Post Your Needledrops (Part Five)

I won't claim that it is the drop that is better, but just the record. The RL version of Led Zeppelin II has "balls" for lack of a better way to describe it.

 

Here's a screenshot showing what I did in RX and a sample of untreated noise.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/gng4g0

 

Do you apply noise reduction everywhere, or just where it is obtrusive? Psychoacoustics can take care of a lot without actually having to do anything.

 

What are you using for a phono stage? Some day I will get me a RL version.

 

Lately I have done both. On LZ and DB I used CR on the whole drop @ 2 and 4. I'm not
familiar with Psychoacoustics

 

Its just a Cambridge Azur 640p. It doesn't have enough gain for this cartridge, so I might open it up and replace the input resistors to a lower value to get a better load match. Eventually I want to replace it, but my wallet is going to be in shock from getting the turntable for awhile.

 

Why not just try an ART DJ Pro II? Adjustable gain, adjustable capacitance. And 1/6 the cost of the Azur 640P.

 

I have one of those and I use it on my Pioneer PL-L1000. Its especially nice for playing "hot" 45s because you can turn down the gain. The Dynavector is a low output MC cartridge, though and only puts out 0.3 mV. It won't work with the ART.

 

Wow, that is low. OK.

 

Is a raised level of floor noise an accepted consequence of lower output MC cartridges?

 

I do have an option to return my Tube Box for the PS audio unit and it has a gain on the front but it made the sound brighter and I don't think my setup can stand any more brightness. It sounds great in my main listening room but irritating in my equipment room over headphones.

 

I thought that you could change the gain on the Tube Box DS. I was thinking about getting one of those after my wallet is less "wounded".

 

Here is some Big Mama Thornton from the album "Sassy Mama". Any comments?

http://www.sendspace.com/file/xdm87i

 

Its a trade-off. On one hand the preamp has to be very low noise to work with a low output MC. Even so, the noise floor tends to be higher, but acceptable. On the other hand, the actual moving mass on a low output MC is lower than for most other types of cartridges, so they tend to be more detailed and less sluggish.

 

There is a 40,50 or 60db adjustment. I haven't started tweaking it's adjustments. I have it set up like is suggested in the manual with only a jumper on the F/V and that enables the I believe the resistance knob on front. Bill at Project said the knob works on any setup but the manual suggest otherwise.

Just got the inclination to swap the power cord with a black mamba and my 1st listen the motor hum is gone. I'll follow up on this. Often my 1st impression is wrong.

 

Found a nice, clean early pressing of the first Boston LP yesterday.

More than a Feeling (1976, Boston)

 

Nice. I liked the sound of those strings. What really stood out was the slight echo with the hand clapping.

 

Check this out the highend power cable clearly removed 80% of the motor hum. The sample is a before and after nothing else.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/ihnphb

 

Now that you mention it, I recall discussing Pro-Ject's lousy documentation with my dealer when I bought my Tubs Box S. He mentioned trying a Tube Box DS when it came in and found that he could not get the front control to do anything until he did the exact opposite of what was in the Pro-Ject manual. It could well be that jumper.

 

That's definitely an improvement!

 

I'm not sure about his experience but I never heard anything different with the knob until I switched it to F/V and then all I’m sure of is that when I turn it below 20 it lowers the level.

 

I'm going even better. I also have a Shunyata research Hydra (original version) It only has 6 outlets so I constructed an 8-way junction box that a Black mamba plugs into as a power source and another power strip was plugged into it that was where the VPI was plugged in, lots of length for noise. I moved some things around and now have the VPI with Black mamba strait to the Hydra. I would never have thought this would have helped in any way!

 

Well he may have had a different manual. I know the manual I received in the box with my Tube Box S is not the same as the one for download on the web site.

I had the same experience with a lowered level when I tried switching mine to 10 ohms.

 

Nice, wish I had that record.

I did a drop of that Zep II off of a 1A/1A CTH copy. It's a beat up copy I got cheap.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/0e5w3e

 

I can live with this. Here's Dire Straits 180g reissue Water of love intro. No processing.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/g3v4c7