Turntable choices

Originally posted by bottleneck


If cash had never been an object to me, I think its likely Id have an SME 30 with a re-wired SME V. The re-wiring on SMEs really does seem to help. A suprise given the price of the arm.
Click to expand...

Yes Bottleneck,

The rewiring on SME tonearms does take them to another level sound wise and I can confirm that as I am using an SME IV tonearm which was wired from new (by SME, U.K.) with the optional (at extra cost) MCS-150 silver wire. The four cartridge connecting wires are also made from the same silver wire. I am not one to advocate cables especially on a public forum, but in several listening tests with a standard SME IV containing the stock van den Hul copper wire and another containing the MCS-150 silver wire, the differences between the two arms was clear for any music lover to hear. When the tests were done, only two people knew which arm contained which wire. We (the listeners) did not know but we identified the rewired arm each time as the music sounded so alive and involving. I guess you could say that silver sounds different to copper so that was easy to tell them apart but to our ears, the silver wire was a positive upgrade.

In stock form the SME 309 and SME IV arms sounded better than the much hyped Origin Live Silver. In rewired form, the SME IV trampled over the Origin Live Silver IMO.;)

Therefore, my advice to anyone buying an SME 309, SME IV and SME V arm is to upgrade the stock internal wiring a.s.a.p. and replace with the MCS-150 silver wire or one of the Moth wires. Another thing you might also want to ditch is the freebie van den Hul M.C. D501 tonearm cable that comes with the tonearms. It simply sucks the performance out of what it is a superb arm and I have seen several SME V owners using this cable with this arm. Hmmm!!! I am now using Cardas tonearm phono cable feeding into the Graham Slee Era Gold V phono stage. Now being a betting man, I'll wager that a rewired SME IV tonearm sounds better than an SME V arm with the stock silver-over-copper internal wire.:D So all I do now is buy LPs and more LPs as the music sound so superb, IMO. The Incognito RB300 I was using was good but this latest SME IV trick is the best by far at Lawrie Mansions.:D

P.S. If you are using a Michell Gyro or Orbe deck and buy any of the SME arms, then get the Pederson armboard upgrade. It does make a difference more so than just using blu-tack as it provides better isolation between the arm and the base resulting in less of the bass heaviness that SMEs are renowned for. The silver rewire also goes some way to address that charge. Here is a review: http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/pedersen_e.html





Enjoy the music,

Lawrie:D
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Originally posted by Paul Duerden

I'm just off to listen to my poxy old Linn with it's ancient Vallhalla power supply and wonder just how the hell I manage to like it so much.
Click to expand...


Reminds me, if you ever want a cheap (<100) armageddon-a-like let me know, they do work and since you don't have 45 now you won't missit. I guess I am in the queue behind jox though ;->

Cheers

Jason
 
Cheers Jason,

Thats a great offer,

You know Fox's post opens up the can of worms created by "Hi Fi experts."

For instance depending on which guru is sharing his knowledge at any one time. my Linn is

1- an outdated heap of junk that would lose out to a cheap Sony CD player.

2- The only true toe tapping, tuneful and possibly orgasmic way to listen to reproduced music.

This scenario as Fox points out is true of the Orbe, only in reverse if you follow me.

Funny that I have heard 2 Ninjas, Garrard 501, 2 Well Tempereds, an Orbe several Xerxes etc and enjoyed all of them. Which is the "best"? Haven't a clue, the longer I mess about with Hi Fi the less I find I can say for absolute certain, which thank God lets me out for being any kind of "expert" which seems to involve forcefully prevaricating on A always being better than B.
 
Originally posted by The Devil
Goodness me, dom, you are a Gemini? I had you down as a Libra.
Click to expand...

What are the Libra's traits (I had a link to all the signs' traits a while back and I've lost it)?

I know though that my ideal match is a Taurus - anyone know a good female Taurean going begging (preferably without kids and with a job?) :) Mind you, it says on one site that Gems and Scorpios aren't supposed to be a good match but I really get on well with one :)

Originally posted by Paul Duerden
1- an outdated heap of junk that would lose out to a cheap Sony CD player.
Click to expand...

Rest assured Paul that for all my slating of it, an LP12 is still musically far superior to almost any CD player :) Yep - I really did just say that. And yeah, if I had to live with CD or vinyl, the Linn and black stuff'd win every time :)
 
What are the Libra's traits

No idea. Just a little joke, sorry.

fox, you used to be too round, now you are flatter and much better. Leather trousers - coo!

Ninja sounds fine btw, but Kathie wants black. Your deck corrupted her.
 
Yep, you could take all the hardware off of the plinth, orbital sand it and then varnish it black couldn't you? Or get someone else to do it - it's a LOT cheaper than buying a new deck :)

Besides, why should the woman have her own way? Did she say how the lounge had to be decorated? If so, than you can even the score by stating you're not changing the turntable.

Honestly - these people who let women rule their lives ;) Make sure it's give and take and evens stevens (although of course I don't mean to pry here - just glad (most of the time) that I'm single...)
 
Women

I find that beating them at least once a week whether they need it or not works wonders.

Actually a quote from Beau Brummell.

Bub did all his own design BTW, and a good job he did of it too.
 
Originally posted by domfjbrown
Besides, why should the woman have her own way? Did she say how the lounge had to be decorated? If so, than you can even the score by stating you're not changing the turntable.

Honestly - these people who let women rule their lives ;) Make sure it's give and take and evens stevens (although of course I don't mean to pry here - just glad (most of the time) that I'm single...)
Click to expand...

Aha, Dom, so young, so much to learn about the realities of life. I await your future domestic arrangements with interest...:D :D :D :D
 
28, still single. There's a reason for that - some life lessons I'm too lazy to be bothered to learn, Tones :) I'm fiercely independant and correct me if I'm wrong, but most women slow you down when you're walking etc - not my idea of fun.

Plus I don't want kids so not much incentive to find a woman - unless I want a partner to help buy a house in this rip off Isle ;)

They're OK for a bit of fun, but life long - nah, forget that :) Compromise isn't one of my middle names - neither's patience :)

And now... back to turntables!
 
Yes, Dom, I've heard it all before. I've even said at least some of it. Let's see...

And now, back to turntables...
 
Ninja sounds fine btw, but Kathie wants black. Your deck corrupted her.
Click to expand...
Change the plinth. Have you seen Dev's Linn Special Fluted Black job? But I suppose the Linn Standard Unfluted Black is shiny. Too much choice...

Anyway I think plinths are cheap compared to new turntables...

Paul
 
Have you seen Dev's Linn Special Fluted Black job?
Click to expand...

Sorry to interrupt, but is that the Piano Gloss black one that I've read about(anniversary something-or-other) - I've been looking for pictures on the web but can't seem to find any. Could anyone point me in the right direction?

Cheers, and, again, apologies for butting in.
 
Originally posted by titian
Dom,

oh great no compromises for music gear ;) :D
Click to expand...

That involves money so that's compromise by proxy so out of my hands :)

Why pay money for something that follows you around and whines when a washing machine does it for free and doesn't get under your feet? ;)

Sorry - in an arsey mood due to trying to get through to British Turdicom (housemate's run up a 90 quid bill on my budget plan - gggggrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!) and those tossers cut me off once already...
 
Dom is right.

Some women just feel the need to mark their territory.

Six months down the line it'll be,

"I really liked that old Linn turnytable you had, it gave you feelings of nostalgia. Can you get another one cos the black cake stand is just so eighties."
 

Latest posts

Back
Top