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

[Fishfood]

https://flic.kr/p/75wern

My 301 ca. '09.

As pictured, I was trying brass tonearm board/mounts as suggested by a couple of friends in Manila. But after a year, I reverted back to my plywood tonearm boards.

You have some really cool friends!

 

[No Regrets]

I actually never performed a direct comparison of the three turntables in the main system because it was requiring moving a lot of components around which is something I am always afraid of as I can be clumsy at times.

I did a direct comparison of the "black" TD 124 against the balance a while ago and to my surprise the differences were not that huge. I had two exact same copies of the same LP and launched them simultaneously on the two turntables that were sitting side by side. Whereas their rotation speeds were exactly identical, I had the feeling that the Thorens was actually faster with more beat. The Balance was more neutral with a sense of authority, details and nuance that the Thorens was lacking.

Anyway, the Balance is having its last days in the system as it will leave this weekend to another destiny. Its replacement should hopefully arrive by Christmas.

Thank you for your reply! What are you replacing the Balance with???
Best wishes,
Don

 

[SONDEKNZ]

View attachment 100453

Congratulation to your The Wand!!!!

Currently I am playing around with The Wand Master tonearm, a lot to learn

(the turntable is a 12" STST Motus II DQ direct drive in the glossy black Corian Plinth)

Thanks SHAKTI - and congrats back at ya!

That is one badass turntable! Lookin' VERY good!

I'd really like to read about your impressions of your THE WAND MASTER tonearm - and compare to my own findings.

I appreciate the MASTER version is the TOP OF THE LINE but fully expect the WAND house sound prevails.

If my guess is right, the WAND - in all of its iterations - simply conveys the sound of your deck. No more; no less.

Care to share your thoughts?

 

[SONDEKNZ]

And here's the Schröder CB-L. Sounds better than the Bokrand and the WT, as it should. But I'm still going to try a lot more tests once the 401 gets here with some more suitable cartridges for the Bokrand and the 3012R.


View attachment 100472

Team Schröder makes tonearm construction look soooooo easy!

 

[DasguteOhr]

Team Schröder makes tonearm construction look soooooo easy!

Yes...in contrast to earlier models, here is my replica. not as good as today's models but still fun.
Orignal

Oswalds Mill Audio - Schroeder Model 2 | OMA Tonearms

The Schroeder Model 2 tonearm is an affordable alternative to the more expensive Reference and CB arms, using the same rare earth magnet and string bearing as w

oswaldsmillaudio.com

 

[dcc]

Thank you for your reply! What are you replacing the Balance with???
Best wishes,
Don

CS Port TAT1 with two tonearms - CS Port Linear Tracking and SAT LM-12

 

[shakti]

Thanks SHAKTI - and congrats back at ya!

That is one badass turntable! Lookin' VERY good!

I'd really like to read about your impressions of your THE WAND MASTER tonearm - and compare to my own findings.

I appreciate the MASTER version is the TOP OF THE LINE but fully expect the WAND house sound prevails.

If my guess is right, the WAND - in all of its iterations - simply conveys the sound of your deck. No more; no less.

Care to share your thoughts?

Winter is coming,
than I will find the time to listen more hours with The Wand Master.
Currently it is more a functional check , than serious listening.

 

[No Regrets]

CS Port TAT1 with two tonearms - CS Port Linear Tracking and SAT LM-12

That should be quite a fantastic front end! Too bad you won't still have the Balance when it arrives... it would be fun to hear your thoughts on how they compare.

Best wishes,
Don

 

[dcc]

That should be quite a fantastic front end! Too bad you won't still have the Balance when it arrives... it would be fun to hear your thoughts on how they compare.

Best wishes,
Don

I actually compared it against its direct cousin, the AMG Viella Forte. Clearly the CS Port was vastly superior. More details here: https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/analogue-heaven-in-paris-my-visit-to-ana-mighty-sound.33552/

 

[The Knife]

Newly acquired. The Kuzma Reference with the Kuzma 11” 4 point arm and the DS Audio E01 cartridge. Very pleased with the sound!

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Newly acquired. The Kuzma Reference with the Kuzma 11” 4 point arm and the DS Audio E01 cartridge. Very pleased with the sound!

Nice TT set-up 'The Knife'.

The 4Point 11" is a terrific tonearm.

Did you also consider the Kuzma Stabi R TT ?

 

[The Knife]

Nice TT set-up 'The Knife'.

The 4Point 11" is a terrific tonearm.

Did you also consider the Kuzma Stabi R TT ?

I did! I’ve heard it and it is a fine sounding TT and have many fans. But in my region there was one Ref for sale at an incredible low price (2nd hand) so I took the opportunity! I do have the space for the 40kg heavy Ref so no second thoughts.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Congratulations, Knife!

Can you please give us a detailed report on how the DS optical cartridge sounds to you versus your prior cartridge?

 

[marty]

Technics SP10 MK2.

Restored, re-finished in a piano black powder-coat, custom plinth in Nero Ebony veneer, SME V-12 arm, Benz Ref3 cart. In my office system:

For an office system?? You rock!!

 

[The Knife]

For an office system?? You rock!!

That was one unbelievable beautiful TT. What is the cost for refurnishing it to such status ?

 

[The Knife]

Congratulations, Knife!

Can you please give us a detailed report on how the DS optical cartridge sounds to you versus your prior cartridge?

Hi Ron,
The E01 with the Equalizer replaced the Ortofon Black LWB with great success. I found it to present more details and at the same time present the music more vivid and lively.
In the beginning of this week I borrowed home the DS 003 with its belonging Equalizer. This set has quite a lot in common with the Grand Master. Unfortunately I only could listen to it for one evening as the Stylus went missing short after.
What I did hear during those few vulnerable hours was something coming from another musical dimension. The E01 and the 003 can not be mentioned in the same sentence IMHO. The 003 proved (mentioned in relative terms) to have an infinitive depth compared to the E01. Details even more crisp. Music even more vivid. But its great advantage is its ability to separate and create depth. The idea was to upgrade to the 003. It is now on its way to Japan for re-tipping (via my local dealer). A question to the forum. Is it common to eventually loose the stylus? This was the first time for me. I claim bad luck, but who knows.

 

[MRJAZZ]

Hi Ron,
The E01 with the Equalizer replaced the Ortofon Black LWB with great success. I found it to present more details and at the same time present the music more vivid and lively.
In the beginning of this week I borrowed home the DS 003 with its belonging Equalizer. This set has quite a lot in common with the Grand Master. Unfortunately I only could listen to it for one evening as the Stylus went missing short after.
What I did hear during those few vulnerable hours was something coming from another musical dimension. The E01 and the 003 can not be mentioned in the same sentence IMHO. The 003 proved (mentioned in relative terms) to have an infinitive depth compared to the E01. Details even more crisp. Music even more vivid. But its great advantage is its ability to separate and create depth. The idea was to upgrade to the 003. It is now on its way to Japan for re-tipping (via my local dealer). A question to the forum. Is it common to eventually loose the stylus? This was the first time for me. I claim bad luck, but who knows.

Peter Norbaek of PBN Audio mentioned to me recently a few of his clients who use Kuzma Four Point arms have had issues with DS Audio cartridges...specifically with stylus tip separation. I see from your above posted information you use a Kuzma.....so perhaps this was a contributing factor. If it happens again you might want to consider an alternate arm for specific use with the DS Audio.
I use a NOS Micro Seiki MA 505 L with my DS Audio 003. It’s a superb match with the DS Audio.

 

[The Knife]

Peter Norbaek of PBN Audio mentioned to me recently a few of his clients who use Kuzma Four Point arms have had issues with DS Audio cartridges...specifically with stylus tip separation. I see from your above posted information you use a Kuzma.....so perhaps this was a contributing factor. If it happens again you might want to consider an alternate arm for specific use with the DS Audio.
I use a NOS Micro Seiki MA 505 L with my DS Audio 003. It’s a superb match with the DS Audio.

Oh. That is disturbing news. Why would the stylus of the DS Audio Pick Ups be so sensitive to the Kuzma arm? Is the cantilever and stylus built in any special fashion?

 

[The Knife]

—> I am up and running again with a new DS-A003. First impression is that the signal is so very strong with the equalizer, vs the Moving Coil Pick up. This should make an excellent foundation for signal processing down stream, like in the Line Stage and the Power amplifier. There is a lot of information here for devices further down the chain to cater for that is for sure. Sound is rich, powerful, detailed yet soft like we are used to from Vinyl. Very pleased. If someone has more info on complications with the Kuzma/Ds-A configuration pls. Let me know.

 

[Birdwatcher]

Sorry, but what should be the matter with Kuzma 4 Point tonearms? Why should they be more dangerous to kill the DS-Audio cartridges?
I cannot see any causal argument, but maybe someone could inform use.