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 Step009.jpg
 
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24 hrs charge/warm up/install of Farad Super3 24V LPS on my SOTA Eclipse/Condor/Roadrunner motor, Sablon Elite pwr cord to it, awaiting addition of Sablon DC cbl.

Interestingly, while the motor install using SMPS wall wart was the proverbial iron fist re wholesale change in presentation to a way more resolute view on the music, gauze cleared, imaging clarified, bass clearer...the Farad LPS is the velvet glove.

By that I mean after some minutes of nothing too drastic being noticed, a greater delicacy and natural warmth has become apparent. Musical lines easier to follow, especially rhythmn guitar, bass harmonics, percussion flourishes etc.

On Steve Morse/Stand Up lp, an album not noteworthy before for being hugely evocative in my system, whole strands are revealed, but critically holistically placed in the soundstage ie not sticking out or hyper detailed, but part of the framework of the music, yet easier to follow.

The classic "you can wallow in the whole song, or listen deeper thru".

Critically the sound is also warmer and more enveloping while still benefitting from the layer of hash already removed by the new motor.
 
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24 hrs charge/warm up/install of Farad Super3 24V LPS on my SOTA Eclipse/Condor/Roadrunner motor, Sablon Elite pwr cord to it, awaiting addition of Sablon DC cbl.

Interestingly, while the motor install using SMPS wall wart was the proverbial iron fist re wholesale change in presentation to a way more resolute view on the music, gauze cleared, imaging clarified, bass clearer...the Farad LPS is the velvet glove.

By that I mean after some minutes of nothing too drastic being noticed, a greater delicacy and natural warmth has become apparent. Musical lines easier to follow, especially rhythmn guitar, bass harmonics, percussion flourishes etc.

On Steve Morse/Stand Up lp, an album not noteworthy before for being hugely evocative in my system, whole strands are revealed, but critically holistically placed in the soundstage ie not sticking out or hyper detailed, but part of the framework of the music, yet easier to follow.

The classic "you can wallow in the whole song, or listen deeper thru".

Critically the sound is also warmer and more enveloping while still benefitting from the layer of hash already removed by the new motor.
One day i am going to sit down and count the many, many, many improvement steps your system has gone trough Marc, you are running out of words that can properly describe it ! ;)
 
Fascinating day with the Farad LPS settling in on the SOTA Eclipse Condor motor.
Ran a longer day with the motor continuously on, and the LPS now on it's second continuous day running in.

Texture and presence right up. There's a greater degree of natural warmth with the Farad, but this is augmenting the greater incision of the motor itself as opposed to shutting it in. I've had tweaks or changes that increase warmth, but they end up blunting or smoothing off detail. This Farad is taking the detail and assertiveness of the Eclipse motor and filling out the spaces.

I'm listening to Steve Morse/High Tension Wires LP, and multi tracked guitar is showing greater separation, indeed the mix is fully revealed for the first time. This is not a forensic presentation, but a more holistic one, as tonally saturated color is maintained, and instrumental warmth is preserved.

So yes, greater low level detail and sound staging revealed, but these strands not drawing false attention to themselves, instead fully part of the tapestry of the song.

This is a massive move forward for my sound. Especially as what I had for years always thought was a Zu fault ie lack of transparency on classical music, but now shown to be the limitations of my old stock motor.

I'm rifling thru LPs like Janacek/Galgolithic Mass, and hearing way more thru the dense orchestral mix, vocals are resolved and thrilling and organ properly full and dramatic. Again I'd never say my Zus were the first choice for such music, but they're nowhere near the liability I always assumed they were.
 
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Any contributions to this please. I'm without doubt going thru the most dramatic evolution in my LP playback. Mainly hugely positive. My previous steps of Stacore isolation, attention to detail on tt/arm/cart setup, and install of improved version of my LT arm, all in the last 4 years, have been really fruitful, in terms of timbral accuracy in particular, leading to a dramatic increase in realism and consequent enjoyment of my jazz LPs.

However the combined changes of new speed stable SOTA tt motor plus Farad LPS, latter on Symposium Rollerblocks and utilising a Sablon DC lead, and topping this with a Symposium Svelte pad as isolation under the SOTA motor pod, has expanded the sound in three dimensions.

Suddenly my classical and acoustic guitar LP collection is re energised, indeed dozens of albums have a new lease of life, freed from a grey congestion that I was aware of previously, but actually thought was more a function of maybe less than fully transparent Zus. My Khatchaturian Gayneh Ballet boxset is absolutely full of zest and heart stopping dramatic as opposed to a bit closed in and hazy as was the case previously. For me, this is a late stage evolutionary jump in my sound I was absolutely not expecting to achieve, especially after experiencing such sublime and superior sound in setups like Audiophile Bill's Mayers tubes/bespoke horns, Blue58's bespoke 45 tubes/AG Duos and UK Paul's Concert Fidelity hybrids/modded ML stats.

All good, and all a massive bonus and step up for future appreciation of classical/jazz vinyl appreciation and enjoyment.

However, there is one caveat. And that is, that a fair number of my more genre faves, old reliable LPs, are suddenly challenging in lots of weird ways. Early Jethro Tull vinyl, a few Rush albums, mid 70s King Crimson, to name a few, are just not as fully engaging.

I'm way more aware of shortcomings in sonics, a certain extra "boxiness" and flatter dynamics in the sound that I'm hard pressed to recall from my previous poorer speed stability stock tt motor days. It's as if their sonic shortcomings are being more clearly revealed.

It can be quite jarring, going from exemplary super transparent Adrian Legg "Technopicker" acoustic guitar to distant and cloudy Rush "Snakes And Arrows" brickwalled prog, almost feeling like my tt may be out of adjustment.

Now, I know so much prog and fusion doesnt aspire to audiophile quality, is my recent massive boost to other music rendering that contrast absolutely unequivocally? Because it's quite the learning curve atm.
 
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Marc, you have given many reports about how the sound has improved with all your various changes and additions. It’s not clear to me how the sound has improved. You just described it as much better. Better how?

Now you are saying that your favorite genre of music has somehow become less involving and enjoyable. This should be the most important thing for you.

If it were me, I would start by removing your various tweaks and accessories and try to expand your listening window so that you can enjoy more of the music you so much love. I have trouble imagining what more you can add to your system. It is possible you’ve gone too far. Perhaps it is time to try simplifying your system.

Start removing fancy footers and power cords and conditioners and isolation devices and see where that gets you. You can always to go back to the way things are if you don’t like it. The best thing is it’s free. Just a thought.
 
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Any contributions to this please. I'm without doubt going thru the most dramatic evolution in my LP playback. Mainly hugely positive. My previous steps of Stacore isolation, attention to detail on tt/arm/cart setup, and install of improved version of my LT arm, all in the last 4 years, have been really fruitful, in terms of timbral accuracy in particular, leading to a dramatic increase in realism and consequent enjoyment of my jazz LPs.

However the combined changes of new speed stable SOTA tt motor plus Farad LPS, latter on Symposium Rollerblocks and utilising a Sablon DC lead, and topping this with a Symposium Svelte pad as isolation under the SOTA motor pod, has expanded the sound in three dimensions.

Suddenly my classical and acoustic guitar LP collection is re energised, indeed dozens of albums have a new lease of life, freed from a grey congestion that I was aware of previously, but actually thought was more a function of maybe less than fully transparent Zus. My Khatchaturian Gayneh Ballet boxset is absolutely full of zest and heart stopping dramatic as opposed to a bit closed in and hazy as was the case previously. For me, this is a late stage evolutionary jump in my sound I was absolutely not expecting to achieve, especially after experiencing such sublime and superior sound in setups like Audiophile Bill's Mayers tubes/bespoke horns, Blue58's bespoke 45 tubes/AG Duos and UK Paul's Concert Fidelity hybrids/modded ML stats.

All good, and all a massive bonus and step up for future appreciation of classical/jazz vinyl appreciation and enjoyment.

However, there is one caveat. And that is, that a fair number of my more genre faves, old reliable LPs, are suddenly challenging in lots of weird ways. Early Jethro Tull vinyl, a few Rush albums, mid 70s King Crimson, to name a few, are just not as fully engaging.

I'm way more aware of shortcomings in sonics, a certain extra "boxiness" and flatter dynamics in the sound that I'm hard pressed to recall from my previous poorer speed stability stock tt motor days. It's as if their sonic shortcomings are being more clearly revealed.

It can be quite jarring, going from exemplary super transparent Adrian Legg "Technopicker" acoustic guitar to distant and cloudy Rush "Snakes And Arrows" brickwalled prog, almost feeling like my tt may be out of adjustment.

Now, I know so much prog and fusion doesnt aspire to audiophile quality, is my recent massive boost to other music rendering that contrast absolutely unequivocally? Because it's quite the learning curve atm.
Dear Marc,

I had been there many times in the past. there were cases, that I had managed to get the perfect speed (through different motors and power supplies) and I was loosing the magic of my old recordings that I was getting with the previous unstable setup.

By spending endless hours to understand the reason behind, had led me to understand that besides the stable speed some other elements/factors are equally important.

dealing with them the magic was returning, I have sent you a pm

take care my friend
 
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Marc, you have given any reports about how the sound has improved with all your various changes and additions. It’s not clear to me how the sound has improved. You just described it as much better. Better how?

Now you are saying that your favorite genre of music has somehow become less involving and enjoyable. This should be the most important thing for you.

If it were me, I would start by removing your various tweaks and accessories and try to expand your listening window so that you can enjoy more of the music you so much love. I have trouble imagining what more you can add to your system. It is possible you’ve gone too far. Perhaps it is time to try simplifying your system.

Start removing fancy footers and power cords and conditioners and isolation devices and see where that gets you. You can always to go back to the way things are if you don’t like it. The best thing is it’s free. Just a thought.
Transparency on most of my classical and jazz LPs is dramatically improved. Timbral accuracy ditto. Imaging is way more solid and palpable. Instrumental texture and air is off the scale on lots of classical and jazz albums.

Literally LP after LP that previously was a bit grey, monochromatic and closed in, with a layer of gauze, or feeling homogeneous from disc to disc, are now alive, communicative. Critically I'm getting real appreciation for the classical genre now, previously it felt a bit of a slog, so much so that I was actively avoiding playing any of my 700 strong collection.

So for me this is a dramatic step up in my system's ability to really perform admirably with genres it previously was only average on, and thus my tt motor change is wholly positive here, and I would not swap it out.

On my majority genres...classic rock, prog, fusion, electric jazz...its a fascinating case of "take each album as they come". Some classic rock that was pretty good before, and I wasn't expecting an uptick, like Little Feat "Time Loves A Hero", is dramatically more enjoyable, with so much more information rendered in terms of texture, layering and staging, it's effectively a new system playing it, a total triumph.

But play Rush "Snakes And Arrows" straight after, and the previous memory of it being adequately enjoyable but limited sonically now stresses the latter quality, to the point I'm a little distracted by that fact. And more vintage, classic era prog (late 60s to mid 70s) is a bit of a crapshoot, Jethro Tull feeling a little "boxy", but Yes being hugely bold and expressive.

Im actually confident I know what's going on. I've been told for years on this forum that so much of my genre faves are sonic turds, and if my system was shining w them but coloured and grainy w more authentic music like classical and jazz, then my system was indeed tailored and thus not truthfully high fidelity. Well, I think that may be true.

Additionally, since the uptick on a whole swathe of music is so dramatic, the overall contrast to my more limited stuff is highlighted. I guess if your only diet was 100% Big Macs and now it's only 10%, you're REALLY gonna recognise those Big Macs when you eat them less often Lol.

I've also had a parallel experience in a similar vein. When I first auditioned the Extreme server at Barry's, I came away so confused that a source could be so stellar on audiophile fare, but so forensic and frankly hard to listen to on a staple of 70s prog, Genesis "Wind And Wuthering". So, w Extreme and now my newly reinvigorated tt, pressings and masterings now really count.

So Peter, thanks for the advice on stripping out my tweaks, this is not the solution for me in this area, even if it has been for you. My complex conundrum is more an issue that my hugely more revealing analog is wholly positive on hundreds of albums, but a seeming liability on albums who's challenging sonics were maybe buried or disguised by a layer of homogeneity that existed before over my whole LP collection.
 
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Oh, I wouldn't say I've figured it out. Just a working hypothesis maybe. All I know is that whenever I've visited fellows w highly tuned and performing systems, where accuracy and resolution are major facets, often many of my albums sound hugely challenged.
I'm coming to varying conclusions, that the more you optimise your vinyl the more you still have to optimise, that pressings quality/masterings variability really counts on vinyl, that you get out what you put in, and that vinyl is like real life...capable of amazing highs, and frustrating lows.
 
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This is one crazy hobby. I just recalled I removed all the IsoDamp strips from my tt motor pod upon install of Farad LPS to power it. And because I went on a bit of a classical LP marathon with only upsides sonically, I clean forgot to try refixing some IsoDamp inside again.
So, here I am listening with a couple of small pieces affixed inside the pod.
And quite the uptick, a good degree more high frequency detail/information revealed. It's not fundamentally changing how my now significantly higher resolution analog front end is presenting challenging sonic LPs other than introducing a welcome degree of extra musicality. But these albums are still showing themselves to be somewhat flawed gems from the mastering/pressings POV.
This is without doubt, other than the paradigm shift of acoustics upgrade upon moving to this room, to be the most significant evolution of my sound from homogenous to way greater fidelity.
The learning curve just has some sharp bumps along the way.
 
This is one crazy hobby. I just recalled I removed all the IsoDamp strips from my tt motor pod upon install of Farad LPS to power it. And because I went on a bit of a classical LP marathon with only upsides sonically, I clean forgot to try refixing some IsoDamp inside again.
So, here I am listening with a couple of small pieces affixed inside the pod.
And quite the uptick, a good degree more high frequency detail/information revealed. It's not fundamentally changing how my now significantly higher resolution analog front end is presenting challenging sonic LPs other than introducing a welcome degree of extra musicality. But these albums are still showing themselves to be somewhat flawed gems from the mastering/pressings POV.
This is without doubt, other than the paradigm shift of acoustics upgrade upon moving to this room, to be the most significant evolution of my sound from homogenous to way greater fidelity.
The learning curve just has some sharp bumps along the way.
If you had a second arm, you could have a voluptuous cartridge to play the challenged albums. ;) I do that with pop and badly sounding albums.
 
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Well, reading Mike's recent reports on four tts, five arms/carts, two phonos (if I have those numbers right, it's so hard to keep up w him Lol), yes, I can see the appeal of a more romantic/bloomy cart for my more "austere" LPs.

For me, having heard the DaVa at Bill's, I'd take that as the cart to present the lush life to me. I've heard a few Koetsus over the years, and never been fully convinced, and I'd take the DaVa over the Red Sparrow I heard in the previous visit to Bill.
 
I just looked at the picture of your TT, you could easily place a outrigger like i have, with a SME 3012R arm instead of the brush you currently have. For about the price of one of your usual tweaks ;)
 
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Several weeks on, my much altered rig with new speed accurate tt motor, remains a massive improvement on classical, jazz, and well recorded/mastered rock.

However, I had frustrating nagging ongoing issues of a certain proportion of prog and fusion LPs feeling a bit boxy sounding, not open and energetic thru upper mids and treble, leading to somewhat harsher presentations.

The theory was proposed that my much more accurate open sound was being accurate in showing how open my great open sounding vinyl was, plus equally accurate and open in showing how lacking in openness this persistent minority of LPs really are.

I get the theory, and mainly accept that a downside to a much more truthful audio is the harsh truth of some LPs. However, I still wanted to see if I could eek out some more musicality in these LPs.

This journey has involved replacing my preamp Mazdas Mullards 6DJ8 tubes w Siemens E88CCs, placing my SOTA motor pod on a Symposium Svelte isolation pad much thicker than the one I had been using (16mm over 7mm), inserting a bit more IsoDamp on interior wall of motor pod, Farad LPS to the motor on Rollerblocks, mass loading Farad and Straingauge energizer w thick slate pieces, careful choice of VTA for each album, and the effects of my newly-installed PETs eaves absorbers.

The results are really promising. My new open presentation on classical and jazz remains, well recorded rock sounds great. But critically those albums that were sounding terse are way more smooth, warm, musical, and extended thru upper frequencies.

Unlike my pre-2016 London sound, where a certain euphony infected every album I played, this increased musicality on challenging albums doesn't obscure those poorer aspects of their sound not present on my stellar classical and jazz, the delineation to my best stuff is greater than my previous euphonic sound. I'm 100% taking this as a massive sign of way greater fidelity in my sound, my best stuff at a level I never approached in London, and this minority of challenges shown fully to be limited in many ways at the recording/mastering stage, but unlike a week ago before my most recent changes, now much less boxy and way more immersive.

This feels like an important point to have reached, I'd have always had nagging doubts had my previous grey sounding classical be fully transformed, but some of my lifelong fave prog and fusion remained fussy, boxy/shut in, and lacking immersion.
 
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Several weeks on, my much altered rig with new speed accurate tt motor, remains a massive improvement on classical, jazz, and well recorded/mastered rock.

However, I had frustrating nagging ongoing issues of a certain proportion of prog and fusion LPs feeling a bit boxy sounding, not open and energetic thru upper mids and treble, leading to somewhat harsher presentations.

The theory was proposed that my much more accurate open sound was being accurate in showing how open my great open sounding vinyl was, plus equally accurate and open in showing how lacking in openness this persistent minority of LPs really are.

I get the theory, and mainly accept that a downside to a much more truthful audio is the harsh truth of some LPs. However, I still wanted to see if I could eek out some more musicality in these LPs.

This journey has involved replacing my preamp Mazdas Mullards 6DJ8 tubes w Siemens E88CCs, placing my SOTA motor pod on a Symposium Svelte isolation pad much thicker than the one I had been using (16mm over 7mm), inserting a bit more IsoDamp on interior wall of motor pod, Farad LPS to the motor on Rollerblocks, mass loading Farad and Straingauge energizer w thick slate pieces, careful choice of VTA for each album, and the effects of my newly-installed PETs eaves absorbers.

The results are really promising. My new open presentation on classical and jazz remains, well recorded rock sounds great. But critically those albums that were sounding terse are way more smooth, warm, musical, and extended thru upper frequencies.

Unlike my pre-2016 sound, where a certain euphony infected every album I played, this increased musicality on challenging albums doesn't obscure poor aspects of their sound, the delineation to my best stuff is greater than before. I'm 100% taking this as a massive sign of way greater fidelity in my sound, my best stuff at a level I never approached in London, and this minority of challenges shown fully to be limited in many ways at the recording/mastering stage, but unlike a week ago before my most recent changes, now much less boxy and way more immersive.

This feels like an important point to have reached, I'd have always had nagging doubts had my previous grey sounding classical be fully transformed, but some of my lifelong fave prog and fusion be fussy and lacking immersion.
Marc, maybe you just have a comfort zone when it comes to clarity/treble energy with these recordings. It seems whenever you reach a certain point where the good recordings are best represented, the bad ones show their warts. And you immediately find a way to dial it back, this time you did it by reducing treble reflection from your eaves. I still think you would be happier with 2 different cartridges for good and not so good recordings.:rolleyes: A nice comfy cartridge that holds back a little treble , and emphasize and rounds up the bass a little would do the trick !
 
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That means a second arm, and a phono, as well.

FWIW, I think I've cracked most of this conundrum. The newly stellar sounding albums (invariably grey with the stock tt motor) has grown wings and is soaring high.

My stock fave LPs, yes their blemishes are more apparent, but I've drawn out more musical juice w these recent changes, reminding why I've so loved these albums for decades.
 
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That means a second arm, and a phono, as well.

FWIW, I think I've cracked most of this conundrum. The stellar stuff (invariably grey with the stock tt motor) has grown wings and is soaring high.

My stock faves, yes their blemishes are more apparent, but I've drawn out more musical juice w these recent changes, reminding why I've loved these albums for decades.
Doesn't your cartridge system come with different diamond options ? Maybe a less radical cut, will sound more pleasing on the bad recording. Kind of what Ortofon does with there different model SPU's.
Are they pop-in ?
 
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