I'M LISTENING TO VINYL!!!! It's almost 7 am...been up all night

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by audio, Jul 20, 2004.

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  1. audio

    audio New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    guyana
    I just had to do it. My obsession. I had a TON of other IMPORTANT things to do, but I just decided to go for it. I tore this table apart and got it running. The setup is PERFECT and represents probably over 40 hours of my time. I still need to make some adjustments by ear in terms of anti-skate and VTA, but I'm honest to god shocked at how close I am just using tools and intuition. Channel balance is perfect, no sibilance to speak of, image is focused, vocals are a little thick(VTA issue?), but this thing sounds SMOOTH. So we have the Shure V15 III going through the Fisher X-202-B with Telefunken 12AX7s in the phono stage. The V15 isn't flashy by .....(woah...just had a major scare! All of the sudden as I type this, one channel on this Chad and Jeremy "Distant Shores" mono lp dropped out towards the end of track 3 and it spooked the hell out of me. What the problem is...that since this record is so well played by it's former owner on ill-functioning gear, one channel gets really low in volume towards the center of the lp where it is worn out from mis-tracking. This is my theory anyway).....ANYHOW, the V15 isn't flashy by any means. I can understand why many "audiophiles" don't care for this cartridge in it's various incarnations as I suppose the V15 isn't as exciting as a Benz Micro, is it? What the V15 is, however....is that it is one of the most natural sounding phono cartridges I've ever heard. Last night I was visiting my friend Kara at Dehavilland and we were listening to her hot-rodded Ampex tube reel to reel machines through their new preamps/mono-blocks into some Alon towers. In other words, I feel that my ears are calibrated presently and I'm very soothed and pleased by the sound of this V15 III. This Hydraulic Reference actually doesn't sound half bad either. I'm STOKED that I don't seem to have any ground problems, as these tables are NOTORIOUS for. This table is DEAD QUIET. The phono pre and this table are less noisy than the last vinyl setup I had, which was my Music Hall MMF 7 through an Arcam Alpha 9. That surprises me. I am genuinely shocked at how quiet, silky, and neutral this Michell table sounds. The tonearm tracks like a dream; another surprise. Rumble is non-existent and the table is ALARMINGLY well isolated. I can't even make a low level thump through my Tannoys while tapping firmly on the rack immediately adjacent to the plinth. This is something my MMF 7 was not as good at, and the MMF 7 is has a split plinth, cones, and is a very quiet table! The bottom line is that this machine is breathing LIFE into these lps and I'm having an absolute blast. Like I said, I've been working on...HAMMERING this setup ALL NIGHT LONG. I am DEAD TIRED but this Chad and Jeremy album sounds SOOOO good right now. Additionally, I sampled a little German "Axis Bold As Love" on Polydor, some Speedy West and a Chi-Lites record. Okay, that's all. I'm probably going to listen to "Distant Shores" another time or two and then try to sleep. Lord knows I CAN'T WAIT to play my vinyl copy of "Shazam" that shrive gave me!:thumbsup: I'll be cleaning that tomorrow. Right on. Goodnight.
     
  2. RetroSmith

    RetroSmith Forum Hall Of Fame<br>(Formerly Mikey5967)

    Location:
    East Coast
    Prix.....
     
  3. Joe Nino-Hernes

    Joe Nino-Hernes Active Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Prix, you would like the new Shure V15VxMR. Its micro ridge stylus really digs out a lot of detail. It still has the nice smooth sound of the older V15's, just not as colored, its more acurate and detailed. Surface noise with this cart seems to be non existant.
     
  4. Leppo

    Leppo Forum Librarian

    Glad to hear that your table is finally up and running.
    You're gonna love the sound of Shazam especially "The Last Thing On My Mind"! :love:
     
  5. Tony Plachy

    Tony Plachy Senior Member

    Location:
    Pleasantville, NY
    Prix, Congratulations! :thumbsup:
     
  6. poe_man

    poe_man Senior Member

    Location:
    Basom
    Ok Prix, sounds great! Now go get some sleep, champ!!! :nauga:
     
  7. bluelight1469

    bluelight1469 New Member

    Location:
    denver
    Hey Prix,

    you are a sick man, but I like you anyway! :agree:

    You are stoking the tube fever that has caught hold of me, I can't wait to receive my Fisher 400. :goodie:
     
  8. Bob Lovely

    Bob Lovely Super Gort In Memoriam

    Prix pulls an "all-nighter" - video tape at 11!!

    Bob :D
     
  9. Danny

    Danny Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Music is one of the few good reasons to stay up all nite!!!
     
  10. thegage

    thegage Forum Currency Nerd

    It's my understanding that the most recent incarnation has a purposely tipped down (or is it rising) top end, whereas the previous V15 had ruler flat response. Don't get me wrong, I have an xMR and love it, but I don't think it's correct to call it "more accurate" than the previous model.

    Oh yeah, got to love that vinyl! :righton: I've been having some grounding problems with the Eminent Technology tonearm on my VPI after I did some tweaking. Just wanting to listen to some vinyl but frustrated, I pulled out my "backup rig," an older B&O RX-2. Maybe not all of the performance of the "big rig," but still a ton of vinyl magic.

    John K.
     
  11. proufo

    proufo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bogotá, Colombia
    Congratulations prix. I empathize with you, as I feel I will need to get a sabbatical once I get my gear and my life back in order. Indulge!

    You may enjoy this: The Harpsichord and the Piano
     
  12. Joe Koz

    Joe Koz Prodigal Bone Brother™ In Memoriam

    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Prix, I'm glad you got your TT up and running! Have fun...my man!!!! :thumbsup:
     
  13. JorgeGvb

    JorgeGvb Senior Member

    Location:
    Virginia Beach
    I want to hear the story Prix told his boss why he could not work today! I don't think staying up all night playing LPs is gonna cut it. :D
     
  14. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialist™

    Location:
    B.C.
    Jorge, IIRC prix is the self-employed variety.
     
  15. Damián

    Damián Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Spain now
    Glad you finally managed to straighten up the 'table, Prix!
     
  16. SamS

    SamS Forum Legend

    Location:
    Texas
    What a great feeling to have your rig sounding so nice. One of life's truest pleasures.

    Rock ON! :edthumbs:
     
  17. audio

    audio New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    guyana

    Yes,....you'll need to change your avatar! BTW, got your check yesterday. Thanx!
     
  18. audio

    audio New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    guyana

    Music or women.:D
     
  19. audio

    audio New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    guyana

    Prix is his own boss, so I'm safe this time.:D
     
  20. audio

    audio New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    guyana
    I agree with you there. However, there's still another can of worms to open up here. I still need to tweak the anti-skate and azimuth. One of the RCA plugs on the table keeps cutting out and needs to be wiggled now and then. Fortunately it's not on the tonearm end, so it should be pretty easy to deal with. Anyway, today I'm just playing albums. I don't even want to know how off this thing is with the test lp. It may ruin things for me.:D I'm going to rest my brain for at least 24 hours and then I'll dial her in further. Then it'll be time to break out the heavy artillery: Beatles blue box, Y/B Parlaphone pressings, original Immediate "Ogden's..", "Shazam", etc.:goodie:
     
  21. Joe Nino-Hernes

    Joe Nino-Hernes Active Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    It's just as ruler flat as its previous model. However, due to the micro ridge stylus, the top end is more detailed and refined, but it is not tipped up in response. To the listener, depending on his or her setup, it might sound as if the top end is tipped up, but it is really just extracting more detail from the grove, than the older model. Sometimes complex passages get unclear with the old V15, but with the new one, they stay clear and detailed.

    The new V15 also shares the same superb tracking ability that all of the V15's have,
     
  22. audio

    audio New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    guyana
    Remarkable! This table tracks better than my MMF 7 did. Could it be the V15?? I can play every single band on the bias test section of my Hi-Fi News Test lp with ZERO distortion out of either channel. The last band gives me a little bit of trouble, but I've never heard a table that didn't. I'm shocked at the level of performance here. Currently spinning Big Star #1 original Ardent vinyl. Did some A/B tests.....yes, the vinyl SMOKES the cd.:D
     
  23. electrode10101

    electrode10101 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northern Virginia
    BTW a MR stylus is available for the V15III from Shure as their current replacement. Makes the III a winner! I use one in my bedroom system (all tube) and it sounds very clean, detailed and smooth. While the VxMR may be more detailed and analytical (got one of those too, so I know), when set in a system "voiced" for it, I find the III more natural sounding, especially when playing older discs.
     
  24. Tony Plachy

    Tony Plachy Senior Member

    Location:
    Pleasantville, NY
    Prix, If you can track the last band with only a little trouble you have done a great job of setting up the TT. :thumbsup:
     
  25. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Me neither. Deliberately a very high modulation, so nothing to worry about. I never bother testing with that track any more.
     
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