Turntable confusion

Zanash, thank you for your post. It is at least reassuring to hear that my comments make some sense to someone else who has heard these things.

I came very close to just buying a GyroDec and being done with it (largely based on my girlfriend's encouragement based on looks). But have decided instead to try some second hand options in the £500 - £1000 range and see if any of them suit.

 

In that case I think yoiu have missunderstood thw whole subject.

Its a black art at the end of the day.

i've read the comments over the last 24 hours and considered them to be very sensible and evenly weighted.

 

Yes, David, that's because you've been echoing each of Rob's posts with helpful additions like responding to my question, "what should I do" with the deep insight, "whatever you want to do".

Have each of your 3,000 posts so admirably held back from any personal thoughts on any item lest you stray into a subjective area?

 

I know I'm sounding a little hostile now but I really am surprised at the way that a couple of people have dealt with my questions just by saying "it's all subjective" over and over again.

 

Thats the thing to do.

Try stuff out, ideally at home, using general recommendations and trying stuff from there.

I don't think any one can tell you precisely what adjustment "a" or "b" will do ecause it depends on many other variables, not the least of which is (are?) the acoustice of your own room.

No one system is going to serve all your musical needs. So music types are going to sound better than others.

As in my signature, don't forget set-up such as equipment /speaker mounting.

ONly YOU know when you've found a TT thats ticks enough boxes for you to part with your reddies. Don't part with them till you do .

 

If I suggested you bought a grodeck what ever, with an abc arm and an xyz cartrigde I do assure you that that WOULD be wrong!

 

The point you are missing is that there is distinction between examining general principles, performing online tests, having a general discussion etc, and asking/giving buying advice based on personal preference.

People can explain the difference between TTs just as with anything else but folk listen and hear differently. I don't know how long you've been visiting internet audio forums but IME they are extremely unreliable unless the query is very specific or technical in nature.

But you don't find my advice (intended to save you time and confusion) of use, so I shall leave it there and wish you happy paddling

 

Actually, no.

I think we both have a point.

I don't have the information you are requesting so I'm I await your discoveries with (genuine) interest.

 

Yet isn't that a correct approach?

You auditiion stuff until you find something that gets your foot tapping.

Thats what I've tried to done anyway.

 

Doing what one wants to do is truistic sense. It suggests that the alternative is doing something that one does not want to do. The problem is when is yet to find something that one wants to do and is looking for suggestions as to where to look next.

I have never asked for "buying advice". I asked for suggestions as to where to look next. Not "general recommendations" such as are widely available and which have been useful so far. But slightly more specific recommendations given what I had said so far.

 

I appreciate that. I am going to keep this thread going to report on what I find. If people have inputs, I for one would appreciate them. To avoid confusion, I do not intend to try much without trying it, though as discussed below there may be one exception.

I was worried that I was getting sucked into higher and higher price brackets finding some improvements but not necessarily ending up happy overall (the Townshend and GyroDec set-ups were both over £2000 all in).

So, I have decided to go cheaper again and start with a Roksan Radius V. If I really don't like it as much as the old Xerxes or the Townshend then great - I can sell it and get something else. If I'm basically as happy then at least I'll have saved a bit of cash that I can spend on records until I find something I really like.

The deal I got is a 3 year old Radius V with Nima arm and Origin Live DC advanced DC motor for £580. A fair price I think. If I don't like it I expect to be able to sell it for a similar price.

What I really need advice on is a cartridge. Unfortunately, dealers aren't very interested in letting you try out lots of cartridges under £300. Can anyone suggest how I should approach this problem?

 

there are two cart reccomendations here -

http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=829


In the past ortofon carts have been cheaper from Germany. I'm sure some of this was the strength of the £ against the Euro. It is still worth checking, I am not sure if hundreds can still be saved.

German ebay is one place to look

http://shop.ebay.de/i.html?_nkw=ort...286.m270.l1313&_odkw=ortofohn+rondo&_osacat=0

 

That is a neat tip. The Ortofon Rondo Red comes down to a little over £250 from Germany. The Denon DL-160 comes down to under £100.

 

If non is forthcoming on this form(which would surprise me, if you give it a day or so), remember googles your friend.

One option is to shortlist 2 or 3 cartridges and e bay what you don't get on so well with. P+P are not too much of an issue so thats certainly one way of trying kit without feeling you are throwing too much at it. As I've said before it gives you the chance to evaluate stuff in youir own home and at your leisure.

 

Get a funk firm deck and tonearm and stick on an ortofon of some description

 

I have not heard the Funk Firm V but considered it seirously. However, it had a little too much wow in the Miller tests. That's what annoyed me about the Rega. Otherwise it looks excellent.

 

I suspect that there is a lot of sample variation - they need to tighten up Q&A (as usual). A good one should have no problem.

 

Sammy0 - it is quite difficult with turntables getting to hear the different kit as there are so many variables - which phono stage/cartridge/arm/TT......

When I was shopping, I actually found it useful to go listen to a few people's systems at their homes. I got to hear a few combinations and originally I almost bought a Notts Analogue. (This is despite my getting into HiFi at a time when LP12 was THE TT to get, and my bias presuming it still would be).
I got to listen to a fair few set-ups (this is circa 2 years ago) and I ended up going second hand and for less than a grand I got myself a lovely Gyrodeck with Orbe upgrades (platter being the biggy) and new OL1 arm and new Grado Gold cartridge and the Cambridge Audio phono stage that was the big thing at the time.

You haven't said where you are, but perhaps if you are near folk with set-ups that could come in within the £500-£1,000 on the used market, perhaps worth a bit more listening?

Certainly you'd be welcome to listen to mine if in the yorkshire area. I am very happy with mine. The only reservation is the cartridge as on some material it can get a little brittle and apparently the Grado does display this thinness at times.
However trying to hear different carts is even more tricky!

Someone is selling an AT33PTG, if it were possible to hear how that'd differ from the Grado - I'd be tempted.

 

Ooops - I posted my reply having read 1st 2 pages only - hadn't seen that you now have a deck.

Enjoy!

 

Samantha, I really appreciate the post anyway. Interesting to hear that the Orbe upgrade to the Gyro made a difference. Impressive that you got all that for the price actually.