For some unfathomable reason beyond me, I am unable to edit or upload pics in my existing(circa 2007)system. Hence, I am adding pics/brief description of the recent changes to my vinyl chain including some new pics of my enlarged and refurbished,dedicated basement listening room.Apart from the vinyl set up, the rest of the system is unchanged from 2006.
In the past 8 yrs I have upgraded/changed my TT four times, gone through 5 cartridges.I am almost embarrased by the naivety of my early enthusiasm for vinyl. This prompted the purchase/cartage of a VPI 16.5 from Chicago to New Delhi. The decapitation of my Transfiguration Orpheus L was a wake up call. The system and sound have evolved in a manner that is consistently pleasing.
Jan 2013
After 7 years the upgraditis flu strikes hard. New speakers, Rockport Aviors, a new pre bought on Agon but yet to arrive, the CJ GAT and drooling over the prospects of large SET monos driving the Aviors.
Baby steps in computer audio with a Macair and Mytek DSD. Initial results...this could be good and I am beginning to understand what all the hype is about despite my initial cynicism.
June 2013
All things vinyl. On that plea decided to do all the vinyl fun things I always wanted to. A restored Garrard 401, a 12" arm, a Ortofon SPU and a Miyajima BE mono cart. This required coordination between Hong Kong(Mint LP),Singapore(source of the 309D,SPU,Miyajima cart and a Ortofon 80 SE SUT),Switzerland(MM card for the Nagra phono stage) and two locations in Delhi for the woodwork and Garrard 401.
Jan 2014
The Final Frontier or Sunnyboy goes bananas or My All Out Assault on Being Done For Now.
The Rockport Aviors arrived in Jan 2013, followed by the CJ GAT in April and after a 11 month wait and several hiccups the Wavac HE 833 V2 mono blocs arrived in Dec 2013.
I guess I am at the pinnacle of a 40 year audio journey. I have achieved all that I could dream of
and much more besides. The best part of the journey are the friends and fellow audiophiles across the globe that I have got to know.
Hi John Thanks for looking. IIRC, it was on your recommendation , quite sometime back that I tried the Full Music 12AX7 in the Nagra. It was better than the stock Nagra tube, more transparent yet more body. I haven't tried any tube dampers in the Nagra but that is something easy to do now that you mention it . Will post my findings . Have you tried tube rolling in the Nagra and with what results ? Did you audition the Allnic 5000 phono ? Cheers Pradeep
Pradeep, have you tried different tubes in your Nagra VPS? I have a few I am about to try...just curious ...and if you tried your EAT dampers on the stock Nagra tubes...Thanks
Hi Lloyd I guess you were right about the tubes and the knocking sound. Removed the Seimens CCa's and reinserted them and the knocking sound is almost gone even with a high gain on analog. The NOS tubes from Singapore may be due for replacement. Occasionally hear some whooshing sounds . The tubes are barely 3 months old !I guess that's the bane of NOS tubes. Cheers
ahhh...I get it too thin! Yes, my Mullards and the Amperexes are all about the same width. I use PAD Dominus Ferox Rev C...although I am experimenting with some other cables at the moment. Just finetuning for fun but not feeling compelled to do so. Also very happy where I am at the moment.
Good luck with the Wavacs...speaking with another audiophile at the moment who is contemplating 833MkIIs.
BTW, did you know Wavac has come out with a new SOTA preamp? $280K!!! They took the enormous power supplies from the 833 amps....and use 2 for the preamp. yeesh.
Lloyd The EAT dampers are way to big for the Seimens NOS tubes in the GAT. These are quite slim compared to the EH 6922s. I have been using Cardas Gold Reference power chords throughout my system and am too lazy to explore alternatives, which are probably pretty high cost. I have a Shunyata Typhon on the horizon to mate with the Triton. Delivery dates for the Wavacs keep slipping . It's mid July now. Probably have forgotten how to make them. Pradeep
Really? I am surprised the EAT Tubes dampers do not fit. I presume you have adjusted the 3 graphite inserts so as to make more room. Can you remove one of them? I think so. That would make even more room.
When I knock, music or otherwise, there is no noise whatsoever. In your case, if you can barely hear it...it probably does not matter.
Enjoy!!! What power cable do you use? I have been using PAD Dominus Ferox rev C...I was recommended to try their latest 25th Purist Ltd...all silver but incredibly pure and "half the noise" of Purist Dominus/Ann Contego.
Lloyd I have the red EAT dampers but they don't fit the Seimens CCa tubes I have in the GAT. I am back to using the CJ supplied rings.The NOS CCa's are a wee bit narrower than the 6922s. I use the EATs on the power amp. The ringing/knocking sound is distinct when the GAT is powered on with no signal coming. The moment the music starts a knock or finger tap is barely discernible. I guess it's no big deal and in every other way the GAT is sounding superb. Cheers Pradeep
As for the knock, I do occasionally have that...but generally it is the tube. if I switch the tube out, I am all set. Believe it or not, I can actually tap gently on the tube itself and I still hear NOTHING out of my speakers...complete silence.
However...I use EAT tube dampers (19 bucks each) on my tubes instead of the red rings that come stock...much, much better imho, and that has helped tremendously.
Good luck and look forward to your thoughts as the GAT continues to settle in!
Hi Lloyd Thank you for looking. I have the GAT set up much as I had the CT 5 with 3 HRS couplers acting as feet and 2 HRS Nimbus plates on the top. I have noticed that if I knock on the GAT with music playing I can hear the knock through the speakers. I don't recall if this was so with the CT 5 or maybe I never tried it. I suppose this is pretty common with a tube pre. It's no big deal and probably has no impact on sonic picture. Lew Johnson mentioned I would continue to see improvements over 200 hrs. Almost, but not quite there. Cheers Pradeep
Hi Dan Many thanks for your comments on sprucing up the metal facia. Actually it doesn't look too bad though it lacks the spit and polish of several 401s I have seen online . Cosmetics apart, it really sounds musical. There is an ebb and flow to the music that is effortless. I have some questions on the 401 which I will post on your system page. Best Pradeep
Chris Thank you for your perceptive and interesting comments. My personal 'reference' for how natural a system sounds, not just vinyl, is how well it handles piano. Any trace of metallic or digital sheen and its a no go. My current favorite piano LP, Lang Lang"Live in Vienna" and the perennial masterpiece (side one) Keith Jarret "Koln Concert", sound brilliant. Cheers Pradeep
John Many thanks for your kind words. In my part of the world a 2nd hand vinyl rig is not going to yield many trinkets and I could be held for spousal abuse... I am sure its that PRaT thing. The 401 sounds so musical. Off course there are differences with the main rig. The Atlas, Talea 2 and TW combo has better definition,longer sustain of each note with the most obvious difference in the bass. The opening track of Dire Straits 'Sultans of Swing" has some deep,pounding bass rhythm that is a little papered over with the 401 etc. I expect the SPU has a minimum breakin period. I am not even close. Cheers
I know it's early days to comment on the Garrard 401 but on first listen my wife preferred it to the main rig which has a Atlas,Talea 2 on a TW AC et al. The wife plays the piano !
Very interesting comment.
I have been listening to my daughter play a 1958 Heintzman upright in our house for the last 12 years. What I have noticed is that it sounds different from every angle in the room which is a long living / dining combination; as well as every other room in the house. What imo makes as big a difference, is the kind of mood she is in when playing. It affects her rhythm and the actual degree of pushing on the piano keys and pedals that she does. The music is louder or quieter as well as going from one to the other differs.
So her mood greatly affects how the piano sounds. Her playing is also an indicator to her dad of how approachable my teenage girl is on any given day based on here playing. :^)
The piano sound in our house is much more resonant and the harmonics on a much grander scale when the piano is on hardwood floors as opposed to a carpeted room which dampens it. The TT being a total resonance, vibration, electro, mechanical process I find this needs to be taken into account. So for me when I was comparing TTs it was important to consider especially for piano what type of room was used to do the taping or capturing of the event. Studio or Live ? Just an observation.
Very nice system cheers. Chris
(or she's hoping you'll sell the Black Night rig and spend the cash on her ;-)
Congrats on the GAT Sunnyboy! When you've settled in, Turntable, Myles Astor and I all agree that adding isolation feet and dampers on top of the GAT make a very nice and relatively inexpensive improvement on an already great preamp. Let me know if you wish more details.
My general observation,it seems many female listeners(particularly musicians) really detect the natural sound-realism attributes rather than hifi characteristics.I`d trust her judgement alot. Regards,
Hi, I bet this will be fun !! Keep us posted ! Congrats on the GAT ...
I wonder if your wife is reacting to the idler drive....and a different sense of PRaT? (or she's hoping you'll sell the Black Night rig and spend the cash on her ;-)
I know it's early days to comment on the Garrard 401 but on first listen my wife preferred it to the main rig which has a Atlas,Talea 2 on a TW AC et al. The wife plays the piano ! My ego prevents me from agreeing with her but yes ,it's pretty close with the Ortofon Silver Meister having clocked a few hours at best. This is going to be fun. Cheers Pradeep
System edited: System edited to reflect changes to the preamp, a CJ GAT and a vintage vinyl rig built around a 1965 Garrard 401 with a Ortofon 309 D with a Ortofon Silver Meister SPU and a Miyajima Premium BE mono cart. The Ortofon SUT is yet to be commissioned as I am waiting for a MM csrd for the Nagra VPS phono stage.
Hi Jazdoc Did run the Miyajima with the Talea 2 for a few hours yesterday . Sounds good but would not be my preferred choice. It's a huge overkill to mount a 1K mono cart on the Talea 2 not on account of the price difference but you could achieve similar results with a Ortofon or any other half decent arm. Had some concerns regarding compatibility of a mono cart with the Talea but that turned out to be a non issue. Cheers
Hi Lloyd Many thanks. Was in Singapore for a day yesterday returning from Tokyo. Not enough time to contact Mihalis. Did exchange a few PMs with Mihalis and he has been supportive. I guess the Wavacs should arrive sometime this month. Am in the process of restoring a Garrard 401 and will mount a Ortofon 309D with a SPU. Busy days ahead. Best Pradeep
That is great news. Talk to Mihalis about 833s if you haven't already. He is very responsive, even prolific on his own thread...This is Not a System...and he owned the 833s for y-e-a-r-s...and then moved up to the 4-box MkII. after more years...he only just moved to the Vitus Masterpiece Ref level amps and electronics where they build a custom active crossover for you based on your speakers...cool but also pricey.
Thuchan has been helpful in the past to me, so hopefully he will respond.
Great news from Andy Payor! Look forward to reading more!
Hi Assad Thanks for looking. I have set up the Miyajima BE mono in the Durand Talea 2 and it is sounding nice and smooth straight out of the box. Using the same cart loading on the Nagra VPS that I use for the Lyra Atlas ie 1k ohm. Not sure if this is the correct loading. Will mount the Ortofon 309D on the Garrard 401 when it arrives. The 309D has removable head shells . Intend to use a Ortofon SPU, the Silver Meister, and switch to the Miyajima BE for mono records. I suppose the Miyajima needs probably 30-50 hrs breakin. Early days yet but should be fun. Cheers
