Thanks for stopping by @lalitk and @mmcgill829. Speakers are 63 year old naked electrostatics. Utterly transparent and musical.

noromance November 16, 2023 19:06

Hey Dan, Glad to hear your SPH bearing install went well. Doesn't it sound like the music has been released? :-)

noromance August 20, 2023 10:13

@tonydennison I don't even allow herself downstairs.

noromance August 09, 2023 21:07

Hey Dan, Thanks for stopping by. I have the SPH bearing on both 401s and another in the wings for a third. I think it's a worthwhile upgrade. I found it made a bigger improvement on my higher resolution slate table. Biggest improvements in speed, detail, and soundstaging. As I said in a review, the original bearing sounds broken in comparison. Note that on the wood plinth, it seemed to remove a slight mid-bass bloom. So if you like a warmer sound, you may need to adjust. It's well worth investigating and it's relatively cheap.

noromance August 09, 2023 21:02

@music_is_life Thanks. Appreciate you coming by.

noromance June 24, 2022 15:06

@tomic601 I couldn't shorten the preamp power supply cable. Any closer and there is some hum induction from the power transformer. However, I did replace the wire per your suggestion. Not to silver but to my trusty solid core 12 gauge UP-OCC copper in Teflon.

noromance April 23, 2022 06:51

Thanks Bill. Your own set up is pretty excellent.

noromance October 31, 2021 09:32

Thanks @sourpuss123 . Appreciate you coming by.

noromance September 27, 2021 17:21

Thanks Davey. It does sound pretty good. Clear, fast, clean, and transparent— not slow and syrupy like one might think of vintage tube.

noromance September 25, 2021 22:22

Memoed here from a forum post.. On the subject of listening skills...I have never given it much thought. On reflection, it’s been a saga of almost 40 years. An evolution where I keep the good things and let go the things that do not work. Most of the record(!) is on my Virtual System. What isn’t there is the countless hours of tweaking, reconditioning tube gear, tube rolling, and building a reference quality phono preamp from scratch which would sell for $10k today. Each improvement removed a veil allowing the music to come through. Like that crystalline blackness of live music. Layers of depth, emerging 3D soundstage, transient speed, timbre of instruments, and most importantly, the color of everything.

noromance August 28, 2021 14:14

Thanks @alan2

noromance August 27, 2021 10:02

@sbank Thanks. Surprised the SOTA improved on the SP10 in obsidian.

noromance August 27, 2021 10:01

A member asked a question:
I’m planning getting a 401 and still pondering between layered wood and slate for the plinth. I saw your comment about slate being cooler and monochromatic than wood. How about expressiveness? Overall you recommend slate to wood?
Answer:
Let's forget everything except for the ability for the table to extract detail. Meaning how low can we push the noise floor down so subtle information is not lost. Then you need slate. On springs. On concrete. Also, my 401 is modified somewhat and better than stock. So figure in the idler, bearing and platter at some stage. Do not over-tighten mounting bolts. Do not add damping under 401 to plinth. Use a 12" arm.

noromance May 17, 2021 07:45

A member asked a question:

noromance April 07, 2021 16:23

Ongoing phono psu work. Replaced the GE 6SJ7 with the military version of this. It's a red RCA 5693. It has a big reputation. Woot! What an improvement.  3D space and air. A hint of sweetness (not warmth) and more detail.

noromance March 24, 2021 10:17

 Thanks @16f4

Replaced the rectifier tube in the PSU with a GZ34. That cleaned up the bass issue and tightened things up. Fitted a DPDT switch so I can toggle between SS and tube which is interesting. SS is cleaner and sharper and more neutral. So I go with that. Then I flip back to tube and play it again and now it sounds better! More presence and holography -more musical. But at what cost? I'm tempted to replace resistors and caps in the tube PSU and see if I can eek out more neutrality from it.

noromance March 20, 2021 09:42

Thanks Jim. I'm still tweaking so I may do that. I'm going to add a switch to flip between power supplies. I may also replace old PIO caps.

noromance March 10, 2021 18:09

Added a vintage tube power supply to my Croft phono preamp. It's replacing the transformer sand diodes. It's old and original. Tube rectifier and series regulator with OC3, 6SJ7, 2 x 6L6 (replaced with Tung Sol 7581A) Anyhow, it adds some heft and authority to the sound. More holographic, better detail and larger soundstage. More colorful. Very musical. Only negative is a bit more bass on heavier content than I'd like.

noromance March 09, 2021 17:39

Thanks cymbop. Love you speaker array too. Big change from the Zu room!

noromance January 31, 2021 07:30

 @frozentundra  Ha, Not that young! Not too old. The basement - too expensive but mostly disruptive. Where would I put everything while the work was being done? It's dry. Gets a little chilly in winter. Great in summer. Concrete - not as reflective as you'd think. Check out the "What's on your turntable tonight" thread for playlists. Thanks for stopping by. It does sound pretty good. Quad ESL57 are classics and often regarded as having the best midband of any speaker, ever.

noromance January 18, 2021 19:23

Added a Samsung 65" 4k TV to the second system. Why have I waited so long? This may seriously challenge the vinyl experience!

noromance July 27, 2020 06:05

@scar972 Back at you with the great gear. Amazing. How do you find the Jelco? I have a few.

noromance April 05, 2020 09:32

Hi Anthony. Thanks. My walnut later model 401 neon works. It needs the 110v bulb. The original won't strike at 110v. My slate early 401 neon is disconnected for better(?) sound.

noromance April 05, 2020 06:53

Hey Sub! Great to see your slabs! Your rig looks solid. Great room.

noromance March 30, 2020 06:41

Added Vishay z foil resistors to Croft 25R phono preamp. Wow, what an improvement.  Clearer, faster, blacker, vocalist and instruments more fleshed out and more human. I'd like to replace more.

noromance December 18, 2019 20:03

Thanks K4rstar! I may persue moew older vintage tables and arms some day and a Grey Research is on the wishlist as long as it works with my Deccas which it should.

noromance December 18, 2019 20:01

Hi Dan, I sent you a PM.

noromance October 16, 2019 07:25

Hi Rothwea. It's been one of my big upgrades. It's so cheap to undertake and no biggie if it doesn't work out. Not sure how it would work on a non-concrete floor. Main improvement is a feeling of solidity and stability resulting in better defined notes and blackness.

noromance October 14, 2019 09:29

@jond Yes, they've settled down somewhat. However, I think if you think they're bright, they don't lose that attribute, the frequency response evens out.
@tzh21y - Thanks!

noromance June 17, 2019 09:03

Added a black aluminum 20mm oversized platter to the slate plinth 401. Beautifully made. I did some listening tests before and after swapping out on a number of tracks (after all the tubes were warmed up for an hour.) Definite increase in bass control. I've been having some issues with a little bloom in the low end which have been tamed. Color, speed and focus -especially in the mid bass- is improved by a considerable margin. The sound stage narrowed a little for the first few tracks but seemed to be result of improved focus and increased stability of image placement. An upgrade, at around $750 inc s/h that puts a smile on the face.

noromance December 23, 2018 12:25

Swapped out AudioSilente idler wheel (c. $120 shipped) for an Artisan Fidelity idler ($394 shipped). See review in forum.

noromance October 14, 2018 10:01

I have been lucky to have obtained over the years a collection of 50s to 70s jazz and blues records. The recordings are wonderful (pre-digital) and full of life. Huge dynamics, see- thru transparency, colorful, detailed, quiet.

noromance October 02, 2018 20:38

@jond Thanks for the feedback.  

noromance October 02, 2018 20:37

Took the grills off the Quads.

noromance June 15, 2018 09:10

Xposted from Analog forum.
Definitely reduces surface noise in my set-up. One thing that has become increasingly apparent is that older analog recordings are simply amazing. Much increased detail throughout the frequency range. I can hear plucked bass strings vibrating against each other where they are innocuous on the lesser arm. Tiny details like the metallic shimmer of a percussion bell are exquisite. For a relatively low-budget level phono rig like mine ($12k), this arm is transformative. If you are in the market for a Jelco 750 or 550, or indeed, a Rega, I implore you; spend the extra and get the 850. It is that good.
The cons:
1. The arm rest clamp is not great. It doesn’t grab the arm like a friction type. It simply rests on it unless you close it and the hard plastic feels cheap.
2. There is a very mild and barely detectable upper bass/lower mid dip in the response more like a slight veiling of that portion of the spectrum. After swapping out the arm stub and counterweight on my 750L for an Expressimo Audio brass substitute, and experiencing the improvement wrought by that, I believe the same rubber stub on the 850 is causing this coloration (note 3). Again, it is minor. I will follow up if EA bring out a brass replacement for the 850. I spoke to Brian there and at this time there is none available.
NOTES
1. It may also be not broken in yet as I only used it for 4 hours.
2. I have not played with VTA - too busy listening to my albums all over again.
3. I also have a standard 750L with which comparisons were made.
5. The arm looks better and bigger in the flesh than in pictures.

noromance May 11, 2018 10:08

Fitted AudioSilente idler.

noromance January 13, 2018 08:03

After a few weeks with the slate plinth / "new" 401 (and new Jelco 750L with Expressimo Audio brass weight and stub), it's time to report back. First off, it looks great. After power up, out of the box, the slate version was a little 'cooler' sounding than the birch plinth version but not as much as I'd expected. It was also a little more monochromatic than I'd hoped, removing some bloom and color from the music.

noromance January 04, 2018 06:58

I thought I'd add that my other pair of Eico HF35s monoblocs power the Spendor SP2/2 speakers on the end of a Sony DVD player. The sound is quite remarkable since I swapped out a Japanese sand amp. Tubes, man!

noromance September 17, 2016 22:07

Hi. Yes, 12AX7. Fixed bias, 3 chokes, redone from ground up. Ground busbar, oil caps etc.

noromance September 18, 2015 19:39

Ha! EICO HF35s rebuilt from the chassis up by Stuart Remington of Eicobuilders. It is the first time my rig has portrayed such holophonic imaging. The old amps portrayed good imaging from left to right-stage width- and decent depth and modest speaker disappearing tricks. These new amps have increased the perception of depth to fill the room. Instruments exhibit front to back presence as if they were in the room. I don't think I have ever heard so much information retrival before including shows. It was one of those rare "listen to my records all over again" moments. I do have some nice black plate tube installed.

noromance September 10, 2015 14:48

Just swapped out my EICO HF35s for new power amps.

noromance September 10, 2015 05:55

Thanks David. I had a look at the rooms and gear in your Big Horns+Sets+Vinyl system! Goodness!
I have been using the Belkins (black i think, blues are not made anymore I think) for ages and have no complaint.. but what you don't know. I recently swapped out my speaker cable for UPOCC and was impressed. Now, I'm wondering if using the same type of copper will be an improvement over the Belkins. I'm not a big spender on cable.

noromance November 06, 2014 09:39

Thanks Salectric. Yes, the EICOs are magic. You are right-classic circuits, good components, old Deccas and old jazz vinyl beat much of the new reissued stuff .

noromance November 06, 2014 09:27

Re Croft Micro 25R. Ended up with 2 x
Telefunken ECC83 in phono stage and 2 x
Telefunken ECC83 in the PSU regulator and
a GE triple mica black plate 5751JG in
the line/buffer stage. Magic. Don't
assume that the regulator tubes don't
make a difference. This amp is ruthless
in revealing differences between tubes.

noromance October 23, 2014 05:54

Thanks Needfreestuff!

noromance October 14, 2014 18:40

UP-OCC solid core copper for speaker cable

After reading about all these expensive cables and their extravagant claims, I decided to source most likely the same wire that goes into many of them.

I have my monoblocs underneath and therefore close to the speakers, so I ordered 8 feet of 14awg UP-OCC wire (with PTFE insulation) online. It is quite springy so I clamped it gently to the bench and cut it into 4 equal lengths. Assembling it into 2 x 24" speaker cables took a few minutes. I kept it running in the same direction, just in case. Be careful to gently slice the insulation and not to scar the copper.

Anyway, the improvement in sound quality was of a high order. Large increases in speed and transparency, more air, better definition of instruments, less coloration, backing voices I never noticed before etc. I urge folks to try this before spending lots of money on speaker cables. I don't bother with connectors as I feel they are another item in the way but that's your call. The wire was $6 a foot.

Available here:http://www.partsconnexion.com/wire_hookup_neotech_copper_teflon.html

See a photo of my cable here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6iot28p0weuwytn/up-occ.jpg?dl=0

noromance October 07, 2014 10:00

Hmm. ok, after more extended listening and comparison between the 25 and 25R, I have noticed that whereas the GE5751 worked a treat in the 25, they are lacking in the R. (I know about ht e gain)I went back to the ECC803S. While a tiny bit "steely", they offer more punch and air. With the same tubes in both amps, the R is definitely better. (I was getting worried there for a minute!)

noromance September 20, 2014 11:44

Swapped out Croft Micro 25 for the R
version. It came with cryoed JJ ECC803S
which are decent enough tubes but don't
hold a candle to the vintage ones I
swapped in. See item for more info.
Compared to its lesser stablemate, the R
has a lower noise floor, slightly fuller
more colorful bass, more timbral
differenciation, improved focus with more
stable imaging and a subtle speaker
disappearing trick.

noromance September 19, 2014 04:06

Hi Sunnyboy. Yes, amazing how bad it was!

noromance March 19, 2014 10:00

The wife bought me a Boston Audio Mat 2 for Christmas... Quel suprise! Out of the blue. I think I might have mentioned something a while back. We had friends over but I disappeared into the basement clutching the carbon.
Anyhow, I put it on and played a familiar track by Joan Baez. I'd had a few single malts and it sounded fine, a little darker and quieter. It was late so I went back to the party and looked forward to some more serious listening in the morning.
After letting the amps and 401 warm up and making sure no one was using any lights with dimmers in the house, I settled down for some extended listening. First up was Leonard Cohen Famous Blue Raincoat with me listening for the intro tinkling bells that let me know what the system resolution is like. They weren't really audible. The song itself was darker than I remember with Len's voice having a full wooden tone. Joni Mitchell's Amelia is a dark recording and now it sounded darker, more reticent and I had to increase the volume over the normal setting. I listened to a bunch more and the same pattern emerged. Given that the Mat is higher than the standard rubber on the 401, I raised the arm and listened to a few more tracks, Carol Kidd, Robin Williamson, Puccini, Joan Collins, Julie Andrews before settling on Neil Young's Pocahontas from Rust Never Sleeps to try some detailed A-B comparisons. I moved the arm up and down and swapped mats and realized this was not going to work. The Mat simply robbed essential information from the system. Bass was muddy, air, timbre, color and fine detail were severely ameliorated. Swapping in the rubber was a relief as the music came to life and the tiniest of details like the rasp of rosin leaving a puff of dust could be heard on Paul Tortellier's cello on Saint Saens The Swan. One good that came of this was that playing with the VTA has brought the Decca up a notch to new heights of performance. Fine details are now jaw dropping and the musicality is breathtaking on the right recording. Not to disparage the Mat2 which is beautifully made but I cannot imagine how it gets such good reviews. Each to his own I guess.

noromance December 26, 2013 19:51

Here is a clip which I took with my Samsung S4 phone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1LS5iN3G54

noromance November 24, 2013 12:10

Thanks for the update Dan. The extra weight has to have some effect on the bearing. Are you using the ceramic ball or another make? I read somewhere that the best are brass and you replace them as they wear.

noromance November 05, 2013 16:52

Lespier, those AC3Xs look amazing. They ain't cheap! I did run the Decca on an Ittok years back but it was never really happy. I'd love to try it on a Decca International Arm but they're hard to come by. I just can't justify big expense with gear so I tend to look for the biggest bang for the least cost.

Hi Dan, thanks for taking the time to drop by! Congrats on all the work you've done on your rig. It's begging for some Sophie Electrics or TJ Mesh Plates.
One question: Do you notice or know of any issue with the extra weight of the copper and clamp on the 401 main bearing?

noromance October 31, 2013 19:47

OK, after some delays in the mail the refurbished Decca Super Gold came back with a new Paratrace stylus (and tie cord).
Under the magnifying glass, the diamond looks very fine and thin after the rock that was there before. JW says it was 75% worn but honestly, despite using a magic eraser, it was playing pretty badly. Maybe the cord had stretched with wear - it was after all 25+ years old.
Anyhow, JW didn't return the mounting screws which was a bit of a pain as all the ones I had were a little too long. I had to add a brass nut between the bolt and the top of the headshell so the screw didn't punch the top of the can. The extra weight meant moving the balance weight a little further back on the arm.
There is one particular track that I use as a test for detail. Famous Blue Raincoat by Leonard Cohen has some tinkling bells that are barely audible (they brought them forward in the mix for the remaster) at the start of the track. With the old Decca, they were barely audible. With the re-tip, they are crystal clear and hang in space. This is a good start! Julie Andrews "Before I Gaze At You Again" from Camelot on RCA 1960 is three dimensional with wonderful richness, a palpable presence in the room. This is a very dynamic recording but there was no evidence of sibilance or tracking error despite what Julie could throw at it. Interestingly, I really didn't pay much attention to set up. VTF 1.8gr, VTA -dunno tonearm is parallel to the record. SRA, no idea. Azimuth, looks fine by eye.
Next up, Loudon Wainwright "Hard Day on the Planet" from More Love Songs. This is a great recording with acoustic bass, finger clicking and piano, sax, xylophone adding a dynamic snap to the driving vocal. I'd call it post-jazz-blues! Great air and space around the instruments. I'm definitely noticing much better out of the speaker sound stage. Increased depth and layering and ... big and, despite an increase in surface noise, a way lower noise floor. The music is released from the groove like I've never heard before. Now, on the increased surface noise, it's not like before, it's a higher frequency and "faster" noise. Before the refurb, it was a broad spectrum "slower" noise -much more intrusive.
Talk Talk "Happiness is Easy" from The Colour of Spring is a great analogue recording from the 80s. You've heard people say "I'm listening to my records all over again"? I'm hearing stuff I've never heard before. This is not a review about how much more detailed the retipped cartridge is. It is about how the music, the interplay of musicians, the timbre of a bass, the aching pain in Janis Ian "At Seventeen" and Loudon Wainwright "Hosptial Lady" has been released from the recording. There is no coloration that I have yet to pick up on. Yes, it is a tiny bit bright and a little congested on dense material like the emsemble pieces on the 1966 RCA Victor recording of Show Boat. But it's only out of the box. Nevertheless, William Warfield's Ol' Man River is ear poppingly good. What a recording! The bass vocal is in the room and the acoustic goes well beyond the speakers. This cartridge is a significant upgrade. What of the Ortofon? Not in the same league.

noromance October 28, 2013 16:45

I came by a 1957 vintage (burnt in) GE tube and swapped out the Telefunken ECC83. Initial results indicated slightly better channel separation and initially more relaxed presentation with improved clarity on Miles Davis Kind of Blue on 180 gram. However after a few hours, it seemed the sound was creamier and less detailed. Worse, dynamics were flattened. Swapping back in the Tele brought the system back to life. Yes, the slightly "grey" Tele signature came back but so too did all the detail, air, fine treble and clean bass. Ripple by the Grateful Dead regained the warm emotion and all the voices at the end were identifiable. With the GE 5751, they were merged into one wall of sound.
My final recommendation for this amp is GE JG-5751 BPTM in phono and ECC83/12AX7 in the line.

noromance July 19, 2013 22:13

Raytheon was a no go. Constricted and thin. A good tube just not a great one. The GE JG=5751 BPTM is simply outstanding. It's weird how tubes can make or break a rig. There's the possibility the NOS Sylvanias were never played and therefore never burnt in...

noromance May 22, 2013 19:19

Swapped out the (phone tubes) GE 5751 BPTM for NOS Sylvania 5751 Gold GPTM.
Firmer and tighter bass, a little dryer than the GE which are very liquid. Definitely a bigger presentation with the music swelling more appreciably. The sound is a like the Telefunken sound. I always feel that grey plates have a slightly grey coloration whereas black plates seem to have a slightly darker presentation... like there are are blacker silences. There is a pretty stark difference between these tubes.

Sylvanias:
speakers disappear, I can't even imagine the sound is coming from the speaker.
fuller, more beguiling bass, upper bass and lower mids.
spittier dryer treble.
more pluck and snap on strings.
piano sounds more expansive.
treble not as sparkly as GE, less air, seems busy.
color, timbre not as delicate as on the GE tubes.

Switching back to GE:
everything seems a little smaller, quieter and way blacker. More musical,less hi-fi.
definitely more detail and air. I can hear the acoustic here much better.
Crystal Gayle on Waits - Is There Any Way Out of This Dream is simply more musical like a 300B SET. Wispy, breathy trumpet. Recording hiss is more audible.
Looks like the GEs are staying. They make me smile, the Golds would impress the those who like a bigger, rockier sound.

I'm going to try the Sylvania and Raytheon 12AX7 BPLP in the output of the preamp instead of the Telefunken ECC83. Stay tuned.

noromance May 22, 2013 17:38

Changed description to include some historical info.

noromance May 08, 2013 17:59

System edited: Added some fresh photos.

noromance April 14, 2013 20:47

Iso, that's top class kit you have there. I was going to go the big speaker/SET route with Min's http://www.tubeaudiolab.com/
It seems like that is the final destination!

noromance April 09, 2013 21:26

System edited: Added photo of the new old Quads on home made stands.

noromance April 07, 2013 14:57

Isochronism, I have just added Quad ESLs. Photos and report coming soon!

noromance April 06, 2013 22:02

Hi Dan,
How are you doing with the HF35s?
I love mine. They remind me of Leak Stereo 20s with better bass and better transparency. They are exceptional.
Brian

noromance March 17, 2013 09:33

Thanks Dan. Lovely 401 you have there. You're right -I'm also thinking full range speakers like Altec 604s or Tannoys would be nice. I might try Jensens or something like them in open baffles. Another day's work!

noromance February 15, 2013 21:43