After 30 years My Audio Dreams Are Realized, maybe...!

Thanks man. The components are on my profile page. It is the top of the line Naim pre amp and power supply from a few generations ago, rebuilt, Naim NAP 300DR amp, Lamm LP2, Ypsillon MC16 SUT, RSA Dmitri PLC, Vivid Giya 3's. Everything except the Dmitri was purchased second hand, including carts(they are like a new car). Yes speakers were very steep(16k), but I drive a 12 yo car Nice umbrella policy too. Feeling incredibly blessed these days. First child coming, gotta listen loud and often while I can.

 

Congrats and enjoy!!! I bet your system is your addiction now like mine is.

 

Love your table, and the rest of the system for that matter! I have a Clearaudio Avantgarde that comes with the machined aluminum record weight, and it works well and is easy to use, but like you I have other weights that I wanted to try and they wouldn't quite fit. Most notably, I wanted to try my old solid brass Micro Seiki ST-10, but the hole was a little too tight for the Clearaudio spindle, they do seem to use the top end of the spec for their spindle diameter. So I just grabbed a 1/4" dowel and wrapped some 3M 1000 grit wetordry sandpaper around it with a little oil and chucked it in the drill and slightly opened up the hole in the ST-10, just took a couple minutes and now fits perfect. The ST-10 weighs 2 lb (910 grams) whereas the stock weight is only about 12 ounces, so it does lower the platter a bit (mine also has the ceramic magnetic bearing), still a decent gap but probably couldn't go much further with the weight. How much weight does the periphery ring clamp add? Picture below shows the Micro Seiki weight on the table with the stock Clearaudio weight in the left foreground ...

 

People who have had the HZ and then upgraded to the CH X20 say it's quite an improvement. I hope they let their HZ go and I can find one. I did not know about the audioshark search + email thing. Thanks.

 

Nice Setup! I am really liking the benz right now. I'm in no hurry to go to the DV x1T, though I sure I'll regret waiting once I set it up. Which benz do you have on there? Any tips on setup? Higher or lower range of vtf? The ring is 2-3 pounds I think.

 

I think its hifishark, sorry too many sites. Good to hear some anecdotes on the CH cables. Oh and you will be immensely pleased when you find one.

 

I have the Benz Wood SL, had to check but looks like I'm running right at the high end of the range right now, which is 1.7 - 2.0 grams, think I bumped it up a bit recently, but sounding very good and tracks without issues ... loading is currently set at 510 ohms and resonance looks to be at around 10Hz on the Satisfy Carbon Fibre per Shure test record ...




BTW, I did attempt to measure the additional deflection of the platter with the bigger 2 pound weight using some drill bits, and it's a little less than 1/64", so not quite as much as I suspected, but you'll have to test with your ring and weight to make sure there is enough clearance between bearing magnets, you should still be able to push the platter down a little before the magnets hit.

 

Thanks for checking the VTF. I was at 2.05, trying 2.20 upper limit now. Are you using antiskate? I am finding antiskate hat a potent effect on the centering of my center image, and needs to be adjusted carefully. Since we're using a similar VTF and Clearaudio bases AS on VTF figured it would be interesting to see where you ended up. I have no doubt the bearing has enough repellant force to support the ring, its a Clearaudio recommended combo.

 

Not sure who made the aluminum weight in the foreground, but it was not Clearaudio. Nice setup btw! Clearaudio and Benz have always been a great pairing.

 

Funny you should say that, I am very surprised how my old benz is killing the RSP. Dynavector and clearaudio any thoughts?

 

You can see in the picture I posted above that I am using the anti-skate, it's in the medium range. I haven't noticed a strong affect on the center image, though, I'll have to pay more attention to that aspect. My image is pretty well centered.

Oh, thanks for that, good knowledge! It came with the table when I bought it used and I just assumed. After a little online research, may have been a custom one based on an old 1980 design, but it is machined very well, and it's easy to handle.

 

When you are experimenting with different levels of ant-skating, be sure to try zero, i.e. NO anti skating. On every arm I have owned that had A/S I have preferred the sound quality when the A/S was disabled. For the last few years that has been with a Triplanar VII and Benz LP but was also true with a long line of prior arms and carts. This is not a revelutionary idea. Harry Weisfeld said the same thing for many years (but he finally buckled and added A/S as an option) and I am old enough to remember Edgar Villchur saying the same thing back in the 1960s. Clearly there are designers and users who must like the sound with A/S so I can’t say how you will react, but you should certainly try your arm without it.

 

Sorry, no experience with that pairing.

 

Thanks for chiming in, I have definitely been experimenting, max AS as recommended in the manual gives the best sound with Ruby to my ears. I can adjust on the fly, what do mostly focus on when adjusting, any sources you find extra helpful for dialing it in?

 

Nice system!

 

I don't do any "dialing in" of A/S because I don't use A/S at all. In general I prefer the no A/S because the sound is more open, more free-flowing and more dynamic. Whenever I add A/S the sound becomes somewhat pinched and less realistic to my ears. I think a decent analogy is the differences between a good spherical tip and a hyper-elliptical tip. After you listen to the spherical for a while, the elliptical sounds hyped and nervous, artificially emphasizing high-frequency detail to the detriment of the music. At least that's been my experience.

I freely admit that some people like the sound of A/S just like some people like the hyper-elliptical cartridge tip. All I am saying is that when you are experimenting with different A/S settings, be sure to try it at zero because it does sound different from all the A/S settings.

 

I was lucky enough to upgrade to 3 X20's that I found second hand. My system has never been better, I am having those stupid grin moments hourly

 

Damn you!

 

I pm'd you a while ago, I could let a HZ go.