ve changed so many variables since the original crappy sound, I have no clear idea where the main gains came from, but it doesn’t matter. I won’t need to buy another phono stage.....unless II see a silver Sedley
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 26, 2020 10:33:33 GMT
I’ve now got the Sedley sounding great. Better than I ever recall the Dino. I’m sticking with it and letting all other thoughts go. If it had sounded even close to this from the off, I would’ve been happy. I’m not one for leaving kit on but I had to with the Iso and Dino and the Sedley seems even more appreciative of being warmed up. just to recap, it went from awful to fab after these steps. 1. reduced tracking by 0.3 (thanks Dave) 2. Switched to extra gain on Orton (even bigger thanks Dave) 3. Switched off the router and TV amplifier when listening and will move them. 4. Tidied up the wiring. 5. Fixed a broken earth inside the Sedley. 6. changed from the makers recommendation of 1kohm and 220pf to 100ohm 100pf I’ve changed so many variables since the original crappy sound, I have no clear idea where the main gains came from, but it doesn’t matter. I won’t need to buy another phono stage.....unless II see a silver Sedley Thats a cracking result. I'm pleased you persevered with it but yes, a silver one to match must be on the list lol
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2020 18:59:33 GMT
And I thought The Hulk was green....
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2020 19:02:43 GMT
Oh bloody hell! What did you buy now?
S.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2020 19:06:35 GMT
Oh bloody hell! What did you buy now? S. It’s the Victor version of the JVC AX-Z1010TN
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2020 19:21:21 GMT
Flatpopley goes crazy for that amp! Looking forward to your thoughts.
S.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2020 19:38:15 GMT
It has too many fans to be ignored, First impressions of the build are very favourable.
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