Considering ditching my vintage system and going modern again....advice?

Due to my increasing frustration with the work involved in getting various vintage gear happening, I'm considering selling it all off and going modern again. What is really driving me insane is my turntable. I've been working on it off and on for months and I can't seem to get it running right. It was almost ready to go and now it's running slow. I thought about just getting a different vintage turntable such as a Garrard, Thorens, or perhaps an old Empire....but what is to say I'm not going to have the same types of problems? If I went modern, here is what my system would be comprised of:

Turntable: A) VPI Scout B) J A Michell GyroDec C) Music Hall MMF 9

Cartridge : Shure V15VxMR

Preamp: A) Audio Research (unsure of which model...likely something a little older w/ phono stage B) deHavilland custom line stage (my friends at deHavilland have offered before to build one for me)

Amp(s): A) Scott 250 monoblocks, completely gutted/modernized, cleaned up, and restored with high-end parts, hexfreds, wire, and solder.

Interconnects/speaker cables: A) Grovers B) Harmonic Technology

Speakers: Tannoy System 15 DMT II

In order to finance this ordeal, I would have to sell everything....get rid of my smaller systems and various integrated amps. I'd love to discuss the pros and cons of this move with anyone who is willing.

 

Hi Prix,

What's your vintage rig composed of?

-Jeffrey

 

Hi Prix,

Sounds like your TT is more trouble than it may be worth BUT i'm not sure i'd ditch the vintage program over one TT. For that matter, i'd consider mixing a modern TT w/ vintage amp, preamp, and speakers. That's my gig and it works fine for my ears. I think you should be making the change based upon SONICS not hassles.

-Jeffrey

 

Ditto. You seemed very enthusiastic as you went along acquiring vintage gear, your Tannoys, everything.

Get something like an MMF-5 and just enjoy your collection for a while, then start thinking about an upgrade. If I recall correctly, you never set up your Clockwork Orange 'table.

Maybe getting something that'll work right out of the box and becoming re-acquainted with your LPs again, thru the gear you've picked and exchanged and combined thru the past year or so, could change your mind.

 

Amen to that. Take one of the lovely Music Hall tables you sold to me and stick it in there and RELAX

 

New VPI table + vintage amp + vintage speakers =

 

But you don't necessarily have to have vintage speakers.

 

I dont think Vintage speakers are desireable. If theres one component that has improved 1000X over the years, its speakers.

Get a set of modern tannoys and groove. They will sound amazing.

 

Hi,

Lemme be the first to disagree. There's a lot to be said for pairing vintage amps and pre's w/ vintage speakers. As in any marriage, compatibility is critical.

BTW, the 1000X improvement is very impressive.

-Jeffrey

 

jeff, its ok to disagree, but in my experience, modern speakers have benefited more from technology upgrades than any other component.

I owned very expensive Electro Voice speakers from the 1960s with 12 inch woofers.

Compared today with reference Tannoys, they sound horrible. Boomy, boxy, etc.

If vintage speakers work for you thats great tho. To each his own.

 

I would get modern speakers. I too, think older speakers don't sound as good as newer speakers. I run a pair of Pardigm monitor 3's with my vintage Sansui and they sound great together. I have an older Thorens TT and keep it because I haven't had any problems with it. The Thorens has a speed control with a scope and holds it's speed very well. If I did have problems with the Thorens I would definately go with an Aries Scout.

I do know what you mean about vintage stuff being a hassle. I just got done paying for repairs on the Sansui rig. I am hoping it will last for a long while now.

 

Although modern research into speakers has helped manufacturers build good sounding budget units by formula, some vintage units were built by hand and tweaked through listening tests until they sounded good. They'll sound good today.

 

Bear in mind when vintage speakers were designed, they obviously didn't have the computer modeling used today. It was a trial and error process. It was all voicing, and vintage loudspeakers were voiced with vintage gear. IMHO, that's how they'll sound best.

 

Oops, sorry for the echo, Geoff. I agree.

 

Actually Arin, I disagree that they'll only sound good with vintage gear.

What I suggest is that a nice pair of quality vintage loudspeakers will sound divine on a high class modern system.

 

Fair enough. I wasn't saying vintage speakers would sound good *only* with vintage gear, though. Just that, IMHO, they'd sound *best* driven with vintage gear. YMMV.

 

I cant say I agree with all this. For one, the actual cone and tweeter material made today has better transients and response time than the stiff paper and metal stuff of yesterday.

Also, those paper cones split, dry out, and one has to recone . Also replace the tweeters a lot of the time. Many people replace the crossovers.
After doing that, do you still have a "vintage" speaker?

Seems to me what you have is a Vintage Cabinet!!

 

If you've spent all this time getting your vintage system together and it's just a TT speed issue, why not buy a speed controller?, like a Project Speedbox SE.
It may save you a lot of grief selling and buying more gear. Just a thought, I own the Speedbox myself and it's a great little unit.

 

Prix, what about...

"Well it's happened again to me, thank heaven. I've been completely transported to another dimension thanks to two individuals: Steve Hoffman and Tom Petty.

Having just received my copy of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' sublime "You're Gonna Get It" MCAD 31171, I wasted know time in powering up my all Telefunken 12AX7 driven Fisher X-202-B in lewd anticipation of the bone-crunching, chiming, infectiously melodic rock 'n' roll assault that was about to come dripping out of my vintage Tannoy 12" Monitor Golds. After letting the tubes warm up for a few minutes and cueing up the Music Hall CD 25 to the beginning of the disc, I threw up the volume and collapsed luxuriously into my leather, fur, and chrome, art deco listening chair.

...By the time track 4 rolled around, I was mesmerized to say the least. I have never heard Tom Petty's band play with such weight, such immediacy, and with a warmth and natural ease that is uncommon for the digital realm."

It sounds like you liked your vintage system here?

IMO - If you dump all your vintage gear, you'll regret it later on.

 

Yes, I agree, they will sound good today but will not have the soundstage of new speakers. Vintage speakers will have many cabinet resonance issues as well. Vintage speakers will be more colored, if you will.

Crossover design and parts has advanced quite a bit as well.

 

I would forget about vintage or new and just concentrate on a good sounding system. The only two people I know with truly high - end systems mix and match vintage and new with great sounding results. Mostly they have vintage amplification with other stuff being newer. If you have a weak link in your system, replace it with the best available no matter what its vintage. I realize there is a certain romance with vintage gear, but if it becomes a pain in the butt it just starts taking away from the enjoyment of the music.