Lyra Delos issue

The angle and clearance doesn't look bad to me (except for the paper), but this cartridge does require precision not discernible in the photos.

I would probably send it back also. If the suspension has sagged it will throw the whole works out of alignment and affect the performance. I'm sure they will set it right and it will probably be better than a new one when it comes back. I know Van Den Hul used to let you return a cartridge after 250 hours for fine tuning for that reason.

 

I also had a low rider Delos. I was the second owner of this Delos and the warranty was never brought up. I'm not sure if they went by serial number or what to determine. I coordinated everything through Alasdair at AudioQuest - [email protected].

I simply stated my concern and from there an RMA form was forwarded via email which I completed and emailed back. I was then returned a PDF with RMA Number which I printed and returned to AudioQuest along with the Delos who then in turn sent on to Lyra in Japan. It was right at 8 weeks from me shipping to AudioQuest to having it back. I don't know how someone got so lucky with a two week turnaround but this is my experience.

 

Most of the Delos I have seen or seen pictures of, or for that matter all Lyra show the washi tape placed about 1mm back of the leading edge of the cart. The fabric is most always very neatly applied and very tidy looking as one would expect, to be honest Brian, the tape on your Delos looks misapplied or though it has been ruffed up, looking bowed out at the back side and oversize in length overall (look at pics of others, see ggerms). I agree with so much that has been said, especially that which warns against doing anything to it except sending a picture or three off to Jonathan Carr and sending it to a recommended dealer. I would also agree with JCOehler that eight weeks to go to Lyra in Japan, be adjusted and returned, sounds about right. I feel for you Brian, but you know these things happen from time to time. Personally, this would not dissuade me from Lyra and I hope you can feel the same as the rewards of patience will be worth those days without analogue music... (says a guy on his third Lyra and looking to purchase both a mono and new stereo replacement).

 

Man, 8 weeks. That's too long.

I think I'll live with the Delos for now, get a new cart, then send this in to be serviced. I was planning to upgrade the cart in a few months anyway, but I guess a lot of carts take 4-6 weeks to get delivered anyway so I should probably go ahead and order now.

Anyone know Jonathan Carr's email?

 

Not sure I would chance it! It might be effecting your LPs for further down the road.....I would send it off for service and play CDs (AHHHHH!) until the spare arrives. Better safe than sorry, IMHO>

 

Brian, why do you assume it will take 8 weeks? That's only if it needs to be sent back to Japan. In Jonathan Carr's post on Audiogon recommending a tightening up of a low rider, he says it will be turned around quickly. That job might be able to be done in California.

PM sent.

 

Have you tried raising the arm a bit?

You could just call Lyra : 800.747.2770

 

Yeah, good point. I'll see what he says.

 

Brian you have bought a ton of new equipment over the last year. All of it very nice. Maybe you need to get your TT first checked out or pick up the tools to do it yourself. I learned quite a bit about cartridge setup messing around with my table .
I'd advoid the websites that just seem to push the never ending presuit of buying more. Take the time to smell the roses and enjoy what you have. Settle in for a while with what you have.

 

I couldn't agree more. But you see Brian has recently discovered the joy of music he was lacking on CDs without even knowing it. He's still on a high.

 

Hi, I'm Gregg and I'm an audio addict.

< Hi, Gregg >

I've written about this in the past and I certainly don't want to hijack Brian's thread but I've been there, where my stereo was never good enough and all I could focus on was its problems. I had to back away from being an audiophile for thirty years because of that. It's only in the last five years I've been mature enough to return to the hobby. During those five years, I added a subwoofer. I also upgraded my cartridge and phono stage. That's it. Instead, I've enjoyed the wonders of my system.

Brian, these folks are right. Audiophelia can be an addiction and its high, like any addiction, has a dark side. Watch out. The crash is emotionally devastating.

Get your Delos repaired and your turntable set up better after it comes back. But it would do you good to discover how your system sounds with a $239 Audio Technica AT440MLa or even a $89 Shure M97XE. That would then be your back up cartridge, something you're learning is handy to own.

Enjoy your stereo. For some of us, that's a lot tougher than it sounds.

 

Brian - I should also state those 8 weeks were long and I missed the Delos. Like Gregg suggests, get your self a low cost new or a shade better used cart. I secured a second hand Sumiko BP #2 to keep my vinyl spinning but when the Delos returned, it was fantastic. Lyra sent over new hardware, the washi paper was replaced and it sounded amazing, even better than I recalled. It is well worth the wait and you should get it done soon as others have stated to avoid any potential vinyl damage or further damage to the Delos.

 

I wise man once told me to never comment on or criticize how a grown a$$ man chooses to spend his hard earned money. 'Twas a very wise man indeed.

But seriously... you guys are mistaking my planned upgrades for Audiophelia. I think my system is fantastic as is. I'm not upgrading because I don't think my current cartridge, amp or whatever aren't "good enough". I'm upgrading because (1) I'm building a "system" with specific goals and (2) because I can.

I'm still young by audiophile standards. I want to enjoy my dream system for a long time, not finally getting it when I'm 60 (no offense to those of you just getting there). I've never upgraded because my system wasn't "good enough". When I bought the Delos, I always intended to upgrade it. This issue is just accelerating that by a few months.

I don't have kids (yet), so it's a little easier to build my dream system now. That might not be the case in a few years. You never know...

 

Hey where did you find my private notebook from 20 years ago??

 

In all seriousness , I don't think anyone wants to deter you from getting to your audiophile solution. I would just say that although my goals have been fairly consistent over the years, the path I eventually took to achieve them were not what I would have thought setting out.

Also, immediate reactions don't always translate into long term satisfaction. For example it is well known that speakers played slightly louder than another set will sound better initially. It is just that they can become tiring later on if they only sound good played loud. Cartridges with a bit of mid treble boost can seem more revealing etc etc. So I just think people were saying that sometimes it's best to assess the system carefully over a period of time to fully understand its weaknesses (and strengths).

 

Brian, spend your money any way you want to. As my mother used to say, Lincoln freed you, too.

I apologize for making my post. Never being satisfied with my hi-fi was my problem, not yours. I shouldn't have spoken up.

 

Ha! No worries. I know how it goes. I wasn't offended or anything. As the kids say... YOLO.

By the way, I took delivery of some additional GIK acoustic treatments today to iron out some rough spots in my room. It never ceases to amaze me how much treatments work. It's really exponential. Maybe not the best looking stuff in the world, but all pretty light-weight and can easily be removed when guests come over.

Given the relatively low costs and massive improvements, I have to criticize any man who isn't spending his hard earned money at GIK.

 

They do. They examine returns microscopically and in many instances people return carts they've damaged themselves by bumping something, dropping, etc., then try to claim manufacturing flaws. I'm sure that gets very tiring. I am quite sure they would be completely 'stand-up' on a product fault of their own.

 

Ha! Now There's a guy looking ahead.....the key to being an audiophile with kids is having a dedicated room that the little destructive gremlins cannot get to. The analog rig/system would not survive in my house in any type of family room. Once the 19 month old is unleashed, chaos ensues. The best thing you can do is plan ahead....that's what we did when we built our house. Kids + turntable =

- Buck

 

That settles it. I'm never having kids!

 

Heh, I know exactly what store that is just from that brief anecdote. A Saturday Night Live skit lampooning smug audio dealers wouldn't go as far as those guys get. Never again for me!

 

Hey there Brian,

Didn't mean that as a cut to you. Feel free to spend your hard earned money however you like. My point was that it takes time to get used to a sound and letting it settle in is not a bad thing. Swapping equipment in and out too quickly doesn't give the equipment, or your ears really time to settle down. Placement and treatments in the room make a greater difference than any gear change, outside of speakers and source.

Posting out here you cant put tone or inflection so words can be taken in different ways. I'm not one of those people that gets into putting people down as others on here. My postings show that.

There is a very strong push on this site to be more focused on gear than appreciating what it was bought for.

If anything I've enjoyed reading about some of the more obscure equipment you have purchased.

Getting back to cartridges I finally got around to getting rid of the Soundsmith Zephyr and replaced with a Dyna XX-2. Amazing the difference from the first drop. If you decide to use this as a chance to do an upgrade I would highly recommend it. Initially I was going to go for a TKR but after comparing them side to side the difference seemed so slight it was probably more imagined than real.

Also don't rely on others to do your cartridge setup. Buy a good digital scale, a Dr. Feickert protractor and if you want to go really crazy get a Fozgometer. The whole setup would only cost you a few hundred dollars and you will be able to adjust and tune to your hearts delight. This can be taken to every rig you buy in the future and they show up so infrequently in the used market you will get back most of your money if you decide to get out of vinyl. 98 out of 100 times your going to do a better job than the "pros".

 

As has been said earlier, you can spend your $$$ anyway you see fit, however, having a second cartridge on hand is not a bad idea.

 

I think it is important that you're taking the journey and are going through the upgrade process rather than starting with the dream system. My system has gone up and down in quality over the years and it has made me much more appreciative of the changes. My ex gf thought I was nuts for spending the money on Black Cat interconnects and speaker cables a few weeks ago, but after hearing the changes she got it. She still thought it was too much money, but understood why I did it.

A backup cartridge always seems like a luxury until you snap a cantilever or something. Which reminds me to add that to my own to do list.

 

Things like this remind me of how great the Rega table and cartridge combo are. Great synergy and sound at every price point...and hassle free! I just wouldn't want to put uo with the aggrivation of dealing with issues like this.. Some people like to tinker with things...I am not one of those people.