Thoughts on the Marantz TT-15S1?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by TheRavenPoe, Mar 26, 2017.

  1. comiconart

    comiconart Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashvegas
    Awesome, thank you! I did notice the tonearm swinging in and out, and it does look like the record is pressed off center. I also did NOT apply oil to the bearing during assembly (there was no mention of this in the setup instructions, unless I missed it) - but I do recall seeing a small bottle of oil that came with, so will look into that and check out the belt and such. Appreciate the help!

    Hopefully I can return the fault album.
     
  2. dolsey01

    dolsey01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA
    Oil up man!

    For Jack White being such a vinyl evangelist, I've found many of the Third Man Records pressings pretty mediocre and inconsistent.
     
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  3. comiconart

    comiconart Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashvegas
    Same. I'd happily sacrifice all of the gimmicks for a record that plays properly.
     
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  4. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    OK, probably comes with the bearing oiled for the first time, then every year or two you add some to the well.
     
  5. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    If you mean the crap that United's been pressing for them for years, understandable. I have little experience with the new plant in Detroit (maybe 3 albums), but it seems to be a lot better.
     
  6. Danilo

    Danilo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Milano Italy
    I am a very happy owner of this turntable for more than two years now, and I think there's no other turntable of his class on the market at this moment for the same price, and with a 700 euros cartridge that can be easily renewed with a 25 euros stylus as the at 95.
    Just one important information to owners: the alignment of the cartridge as stated on the manual is uncorrect!!!
    The null points for the satisfy tonearm are 62mm and 120,9 as sated on the Clearaudio specs for this tonearm, so procure yourself an alignment gauge to set the correct null points and you will hear the great difference in playback, with no inner groove distortions and flawless playing all along the entire lp.
    Hope to have explained clearly, English is not my mother tongue, I am from Milano, Italy
     
  7. 12" 45rpm

    12" 45rpm Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Can anyone verify this? If it is true, where can we get the correct alignment gauge?
     
  8. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Well, the null points are based on the alignment you use. The Clearaudio specs for the Satsify seem to indicate they chose Lofgren A based on the 17.3 mm overhang and 222 mm pivot to spindle. My null points come out to about 66 mm and 121 mm, as you can see in the arc protractor below from earlier in the thread ...

    Thoughts on the Marantz TT-15S1?
     
  9. Giacomo Belbo

    Giacomo Belbo Journalist for Rolling Stone 1976-1979

    You’re paying really for a super-expensive cartridge. If you’re not willing to continue “investing” in a similar cartridge you will simply not get the same level of sound.
     
  10. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Are you talking about the TT-15S1? People are buying these decks new for around $1200 with a Clearaudio tonearm that retails for $1700, so they are really getting a good cartridge for free. And if the stylus wears out or breaks, there are many how-to articles and posts and videos on how to replace it with an equivalent AT-95E series stylus with one of the advanced profiles for a very reasonable price. But sure, in general, if you get used to a good cartridge, a lesser cartridge won't sound as good. That seems like sound reasoning :)
     
    CraigVC likes this.
  11. Giacomo Belbo

    Giacomo Belbo Journalist for Rolling Stone 1976-1979

    I’m just saying that’s a close to 1000 dollars cartridge on a 1200 dollars turntable.

     
  12. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Not sure what your point is. Couldn't you say the same for any "super-expensive cartridge" that is worth its cost? If you replace it later with a lesser cartridge, you will not get the same level of sound.
     
  13. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Yes, and that's a hell of a deal, isn't it? I paid US$1,200 for this turntable + cartridge. Sounds amazing to me, especially for the price.
     
  14. Giacomo Belbo

    Giacomo Belbo Journalist for Rolling Stone 1976-1979

    That I’m not sure how well the tt plays with a reasonably priced cartridge.

     
  15. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Ah, I understand now. That wasn't clear in your earlier comments.

    Maybe some day I'll find out something about the answer to your question. First though, when it's time for a stylus replacment, I'll go the DIY route and swap it out with an equivalent AT-95E series stylus, as has been recommended all over the internet with regard to this Clearaudio cartridge.
     
  16. rbmitch2

    rbmitch2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson
    Picked up my TT15-S1 for a great price with a bent cantilever on the cartridge. Grafting in a VividLine AT95 replacement was a piece of cake. Sounds awfully good to me.
     
  17. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
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  18. 12" 45rpm

    12" 45rpm Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    I am not sure how good the included cartridge is. Some reports say it is a "lower-spec" model. In any case I did not like the sound signature. I changed it to a Grado Gold with 8mz stylus which sounded more musical to my ears..
     
  19. sound chaser

    sound chaser Senior Member

    Location:
    North East UK.
    If we are still talking about the TT-15S1, mine had a 'Virtuoso', can't say I found anything wrong with it.
     
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  20. 12" 45rpm

    12" 45rpm Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    Correct it is the Virtuoso. But I don't believe it is the same Virtuoso that sells for $800 or something..

    Maybe my ears are just used to the Grado sound which is why I did not like it so much.. I even preferred my cheap Grado Black to it's sound..
     
  21. H8SLKC

    H8SLKC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston, MA
    It certainly is the Virtuoso that sold for $800, although that cartridge is currently being sold as V2, with a different ebony surround capsule than the V1 model. The TT15S1 still ships with the V1 model. It is a very highly regarded cartridge. I came to like a rounder, fuller, less detailed sound than the Virtuoso provided, so I went away from it myself, but get annoyed when some sneer at the Virtuoso.


     
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  22. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Can you share links that say it's a "lower-spec" model? (What does "lower-spec" mean, anyway?)

    Here are links that indicate it's the same as the retail version of Clearaudio Virtuoso Ebony Wood:

    Marantz - TT-15 Acrylic Turntable | Shop Music Direct
    Marantz TT 15S1 Turntable with ClearAudio Virtuoso Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge-Audio Advisor
     
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  23. Giacomo Belbo

    Giacomo Belbo Journalist for Rolling Stone 1976-1979

    There is no way that a company like Marantz claims Virtuoso without actually shipping one. Having said that the level of the offer (an 800 dollar cartridge on a 1200 dollar turntable) indicates that either the Cartridge or the table (or both) are massively overpriced for what they really are.
     
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  24. 12" 45rpm

    12" 45rpm Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York City
    I don't have any links. When I had my virtuoso for sale someone was interested. But they called needledoctor and they told him it is a "lower-spec" cartridge. Not sure what that means. Perhaps like Grado has different colors for cartridges that are a little out of spec?
     
  25. CraigVC

    CraigVC Senior Member

    Location:
    Portland, OR
    I just emailed Needle Doctor and got a quick response, literally within minutes:
    This is what I wrote to them:
    I can confirm that the cartridge I received with my Marantz TT-15S1 earlier this year - which was a refurbished one through an authorized Marantz dealer on Amazon - contained a brand new (with a gold-foil seal from Clearaudio that I had to cut through to open the package) Clearaudio Virtuoso Ebony Black V1 cartridge. I wonder if they are/were going through remaining stock of the V1, and when that source is depleted, the TT-15S1 may no longer be produced?

    Craig.
     

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