Ron's Speaker, Turntable, Power and Room Treatment Upgrades

[Ron Resnick]

BREAKING NEWS:

After a very nice correspondence with Johnnie Bergmann of Bergmann Audio, in Denmark, and a discussion with Alex of Alma Music & Audio, I am very excited that I will be adding the Bergmann Odin tonearm as the second tonearm on the Vintage Audio American Sound AS-2000 turntable!

Johnnie is a life-long audiophile and engineer, and he is an absolute delight! I look forward to being one of his first clients to purchase a Bergmann tonearm for a non-Bergmann turntable.

The anvil-like, zero compliance solidity of the AS-2000 turntable should make a perfect platform for the air-bearing Odin tonearm. Since the source components will be in an adjacent room I have no concern about two air pumps pumping away.

An interesting factoid is that when I auditioned the Pendragon loudspeakers at Gryphon Audio Designs Flemming happened to be using a Bergmann Audio turntable and tonearm.

 

[Lagonda]

BREAKING NEWS:

After a very nice correspondence with Johnnie Bergmann of Bergmann Audio, in Denmark, and a discussion with Alex of Alma Music & Audio, I am very excited that I will be adding the Bergmann Odin tonearm as the second tonearm on the Vintage Audio American Sound AS-2000 turntable!

Johnnie is a life-long audiophile and engineer, and he is an absolute delight! I look forward to being one of his first clients to purchase a Bergmann tonearm for a non-Bergmann turntable.

The anvil-like, zero compliance solidity of the AS-2000 turntable should make a perfect platform for the air-bearing Odin tonearm. Since the source components will be in an adjacent room I have no concern about two air pumps pumping away.

An interesting factoid is that when I auditioned the Pendragon loudspeakers at Gryphon Audio Designs Flemming happened to be using a Bergmann Audio turntable and tonearm.

Thank you for adding to the Danish trade surplus again Ron.

 

[asiufy]

Cool

 

[Ron Resnick]

Thank you for adding to the Danish trade surplus again Ron.

My pleasure. Danish companies make great audio components!

I am partial to Scandinavian design in general to begin with. Years ago I rented the then-current Volvo convertible. There were few controls, the dashboard and console were a visually clean design, everything made intuitive sense, no operating manual needed. Then I rented the then-current Mercedes E400: "How do I get to the FM radio?"

The Germans over-engineer their cars and make many functions unnecessarily complicated and failure-prone. "Soft-close" doors? One button to lower the inner trunk lid, and another button to lower the exterior trunk cover?? A foot-activated motion sensor under the rear bumper to open the trunk??? Is it any wonder that brand new German luxury cars suffer horrible depreciation?

Having said all that . . . I love my SL550!

 

[DaveyF]

My pleasure. Danish companies make great audio components!

I am partial to Scandinavian design in general to begin with. Years ago I rented the then-current Volvo convertible. There were few controls, the dashboard and console were a visually clean design, everything made intuitive sense, no operating manual needed. Then I rented the then-current Mercedes E400: "How do I get to the FM radio?"

The Germans over-engineer their cars and make many functions unnecessarily complicated and failure-prone. "Soft-close" doors? One button to lower the inner trunk lid, and another button to lower the exterior trunk cover?? A foot-activated motion sensor under the rear bumper to open the trunk??? Is it any wonder that brand new German luxury cars suffer horrible depreciation?

Having said all that . . . I love my SL550! [/QUOTE

Your point about German cars has to be the most ridiculous post I think I have seen you write on any thread. IME, the German engineers try, and
in most instances succeed, in advancing the technology of the automobile. We are all benefited by their expertise and foresight....can you say ABS brakes, Skid control, Cruise control, crumple zones and on and on. ( and yes even soft close doors and one button to lower the trunk lid!)

You may love your SL550, but I can assure you that the latest Mercedes models are far more advanced than that vehicle...and in a myriad of ways.
If you owned one, i suspect you would understand where i am coming from.

 

[Ron Resnick]

DaveyF,

I agree with you with respect to the advancements you listed, and I know where you’re coming from with regard to some of the recent advancements, as I recently test drove, and look forward possibly to purchasing, an SL63. The new accident avoidance assist technology is fantastic!

But I stand by firmly my criticism of the over-engineering reflected in the three silly features I listed, to which list I will add “windshield washer which comes out of tiny holes in the wiper.”

Please explain how we all benefit from soft close doors and one button to lower the trunk lid.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Ron, congrats on the new air arm.
Despite you not hearing my tt when you visited, you know how much of a fan I am of the air arm concept, and more importantly, day to day operation and musical enjoyment.

Having heard The General's Vyger, pretty much the closest alternative to the AS, so much of its magic I'm convinced comes from it's integral air arm.

I have no doubts you've made a very astute decision.

 

[DaveyF]

DaveyF,

I agree with you with respect to the advancements you listed, and I know where you’re coming from with regard to some of the recent advancements, as I recently test drove, and look forward possibly to purchasing, an SL63. The new accident avoidance assist technology is fantastic!

But I stand by firmly my criticism of the over-engineering reflected in the three silly features I listed, to which list I will add “windshield washer which comes out of tiny holes in the wiper.”

Please explain how we all benefit from soft close doors and one button to lower the trunk lid.

Ok, so lets talk about the "over engineered" silly features like...soft close doors and one button to lower the trunk lid ( which BTW, are options on almost all of the Benz models). The soft close doors---I would have thought that this one speaks for itself. The doors are heavy in these vehicles, and a lot of people slam them....you get the idea. Ok, what about the one button trunk closer...how about this, you are holding a bunch of groceries, or a largish object, or your briefcase ( hmmm) and you don't have two hands free....very handy option to have, IMO. Or this, you are in the car and a passenger wants to get access to the trunk, you can open the trunk remotely from inside the car and not have to require that the passenger put down whatever they are holding to open the trunk from outside ( or have to figure out where the trunk opening handle is)....very nice feature indeed, IMO.
I can go on and on, but once/if you get your new Benz, if it has these options, I strongly suspect that you will recant your posts about these issues.

Oh forgot, silly idea...'windshield washer which comes out of tiny holes in the wiper'....I guess you prefer those unsightly large bulges in the hood that used to hold the washer nozzles....LOL.

 

[Steve Williams]

Ok, so lets talk about the "over engineered" silly features like...soft close doors and one button to lower the trunk lid ( which BTW, are options on almost all of the Benz models). The soft close doors---I would have thought that this one speaks for itself. The doors are heavy in these vehicles, and a lot of people slam them....you get the idea. Ok, what about the one button trunk closer...how about this, you are holding a bunch of groceries, or a largish object, or your briefcase ( hmmm) and you don't have two hands free....very handy option to have, IMO. Or this, you are in the car and a passenger wants to get access to the trunk, you can open the trunk remotely from inside the car and not have to require that the passenger put down whatever they are holding to open the trunk from outside ( or have to figure out where the trunk opening handle is)....very nice feature indeed, IMO.
I can go on and on, but once/if you get your new Benz, if it has these options, I strongly suspect that you will recant your posts about these issues.

Oh forgot, silly idea...'windshield washer which comes out of tiny holes in the wiper'....I guess you prefer those unsightly large bulges in the hood that used to hold the washer nozzles....LOL.

I miffed as to what your last post has to do with Ron's audio system

 

[DaveyF]

I miffed as to what your last post has to do with Ron's audio system

See Ron's post #1344.

 

[jeff1225]

See Ron's post #1344.

I love features too . Great engineering can deliver awesome features, like removable head shells.

 

[DaveyF]

Yes, great engineering can deliver awesome features, unfortunately there’s not much it can do with inherent problems.

 

[Zero000]

My pleasure. Danish companies make great audio components!

I am partial to Scandinavian design in general to begin with. Years ago I rented the then-current Volvo convertible. There were few controls, the dashboard and console were a visually clean design, everything made intuitive sense, no operating manual needed. Then I rented the then-current Mercedes E400: "How do I get to the FM radio?"

The Germans over-engineer their cars and make many functions unnecessarily complicated and failure-prone. "Soft-close" doors? One button to lower the inner trunk lid, and another button to lower the exterior trunk cover?? A foot-activated motion sensor under the rear bumper to open the trunk??? Is it any wonder that brand new German luxury cars suffer horrible depreciation?

Having said all that . . . I love my SL550!

Try a Porsche. By default they won't give you ANYTHING. Really.

If you haven't done so, test drive one. I need say no more, the test drive will do the rest.

 

[PeterA]

Congratulations on the new arm, Ron. It will be very interesting to hear how it compares to the 3012R. How will you determine which arm gets which cartridge? Have you mentioned the idea to David? What does he think about that arm on his table?

 

[ddk]

Congratulations on the new arm, Ron. It will be very interesting to hear how it compares to the 3012R. How will you determine which arm gets which cartridge? Have you mentioned the idea to David? What does he think about that arm on his table?

The AS2000 is highly customizable and it’s up to Ron or other owners to decide what they want on their tables. I like the 3012-r very much but I never stopped anyone from using other arms we’ll make any armboard people want and find a way to make it work with their AS2000. There are tonearms that I’m unfamiliar with so for best results I recommend that the dealer or distributor to set it up or at least the initial setup, in this case Alex will be the man and I look forward to meeting him again. There are absolutely no restrictions from me if the physics and geometry allow it.

david

 

[Ron Resnick]

Try a Porsche. By default they won't give you ANYTHING. Really.

If you haven't done so, test drive one. I need say no more, the test drive will do the rest.

Hi User211,

I have spent quite a bit of time in a 911 C4 convertible.

To what end it do you think I should test drive a Porsche? Unless I am limited to only one vehicle, I like different cars to have different capabilities and for different purposes.

 

[Zero000]

Hi User211,

I have spent quite a bit of time in a 911 C4 convertible.

To what end it do you think I should test drive a Porsche? Unless I am limited to only one vehicle, I like different cars to have different capabilities and for different purposes.

I just thought you may not have driven one. They are very different cars to Mercs.and definitely worth the experience. But if you have, it's pointless.

I will say, though, I actually prefer the feel of the mid-engined cars to the 911s on the road.

Is that a mid-90s C4? Or a contemporary Carrera 4?

 

[Ron Resnick]

I just thought you may not have driven one. They are very different cars to Mercs.and definitely worth the experience. But if you have, it's pointless.

I will say, though, I actually prefer the feel of the mid-engined cars to the 911s on the road.

Is that a mid-90s C4? Or a contemporary Carrera 4?

One Summer — when my replica Shelby Cobra 427SC was in the repair shop almost constantly — I drove my friend’s late 1990s C4 convertible, while he drove his Lamborghini Diablo. (The Diablo, which I drove several times, was not a fun car to drive, and it was not reliable. With my encouragement he later sold the Diablo and bought a Ferrari 355 Spyder.)

I have never been a fan of the 911, either aesthetically or rear-engine design-wise. Starting with a clean sheet of paper, for a sports car, a mid-engine design makes all the sense to me in the world, and a rear-engine design makes no sense to me.

 

[Folsom]

When I was in high school I built a 383 with .500 liftish cam combo with 1.6 rockers and 2.05 heads... it went into a 1969 truck with all drum brakes. A rear engine porsche makes more sense than that. I think Porsche is balanced but a pita to work on.

The only time that truck could take off full throttle from a low speed was when I had the back totally full for a dump run. I passed some dude with my front wheels off the ground that was going real slow.

 

[Lagonda]

One Summer — when my replica Shelby Cobra 427SC was in the repair shop almost constantly — I drove my friend’s late 1990s C4 convertible, while he drove his Lamborghini Diablo. (The Diablo, which I drove several times, was not a fun car to drive, and it was not reliable. With my encouragement he later sold the Diablo and bought a Ferrari 355 Spyder.)

I have never been a fan of the 911, either aesthetically or rear-engine design-wise. Starting with a clean sheet of paper, for a sports car, a mid-engine design makes all the sense to me in the world, and a rear-engine design makes no sense to me.

Owned a Diablo Roadster for a few years, never had a single problem with
it. But driving it at low speeds and high traffic was a challenge, first gear
is high and the trick was constantly releasing and re engaging the clutch.
I have never had strange Miami girls jump out of their cars to give me their
business cards before, it was definitely a attention grabber !