What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

[Nemal1]

In reply to Coltrane, I chose the E-02 for a mix of sound quality and aesthetic reasons. My phono stage options are limited to a degree having a balanced tonearm lead requiring xlr inputs, otherwise I may have chosen the ARC Ref 3 phono instead. Any other questions, please ask.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

A very pleasing set-up (to me, at least!):

A 1972 Lenco L75 with PTP-6, slate plinth, panzerholz armboards, with a 9" Schroeder Reference/Allaerts MC-1b; and a 12" Alfred Bokrand Ortofon/Ortofon SPU GE mk2. A selection of carts waiting to get properly set in their headshells: a ZU Denon DL-103R; a Benz Micro Glider (1st version) with Soundsmith boron cantilever and Nude Contact stylus; a Signet 5Ea (my first cartridge: totally sentimental, but it actually sounds better than dragging a chicken's foot across the record!); a pristine Shure V15 Type iii, original stylus and cantilever; and hiden away, a Shure V15 Type iii with Jico SAS Saphire and a cocobolo body.

The rack is a temporary thing, as the wife insists the system (except for the speakers, thank Dog) move out of the living room when not in use. This is the challenge of a New York City apartment, where I can't have a dedicated listening space, or even a fixed location for the kit. The rack is about the worst one could have - a restaurant cart by Metro that rings if you look at it sideways, but I've filled the legs with oil-soaked lead shot, and stuck blobs of Blu-tac in various places to help damp the thing. The HRS helps the amp better than anything else I've tried. At least it's on heavy duty wheels, and it can take the weight of the Lenco (85 lbs).

Below the Lenco are a few pieces of Schiit, an AirTight ATC-1 with Tutay improvements (though he did them about 15 years ago, and now I can't remember what they were!), and a real gem: a Don Garber-built, Noriasu Komuro-designed "Komuro 70," built on a Dynaco ST-70 chassis with A470 output transformers. One of only 2 ever made. I have no idea what happened to the first one Don built, but I'm glad I've held on to this one. 35 watts of hammers and silk. Set of Pryma headphones for listening when I've been exiled from the living room. Not bad 'phones for the price, and helpful when I'm fine-tuning the cartridges.

I apologize for making Mike L jealous...Mike, you're my hero, and if you promise to give me your digital front end when you tire of it, I'll give you my Leica. I'll throw in the Gerry Mulligan too.View attachment 75573View attachment 75574

Very nice setup enjoy

 

[Robert Young]

Very nice setup enjoy

I do, despite the "portable" nature of the system! Less than 10 years ago, I was running a giant Teres 340 (with the same Schroeder and Allaerts), Nagra PL-P preamp, Nagra VPA amps, Sonus faber Amati Homage, Bel Canto PL-1a universal player, and Shunyatta and Synergistic cables 'n' cords everywhere. It was a wonderful system, but given how much I invested in it, I found myself using music as an excuse to listen to my system, rather than using my system to listen to music. I didn't take it well at the time, but when my wife demanded we sell off the system before moving back to NYC from DC (she was in State Department during the Obama years), it opened up the opportunity to return to the kind of basic great-sounding and small system I'd started with 35+ years ago.

I do miss the Nagra stuff though. Dog it was awesome with the Sonus fabers...

 

[PeterA]

My new Micro Seiki SX 8000 II with NOS SME 3012R and stock phono cable. There will be a second NOS 3012R on a rear mounted armboard in the near future.

 

[Robert Young]

My new Micro Seiki SX 8000 II with NOS SME 3012R and stock phono cable. There will be a second NOS 3012R on a rear mounted armboard in the near future.

View attachment 75602

Gorgeous. Is this replacing the SME?

 

[PeterA]

Gorgeous. Is this replacing the SME?

Thank you Robert. I suspect one will be sold but we will see.

 

[movingmagnet]

Garrard 401 with LignoLab Plinth and GrooveMaster 12" Banana tonearm with denon DL103
Nouvelle Platine Verdier and GrooveMaster 12" Tonearm with Denon DL 103R

 

[Solypsa]

Garrard 401 with LignoLab Plinth and GrooveMaster 12" Banana tonearm with denon DL103
Nouvelle Platine Verdier and GrooveMaster 12" Tonearm with Denon DL 103R

Love the work-table with bench vise as equipment stand! Great patina. Do you use it as an album cover holder

 

[mr-particle]

My new Micro Seiki SX 8000 II with NOS SME 3012R and stock phono cable. There will be a second NOS 3012R on a rear mounted armboard in the near future.

View attachment 75602

Hi Peter,
First at all, congratulations to your great acquisition - have enjoyable hours with it.
I just recognized the wooden shims under MS SX-8000 mk.II feet.
Are they recommended, when placing the TT directly on a solid plate?
What benefits can I expect by doing this?
Regards
Axel

 

[PeterA]

Hi Peter,
First at all, congratulations to your great acquisition - have enjoyable hours with it.
I just recognized the wooden shims under MS SX-8000 mk.II feet.
Are they recommended, when placing the TT directly on a solid plate?
What benefits can I expect by doing this?
Regards
Axel

Thank you Axel. The wood is just something I’m playing around with left over from my experiments with my old SME. Can’t say what you can expect.

 

[PeterA]

Gorgeous. Is this replacing the SME?

Thank you Robert. I sold the SME.

 

[mr-particle]

Thank you Axel. The wood is just something I’m playing around with left over from my experiments with my old SME. Can’t say what you can expect.

Peter,
Thanks
Axel

 

[Nonnegativ]

Old-school: Sony TTS-8000 in a TB-2000 plinth. Arms are Helius Phaedra and Reed 2P. Cartridges change frequently, but the LP-S MR always stays.

 

[Lagonda]

Old-school: Sony TTS-8000 in a TB-2000 plinth. Arms are Helius Phaedra and Reed 2P. Cartridges change frequently, but the LP-S MR always stays.
View attachment 75901

How does the Phaedra compare to the Reed ? Beautiful arm !

 

[Nonnegativ]

How does the Phaedra compare to the Reed ? Beautiful arm !

With the Benz LP-S the Phaedra is superior. Geoffrey Owens, the owner of Helius Designs, runs an Benz LP-S and told me he made the Phaedra with the LP-S in mind.
It is a pain in the a.. to make armboards for it though.

 

[Lagonda]

With the Benz LP-S the Phaedra is superior. Geoffrey Owens, the owner of Helius Designs, runs an Benz LP-S and told me he made the Phaedra with the LP-S in mind.
It is a pain in the a.. to make armboards for it though.

I always liked the Ruby Omega with the LP-S, but no azimuth adjustability was a no go for me, they fixed that with the Phaedra. I will have to listen to it

 

[Nonnegativ]

I always liked the Ruby Omega with the LP-S, but no azimuth adjustability was a no go for me, they fixed that with the Phaedra. I will have to listen to it

I actually had the combination of Ruby Omega and LP-S MR. Then I bought the Reed, and discovered the joy of Azimuth adjustability - which led me to the Phaedra.

So I can only agree ??

 

[Nonnegativ]

I actually had the combination of Ruby Omega and LP-S MR. Then I bought the Reed, and discovered the joy of Azimuth adjustability - which led me to the Phaedra.

So I can only agree ??

I am currently trying to fit the Phaedra into the original arm board for the TTS-8000. The Sony Bulk Mould Compound is a tough material to drill into.

My Garrard 401 is doing it's duty in the background - great turntable also.

 

[3125simon]

Avid Acutus SP with SME V and Esturo Bordeaux

 

[KevinB]