Vinyl: Putting the cart before the horse...

[wpines]

The 16.5 is loud but once seen it in action it's quite a conversation piece. While I owned mine, women were delighted by it. My wife asked me to teach her to use it! She cleaned all of "her" albums from before we hooked up.

[jetblack]

Look at this new adventure as broadening your music horizons. And without looking at the vinyl, it's anybody's guess as to what % are playable. Enjoy the adventure!

[jdandy]

One of the unique things about a vinyl groove and stylus interaction is a new shaped stylus may reach areas of a record's groove that have never been tracked before. A lot of older vinyl has been played using less than optimum cartridges. This can be a good thing for users of premimum cartridges with the newest stylus tip shapes, like the nude Shibata, and others. Often, once an album has been thoroughly cleaned, a modern stylus can reach virgin areas of the vinyl groove, and produce startlingly good playback from otherwise worn albums.

[f1 fan]

Originally Posted by cmalak

Hey Dave...on the VPI 16.5, I heard it in motion at my dealer, that sucker is loud. But it will have to do for my first RCM. Thx for the encouragement on the vinyl front.

Cyril.....I wear protective ear goggles when the 16.5 is in action....seriously


Dave

[two dot]

Just get one!!! A RCM that is...

You're vinyl will sound better...

It is JUST part of it... it is NOT fun... it is NOT sexy... It is not easy... BUT your records will sound better.

End of story.

[f1 fan]

Originally Posted by two dot

Just get one!!! A RCM that is...

You're vinyl will sound better...

It is JUST part of it... it is NOT fun... it is NOT sexy... It is not easy... BUT your records will sound better.

End of story.

+1....your records will thank you, now go stimulate the economy and get that rcm and more lp's

Dave

[cmalak]

I am stimulating away Yep...no question, the VPI 16.5 will be ordered when I purchase the table. thx folks.

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by jdandy

One of the unique things about a vinyl groove and stylus interaction is a new shaped stylus may reach areas of a record's groove that have never been tracked before. A lot of older vinyl has been played using less than optimum cartridges. This can be a good thing for users of premimum cartridges with the newest stylus tip shapes, like the nude Shibata, and others. Often, once an album has been thoroughly cleaned, a modern stylus can reach virgin areas of the vinyl groove, and produce startlingly good playback from otherwise worn albums.

Dan...thanks for that. I will read up on different stylii designs and which are better trackers etc. I will add that to my list of criteria when finalizing cartridge choice.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by cmalak

Dan...thanks for that. I will read up on different stylii designs and which are better trackers etc. I will add that to my list of criteria when finalizing cartridge choice.

Don't forget to crunch the numbers to make sure the cartridge and tonearm are a good match. Also research as to what kind of sound a specific cartridge may bring and try to plan for your system synergy.

[cmalak]

Serge...thx will do. I have the formula for matching compliance and effective mass calcs to make sure tonearm-carts are in the 8-12 Hz resonant frequency sweet spot. On the sound of the carts I am going to try to go as neutral as possible in the $1K range. At the top of the list is the Benz Micro Glider SL (low output) cart (which won TAS' 2009 Product of the Year award in the cart category). But I am also looking at Lyra Dorian for a little more and the Lyra Delos which is a new design from Lyra but that is in the $1500 range. No reviews on the Delos yet but a few threads on it in Agon with a lot of good info from Jonathan Carr of Lyra on the new designs. At the upper end will be the Dyna XX2 Mk II but I am not sure if I want to spend $2K on my first cart. I am going to rely on my dealer's analog guy ultimately as they will not have a range of carts for me to try out. I will let you all know how it all is shaping up over the next few months as I finalize the system. Thx all.