Pops110 system pics.

[AnotherJohnson]

62 could be perfectly reasonable if the source is vinyl, depending on the phono cartridge output and phono preamp gain. Speaker efficiency, amp ability, and listening preferences could all drive you to 62/100.

It won’t hurt the preamp. Let your ears be your guide.

[AnotherJohnson]

The cartridge is .44 mV, so borderline between LOMC and SLOMC.

But I think that phono preamp has several gain choices. I’d run it at 60 dB.

[Big Dog RJ]

Ah! I just typed a whole harang... only to see AJ's response, so I deleted my post.
OK that makes sense but even with phono gain at 60dB cart at 0.44mv... yeah I guess that's pretty low, in which case your linestage requires a bit of Humpty.

Just a small question though: with a cart of such low output and phonostage at 60dB and linestage at high levels... are you hearing more of the linestage and less of the actual cart quality?

I guess as long as you're happy, that's all that matters.
Cheers, RJ

[AnotherJohnson]

Just a small question though: with a cart of such low output and phonostage at 60dB and linestage at high levels... are you hearing more of the linestage and less of the actual cart quality?

I guess as long as you're happy, that's all that matters.
Cheers, RJ

No one can answer that without doing a comparison.

This idea is what drives us to CJ. We perceive it as able to go to higher gains while holding things together.

The ET7S2 + Lyra Etna (.5 mV at 5 cm/s) + TEA2 HG MAX (54 dB of gain) + LP275Ms + 90dBish efficiency speakers would often require volume settings over 50 on the ET7s2 to get to my preferred listening levels.

FWIW, Pop’s rig is VERY nice. And it is also nice that there are paths for improvements and upgrades over the next several years. His phono set up is probably in the top 10% as it stands. People like the Kiseki and Sutherland. I’ll bet he’s not flipped the internal gain dip switches to 60, and when he does, his volume setting will be lower.

[Pops110]

Beautiful land and sea scapes!

I was a skeptic on power regenerators … until I tried one. Now I’m a fan. I’m glad yours is recognizable as a plus too.

The Kimberly is such an amazing place I’m quite familiar with the WA landscape but I was blown away every day. All photos were taken with an iPhone.

The PS P3 seems to do its job well, I got it for a cracking price so I’m very happy. Not sure that I would buy one if I had to pay retail price for it though.

G'day mate, greetings from Melb. That Kimberley region is fantastic, anyone get a chance must visit!

Btw, Nice and simple set up, and the CT5 will add a wonderful touch to your audio experience. I've got one as well but have also got it fully upgraded through a certified techie. He did an outstanding job! I had the ACT2 S2 before this one and wanted to go a step further towards an ACT3 but none existed. So with a few special mods that are capable on the CT5, thanks to its very deep chassis, the series 3 became possible. It's a superb preamp in every sense of the term pre-amplification. I don't think I'd ever sell mine! Nor the monoblocks!

Looks like you very much enjoy both life and music in general, and also share that with the Mrs... (I'm thinking that is the Mrs...?) Music is so much more enjoyable, especially when the other half also appreciates it just as much.

Cheers, and enjoy those fine tunes!
Woof! RJ

Hey RJ, very nice system mate. At this stage the CJ is definitely a keeper, it has a massive presence to the sound, very detailed and musical.
The volume is at 70 this morning.
My last pre had way too much gain for my system hence I had the gain on the Sutherland set to 45db I believe to get over this. Same with the Geek Pulse dac, I just haven’t had time to do any shuffling around of the internal shunts to adjust gain.[

quote=AnotherJohnson post_id=19313 time=1660409574 user_id=2525]

Just a small question though: with a cart of such low output and phonostage at 60dB and linestage at high levels... are you hearing more of the linestage and less of the actual cart quality?

I guess as long as you're happy, that's all that matters.
Cheers, RJ

No one can answer that without doing a comparison.

This idea is what drives us to CJ. We perceive it as able to go to higher gains while holding things together.

The ET7S2 + Lyra Etna (.5 mV at 5 cm/s) + TEA2 HG MAX (54 dB of gain) + LP275Ms + 90dBish efficiency speakers would often require volume settings over 50 on the ET7s2 to get to my preferred listening levels.

FWIW, Pop’s rig is VERY nice. And it is also nice that there are paths for improvements and upgrades over the next several years. His phono set up is probably in the top 10% as it stands. People like the Kiseki and Sutherland. I’ll bet he’s not flipped the internal gain dip switches to 60, and when he does, his volume setting will be lower.
[/quote]

Thank you for the nice words, I’m pretty happy with the system as it stands. I have managed to score some amazing bargains over the last couple of years so I’ve put together a system with components I never would have dreamed of owning. The system has pinpoint imaging, speakers just disappear and the bass is extremely well defined and 3 dimensional. I think you are pretty spot on that when I upgrade say the power amp the CT5 definitely won’t be holding things back. Speakers will probably be my next upgrade in a few years time, will be looking to move further up the Audio Physic line.

[Big Dog RJ]

Nice one Pops! Keep those tunes a hum'n!

Cheers, RJ

[AnotherJohnson]

When you fix the gain (55 or 60 preferred for your cartridge), experiment with your cartridge loading too. It isn’t too important with tube phono preamps, but the Sutherland is SS, and I’m guessing based on past experience with LOMCs and SS phono stages, you will hear a difference with both C and R load changes. If your last cartridge was a MM (high output so 45 dB of gain a good match), your phono stage load is probably sitting on 47k. It will probably sound better down below 1000, and maybe even below 500. My Lyras sound best in the 400 Ohm range. I generally prefer low capacitance if it is adjustable, but depends on your TT cable capacitance as well as how the Sutherland is set. ARC REF Phono 3 and the TEA2 don’t even offer C load changes. But again, on a tube phono stage, changes don’t seem to make huge differences in my systems. YMMV.

[Pops110]

When you fix the gain (55 or 60 preferred for your cartridge), experiment with your cartridge loading too. It isn’t too important with tube phono preamps, but the Sutherland is SS, and I’m guessing based on past experience with LOMCs and SS phono stages, you will hear a difference with both C and R load changes. If your last cartridge was a MM (high output so 45 dB of gain a good match), your phono stage load is probably sitting on 47k. It will probably sound better down below 1000, and maybe even below 500. My Lyras sound best in the 400 Ohm range. I generally prefer low capacitance if it is adjustable, but depends on your TT cable capacitance as well as how the Sutherland is set. ARC REF Phono 3 and the TEA2 don’t even offer C load changes. But again, on a tube phono stage, changes don’t seem to make huge differences in my systems. YMMV.

Have played with loading before and have it set 1k ohm at the moment. Sounded pretty sweet there but will definitely experiment when I pop the hood again. Thanks for all the tips and the interest in my setup. Really appreciate it.

[AnotherJohnson]

1000 Ohms could be the best … your best ears are your guide.
The truth is, the way you presently have it set up may be perfectly fine. It may not need tweaks to satisfy you.

Best wishes with “those fine tunes!”

[admin]

Different phono preamps will have different capabilities when it comes to matching with cartridges. My Jolida JD9 has settings for gain, resistance, and capacitance. I spent a fair amount of time experimenting to get it to what sounded best. Adjusting the gain was the easiest, but I did go back and forth with resistance/capacitance settings to get the most desired sound. So my experience (or lack of knowledge) resulted in experimentation to get the final product.

[Pops110]

New addition to the system.

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[admin]

Very nice. Was the setup difficult or pretty straightforward?

[AnotherJohnson]

Very nice. Was the setup difficult or pretty straightforward?

Those d*mn VPI uni-pivot arms are horrible to set up.

They’re so aggravating that there are aftermarket products from Soundsmith and others to make the process work.

The guys who are willing to fool with these arms are almost always armed with a Fozgometer, and high end protractors.

Even after you’ve got alignment worked out, antiskating force bites you. Harry Weisfeld doesn’t believe in antiskating force. He wants 14 to 16” tonearms for his personal set up, and longer tonearm are closer to not needing it. Linear tonearms don’t need it.

Harry’s solution for 9” to 12” tonearms is a Rube Goldberg combination of twisting wires and a hanging weight. It is the most aggravating system for both alignment and anti skate that I have ever personally owned.

FWIW, I was at one time a VPI loyalist. I loved Harry and Sheila. I wish Matt well. But VPI is another US icon struggling with passing the torch as the visionary fades away.

If the arm and cartridge are set up right, Pops’ vinyl will sound grand. I’m sure he’s dialed it in, perhaps with less trouble than most.

[Pops110]

It’s the only arm I’ve ever setup so I’m really none the wiser. It’s a bit of dicking around but doesn’t seem too hard to get right.
When I set the Kiseki up a while ago I borrowed a mates Fozgometer and his Feickert protractor to check and I was pretty much bang on so I must be doing something right.
I’ve only put maybe 10 hours on it so far but pretty happy with how things are sounding, I think it suits my music style a little better than the Kiseki. The Kiseki is a little more mellow, the ZYX has a little more of a dynamic sound, a bit more meat to the bass.

Harry is a legend for sure.

[Pops110]

Very nice. Was the setup difficult or pretty straightforward?

Those d*mn VPI uni-pivot arms are horrible to set up.

They’re so aggravating that there are aftermarket products from Soundsmith and others to make the process work.

The guys who are willing to fool with these arms are almost always armed with a Fozgometer, and high end protractors.

Even after you’ve got alignment worked out, antiskating force bites you. Harry Weisfeld doesn’t believe in antiskating force. He wants 14 to 16” tonearms for his personal set up, and longer tonearm are closer to not needing it. Linear tonearms don’t need it.

Harry’s solution for 9” to 12” tonearms is a Rube Goldberg combination of twisting wires and a hanging weight. It is the most aggravating system for both alignment and anti skate that I have ever personally owned.

FWIW, I was at one time a VPI loyalist. I loved Harry and Sheila. I wish Matt well. But VPI is another US icon struggling with passing the torch as the visionary fades away.

If the arm and cartridge are set up right, Pops’ vinyl will sound grand. I’m sure he’s dialed it in, perhaps with less trouble than most.

I’m curious to understand what you mean about the anti skate biting you? As I said it’s the only arm I’ve ever setup and not having anti skate doesn’t seem like an issue but maybe I’m missing something?

[AnotherJohnson]

Watch your cartridge wear over time. Look at the Sound-Smith videos and read Peter’s opinion based on his cartridge repair business.

Even Michael Fremmer, who is friend to all Weisfields, has commented.

I don’t question that you may not hear the effects.

I can hear the balance shift as you hit the sweet spot for anti skate. People describe it as “opening a window.” But you can’t dial it in on this arm. Or any other VPI arm. If you’re lucky, you may get close with the hanging weight. With precision gimbaled arms that have properly designed controls, like the SME V, or Ittok/Ekos family, you can dial in appropriate anti skate.

In my experience, to my ears, The SRA/VTA tower adjustment is not nearly as important to finding the sweet spot as finding correct bias force for a pivoting tonearm.

Of course YMMV. Your ears, your system.

That’s a killer set up from the days when Harry was actively engaged. It is a piece of the history of VPI’s Golden Age.

And if you do luck out on the set up, it will rival any other unsprung chassis with unipivot arm on the planet.

[Big Dog RJ]

Very nice TT rig there Pops! Absolutely tops.
Now that's a labour of love.

Bet you're enjoying those very fine tunes more from vinyl than digital... just a different thing altogether isn't it?
Good stuff
Woof! RJ

[AnotherJohnson]

https://www.sound-smith.com/faq/how-do- ... -cartridge

In case you haven’t seen Peter’s thoughts.

Stylus and vinyl wear await the owner of a TT that ignores anti-skating, and there are obvious sonic benefits to getting it right.

[Pops110]

Watch your cartridge wear over time. Look at the Sound-Smith videos and read Peter’s opinion based on his cartridge repair business.

Even Michael Fremmer, who is friend to all Weisfields, has commented.

I don’t question that you may not hear the effects.

I can hear the balance shift as you hit the sweet spot for anti skate. People describe it as “opening a window.” But you can’t dial it in on this arm. Or any other VPI arm. If you’re lucky, you may get close with the hanging weight. With precision gimbaled arms that have properly designed controls, like the SME V, or Ittok/Ekos family, you can dial in appropriate anti skate.

In my experience, to my ears, The SRA/VTA tower adjustment is not nearly as important to finding the sweet spot as finding correct bias force for a pivoting tonearm.

Of course YMMV. Your ears, your system.

That’s a killer set up from the days when Harry was actively engaged. It is a piece of the history of VPI’s Golden Age.

And if you do luck out on the set up, it will rival any other unsprung chassis with unipivot arm on the planet.

Yep I still kick myself that I managed to pick it up from the rubbish dump. It is such an iconic looking deck.

I’ll check out the videos, I will be sending the Kiseki away to see if it’s repairable so it will be interesting to see how the stylus has worn as it has only ever been used on the TNT.

[Pops110]

Very nice TT rig there Pops! Absolutely tops.
Now that's a labour of love.

Bet you're enjoying those very fine tunes more from vinyl than digital... just a different thing altogether isn't it?
Good stuff
Woof! RJ

Your right RJ, vinyl is a different beast. It can be extremely daunting and frustrating but the sonic benefits are there to hear. Vinyl has a deeper sense of realism and a more organic musical quality than digital. I love how my digital rig sounds and sometimes wonder why I need a TT at all, but I put a record on and get whisked away and swept up in the music. That’s my answer right there.