Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 1, 2019 14:10:32 GMT
I’ve had a good long week of playing music. Well, I can’t see properly so it leaves plenty listening time. My conclusion is that in this room, I have a big liking for one speaker above the others. I’m going to stay tight lipped until I’ve had the weekend to enjoy more listening,
Out of nowhere I’ve picked up a deck I like the looks and presence of in the room. It was a whim but I will probably keep it. Having just let a mate have my OC9, it might be a while until it sees action. I also have no arm and no real idea of which one I want. Nima might be nice but no rush. Oh, forgot to say it’s a Mantra and it’s a lovely example. I had one before that veneer never even got an arm fitted (like my Orbe), so hopefully this one will do better.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 4, 2019 19:45:09 GMT
Well my impressions haven’t changed one bit. The speakers that work best and satisfy me most in my room are the TC-60s. They have a different slope angle to the TC 50s and they just seem to gel with the room, and me. They are still typical Spica in their sound. I’d expected something a bit more mainstream than the TC 50 but I think they are actually more committed than their predecessors. The others all seem to lose treble detail and extension for some reason, but the 60s are unaffected, None of my other speakers really seem at home in this room by comparison. I very nearly didn’t buy the TC 60s but I’m very glad I did.i May even clear out all my other speakers.  |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 4, 2019 19:50:02 GMT
BTW I am toying with vinyl again: Bought a Mantra and a Xerxes, plus a couple of arms. I might even set one of them uo this time,
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2019 20:27:52 GMT
BTW I am toying with vinyl again: Bought a Mantra and a Xerxes, plus a couple of arms. I might even set one of them uo this time, Both turntables that I like. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 4, 2019 20:36:21 GMT
Still never heard a Mantra. This time I will try it. I normally hate black kit but for some reason I have decided I like this one,
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2019 21:19:58 GMT
In practise, big pro power amps are often saddled with many layers of protection and filtering which can subjectively get in the way. My HH amp, used for nearly twenty years in a Sky TV editing suite, has steep sub-sonic filtering and the bass doesn't 'breathe' properly because of it. It also had a 'tinsel treble' when I came by it, but that was all but sorted when I changed some tired electrolytics on the main board, which runs hot here and there... The Tresham/Tannoy amp did well in a HiFi Choice review, but I'm told by RD, who should know about them as they were his responsibility back then, that the sound isn't as musical and delicate as modern domestic amps (I'll deal with your comments about musicality answering your other post)
The fact that audiophools don't notice many types of distortion clearly audible to my tired old ears worries me deeply. Makes you wonder what it is they're listening to and listening for...
Dave, which HH amp are you referring to? I have an S500D which I've had serviced but if there are some easy improvements that might be of interest... |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2019 21:24:35 GMT
There was a pair of Spica TC-50s went for £142 on eBay a few days ago. I forgot about them. In all honesty though, I don't really need another pair of speakers.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 4, 2019 21:39:45 GMT
There was a pair of Spica TC-50s went for £142 on eBay a few days ago. I forgot about them. In all honesty though, I don't really need another pair of speakers. I watched them. Only one grille and a bit tatty but still ridiculously cheap for the sound on offer. |
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Post by dsjr on Mar 5, 2019 7:22:55 GMT
HH amp... Mines a MOS-FET VX300, which was heavily used in a broadcast editing suite. It has a number of what seems to be inline electrolytic caps, especially around the almost knackered Noble gain pots/attenuators and I replaced these with Nichicon FG types and 'imagined' the sound is better after. This one has brick-wall filtering at 20hz but will offer 150WPC into 4 ohms. It's 'almost there' as a HiFi grade amp, limited I suspect more by the filtering and input card (optional balanced inputs and longish ribbon connectors) morte than anything else. Absolutely bomb proof and large power supply.
Mantra turntable? Bit coloured a la fruitbox but fun. the Xerxes needs careful setup and I was never 'trained' how to properly set it in the motor area. if the armboard hasn't sagged by now, should be a good one although I could never hear any benefit in removing the centre spindle myself. Jimmy H had one for a number of years and if the top platter was kept fee of finger prints, you could only tell it was rotating by looking closely at it
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 5, 2019 8:09:05 GMT
I haven’t set up a Mantra before so it will be an experience, I guess. Xerxes I’ve had several of, so will be fine with.
Plinth sag is usually easily cured by applying pressure in the opposite direction and then driving a stew through to bridge the gap. If you take it just a smidgeon too fra the other way and leave it screwed for a few weeks before using, it usually stays level. Some fopk just drive a screw through and leave it but that kinda defeats the purpose of the design. Others clamp a damped strip in the gap at the sam emplacement you’d drive a screw and charge £150. There there are those new plinths that are just two slabs. Man they are ugly.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2019 9:29:39 GMT
I haven’t set up a Mantra before so it will be an experience, I guess. Xerxes I’ve had several of, so will be fine with. Plinth sag is usually easily cured by applying pressure in the opposite direction and then driving a stew through to bridge the gap. If you take it just a smidgeon too fra the other way and leave it screwed for a few weeks before using, it usually stays level. Some fopk just drive a screw through and leave it but that kinda defeats the purpose of the design. Others clamp a damped strip in the gap at the sam emplacement you’d drive a screw and charge £150. There there are those new plinths that are just two slabs. Man they are ugly. A stew? Would a casserole not be more effective?  |
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Post by dsjr on Mar 5, 2019 11:06:12 GMT
I don't remember setting up a Mantra being particularly troublesome. I seem to remember just getting the platter underside a particular distance above the top plate and level, making sure the belt runs in the centre of its pulley and the tonearm cables don't foul or impede the soft suspension unduly. Only thing I must caution is NEVER to adjust the three little Allen headed 'mounting studs' the glass platter sits on. I'd also suggest one of the fancy mains supplies for these motors may make for an improvement, reducing running voltage and being able to fine tune the running speed. No idea at all if one of the modern 24V Rega style motors would be any good (I'm sure the driving board could be adapted), but I think the deck was good enough for these kinds of updates. No idea what the belt was though, but it may be a Thorens, although I can't be sure at all here...
At one of the Bristol shows I was exhibiting at for a long defunct company (two years of my working life I try hard not to remember), I met Touraj, whom I'd known since the late 70's KJ W12 days and he offered me a Xerxes for free as I'm a kind of a turntable bod and he thought it due time for me to try and use one. I never took him up on his offer (my usual numb dream-world was even more at that time after my Dad had passed away and I was missing career or business opportunities which I desperately needed to follow up - daft prat I am  ) and it's a sincere regret I have now. I understand there's a certain skillset in the motor adjustments (it swivels somewhat on its mounts with a spring to centre it I remember) and it doesn't look at all 'showy' which is something I admire in these days of bling-boxes. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2019 14:05:47 GMT
Why........ffs
Buy a DD.....job done 🙉🙈🙉
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2019 1:02:19 GMT
Oh jammy you crack me up!
S.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 6, 2019 5:38:38 GMT
I’ve had three DDs. Sounded good and no hassle. All pig ugly tho and no enjoyment from ownership or use.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 6, 2019 6:38:14 GMT
I don't remember setting up a Mantra being particularly troublesome. I seem to remember just getting the platter underside a particular distance above the top plate and level, making sure the belt runs in the centre of its pulley and the tonearm cables don't foul or impede the soft suspension unduly. Only thing I must caution is NEVER to adjust the three little Allen headed 'mounting studs' the glass platter sits on. I'd also suggest one of the fancy mains supplies for these motors may make for an improvement, reducing running voltage and being able to fine tune the running speed. No idea at all if one of the modern 24V Rega style motors would be any good (I'm sure the driving board could be adapted), but I think the deck was good enough for these kinds of updates. No idea what the belt was though, but it may be a Thorens, although I can't be sure at all here...
At one of the Bristol shows I was exhibiting at for a long defunct company (two years of my working life I try hard not to remember), I met Touraj, whom I'd known since the late 70's KJ W12 days and he offered me a Xerxes for free as I'm a kind of a turntable bod and he thought it due time for me to try and use one. I never took him up on his offer (my usual numb dream-world was even more at that time after my Dad had passed away and I was missing career or business opportunities which I desperately needed to follow up - daft prat I am ) and it's a sincere regret I have now. I understand there's a certain skillset in the motor adjustments (it swivels somewhat on its mounts with a spring to centre it I remember) and it doesn't look at all 'showy' which is something I admire in these days of bling-boxes. Thnaks, Dave. I’ve never found a mains driven turntable I was happy with, so an off board supply would seem to be on the cards. I have a couple of irons in the fire but will also contemplate a DIY Geddon as they look simple to make and reportedly work well. You’re right about the Xerxes motor. It pivots and is tethered only by a soft spring. It’s a clever idea because the motor tugs on the spring at start up, but once up to speed, is far better isolated from the deck than a fixed one. Other than ensuring it sits right and the wires aren’t inhibited, I don’t recall any means of adjustment. I fitted a brand new motor to a Xerxes, so I have done it from scratch. It’s been a few years though, so I may be forgetting something. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 6, 2019 6:46:45 GMT
Found a pic  |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 6, 2019 7:07:49 GMT
I haven’t set up a Mantra before so it will be an experience, I guess. Xerxes I’ve had several of, so will be fine with. Plinth sag is usually easily cured by applying pressure in the opposite direction and then driving a stew through to bridge the gap. If you take it just a smidgeon too fra the other way and leave it screwed for a few weeks before using, it usually stays level. Some fopk just drive a screw through and leave it but that kinda defeats the purpose of the design. Others clamp a damped strip in the gap at the sam emplacement you’d drive a screw and charge £150. There there are those new plinths that are just two slabs. Man they are ugly. A stew? Would a casserole not be more effective? Haha I missed that one! My iPad seems to make some great posts out of my typos. No wonder the plinths sag |
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Post by macca on Mar 6, 2019 8:58:58 GMT
I’ve had three DDs. Sounded good and no hassle. All pig ugly tho and no enjoyment from ownership or use. Technics SL1200 - form follows function and I never got bored of pressing that big, stainless steel stop/start button. And it goes round at the right speed too which is more than can be said for any belt drive TT. Or if you've got a few quid an SP10 - even better looking. or the Pioneer PLC590 - the best looking deck ever made (also a DD) www.thevintageknob.org/pioneer-PLC-590.html |
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Post by dsjr on Mar 6, 2019 10:35:48 GMT
I’ve had three DDs. Sounded good and no hassle. All pig ugly tho and no enjoyment from ownership or use. Technics SL1200 - form follows function and I never got bored of pressing that big, stainless steel stop/start button. And it goes round at the right speed too which is more than can be said for any belt drive TT. Or if you've got a few quid an SP10 - even better looking. or the Pioneer PLC590 - the best looking deck ever made (also a DD) www.thevintageknob.org/pioneer-PLC-590.htmlHmm. I always got the LP12's I set up to rotate at exactly the right speed when playing, and confirmed it on a few of them with a CD precisely synced up. My TD125 could be set correctly too I should have bought it back when I had the chance, but money...........). heck, even better Regas can now be accurately set for correct speed - what's the effin' world coming to when a REGA deck can have its speed properly adjusted 
The Techie 1200mk2 family are so boringly efficient though. No audiophool wants 'efficient' surely  If it ain't got glowing valves and driven by an oil-rig turntable, it's not worth looking at... Anyway, your forum owner pal didn't think his 1200mk2 was much good in stock form, so he set about doing all manner of terrible things to it to make it 'better' by all accounts and some of these things almost having an about face a few years later in terms of platter choice and so on.
If funds permit (unlikely at present sadly), I aim to get my first SL150/1500 back to work on, as I eventually got very good noises from the second one I had.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2019 11:50:24 GMT
Technics SL1200 - form follows function and I never got bored of pressing that big, stainless steel stop/start button. And it goes round at the right speed too which is more than can be said for any belt drive TT. Or if you've got a few quid an SP10 - even better looking. or the Pioneer PLC590 - the best looking deck ever made (also a DD) www.thevintageknob.org/pioneer-PLC-590.htmlHmm. I always got the LP12's I set up to rotate at exactly the right speed when playing, and confirmed it on a few of them with a CD precisely synced up. My TD125 could be set correctly too I should have bought it back when I had the chance, but money...........). heck, even better Regas can now be accurately set for correct speed - what's the effin' world coming to when a REGA deck can have its speed properly adjusted
The Techie 1200mk2 family are so boringly efficient though. No audiophool wants 'efficient' surely If it ain't got glowing valves and driven by an oil-rig turntable, it's not worth looking at... Anyway, your forum owner pal didn't think his 1200mk2 was much good in stock form, so he set about doing all manner of terrible things to it to make it 'better' by all accounts and some of these things almost having an about face a few years later in terms of platter choice and so on.
If funds permit (unlikely at present sadly), I aim to get my first SL150/1500 back to work on, as I eventually got very good noises from the second one I had.
All those Techie modding dicks got egg on their face when Technics launched the 1200G and 1200GR. I see one of them is now only streaming from Spotify and other services. |
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Post by macca on Mar 6, 2019 12:07:42 GMT
You wouldn't have the balls to call them dicks to their faces so don't do it here.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2019 13:58:01 GMT
Sorry guys this is not for me, not going down the rabbit hole with record players, not fiddling with them not interested, plug 'n play only . If the thing sounds good and surprisingly most of the half decent ones do, then I am happy. If I can get the sound of my record decks to the same level as my CDP's then this camper is happy. If you are a fiddler then that is fine, play with the thing then, that is just not for me
I have not had one bloke who has listened to my system find anything to say to improve it. For the money spent it rocks. And I have had some tough critical nuts listen to it. No it is not the ultimate, but what is, has anybody actually found the ultimate.
I do not buy new vinyl, most of it is a rip off, and reissues do not sound as good as the originals. My music taste is somewhat stuck in times before the 90's, my records are old, some of them date back to primary and high school days, late 50's early 60's, they have been kept well. I do have some Audiophile records, that being said, they are not for the music are they, they are for showing off your kit. Why should I throw silly money at something that will only sound marginally better than my 1975 Rega Planar 2, with a stock RB 250 arm, motor mod, blue belt and an Ortho Blue. Quite honestly I cannot say if it runs at the correct speed or not, sounds the same speed wise as my quartz DD's to my old ears anyway. I do not have the money, so I suppose I am talking out my hat. If I had the money then off down the Rabbit hole for me, with a pocket full of MC cartridges, a wobbling LP12 literally on my back, chasing after the Holy Grail.
Being skint has it's advantages, it is the simple things that make you happy.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2019 14:45:51 GMT
Well said, lemos.
S.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 7, 2019 0:10:08 GMT
Technics SL1200 - form follows function and I never got bored of pressing that big, stainless steel stop/start button. And it goes round at the right speed too which is more than can be said for any belt drive TT. Or if you've got a few quid an SP10 - even better looking. or the Pioneer PLC590 - the best looking deck ever made (also a DD) www.thevintageknob.org/pioneer-PLC-590.htmlHmm. I always got the LP12's I set up to rotate at exactly the right speed when playing, and confirmed it on a few of them with a CD precisely synced up. My TD125 could be set correctly too I should have bought it back when I had the chance, but money...........). heck, even better Regas can now be accurately set for correct speed - what's the effin' world coming to when a REGA deck can have its speed properly adjusted The Techie 1200mk2 family are so boringly efficient though. No audiophool wants 'efficient' surely If it ain't got glowing valves and driven by an oil-rig turntable, it's not worth looking at... Anyway, your forum owner pal didn't think his 1200mk2 was much good in stock form, so he set about doing all manner of terrible things to it to make it 'better' by all accounts and some of these things almost having an about face a few years later in terms of platter choice and so on. If funds permit (unlikely at present sadly), I aim to get my first SL150/1500 back to work on, as I eventually got very good noises from the second one I had.
I guess it’s horses for courses but that Pioneer looks horrible to me. Naff is a word that seems appropriate. Anyone else not like it? |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2019 0:26:42 GMT
Yes beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder.
Not keen on its looks, i find the 1210 nicer.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 7, 2019 0:57:43 GMT
Yes beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder. Not keen on its looks, i find the 1210 nicer. I haven’t seen a Pioneer deck I like. PL71 is one ugly mother too. Vile looking thing. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2019 6:52:44 GMT
Yes beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder. Not keen on its looks, i find the 1210 nicer. I haven’t seen a Pioneer deck I like. PL71 is one ugly mother too. Vile looking thing. Can't agree with you on that one Andrew. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 7, 2019 7:42:21 GMT
The Technics. SL-1200/1210 isn’t a favourite but you can see it’s been styled. The Pioneer looks like some Frankenstein/Scrapheap Challenge abomination to me.
The plinth is finished in two halves that go as well together as bananas and kippers. They would both be pretty ugly on their own (especially the bottom) but together they are so much worse.
The button panel looks like it’s come from something else and that arm is fugly too. Even the lid is out of proportion: Too square and doesn’t seem to be a fit for the deck.
That bottom half appears to be the same colour/finish as the Sony PS-6750. It ruins the looks of that deck too. I have had two and couldn’t live with it in my room. I thought of changing it but I don’t like taking stuff away from stock, so I sold them,
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2019 8:54:22 GMT
 Torque Monster. who needs Idler drive. Western Electric 2A 1926 |
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) and it's a sincere regret I have now. I understand there's a certain skillset in the motor adjustments (it swivels somewhat on its mounts with a spring to centre it I remember) and it doesn't look at all 'showy' which is something I admire in these days of bling-boxes.
If it ain't got glowing valves and driven by an oil-rig turntable, it's not worth looking at... Anyway, your forum owner pal didn't think his 1200mk2 was much good in stock form, so he set about doing all manner of terrible things to it to make it 'better' by all accounts and some of these things almost having an about face a few years later in terms of platter choice and so on.