Esoteric Grandioso T1 turntable arrives; G1X Master Clock coming.

[Mike Lavigne]

Nice looking turntable.

I had done this for years, but stopped doing it after dropping one of my favourite records and damaging it. Bought 2 or 3 replacements, but all sounded worse than my original. I kept the original and one of the other ones, I still only ever play the original.
Ever since that incident, I now always stop the platter to turn over records.

i've not dropped a record from removing it or placing it while the platter is spinning. my platters are at a good height, i can see them clearly, my muscle memory is working well.

OTOH i did allow a record to slip from my hands years ago and it was my most used/valued demo disc. i ended up buying 4 other like pressings but could never find another like what i had. when i think about it even now it hurts.

i can relate. we love our precious records that really speak to us.

 

[plasmod3]

Amazing stuff Mike! That turntable is quite amazing! wow!!! congrats!!

 

[mtemur]

Very interesting data/info you give us all. Yes the indent in top side of the platter makes more easy to change sides of the records than on my TT that has a very different platter design. On my Ascona Neo if feels best to make a stop/start when changes sides or remove the records…

Small indentation on the top of platters help quick change of records but it’s not the main purpose of that design parameter.

Most platters have smaller diameter (~295) compared to records (~305) and oversized ones have an indentation. It’s (indentation) main purpose is to prevent platter touching to the lip of the record. Other than new flat profile, JVC from 80’s and some thick records from 60’s almost all records have a lip at the outer edge and it’s thicker than the record itself. The lip is there to keep melted vinyl in the press more and at higher pressure to improve transfer of grooves from stamper to vinyl.

To provide good coupling between record and platter, turntable manufacturers either make platters smaller or put an indentation on top. Same rule applies to the label area on the platters.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

been listening tonight to the Eso T1/TA-9D Ikeda/Koetsu Azule, and i'm getting the sense that what i'm hearing has so much energy projection. it is very lively. is this the arm? the cartridge? the relationship between the arm and the cartridge?

the turntable?

i played around a bit with the torque setting, from the 'flat' position, there are three steps softer, and four steps harder (with 20 fine steps in between every step). my initial perception is that i like one step toward hard in terms of overall balance. with only a brief period of investigation.

and now i've just been sitting back and listening, not trying to listen critically, and the amount of energy and the force behind the music gets my attention, more in a musical sense than a sonic sense. more artistic intensity.

London CS 6059 is especially tasty.

i like it.

 

[PeterA]

been listening tonight to the Eso T1/TA-9D Ikeda/Koetsu Azule, and i'm getting the sense that what i'm hearing has so much energy projection. it is very lively. is this the arm? the cartridge? the relationship between the arm and the cartridge?

the turntable?

i played around a bit with the torque setting, from the 'flat' position, there are three steps softer, and four steps harder. my initial perception is that i like one step toward hard in terms of overall balance. with only a brief period of investigation.

and now i've just been sitting back and listening, not trying to listen critically, and the amount of energy and the force behind the music gets my attention, more in a musical sense than a sonic sense. more artistic intensity.

i like it.

Mike, I’ve been playing with the torque adjustment on my turntable and with thread tension. I understand that you might like one torque setting more than another, but what do you actually hear? When listening to a cello or piano or drum or voice, how does the sound actually change with different torque settings?

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, I’ve been playing with the torque adjustment on my turntable and with thread tension. I understand that you might like one torque setting more than another, but what do you actually hear? When listening to a cello or piano or drum or voice, how does the sound actually change with different torque settings?

not there yet, just scratching the surface. but do expect to be able to talk turkey with you about that at some point. i'm just getting the broadest of feel for things so far. what is nice is everything i do is repeatable with the torque adjustment. with the CS Port i could do what you are doing by string tension. but it was quite an opaque process. this is precise.

maybe your adjustments are very incremental and repeatable. not how it is on the CS Port high mass string drive air float tt.

as far as how the sound changes i'm not even on top of that yet. the thing i had in mind was 'flow' and 'ease'. i'm using the harder/softer vernacular for now as there is a bit of that, but for sure that is incomplete. the setting i liked seemed to flow right and had ease but still musical tension and energy. but even my musical choices so far have been very limited over a couple of evenings is all.

 

[Johan K]

been listening tonight to the Eso T1/TA-9D Ikeda/Koetsu Azule, and i'm getting the sense that what i'm hearing has so much energy projection. it is very lively. is this the arm? the cartridge? the relationship between the arm and the cartridge?

the turntable?

i played around a bit with the torque setting, from the 'flat' position, there are three steps softer, and four steps harder (with 20 fine steps in between every step). my initial perception is that i like one step toward hard in terms of overall balance. with only a brief period of investigation.

and now i've just been sitting back and listening, not trying to listen critically, and the amount of energy and the force behind the music gets my attention, more in a musical sense than a sonic sense. more artistic intensity.

London CS 6059 is especially tasty.

i like it.

Hi Mike,

Mike said:
”and the amount of energy and the force behind the music gets my attention”

The force and energy you talk about - it’s so funny you mention that, when it includes your Koetsu Azule, because I get exactly the same feeling all the time when I use my BlueLace on my 4point. It is hard to describe in words, but it’s like a powerful kind of monsterous force backing up the music in the most incredible amazing way - at least at my place…
That is why I’m totally sold on my Koetsu. I don’t have that kind of force from my other carts… -and I have never ever heard that mysterious brutal force on any other carts passing through my audioroom, for that matter… so that is kind of cool.

Maybe it’s your beautiful Azule that do the wizard force in your big speaker system, Mike !? Anyway, your description sounds exiting.

/ Jk

 

[Johan K]

Hi again Mike,

Forgot to say… When I was starting up my vinyl hobby again after ca 18-20 years of paus, I consulted directly with Dan D’Agostino with adjustments on my Momentum phonostage, regarding what kind of load and gain and such, that would work the best with my Koetsu Blue Lace. He told me to set the load to 50 Ohms, which is much lower than recommended from Koetsu them selfs.
So that’s what I did… I have tried both higher and lower settings, but the 50 Ohm seems to do magic here. It might do something wizard things at your place too, if you not already have tried it.

/ Jk

 

[bonzo75]

Hi Mike,

Mike said:
”and the amount of energy and the force behind the music gets my attention”

The force and energy you talk about - it’s so funny you mention that, when it includes your Koetsu Azule, because I get exactly the same feeling all the time when I use my BlueLace on my 4point. It is hard to describe in words, but it’s like a powerful kind of monsterous force backing up the music in the most incredible amazing way - at least at my place…
That is why I’m totally sold on my Koetsu. I don’t have that kind of force from my other carts… -and I have never ever heard that mysterious brutal force on any other carts passing in my audioroom, for that matter… so that is kind of cool.

Maybe it’s your beautiful Azule that do the wizard force in your big speaker system, Mike !? Anyway, your description sounds exiting.

/ Jk

was listening to the blue lace on 4p two weekends ago at thundresnow place in Serbia , Zanden phono, also other sources with studer 807 and Lampi GG3 in the room, Eimac tubes on the Nat

 

[XV-1]

Hi again Mike,

Forgot to say… When I was starting up my vinyl hobby again after ca 18-20 years of paus, I consulted directly with Dan D’Agostino with adjustments on my Momentum phonostage, regarding what kind of load and gain and such, that would work the best with my Koetsu Blue Lace. He told me to set the load to 50 Ohms, which is much lower than recommended from Koetsu them selfs.
So that’s what I did… I have tried both higher and lower settings, but the 50 Ohm seems to do magic here. It might do something wizard things at your place too, if you not already have tried it.

/ Jk
View attachment 106176

Hmmm. Johan, Wanna swap phono's for a couple of months

Mike is using step ups for most of his phono inputs, so active loading is no longer applicable.

 

[Johan K]

Hmmm. Johan, Wanna swap phono's for a couple of months

Mike is using step ups for most of his phono inputs, so active loading is no longer applicable.

Well Shane… that is tough one… but if you send me your HD preamp, (which would actually be just perfect here) then why not, haha… .

 

[Mike Lavigne]

i might be getting more bass slam from the Esoteric T1 and this arm/cartridge than i've ever had. again.....how much of that is the arm and cartridge doing? heard it the last few nights in every recording, but it keeps getting my attention.

it's very physical. and i'm not playing things loud, just my normal levels.

 

[Johan K]

i might be getting more bass slam from the Esoteric T1 and this arm/cartridge than i've ever had. again.....how much of that is the arm and cartridge doing? heard it the last few nights in every recording, but it keeps getting my attention.

it's very physical. and i'm not playing things loud, just my normal levels.

Good evening Mike / ( morning here ),

Sounds so funny. I wish I could join you right now to hear what it sounds like…
I’m happy for you. I know what you mean, when you say ”-keeps getting my attention”… It’s the same as ” I want more of this - and I don’t wanna stop”. So cool !! Keep it up and enjoy yourself.

/ Johan

 

[treitz3]

i might be getting more bass slam from the Esoteric T1 and this arm/cartridge than i've ever had. again.....how much of that is the arm and cartridge doing? heard it the last few nights in every recording, but it keeps getting my attention.

it's very physical. and i'm not playing things loud, just my normal levels.

Is that a good or bad thing?

Tom

 

[ashandger]

i might be getting more bass slam from the Esoteric T1 and this arm/cartridge than i've ever had. again.....how much of that is the arm and cartridge doing? heard it the last few nights in every recording, but it keeps getting my attention.

it's very physical. and i'm not playing things loud, just my normal levels.

Hello Mike, thanks for all the updates. May I ask how are you finding the microdynamics and soundstaging so far? Many thanks.

 

[bonzo75]

i might be getting more bass slam from the Esoteric T1 and this arm/cartridge than i've ever had. again.....how much of that is the arm and cartridge doing? heard it the last few nights in every recording, but it keeps getting my attention.

it's very physical. and i'm not playing things loud, just my normal levels.

the ikeda arm has a lot of weight and authority

 

[PeterA]

i might be getting more bass slam from the Esoteric T1 and this arm/cartridge than i've ever had. again.....how much of that is the arm and cartridge doing? heard it the last few nights in every recording, but it keeps getting my attention.

it's very physical. and i'm not playing things loud, just my normal levels.

Mike, is it more in balance with the rest of the music than it was before with other tables/arms/cartridges, or it it just “more” always drawing attention to itself as though spot lit?

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, is it more in balance with the rest of the music than it was before with other tables/arms/cartridges, or it it just “more” always drawing attention to itself as though spot lit?

Peter, it is part of the higher levels of dynamics, and being more alive sounding, the bass just has more drive and physical effect. the impact is more complete. with more weight and inertia. at this point in my limited experience i hesitate to say it's more "real life" sounding, but that's my sense. this is on acoustical music. sometimes it's startling on familiar cuts. so far only played classical and jazz on the T1. nothing amplified. my typical fare.

could be the arm particularly, never had an Ikeda or Glanz type arm before. and along with the Esoteric T1 could be just a match of well joined pieces. obviously Esoteric claims the arm is a bit optimized for the turntable. might that be part of it? but it might be mostly the drive of the T1? it does remind me of my Dobbins Garrard 301 but that bass bump was sometimes slightly presented as a fun artifact, this never comes thru that way.

am hearing things entirely natural sounding. just more meat on the bones.

maybe sometime this weekend i'll switch to the new Audio Technica cartridge and we can see what that does.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Hello Mike, thanks for all the updates. May I ask how are you finding the microdynamics and soundstaging so far? Many thanks.

soundstaging is exemplary, in that way more spacious than the Saskia/Tosca/DaVa it replaced. the phono cable i'm using now is a zero cost generic one compared to the LFD w/dongle 'super-cable' i was using on the DaVa before, which i know was a big step up in space. but it's probably a mistake to get too much into differences without the other arms on the T1.

the micro-dynamics are top notch, but i cannot say this necessarily better than the Saskia/Tosca/DaVa. it's in the same realm in that way. maybe that and textures are where this arm trails my other arm/carts. but i don't really know that now, just my sense.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Is that a good or bad thing?

Tom

good, fair question. but there are no bass overload artifacts going on. the bass is a sudden musical kinda thing when the music calls for it. just with more authority and intent. my system is tuned for the bass to never be intrusive. it's there when it is supposed to be, and is thunderous without limits if called upon. it should never be unto itself for bass sake.

maybe when all my arms are on the T1 and i listen more it may turn out that there is a bit of artifact involved, but i will be surprised if it goes that way.