I have been slowly transforming my DJ setup into an audiofile system.
I started in January (09).
First upgrade was to replace an old amp with a new Marantz PM-5003. Next speakers were switched to the RS6's. Then I upgraded from Ortofon OM with night club stylus to the Ortofon 2M Blue.
At that point I posted my system here and asked the A-goners the question:
...(next big upgrade will be to get rid of the Marantz and replace it with tubes)... My intention is to upgrade in steps. Thus, my big question is how should I step it up? My options are:
1- Buy a new integrated tube amp with an MM phone stage. This option, does not provide much opportunity for further upgrades.
2- Use my Mackie mixer as the phono/line pre-amp and purchase power-amp. Then at a later date purchase a suitable pre-amp.
3- Invest in a tube phono-stage (such as Pro-Ject Tube Box II). This will provide the some tube coloration at a relatively low cost, but it doesn t advance the system as a whole...
Finally, after much research on Audigon, experimentation and plenty auditions at local retailers I decided to switch out the Marantz for Quicksilver Mid-monos (option 2). Wow what a difference!
My next upgrade will be to re-wire the tone-arm wires with the cardas wires. I have the materials I just need to find the time to do the job right.
One final note, I enjoy listening to mostly jazz and funk but I also enjoy classical music and some opera. More now than ever before.
Your input was (and still is) greatly appreciated.
50W monoblocks, with black chasis, black transformer covers. 2 x Tesla EL 34 output tubes.
Monitor Audio RS6
RS6 with rosewood finish
Denon TU-450
Tuner
Samsung DVD-HD870
DVD used as CD Player
DIY 6ft Interconnects
(Preamp to Amp)DIY interconnects made with Canare L-2T2S micro-phone cable (2 x 23ga ofc copper conductor & shield). The RCA connectors are gold plated, high quality no-name brand (most likely Chinese), steel barrel with set screw to secure the cable
DIY 3ft Speaker Cables
DIY Speaker cables, made of Canare GS-6 microphone cable (single conductor 18ga multi stranded ofc copper with a copper shield). Currently the cable are not terminated. I am looking for a suitable and affordable set of spades.
DIY Cork TT mat
Cork TT platter mat made of cork board from Home-Depot
Hammond Power Strip 1584
Hospital grade Power strip with 8 outlets and 12 foot 14ga. power cord.
DIY Tone-Arm Rewire
Replaced stock tone-arm wires with cardas litz wires. The standard cartridge mount was drilled out to allow litz wires to be connected directly to the cartridge. On the other end the litz wire are soldered directly to the ICs. ICs are made with Canare L-2T2S microphone wire. The wires are shielded at the tone-arm.
This system will soon undergo its final transformation. In one week we will be moving out of our condo and into a new home. My big room will be no longer. But! I will now have a humble dedicated listening room.
This constitutes an evolutinary step or jump into the new room, but the gear will remain unchanged at least at the beginning. So to document this new adventure I have decided to start a new virtual system.
System edited: Replaced the EL-34s with KT-88s, the extra 5 watts of power goes a long way in improving dynamics. I also have a temporary adder, a friend lent me Audia Technica AT14sa cartridge, it slightly smoother than the 2m Blue. I'm still looking for a permanent cartridge upgrade.
System edited: Cardas tonearm re-wire is complete. I moded the headshell mount to elminate the cartridge leads. Now the tone arm wire a clip directly to the cartridge clips and are soldered directly to the ICs. I added a photo showing the headshell. Unfortunately, given the thiness of the Cardas litz wire and the poor quality of my camera it is difficult to see my work.
Bwp, Ever since I made the switch from DJaying to audiophile I haven't really been able to enjoy my old records. I now can hear all the detail, which, for my house records means all the years of abuse.
So these days I found my self listening to mostly Jazz classical and lately Opera.
I have not really had much opportunity to test the technics head to head with other TT such as Rega. My friend Dave has a VPI HW19 Jr in addition to a pair of technics 1200s. There is no significant audible difference between the two. I think the big difference (from dj-setup) comes from better needles, no felt slip mat and other such tweaks. As mentioned in my system description I plan on re-wiring my tone arm with Cardas litz wire. I expect that this will be a big improvement. All I need is the time to do it...
Thanks for the feedback. I am really satisified with the RS6s, as I am sure you have read on another thread. I feel that they are one of the best buys for the money. As for DIY speaker cables, there aren't really DIY, I simply used the Canare microphone cable as speaker cable. One caveat, at 18 awg I wouldn't use this cable for anything longer than the 3ft.
In the past I had made pair 8ft long cables of 12awg solid core (not stranded) power cable from home depot. I had shielded them and then protected them with tech-flex they looked great and sounded pretty good too. But with the monoblocks shorter is better and the Canare cable is a great value.
System edited: I replaced Marantz PM-5003 for a pair Quicksilver Mid-monos. I also added details on the DIY interconnects, speaker cables and record mats. The picuters have not yet been updated. New pics will follow in the comming days.
I am satisfied with the 2M blue. I recommend that you diligently install the cartridge, properly setting the Azimuth and Zenith adjustments. I have the needle set on a 230mm effective arm length. The baerwald protractor on vinyl engine recommends 232mm if I am not mistaken, but technics recommends 230mm. Whatever you do, do not use the crappy plastic jig provided by technics, it is useless.
My friend Dave (Dfelkai) purchased the 2M red and hates it. He also has a sl-1200. He prefers his Grace F9E-Ruby. But he agrees that the blue sounds good on my system.
Conclusion, for less than $200, I like the 2M blue, but if you can afford more, there are better cartridges out there.
I listen to a very wide variety of music, from electro, hip-hop (digable planets, tribe, etc..) drum & bass, classic house. But these days it is mostly jazz, funk, classical and my latest trip is opera. Everything sounds great on the RS6s in its own way. I must say I find the electronic music (i.e. house DnB etc...) less inspiring, it tends to be just a lot of boominess with no sound stage. I must be geting old...
