Rega RP10, Grado Statement 2, and Bryston BP-2 on order

[ylee]

Originally Posted by Mikado463

Again, Analog or Digital greatness is in the mastering ...........

I certainly agree with this. That's why I try to be careful about who to buy music from regardless of media.

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by Mikado463

Again, Analog or Digital greatness is in the mastering ...........

We agree on this for sure.

[joshnich]

Congratulations on your new vinyl rig! I am the very happy owner of the Grado Statement V2 cart and I love it. My arm is an Origin Live , which is built off the rega "platform" and it is wonderful match.

[ylee]

Originally Posted by joshnich

Congratulations on your new vinyl rig! I am the very happy owner of the Grado Statement V2 cart and I love it. My arm is an Origin Live , which is built off the rega "platform" and it is wonderful match.

Thank you. I am finding my system to be very neutral while bringing vinyl's strengths to the table in a way that gives me a clear window into my records. It seems the Statement 2 cart is a giant killer. While not cheap at $3500 retail, it's relatively cheap compared to carts it matches in performance. I've also read various reviewers state that it is a true reference cartridge comparing well with anything out there.

[audio bill]

Originally Posted by joshnich

Congratulations on your new vinyl rig! I am the very happy owner of the Grado Statement V2 cart and I love it. My arm is an Origin Live , which is built off the rega "platform" and it is wonderful match.

A point of correction regarding your OL Encounter, while it is designed using the Rega arm geometry it is not based on a Rega platform. Many earlier OL arms were indeed modified Rega arms but the Encounter is a newer and entirely in-house manufactured tonearm.

[audio bill]

Originally Posted by ylee

Thank you. I am finding my system to be very neutral while bringing vinyl's strengths to the table in a way that gives me a clear window into my records. It seems the Statement 2 cart is a giant killer. While not cheap at $3500 retail, it's relatively cheap compared to carts it matches in performance. I've also read various reviewers state that it is a true reference cartridge comparing well with anything out there.

Congrats on your excellent new analog front end! I'd be curious to know whether you used a tonearm spacer to set proper VTA due to the height of the Grado Statement 2 (relative to Rega cartridges), and if so what height. TIA

[ylee]

Originally Posted by audio bill

Congrats on your excellent new analog front end! I'd be curious to know whether you used a tonearm spacer to set proper VTA due to the height of the Grado Statement 2 (relative to Rega cartridges), and if so what height. TIA

You know? I have not yet. I'm still learning about various settings to make with cartridges. While I took pains to install the cartridge and align it using Mobile Fidelity's Geo Disk, I haven't looked into VTA yet. That said, the rig sounds terrific. If I can get more out of it than what I'm hearing, I'm very open to advice

[cleeds]

Originally Posted by ylee

... I took pains to install the cartridge and align it using Mobile Fidelity's Geo Disk, I haven't looked into VTA yet ... If I can get more out of it than what I'm hearing, I'm very open to advice

I don't trust gauges such as the Geo-Disk. In my opinion, unless you're using something such as the old Shure C-Pec3 (and even then!), you're not likely to achieve proper phono cartridge alignment unless you use a mirrored gauge that allows you to align the actual cantilever/stylus assembly. Examples of these include the Mint gauge (which I've never used) or the WallyTractor, which is excellent. These gauges ensure that the cantilever is tangent to the groove; gauges that align the cartridge body can't accommodate a cantilever that isn't "true" with respect to the cartridge body itself.

It doesn't matter whether you're using a pivoted arm or a tangential tracking arm - failure to get this adjustment spot-on can't be compensated for elsewhere. And I am convinced, based on first-hand experience, that many users who are often tweaking their VTA or SRA do so in vain. The changes they think that result from the VTA/SRA adjustments are largely a consequence of failing to get tangency correct in the first place.

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by cleeds

...you're not likely to achieve proper phono cartridge alignment unless you use a mirrored gauge that allows you to align the actual cantilever/stylus assembly.

I have both the Geo Disc and a Mint. While Mint may be a tweak more accurate, the Geo Disc does allow for alignment to the cantilever, not just the body. It works fine.

[cleeds]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

... the Geo Disc does allow for alignment to the cantilever, not just the body. It works fine.

Does it have a mirror? If it doesn't, how do you know you're aligning the cantilever? What prevents parallax from inducing error?