Calling S.F. Bay Area Vinyl Lovers

[Joe Cohen]

This is an invite to Bay Area Vinyl lovers to come and hear our reference system and perhaps report their findings back to this forum. Specifically, to hear the new SW1X LPU III Balanced Phono Stage in this context…

Please contact me here joe@lotusgroupusa.com

May I humbly say that I believe you will find this to be a rewarding experience

(older photo - see below for current lineup)


Components

• The Lotus Group Granada Loudspeaker with X1 Crossover 1 Pr
  • Open Baffle Design
  • 5" Feastrex D5e Type II Field Coil Drivers and Power Supply
  • 2 - 12" Dual Voice Coil Woofers
  • State of the Art Digital Crossover
  • State of the Art Room Correction
  • Frequency range 25hz to 20k
  • Dimensions: 22" Wide, 54" Tall, 16" Deep
• Lotus Group built custom turntable with Redpoint Platter, bearing and motor pod
• Durand Kairos tonearm
• Ortofon Windfeld Cartridge
• EAR MC4 Step Up Transformer
• SW1X LPU III Balanced Phono Stage
• SW1X DAC III Balanced/Sony LCD-1
• Audio Note M3 Preamplifier
• SMc 125-watt Stereo Amplifier

Cables

• PranaWire Lalit Phono Cables (2)
• PranaWire Vajra Power Cables 1.5m (2)
• PranaWire Cosmos Power Cable Custom 1.5m (1)
• PranaWire Cosmos Power Cable 1.5m (1)
• PranaWire Sukhavati Power Cable 2.0m (1)
• PranaWire Avatar Speaker Cable 2.5m (Woofers) (1)
• PranaWire Sukhavati Speaker Cable 2.5m (Main Drivers) (1)
• PranaWire Arhat RCA IC 1.5m (1)
• PranaWire Sukhavati IC RCA 1.5m (1)
• PranaWire Sukhavati XLR IC 1.0m (1)

Accessories

• Acoustic Revive RCP-1 Power Line Conditioner (2)
• Acoustic Revive RR-888 Ultra Low Frequency Generator (2) w/ Outboard Linear Power Supplies
• Q AB4045 Hybrid Ceramic Platforms (2)
• Q HEM-25 Footers - Sets of 4 (6)
• PranaWire Linebacker XE In-Line Passive Power Conditioners (2)
• PranaWire Sovereign Linebacker (2)
• PranaWire DanTien Footers Sets of 3 (3)
• Furutech NCF Boosters (6)
• Q TA-102 Damping Material (3)
• Q TA-32 Damping Material (1)
• Q IP-11 Cable Supports (4)

 

[Addicted to hifi]

This is an invite to Bay Area Vinyl lovers to come and hear our reference system and perhaps report their findings back to this forum. Specifically, to hear the new SW1X LPU III Balanced Phono Stage in this context…

Please contact me here joe@lotusgroupusa.com

May I humbly say that I believe you will find this to be a rewarding experience

(older photo - see below for current lineup)

View attachment 82594
Components

• The Lotus Group Granada Loudspeaker with X1 Crossover 1 Pr
  • Open Baffle Design
  • 5" Feastrex D5e Type II Field Coil Drivers and Power Supply
  • 2 - 12" Dual Voice Coil Woofers
  • State of the Art Digital Crossover
  • State of the Art Room Correction
  • Frequency range 25hz to 20k
  • Dimensions: 22" Wide, 54" Tall, 16" Deep
• Lotus Group built custom turntable with Redpoint Platter, bearing and motor pod
• Durand Kairos tonearm
• Ortofon Windfeld Cartridge
• EAR MC4 Step Up Transformer
• SW1X LPU III Balanced Phono Stage
• SW1X DAC III Balanced/Sony LCD-1
• Audio Note M3 Preamplifier
• SMc 125-watt Stereo Amplifier

Cables

• PranaWire Lalit Phono Cables (2)
• PranaWire Vajra Power Cables 1.5m (2)
• PranaWire Cosmos Power Cable Custom 1.5m (1)
• PranaWire Cosmos Power Cable 1.5m (1)
• PranaWire Sukhavati Power Cable 2.0m (1)
• PranaWire Avatar Speaker Cable 2.5m (Woofers) (1)
• PranaWire Sukhavati Speaker Cable 2.5m (Main Drivers) (1)
• PranaWire Arhat RCA IC 1.5m (1)
• PranaWire Sukhavati IC RCA 1.5m (1)
• PranaWire Sukhavati XLR IC 1.0m (1)

Accessories

• Acoustic Revive RCP-1 Power Line Conditioner (2)
• Acoustic Revive RR-888 Ultra Low Frequency Generator (2) w/ Outboard Linear Power Supplies
• Q AB4045 Hybrid Ceramic Platforms (2)
• Q HEM-25 Footers - Sets of 4 (6)
• PranaWire Linebacker XE In-Line Passive Power Conditioners (2)
• PranaWire Sovereign Linebacker (2)
• PranaWire DanTien Footers Sets of 3 (3)
• Furutech NCF Boosters (6)
• Q TA-102 Damping Material (3)
• Q TA-32 Damping Material (1)
• Q IP-11 Cable Supports (4)

Very nice system.

 

[ACHiPo]

Where in the Bay Area are you located?

 

[Joe Cohen]

Marin County

 

[ACHiPo]

Marin County

Thanks.

 

[Joe Cohen]

I realize, with so many products vying for attention, that it may be difficult to decide to go out of one‘s way to hear something new, however, anyone who is seeking an understanding of where this avocation can lead owes it to themselves to come hear this system and hopefully report back to this forum. While I have couched this invitation based on the phono stage, everything that has gone into the making of this system in its current form is an essential part of the whole and should be considered part and parcel as a tested pathway to the highest levels. So come on Bay Area audiophiles. Let’s hear from you. You are missing something important.

 

[Solypsa]

are you sharing photos / details on your custom-redpoint tt build?

 

[Joe Cohen]

are you sharing photos / details on your custom-redpoint tt build?

Sure, happy to tell the story. About 14 years ago a friend of mine called and asked if I would like to take a class at the Randall Museum in San Francisco where we would be building our own turntables. The museum Director was an audiophile/engineer. I said yes, of course. So over a period of many months we drove into San Francisco together every Saturday morning where we first built our motor controllers and then later the plinths. The museum has a splendid wood shop in the basement. My design differed from the others in that I chose not to have a piece of granite sticking out of the top. I also drilled 15 2 inch wide holes in the 4 inch thick plywood plinth and filled them with lead shot. I also had a 1” thick aluminum sub-plinth fabricated. Years earlier I had acquired some musical instrument grade flamed maple which I used to clad the plinth. I also installed the Ebony purfling that’s visible on the top. The plan was to use the original Galibier vinyl platters and bearing which all of the others in the class used, but I was fortunate to be able to trade some cables with Peter Clark of Redpoint turntable fame for one each of his glorious platters, motor pods and bearings. So I had all the makings of a great turntable, but life intruded and I found myself ten years down the road with a bunch of parts stored in a closet.

Finally I became determined to complete the project. I could no longer stomach the idea that I had started this thing but not completed it. The first thing I had to do was to acquire a 2 3/8 inch socket in order to be able to fix the bearing to the plinth. I placed the plinth assembly on the stereo cabinet, oiled the bearing chamber and dropped the spindle in (very satisfying watching it descend so very slowly - nicely machined!), lowered the platter and gave it a spin. Something was not right! I got level with the top of the platter to eyeball it. There was at least a 1/16” runout! I tried calling Peter but he was too ill to help. I called Thom Makris at Galibier but he could not help either. Finally I located a machinist who had the skills to work on a turntable assembly. He re-ground the top of the spindle assembly to a tapered cone and re-machined the inside of the top of the platter to match. Now the platter spun smoothly and was lowered to a more pleasing distance from the top of the plinth.I also had him make the adjustable arm board out of 316 stainless steel. I applied a massive amount of fo.Q TA-102 damping material before connecting the sub-plinth. I also lined the entire underside of the armboard with fo.Q TA-102 damping material, which was a great idea, but…when I loosened the bolts that hold the board in place to slide it forward to adjust the pivot to spindle distance it would not budge. The pressure of the bolts on the arm board and plinth fastened the TA-102 material firmly maple top. What was I to do? Any attempt to pry it up with a tool would’ve more marred the surface. I finally decided to take a hairdryer to it and with patience it eventually loosened. I covered the TA-102 with blue masking tape so that it would not stick again. Worked like a charm.

We had exhibited at another at a number of shows with Joel Durand and I was quite familiar with his wonderful tonearms. I purchased his Kairos unipivot tonearm and an Ortofon Windfield cartridge. These days I lust after his Tosca gimbal-bearing design arm. What a tour-de-force that is!

Finally I had a local cabinet maker build the turntable platform/rack of my design to which I affixed a Sound Mechanics platform that I had lying around from early days. It too is isolated from the rack by TA-102. Stereo Squares made a custom dust cover to keep the cats away.

The table sits on four fo.Q HEM-25 footers.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Sure, happy to tell the story. About 14 years ago a friend of mine called and asked if I would like to take a class at the Randall Museum in San Francisco where we would be building our own turntables. The museum Director was an audiophile/engineer. I said yes, of course. So over a period of many months we drove into San Francisco together every Saturday morning where we first built our motor controllers and then later the plinths. The museum has a splendid wood shop in the basement. My design differed from the others in that I chose not to have a piece of granite sticking out of the top. I also drilled 15 2 inch wide holes in the 4 inch thick plywood plinth and filled them with lead shot. I also had a 1” thick aluminum sub-plinth fabricated. Years earlier I had acquired some musical instrument grade flamed maple which I used to clad the plinth. I also installed the Ebony purfling that’s visible on the top. The plan was to use the original Galibier vinyl platters and bearing which all of the others in the class used, but I was fortunate to be able to trade some cables with Peter Clark of Redpoint turntable fame for one each of his glorious platters, motor pods and bearings. So I had all the makings of a great turntable, but life intruded and I found myself ten years down the road with a bunch of parts stored in a closet.

Finally I became determined to complete the project. I could no longer stomach the idea that I had started this thing but not completed it. The first thing I had to do was to acquire a 2 3/8 inch socket in order to be able to fix the bearing to the plinth. I placed the plinth assembly on the stereo cabinet, oiled the bearing chamber and dropped the spindle in (very satisfying watching it descend so very slowly - nicely machined!), lowered the platter and gave it a spin. Something was not right! I got level with the top of the platter to eyeball it. There was at least a 1/16” runout! I tried calling Peter but he was too ill to help. I called Thom Makris at Galibier but he could not help either. Finally I located a machinist who had the skills to work on a turntable assembly. He re-ground the top of the spindle assembly to a tapered cone and re-machined the inside of the top of the platter to match. Now the platter spun smoothly and was lowered to a more pleasing distance from the top of the plinth.I also had him make the adjustable arm board out of 316 stainless steel. I applied a massive amount of fo.Q TA-102 damping material before connecting the sub-plinth. I also lined the entire underside of the armboard with fo.Q TA-102 damping material, which was a great idea, but…when I loosened the bolts that hold the board in place to slide it forward to adjust the pivot to spindle distance it would not budge. The pressure of the bolts on the arm board and plinth fastened the TA-102 material firmly maple top. What was I to do? Any attempt to pry it up with a tool would’ve more marred the surface. I finally decided to take a hairdryer to it and with patience it eventually loosened. I covered the TA-102 with blue masking tape so that it would not stick again. Worked like a charm.

We had exhibited at another at a number of shows with Joel Durand and I was quite familiar with his wonderful tonearms. I purchased his Kairos unipivot tonearm and an Ortofon Windfield cartridge. These days I lust after his Tosca gimbal-bearing design arm. What a tour-de-force that is!

Finally I had a local cabinet maker build the turntable platform/rack of my design to which I affixed a Sound Mechanics platform that I had lying around from early days. It too is isolated from the rack by TA-102. Stereo Squares made a custom dust cover to keep the cats away.

The table sits on four fo.Q HEM-25 footers.

more photos to follow.


View attachment 82897

Stunning turntable.I bet it sounds excellent as well

 

[Joe Cohen]

are you sharing photos / details on your custom-redpoint tt build?

Interesting cartridges you carry. Where can I learn more?

 

[Ovenmitt]

Sure, happy to tell the story. About 14 years ago a friend of mine called and asked if I would like to take a class at the Randall Museum in San Francisco where we would be building our own turntables. The museum Director was an audiophile/engineer. I said yes, of course. So over a period of many months we drove into San Francisco together every Saturday morning where we first built our motor controllers and then later the plinths. The museum has a splendid wood shop in the basement. My design differed from the others in that I chose not to have a piece of granite sticking out of the top. I also drilled 15 2 inch wide holes in the 4 inch thick plywood plinth and filled them with lead shot. I also had a 1” thick aluminum sub-plinth fabricated. Years earlier I had acquired some musical instrument grade flamed maple which I used to clad the plinth. I also installed the Ebony purfling that’s visible on the top. The plan was to use the original Galibier vinyl platters and bearing which all of the others in the class used, but I was fortunate to be able to trade some cables with Peter Clark of Redpoint turntable fame for one each of his glorious platters, motor pods and bearings. So I had all the makings of a great turntable, but life intruded and I found myself ten years down the road with a bunch of parts stored in a closet.

Finally I became determined to complete the project. I could no longer stomach the idea that I had started this thing but not completed it. The first thing I had to do was to acquire a 2 3/8 inch socket in order to be able to fix the bearing to the plinth. I placed the plinth assembly on the stereo cabinet, oiled the bearing chamber and dropped the spindle in (very satisfying watching it descend so very slowly - nicely machined!), lowered the platter and gave it a spin. Something was not right! I got level with the top of the platter to eyeball it. There was at least a 1/16” runout! I tried calling Peter but he was too ill to help. I called Thom Makris at Galibier but he could not help either. Finally I located a machinist who had the skills to work on a turntable assembly. He re-ground the top of the spindle assembly to a tapered cone and re-machined the inside of the top of the platter to match. Now the platter spun smoothly and was lowered to a more pleasing distance from the top of the plinth.I also had him make the adjustable arm board out of 316 stainless steel. I applied a massive amount of fo.Q TA-102 damping material before connecting the sub-plinth. I also lined the entire underside of the armboard with fo.Q TA-102 damping material, which was a great idea, but…when I loosened the bolts that hold the board in place to slide it forward to adjust the pivot to spindle distance it would not budge. The pressure of the bolts on the arm board and plinth fastened the TA-102 material firmly maple top. What was I to do? Any attempt to pry it up with a tool would’ve more marred the surface. I finally decided to take a hairdryer to it and with patience it eventually loosened. I covered the TA-102 with blue masking tape so that it would not stick again. Worked like a charm.

We had exhibited at another at a number of shows with Joel Durand and I was quite familiar with his wonderful tonearms. I purchased his Kairos unipivot tonearm and an Ortofon Windfield cartridge. These days I lust after his Tosca gimbal-bearing design arm. What a tour-de-force that is!

Finally I had a local cabinet maker build the turntable platform/rack of my design to which I affixed a Sound Mechanics platform that I had lying around from early days. It too is isolated from the rack by TA-102. Stereo Squares made a custom dust cover to keep the cats away.

The table sits on four fo.Q HEM-25 footers.




View attachment 82900
View attachment 82902
View attachment 82903
View attachment 82904View attachment 82905
View attachment 82906
View attachment 82907
View attachment 82908

Nice!

 

[Solypsa]

Interesting cartridges you carry. Where can I learn more?

give me a call! 12063499374

 

[ACHiPo]

Beautiful table! Is fo.q ta-102 similar to Sorbothane?

 

[Joe Cohen]

Beautiful table! Is fo.q ta-102 similar to Sorbothane?

No. It is a very sophisticated 21st Century material. Here is a quote from the website:

”

About High Damping Material fo.Q​

‘fo.Q’ is a product applying materials developed with the support of JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency).
Vibrational energy is converted to electric energy, and finally to heat energy, enabling efficient absorption.
There are no rubber or heavy metal overtones, and efficient attenuation of the finest vibrations,
considered difficult to remove up to now, promise you the purest and clearest tones.”

AUDIO ACCESSORY fo.Q

Here is my blog about using TA-102 to great effect on electrolytic capacitors:

Mishap Equals Opportunity

Mishaps can end up providing unexpected opportunity. Last week I managed to blow a fuse in my amplifier. Since the fuse is in line in the interior of the amp, I had to open it up. When I glanced...

www.lotusgroupusa.com

 

[ACHiPo]

No. It is a very sophisticated 21st Century material. Here is a quote from the website:

”

About High Damping Material fo.Q​

‘fo.Q’ is a product applying materials developed with the support of JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency).
Vibrational energy is converted to electric energy, and finally to heat energy, enabling efficient absorption.
There are no rubber or heavy metal overtones, and efficient attenuation of the finest vibrations,
considered difficult to remove up to now, promise you the purest and clearest tones.”

AUDIO ACCESSORY fo.Q

Here is my blog about using TA-102 to great effect on electrolytic capacitors:

Mishap Equals Opportunity

Mishaps can end up providing unexpected opportunity. Last week I managed to blow a fuse in my amplifier. Since the fuse is in line in the interior of the amp, I had to open it up. When I glanced...

www.lotusgroupusa.com

Interesting. I'll check it out. Your comment about it "sticking" and requiring heat to unstick made me think it was similar in composition.

 

[Joe Cohen]

Sorbothane is uniformly “bouncy” This material compresses, but comes back very slowly. It’s very different.