Trans Fi Salvation rim drive tt and Terminator air-bearing linear tracking arm

Finally after 22 long months, I get my analog rig reinstalled. If there’s any interest in it, I’m very happy to chat further.
To kick off, here’s the link to the designer’s web page:

www.trans-fi.com

 

It's somewhat more complex than that. Not so much warmer as a result, but more "one note".
Meaning that in particular, piano, and interestingly, snare drum, sounded "boxy" from one LP to another.
Because cymbals and electric guitar maintained or even improved re bite, shortcomings weren't noticeable, and indeed initial impressions were of improvement.
But once I started latching on to this boxiness, the nagging sensation of SQ overall having worsened started increasing.
I'm going to put this down to either a bumped resonant frequency or a smearing of leading edges.
I find it fascinating that an affectation or imposed character can be not noticeable early on, but come to the fore to actually dominate impressions of overall sound.

Have you or anyone on this thread tried Vic’s new isoplatter. It a resonator with a spindle that is detached from the main spindle and platter. It’s on the transfi website

 

Have you or anyone on this thread tried Vic’s new isoplatter. It a resonator with a spindle that is detached from the main spindle and platter. It’s on the transfi website

Resomat not resonator spell check got me again.

 

Thanks for the suggestion.
I have looked at the Isoplatter, but at 15-20mm thick, I'd have to find a new higher arm mount, and that's a tricky challenge for this design.
I've removed Vic's stock ResoMat, and have gone with an Acoustic Revive mat instead, and an Alphason Audio cartridge isolator, achieving excellent results.

 

Two major changes to the TT system, pretty much bringing a decade-long evolution to an end.
Last change listed here was the install of Acoustic Revive RTS-30 platter mat which I'm now using in conjunction with a thin Teac Washi paper sub-mat.
Some months back installed an Alphason Audio Cartridge Stabiliser, 3x2g ceramic/special sauce hard slips between cartridge and armwand.
Finally, a specially made up Zavfino 1877 Litz copper armwire.
Hugely happy with these changes, eliminating a vast proportion of the remaining colourations I had listening to LPs in my system until now.
At this point, all that remains from my stock TT and arm from a decade plus ago is the original aluminium platter, all else is new.

 

Yes, I may (just *may*) have said that my umpteenth mod/upgrade to my TT setup will not be followed by an umpteenth *plus one, and one only*, lol.
And I've broken my promise maybe a dozen times over.
I've realized that in life, the only vows I'm sure to keep are my marriage ones, audio ones especially re analog setup are always begging to be broken.
But I may very well stick to a "just this time and no more" promise.
Except I may keep this vow by the letter of the law, yet still be indecisive as to this, yes, final choice.
And that's platter mats/pucks.
So, stock Trans-Fi Audio Reso-mat to Acoustic Revive RTS-30 mat/Origin Live Gravity One puck, which are now joined by three alternatives:
Stack Audio Serene mat/Serene Stabilizer puck,
Hexmat Absolute mat/Absolute clamp,
Spec AP-UD1 mat/Stack Serene stabilizer puck.
These can only work in concert with the 3x 2g Alphason cartridge isolators installed between the cartridge body and armwand.
Fate would have it that these four alternatives are all fantastic sounding, way superior to stock Reso-mat, and are in their own individual ways ameliorating and as close to eliminating as possible a lingering negative sonic artifact in my system previous to trying these mats.
However finding a winner is proving to be more challenging than I thought, what they do well, they do very well, what they might be called out on, are pretty minor, more issues of personal taste than absolute black and white characteristics.
There is genuinely nowhere else to go from here, only a direct upgrade to something like the GP Parabolica DD or a fantastically sorted Thorens 124 (so impressed with what I heard at Montesquieu/Tom re his labour of love 124) could/would give me a significant step up.
But despite being bowled over by Steve's GP Monaco DD in his exemplary CH Precision/Stenheims system a few weeks ago, this system evolution has been the closest thing to a dedicated labour of love, cannot ignore the funds I've spent on it, and if I know audio, a direct replication of one stellar TT into *another* room and *another* system cannot be lightly taken.
What I'm most pleased with is, that each major upgrade/modding step I've taken has way more often than not really opened up performance. Only changes like the Permali LP weight, LP periphery ring, Funk Firm Houdini cartridge de-coupler, have not stayed in.
How I know these changes have genuinely borne fruit, and have ticked the boxes of natural sound, neutrality and transparency?
Attending over a hundred classical concerts a year, thus getting my brain re-wired from prog rock, electric jazz and fusion as my mental compass, delving into buying hundreds of jazz and classical LPs incl amazing stuff like DG Original Source vinyl, and getting to a point where there is genuine tonal difference between LPs, timbre on instruments sounds so much closer to what I hear live, and my mind is not drawn to sonic anomalies, artifacts in the music, any exaggerated frequency bumps.
More and more the music presented now really doesn't prompt me to listen for anything, music really just presents so much closer to my newly found appreciation for live classical, and my reaching for LPs with Art Blakey and Tony Williams LPs first, rather than Bonham and Peart.
On analogue at least, my work is done, going all the way back to 1997 when I bought my first high end TT, an all-Roksan Xerxes-based system.

 

"...my work is done..."

Or so you think(wink)

 

"...my work is done..."

Or so you think(wink)

I refer my learned friend to my previous statement.

 

Yes, I may (just *may*) have said that my umpteenth mod/upgrade to my TT setup will not be followed by an umpteenth *plus one, and one only*, lol.
And I've broken my promise maybe a dozen times over.
I've realized that in life, the only vows I'm sure to keep are my marriage ones, audio ones especially re analog setup are always begging to be broken.
But I may very well stick to a "just this time and no more" promise.
Except I may keep this vow by the letter of the law, yet still be indecisive as to this, yes, final choice.
And that's platter mats/pucks.
So, stock Trans-Fi Audio Reso-mat to Acoustic Revive RTS-30 mat/Origin Live Gravity One puck, which are now joined by three alternatives:
Stack Audio Serene mat/Serene Stabilizer puck,
Hexmat Absolute mat/Absolute clamp,
Spec AP-UD1 mat/Stack Serene stabilizer puck.
These can only work in concert with the 3x 2g Alphason cartridge isolators installed between the cartridge body and armwand.
Fate would have it that these four alternatives are all fantastic sounding, way superior to stock Reso-mat, and are in their own individual ways ameliorating and as close to eliminating as possible a lingering negative sonic artifact in my system previous to trying these mats.
However finding a winner is proving to be more challenging than I thought, what they do well, they do very well, what they might be called out on, are pretty minor, more issues of personal taste than absolute black and white characteristics.
There is genuinely nowhere else to go from here, only a direct upgrade to something like the GP Parabolica DD or a fantastically sorted Thorens 124 (so impressed with what I heard at Montesquieu/Tom re his labour of love 124) could/would give me a significant step up.
But despite being bowled over by Steve's GP Monaco DD in his exemplary CH Precision/Stenheims system a few weeks ago, this system evolution has been the closest thing to a dedicated labour of love, cannot ignore the funds I've spent on it, and if I know audio, a direct replication of one stellar TT into *another* room and *another* system cannot be lightly taken.
What I'm most pleased with is, that each major upgrade/modding step I've taken has way more often than not really opened up performance. Only changes like the Permali LP weight, LP periphery ring, Funk Firm Houdini cartridge de-coupler, have not stayed in.
How I know these changes have genuinely borne fruit, and have ticked the boxes of natural sound, neutrality and transparency?
Attending over a hundred classical concerts a year, thus getting my brain re-wired from prog rock, electric jazz and fusion as my mental compass, delving into buying hundreds of jazz and classical LPs incl amazing stuff like DG Original Source vinyl, and getting to a point where there is genuine tonal difference between LPs, timbre on instruments sounds so much closer to what I hear live, and my mind is not drawn to sonic anomalies, artifacts in the music, any exaggerated frequency bumps.
More and more the music presented now really doesn't prompt me to listen for anything, music really just presents so much closer to my newly found appreciation for live classical, and my reaching for LPs with Art Blakey and Tony Williams LPs first, rather than Bonham and Peart.
On analogue at least, my work is done, going all the way back to 1997 when I bought my first high end TT, an-all Roksan Xerxes-based system.

Glad to hear all this experience has diversified your musical taste.

 

Well, a thriving classical concerts scene up here has as well.

 

TT evolution comes to an end, after (lucky) 13 years worth of mods and refinements.
Spec AP-UD1 mat upon Teac Washi paper sub-mat, Stack Serene stabilizer LP puck, and 4x 2g Alphason Audio cartridge isolators.
Beefed up surge tank for air bearing LT arm involving a 10 liter sealed cylinder filled with Dalcron (thanks to Microstrip for this suggestion).
Likely Teradak LPSU for my Roadrunner speed tach.
This final tranche of analogue refinements have been fascinating, ending up with comparing four mats, all of which I could easily have lived with.
The Spec AP-UD1/Teac Washi/Alphason isolators combination came thru as both most neutral and most musical.
Improved surge tank has given me a lovely boost to my air bearing LT arm's performance.
Big smiles all 'round listening to the Chopin and Mussorgsky on most recent DG Original Source reissues.