Natural Sound

[PeterA]

Ok. I see you adjust azimuth with the help of a tiny bubble level on the shell and by ear. Not good enough for me, there are different views on it. Alastair Robertson-Aikman, the SME man, considered it a secondary adjustment and designed the SMEV with a fixed headshell. For fun I have used professional Bosch laser tools for set up and alignment of cartridges - I project the superimposed laser lines on the wall and measure the angle with an angle meter having a .05 degree accuracy. Audiophile crazyness can go up to that ... BTW the small bubble level supplied with my VdH Stradivarius was wrong by .9º.

Surely people can object that the test LP can be wrongly cut and inaccurate - I have read objections in this sense, but I own three independently issued test LPs that agree perfectly.

Most times I do not use measurements or objective data as an aim, but as a tool for guidance and confirmation - I find the pure subjective tools time consuming and sometimes unreliable.

I primarily use the mirror and then record the angle by making a note on the bubble level. The key is to do it by listening as the final judge.

we all choose our instruments. The ear is a very accurate instrument. I like making note of where the bubble is on the head shell relative to the mirror after I have adjusted by ear. The bubble and the mirror are starting points but mostly the mirror.

The current SME arms were designed with the assumption that the industry would adopt a standard for instance 9.5 mm for mounting screw to stylus distance. Also accurately made cartridges for azimuth. This did not happen so it is nice to have some adjustability. You seem to have moved on from the SME V arm. I have also, but I suspect for different reasons.

you are fond of saying we are governed by preference. What if we prefer a setting different from what the measurements dictate? I rely on listening, but of course I made mistakes in the past and I’m still learning.

 

[morricab]

Are you telling me good hearing is a advantage for all audiophiles ?

Shhhh...that’s a secret...

 

[assessor43]

I primarily use the mirror and then record the angle by making a note on the bubble level. The key is to do it by listening as the final judge.

we all choose our instruments. The ear is a very accurate instrument. I like making note of where the bubble is on the head shell relative to the mirror after I have adjusted by ear. The bubble and the mirror are starting points but mostly the mirror.

The current SME arms were designed with the assumption that the industry would adopt a standard for instance 9.5 mm for mounting screw to stylus distance. Also accurately made cartridges for azimuth. This did not happen so it is nice to have some adjustability. You seem to have moved on from the SME V arm. I have also, but I suspect for different reasons.

you are fond of saying we are governed by preference. What if we prefer a setting different from what the measurements dictate? I rely on listening, but of course I made mistakes in the past and I’m still learning.

Yep, the mirror works for me.

 

[Steve williams]

At last? I’m not one of your students in the classroom perched at attention to respond immediately to all questions asked. I was out on the water in a fog bank with my daughter doing something more important and more enjoyable.

The mirror gets you close the same way checking by eye for 92° gets you close. Then I adjust by ear as I wrote. Making small adjustments and asking myself if it sounds more or less natural with the adjustment. “Sounds” implies listening by ear. this is not as easy because it doesn’t have the card trick.

I use the mirror and listen. Of course not every stylus is perfect in the cantilever. You can even see this through a 10 X loupe. No need for a USB microscope. Are use the very convenient tiny bubble level supplied with the Colibri. I place it on the head shell as a reference. It is not perfect and precise but it gets you very close if alignment using the mirror is not quite right.

In the end all these tools just save you time and get you close and then tiny adjustments are made by ear. Others use different methods with which they are comfortable.

watching David adjust azimuth with a mirror IMO was pretty darn good. Francisco IMO it just seems that the things that get between you and the music has been robbing your ears of aural bliss

 

[PeterA]

We are slowly returning my listening room into a more welcoming living room for my family and guests. The latest addition is a mahogany Butler's Tray table in front of the sofa. I am now working on better lighting and looking for two heavy brass pharmacy lamps for each side of the sofa and a task light for the audio rack.

In a room such as mine, where space is limited, the corner horns are proving to be an ideal solution. The system is in the background, but the sound and music are front and center when listening. This is an early example of a "lifestyle" system.

 

[PeterA]

Bonzo asked for a system video of Scheherazade, 2nd movement. I think he prefers the Living Stereo Reiner/Chicago. I only have a reissue of that recording, so I prefer my earlier pressing of Mehta/LA on Decca. I may make a video of the Reiner later. Here is the video:

 

[Folsom]

We are slowly returning my listening room into a more welcoming living room for my family and guests. The latest addition is a mahogany Butler's Tray table in front of the sofa. I am not working on better lighting and looking for two heavy brass pharmacy lamps for each side of the sofa and a task light for the audio rack.

In a room such as mine, where space is limited, the corner horns are proving to be an ideal solution. The system is in the background, but the sound and music are front and center when listening. This is an early example of a "lifestyle" system.

View attachment 80403

View attachment 80404

IMO this is rhe best kind of room. I prefer no sacrifice lifestyle all day.

 

[bonzo75]

Bonzo asked for a system video of Scheherazade, 2nd movement. I think he prefers the Living Stereo Reiner/Chicago. I only have a reissue of that recording, so I prefer my earlier pressing of Mehta/LA on Decca. I may make a video of the Reiner later. Here is the video:

I didn't say I preferred one over the other as I have never heard the Mehta outside of your videos. Tang or someone remarked the recording is flat in comparison. I asked for the Reiner reissue because everyone has access to it and it can be easily used across, and there is already a thread showing the second movement from Reiner across many systems. The second movement goes single instrument by single instrument before moving from quiet to loud multi instrument in a short time making it ideal for auditions.

Also, it is not like you are playing Ansermet or Beecham. The Reiner is also fantastic performance. If someone does not appreciate it, it is their loss.

 

[bonzo75]

This is now sounding much better than the previous videos though. Even though it is the second movement am listening to instead of the first. It would be good if put up the first as well. It is more balanced, the highs are better and quite sufficient, previously they were sounding rolled off. Is this the vdh instead of the technics? There is also more life and energy.

 

[bonzo75]

IMO this is rhe best kind of room. I prefer no sacrifice lifestyle all day.

Agreed.

 

[LL21]

IMO this is rhe best kind of room. I prefer no sacrifice lifestyle all day.

Agreed.

+1

 

[PeterA]

This is now sounding much better than the previous videos though. Even though it is the second movement am listening to instead of the first. It would be good if put up the first as well. It is more balanced, the highs are better and quite sufficient, previously they were sounding rolled off. Is this the vdh instead of the technics? There is also more life and energy.

This video is with the modified vdH Colibri Master Sig to Grand Cru with the 0.25 mV output. It is basically a different cartridge made for the high efficiency of the system. It has the nuance of the Technics MM but adds the resolution that the Colibris are know for without the push/force of the higher output versions.

This video also benefits from being made after ddk visited and fine tuned the system set up and cartridges. The rack and amp stands also make a slight difference and the long ICs to the amps are from David and work better than what I had been using. This video represents the complete Karmeli vision of the system. Nothing remains here from the old system.

 

[bonzo75]

This video is with the modified vdH Colibri Master Sig to Grand Cru with the 0.25 mV output. It is basically a different cartridge made for the high efficiency of the system. It has the nuance of the Technics MM but adds the resolution that the Colibris are know for without the push/force of the higher output versions.

This video also benefits from being made after ddk visited and fine tuned the system set up and cartridges. The rack and amp stands also make a slight difference and the long ICs to the amps are from David and work better than what I had been using. This video represents the complete Karmeli vision of the system. Nothing remains here from the old system.

This cartridge is superb, I think. Imo, based on videos, the technics sucked in comparison. I also don't see how a cart can be more nuanced than the Master Signature/Stradivarius.

I did not make any comments on your previous videos, because I did not like them, and in general agreed with Brad's and Bazelio's assessment of those videos. But this one is sounding quite good. Especially given the room aesthetics, I could easily have this

 

[PeterA]

This cartridge is superb, I think. Imo, based on videos, the technics sucked in comparison. I also don't see how a cart can be more nuanced than the Master Signature/Stradivarius.

David sent me the technics To demonstrate that the high output Colibri did not have nuance because everything sounded forced and pushed. That was fine with my Magico system but it was too much with this new system. I learned a big lesson from that technics cartridge. I sent a Colibrí back for it inspection and modification to lower output.

The technics can easily demonstrate the value of nuance for a connection to the music which is very absent from a lot of systems. The magic lives in nuance and resolution, IMO. The Colibrí has both and I listen to it 90% of the time.

 

[Lagonda]

David sent me the technics To demonstrate that the high output Colibri did not have nuance because everything sounded forced and pushed. That was fine with my Magico system but it was too much with this new system. I learned a big lesson from that technics cartridge. I sent a Colibrí back for it inspection and modification to lower output.

The technics can easily demonstrate the value of nuance for a connection to the music which is very absent from a lot of systems. The magic lives in nuance and resolution, IMO. The Colibrí has both and I listen to it 90% of the time.

Peter, the problem was a bad match between the high output of the Master Sig and your Lamm Phono Stage, overdriving it. The lower output of your modified cartridge is a better match. Tang uses a different phono stage with excellent result.

 

[bonzo75]

Peter, the problem was a bad match between the high output of the Master Sig and your Lamm Phono Stage, overdriving it. The lower output of your modified cartridge is a better match. Tang uses a different phono stage with excellent result.

The lower output has a much lower impedance. Tang uses the high output, and in Munich, Schick and Schroeder have used the high output ones with the Silbatone phono on Western electrics. And Kevin with the Kondo phono on the vox. Audioquattr has used a variety of outputs on his Pass and Mayer phonos. The Mayer prefers lower impedance.

 

[PeterA]

I didn't say I preferred one over the other as I have never heard the Mehta outside of your videos. Tang or someone remarked the recording is flat in comparison. I asked for the Reiner reissue because everyone has access to it and it can be easily used across, and there is already a thread showing the second movement from Reiner across many systems. The second movement goes single instrument by single instrument before moving from quiet to loud multi instrument in a short time making it ideal for auditions.

Also, it is not like you are playing Ansermet or Beecham. The Reiner is also fantastic performance. If someone does not appreciate it, it is their loss.

Bonzo, here is the 2nd movement of Scheherazade by Reiner/Chicago:

 

[PeterA]

This is now sounding much better than the previous videos though. Even though it is the second movement am listening to instead of the first. It would be good if put up the first as well. It is more balanced, the highs are better and quite sufficient, previously they were sounding rolled off. Is this the vdh instead of the technics? There is also more life and energy.

Bonzo, here is Scheherazade, Mehta/LA, 1st movement in its entirety:

 

[bonzo75]

Bonzo, here is Scheherazade, Mehta/LA, 1st movement in its entirety:

This is definitely sounding better than with the technics, more contrast on all fronts and life.

The Reiner seems to be a bit off, do you need to adjust for LP thickness like you did all the time before?

 

[PeterA]

This is definitely sounding better than with the technics, more contrast on all fronts and life.

The Reiner seems to be a bit off, do you need to adjust for LP thickness like you did all the time before?

I agree. The Reiner just sounds a bit dull to me. The 2nd movement by Mehta, and the 1st, sound better to me, more open and alive with better resolution. Perhaps I could raise the VTA by a card or two because it is a thicker pressing. Maybe I'll try that later and it might help a bit. I like the Reiner performance but never really liked this reissue compared to the earlier Decca pressing by Mehta. When I first posted a video of the Mehta, someone responded that of course it sounds good because of the recording.