No big changes lately, except the Dynavector XX2MKII returns this season to the system after an excellent rebuild. Sounds sweet as ever. Kleos SL rebuilt and waiting her turn. Looking next to replacing the venerable Mac stereo amplifier with monoblocs and free up the fireplace. Here’s the catch: all changes have to be substantial upgrades . . . Do I stay with Mac or? Tubes or SS?
On my self-restored Garrard 401 and DIY plinth, with Dynavector 501 arm (which also sits on a BigRock 2 and Edensound Bear Paw footers, having an arm with a removeable head shell has made things much easier in regards to cartridge swapping. Recommendable.
At last made the move to a Lyra Kleos cartridge (Soundsmith has rebuilt my Dyna XX2MkII). This is an upgrade that provides a smoother, more refined, an slightly more detailed sound, at least to my ears. But now I've got phono stage resources going unused, what with the C2300 MC/MM and ModWright MM options not being used currently. Maybe it's time to find a second decent turntable and tonearm with removable head shell, so as to allow swapping lesser/interesting cartridges and finally getting an OK mono cartridge into the mix.
Also, I forgot to mention the Modwright 9.0 SE phono pre I use, I am still amazed with it years after purchasing it used. I've upgraded the power supply from Modwright, and done some tube rolling, this old unit and I will be together for as long as have left in this world (which I hope to be a long while yet, as I'm enjoying the best listening I've ever had).
You and I share the same cartridge, the Dyna XX2MKII. I finally (after around eight years of steady use), had to send it to Soundsmith for a re-tip. I chose their best option, and it came back a better sounding cartridge than it was new. Just yesterday, I took it out of rotation for my Zu Denon 103R, which has had an ESCCO white sapphire cantilever/Paratrace stylus modification, and was surprised at how well the XX2 held up in comparison. The 103R is an outstanding cartridge, so I would say send the XX2 to Soundsmith and get it re-tipped.
OK, I have to admit: this rig finally sounds great. Not sure what to change at this point. Maybe just keep listening to records? Digital gets the job done, but I know it's not state of the art. But is digital ever going to satisfy like analog already does?
Consider additional sound treatments (see first photo for baby steps in that direction)?
Upgrade my 5 year old, 1000-hour-plus, but just-won't-say-die Dynavector XX2MKII cart?
@ije Good to meet another ModWright PH-150 user. And a Vandy 5A user as well! Not too many of us in these parts, so far as I can tell. I've had the PH-150 installed in my system for several months now, and I'm very happy with it. Considerable improvement in detail over the previous tube phono stage of the McIntosh C2300 preamp. It's got all the gain we could want, and in my experience it's been extremely quiet from the get go. I'm using it with an old-ish Dyna XX-2MKII cartridge (low output MC), and it's worked out great. Longer term, I've got in mind adding a dedicated Mono arm or table, and this will give me the flexibility to try that when the time comes. How's your own working out?
@islandmandan Good to hear from you again, Dan. You've given some welcome advice in the past, further down this thread. Back when I was threatening to switch out my XX-2 cart in favor of, well I don't know what. But I was itchy to do something or other! Invested instead in the new ModWright phono stage and then a Sony digital player. Gotta save a few more bucks before doing anything on the cartridge front. We also traded some guitar ideas back then. I'm out of Martins now and have traded them for an older Collings D3A, for when I'm not spinning vinyl.
Nice system, Goheelz. We share some similarities in our systems, namely the Dynavector XX2MKII, and a Modwright SWP 9.0 SE phono stage, which is an older unit with a factory-upgraded power supply. I have used it for years now, and it still satisfies. The XX2MKII has been refitted with a Soundsmith sapphire cantilever new stylus, and still sounds great.
My turntable plinth has Edensound Bear Paws sitting on a Brightstar BigRock 2, so we share that as well.
Congratulations on what has to be a very fine sounding system.
Very nice system. How do you like the Modwright PH 150 phonostage? We have some similarities in gear with mine all built on the Modwright signature sound. I have a Scoutmaster with the Single Motor flywheel, .. paired with the Modwright LS 36,5 DM, SWP 9 SE Phonostage, KWA 150 Signature Edition in Mono configuration driving Vany 5A's. I am waiting for my PH 150 to arrive.. so wondering how you are liking that in your system.
As an ex-owner of Spendor SP100R I can say my compliments due to Mc and Spendor, usually a very good matching. And you know, we share the same cartridge: c2500 (and c2300) for me now is the perfect match with Dyna, I agree 101% with your choice... Regards, Max
Thanks for your kind remarks. My Garrard has had a few changes, I didn't like where I mounted the tonearm, so I made an l-shaped piece of Cocobolo, and inset it into the plinth. I also made some corner insets of the Cocobolo (the plinth is wrapped in Bubinga). The arm has been in Nevada for a couple of weeks getting rewired and checked out. Supposed to be done tomorrow.
I used to have some guitars, my favorite was a William C. Stahl, Milwaukee. It was made in the 30's (at least that was the consensus at the time). It was a steel-string with an open head, square frets and Ebony fretboard, and M-O-P inlay fret markers. There was a herring bone multi-colored inlay 'round the sound hole and front binding, and a stripe down the back of the h-bone, and white ovoid bindings on the front & rear. The sound was very sweet and pure. In December of '72, my house burned to the ground, and the guitar with it.
My next guitar was a Gibson J-55, arch-back, flattop dreadnought, which I had until around 2002, at which time I gave it to my younger son, as my hands weren't in any shape to play it anymore. He loves it, as one of his earliest memories are standing in front of it as I was playing it, and staring into the sound hole.
Sorry about the length of this post, but I still love guitars, even though I don't have any now.
Thanks for the note. We agree on the cartridge. Mine is pretty new and breaking in, still. And by the way your Garrard DYI looks incredible, as does your carefully designed system. Wish I knew more about these DYI plinth rigs for old turntables that I see on various systems and would like to hear one some day.
By the way, the Martins are a 2005 standard D-28 and a fairly unusual SP000-16R from about 1995, I think. It was a special edition, and a bit expensive than either the 000-18 or 000-28, but I think it sounds pretty nice.
Nice system you've put together, not to mention the other two fine music-makers. We share the same cartridge, I had it in a Scout Signature, now in a Dynavector DV 501 arm and restored Garrard 401. It's a great cartridge, in any case.
I see the one Martin is a Dreadnought size, and the smaller is gorgeous with the mother-of-pearl inlay. Good music all the way around. Enjoy!
Thanks for the kind words. You know, as a matter of fact I lived in Durham (Morehead Hill) for several years, and I'd take you up on the offer if was still in the area. Looks like you've got the digital rig figured out nicely, and I especially like the set up with two subwoofers. I need to get busy in the digital part of audio, one of these days.
Hi Goheez: Sorry for the delay getting back to you. I've been so busy with my new Company. Your VPI setup I am sure brings you pure musical pleasure. Great looking rig. As far as the Andras working in your 15X15 space. They should work very well with your system. A fellow Audiogon member had the Andra II and replaced them for the same ones I have.
Alan: the VPI Aries is a solid player. I've got the Aries II Black Knight, which has a black acrylic platter. The arm is recently upgraded to the VPI 10.5i with Dynavector XX-2 mkII cartridge, and everything is breaking in nicely. I've also found that the SDS speed control and Gingko isolation platform are important upgrades for this rig. I don't see any reason to go further up the VPI line, although one day budget permitting the Galibier turntables look pretty impressive and in keeping with my preference for massive, unsuspended record players.
I'm going to try and audition the Andras sometime soon, since from what I've heard they've got the authority to bring a bigger sound than the current set up, which is nice but lacks some weight and presence, I think, compared to what it might be. My room is smaller than yours, however, and I wonder how the Andras will do in a 15 x 15 foot space that opens onto two other rooms that are fairly large.
