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Double post, but a couple of days apart so whatever. Finally got the bedroom setup I'd been Jonesin' for. Now my LPs are totally unbound by such things as roommates or time of day or whether I need my desk or sex is happening. It's pretty awesome.   The table's a Harman/Kardon T20 and the subwoofer's a Polk DSW400. Both were obtained separately on craigslist for $60 each. The sub's got a remote so I can mess with the bass without having to affect everything else- which is handy when it gets late. The receiver's the same Nakamichi Receiver 2 that was powering my main setup before it got benched by the CR-2040. It's pretty fantastic for a bedroom rig tho.  The T20's a semi-automatic, so it won't cue up an LP, but the arm is supposed to return on its own when it finishes playing a side or you press the 'return' button. When I bought the table, everything worked fine on it except for the auto-return. I figured it'd be an easy enough fix and chanced on it. When I got the table open, it turned out that the actuator mechanism that controls the auto-return had been totally removed. Fortunately, everything else is in fairly great shape, including the anti-skate, so I'm not too bummed. At $60, I don't feel like I got super ripped off or anything. If anything, it's basically like the ProJect I'd been planning to get with the added bonus of onboard speed controls, though I admit that the button-to-nowhere is a bit doofy. Aside from the very slight yellowing, it's in solid cosmetic shape- including the currently-in-storage dustcover. The phone camera makes it look a lot yellower than it does in real life.  The bookshelf speakers are Realistic Minimus 7s. I love love love these little speakers. I grew up with my dad having a pair that got used for different things (currently surrounds in his HT) and I can't understate how remarkably versatile and great-sounding (if used right) they are. They absolutely NEED to be paired with a decent subwoofer for stereo though (crossover no lower than 80Hz), but it's really easy to make them blend together. I've got these crossed at 100Hz and it's pretty seamless. I think they look really killer too- they've got a modern/timeless thing going that makes them blend into contemporary decor really well, despite their external design being virtually unchanged since the mid/late-70s. I got these two for ~$50 off of Ebay, but they're pretty easy to find on craiglsist/at yardsales for much, much less (though often not in great cosmetic shape). Eventually I plan to build a cheap, but fancy-looking, 5.1 setup out of Minimus 7s (Minimi?) and another Polk sub in the living room. Honestly, they're one of my go-to recommendations for people looking to build a small, inexpensive setup- particularly for a desktop or bedroom. My two big caveats are that they're not the most sensitive speaker, so they can be weird to pair with other models/brands if you're trying to use them as satellites, and their sound can come off as tinny if you play them loud and uncrossed without a sub to handle the bottom end. They're supposed to reach 50Hz, but I'm pretty sure that's a lie.  One last glam shot 
trilobite terror fucked around with this message at 08:59 on Oct 10, 2013 |
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Oct 10, 2013 07:41
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| # ? May 9, 2024 03:34 |
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I gotta quit accumulating this stuff....in the past three weeks I've picked up a Yamaha CR-820 (replaced lamps, cleaned), a Pioneer SX-737 (replaced lamps and adjusted DC bias), a Pioneer SX-780 (resoldered cold joints, cleaned and deoxited), refoamed two pairs of vintage Cerwin Vegas and refinished the cabinets on a pair of Pinnacle PN8+s. By far the best score? Polk Monitor 7bs with the Peerless tweeter. Goddamn this thread. Edit: Forgot about the Nakamichi SR-4a I found on the curb with a free sign on it. Those are the best. Gomiboy fucked around with this message at 06:02 on Oct 11, 2013 |
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Oct 11, 2013 05:58
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drat. How have I not seen this thread until now. So this is my setup currently:  Pioneer SA-8800 (need to find some replacement knobs but I can't bring myself to spend ~$20 for each of them), Celestion SL6si, Technics SL-1200MK2 w/ Shure M97xE cartridge I've recently added some Celestion 5s on top which sound a lot better with stuff w/ noisy guitars I also recently picked up a pair of 1976 Klipsch Heresy Is that I had to sell since I realized they sound awful with solid state.  Right now, I'm trying to build a second setup. So far I've got a Yamaha YP-211 and a Sony STR-7055 
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Oct 12, 2013 20:29
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Here's my setup at the moment.  Table is a MCS 6602, which the way I understand it it's pretty much a re-branded SL-2000 with different knobs. It's pretty nice so far, just needs a new stylus and maybe a new cartridge eventually.  Pioneer SX-750. For 25 buck at a thrift store and the only problem being peeling wood grain I can't really complain. Also heavy tuning knobs made of metal are the best. My speakers are poo poo at the moment and not even worth mentioning, but next weekend I'll likely go and pick up some new ones. As lucky as I've been with vintage stuff I kinda just want to get new speakers for my setup.
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Oct 14, 2013 04:22
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Good knobfeel is crucial.
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Oct 14, 2013 22:07
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Yep, that is why I love my SA-8800, nice big volume knob.
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Oct 15, 2013 00:00
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Turntable/Vinyl/2-channel Stereo/Vintage Thread: How does your knob feel?
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Oct 15, 2013 02:15
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To those out of the loop, there's a whole youtube channel dedicated to knob feel - http://www.youtube.com/knobfeel Serioustalk: do you guys prefer smooth knobs or clicks? My favorite all time knob was on my Kenwood KA-3500. Super giant knob with the most satisfying click imaginable. 
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Oct 15, 2013 06:09
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BANME.sh posted:To those out of the loop, there's a whole youtube channel dedicated to knob feel - http://www.youtube.com/knobfeel Wow, those are some of the most impressive knobs I've ever seen!
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Oct 15, 2013 09:00
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BANME.sh posted:To those out of the loop, there's a whole youtube channel dedicated to knob feel - http://www.youtube.com/knobfeel These videos are hilarious!
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Oct 15, 2013 14:51
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Kenwood makes some good knobs, tuner cord not so much.
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Oct 15, 2013 17:02
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Cross-posted from that turntable forum you all pretend not to be members of: Decided to give a quick rundown of the way I cleaned out the ball bearings for my 4HF which has increased it's performance drastically.  Everything that can be taken off is off.  The unmistakably Garrard spindle bearing just like it's bigger brothers. The speed control cage in the top left.  The motor start linkage has already been taken off the tonearm pivot in the top left. I decided not to unsolder any wires for this job.  This is the bottom of the tonearm bearing, there are ball races on the top and bottom. I suggest you complete this entire procedure inside one of those plastic storage containers. There are 12 ball bearings on the top, and 12 on the bottom. The heavy old Garrard grease held them in long enough for me to get them out with a magnetic screwdriver.  The same thing is mirrored on the top side, I remover all the bearings, then there was enough slack in the tonearm wires to remove the entire assembly, I cleaned all the old grease which had turned into a Vaseline type gunk. There are a number of small washers stacked above the bearings. I cleaned the ball race, then put all the balls back in. I dropped some 3 in 1 oil in and popped the tonearm back down. I flipped the entire thing over and then inserted the lower balls ensuring that I held the tonearm in so the top side balls did not fall out. The whole thing is secured with a circlip, and the motor start linkage is put back on and tightened. This tonearm had previously had difficulty tracking well below 4 grams, and even then would stick on some pressings with finer groove pitch. This has now been eliminated entirely, and the arm has complete freedom throughout the entire range. I am not very good with this kind of thing so I had put it off for some time, but the entire operation was quite easy and achievable by anyone with a little patience. This is a must do piece of maintenance for all 4HFs in as found condition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NjPFPPjNFs A short video showing the increased performance of this turntable.
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Oct 16, 2013 05:26
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Ron Burgundy posted:I dropped some 3 in 1 oil in and popped the tonearm back down. Nice to see, thanks for posting pics and all! I'm not an expert in bearing grease, but isn't it common to use something a bit thicker than 3 in 1? I'd be worried about having to do the whole procedure over again in a year or so, if it dries out.
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Oct 16, 2013 08:46
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These old Garrards really need a going over about once a year anyway. Might go something a bit thicker like hydraulic oil next time if they are really dry.
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Oct 16, 2013 16:32
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I have a strange issue on a SL-1200 I just picked up. No matter what I set the anti-skate on the tone arm keeps quickly moving to the outside. I can't even queue properly because of this issue. Here is the video of what is happening. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_eHihBeic8 No matter what I set the anti-skate at, it does this.
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Oct 16, 2013 19:22
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TooLShack posted:I have a strange issue on a SL-1200 I just picked up. No matter what I set the anti-skate on the tone arm keeps quickly moving to the outside. I can't even queue properly because of this issue.
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Oct 17, 2013 01:00
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What should I be doing to prevent pops and clicks when playing new vinyl? My dry anti-static brush isn't getting the job done, but I don't have any old and grimy records, so I don't think I need any of the expensive tools.
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Oct 17, 2013 01:16
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Figured the issue out, appears the tone arm is bad. I followed the directions in this youtube and it's fixed for now. Time to order a new tone arm. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dddnksXI_LE TooLShack fucked around with this message at 02:17 on Oct 17, 2013 |
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Oct 17, 2013 02:10
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eddiewalker posted:What should I be doing to prevent pops and clicks when playing new vinyl? My dry anti-static brush isn't getting the job done, but I don't have any old and grimy records, so I don't think I need any of the expensive tools. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY6gQ6nurR8
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Oct 17, 2013 02:10
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e: wrong thread
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Oct 17, 2013 03:01
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I made a gallon of record cleaning fluid with a gallon distilled water, 32oz 90% isopropyl alcohol and a drop or two of Dawn dish liquid and use it with a microfiber brush. It seems to get the dirt out of the grooves well enough.
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Oct 17, 2013 04:59
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eddiewalker posted:What should I be doing to prevent pops and clicks when playing new vinyl? My dry anti-static brush isn't getting the job done, but I don't have any old and grimy records, so I don't think I need any of the expensive tools. New vinyl shouldn't really have pops and clicks. Is there visible dust on it that the brush doesn't pick up? If there's no dust and you still hear pops, you might have gotten a dud record. It happens sometimes. A lot of vinyl press shops are very small these days, and might have quality control issues. Try a different (new) record and if that one is better, return the one with the pops. My brother's band got a whole bad pressing once, where all the copies sounded like crap and it had to be re-pressed. Or, I guess you could have some problem with your stylus or cartridge... Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 14:01 on Oct 17, 2013 |
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Oct 17, 2013 13:58
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Retarded Pimp posted:I made a gallon of record cleaning fluid with a gallon distilled water, 32oz 90% isopropyl alcohol and a drop or two of Dawn dish liquid and use it with a microfiber brush. It seems to get the dirt out of the grooves well enough. Since this was about new records I assumed it was just loose poo poo from the pressing plant, not in-groove poo poo. 
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Oct 17, 2013 14:37
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The perennial favourite for blame is the dubious "mould release agent" for which no one on the internet seems to be able to provide any concrete information about, including those who claim to have been in the industry.
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Oct 17, 2013 14:57
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It's pretty funny that despite the resurgence in vinyl today there seems to be more quality control issues now than ever. Stubborn pops and clicks, visible gunk stuck in the grooves from the factory, spindle holes too small, pressed off center, etc. Buying new albums seems like a crapshoot most of the time
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Oct 17, 2013 16:29
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Yeah I've had some real garbage from the factory. A copy of a death cab album (narrow stairs, I think?) had a bunch of poo poo in it from the factory. Cleaned up ok, though.
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Oct 17, 2013 16:42
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I've seen what basically amounts to tiny bits of vinyl, I'm assuming from either the hole or the rim Nothing a little water didn't take care of.
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Oct 17, 2013 17:46
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If any of you are ever in Nashville on a Friday at 11am, United Record Pressing, both the oldest and largest remaining pressing plant, does one tour a week and it's well worth the $10. I took some pictures, but the receptionist leading the tour said it was the largest group she had ever had, so I don't think I got enough good shots to warrant thread. Another company within walking distance takes the source audio and cuts it into a "lacquer," which is a metal plate covered in nail polish-like layer. URP takes the lacquer and copies it into a reverse plate suitable for pressing vinyl. It's a process involving vats of molten nickel and tours don't show that for liability, I assume. It's all done in the basement somewhere. These are those resulting metal plates ready to be pull and installed on a press. The guide swore the first Beatles plates were in there somewhere, but who knows.  Labels are printed on site and pulled from the same room.  Vinyl pellets that look like rabbit food go in a hopper.  URP runs just over a dozen of these machines, which haven't been made since before CDs were invented.  All of the steps from pellets to completed record happen in one machine. The pellets are melted into a hockey puck sized blob, then labels are stuck on. Did you know theres no adhesive on a record label and its attached before the record is pressed? Then that puck gets pressed into the nickel plate from the shelf, cooled so it releases without deformation, then trimmed and dropped in a stack.  The pressing:  The trimming:  The fabled Release Agent from last page in this thread:  Visual inspection and packaging:  QA. There were two of these guys. One was just added because this is URP's biggest selling year ever. They take the initial test pressing, then pull periodic samples and listen to the records *all the way* through. Since URP will take runs as small as 100 copies, I imagine he's had to sit through some awful music. The other guy said he had to listen to the newest Justin Timberlake album 400 times because the run was so large.  Jack White's studio and small record shop, Third Man is right down the street. Odd tidbit: TMR pressings while on machines were the only thing strictly off limits to photography. eddiewalker fucked around with this message at 03:45 on Oct 20, 2013 |
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Oct 19, 2013 18:13
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First pic is wrong, supposed to be metal plates. That tour looks cool as hell, and I can't imagine how horrible it must be to listen to a complete album more than once if it sucks. You'd think they could take a good play, put it into a computer and a program would do the rest on the other playings.
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Oct 20, 2013 02:37
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Blistex posted:That tour looks cool as hell, and I can't imagine how horrible it must be to listen to a complete album more than once if it sucks. You'd think they could take a good play, put it into a computer and a program would do the rest on the other playings. I would imagine that every single pressed record sounds ever so slightly different that it's hard to quantify, for a computer, what is acceptable and what isn't.
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Oct 21, 2013 04:48
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You'd think that there would be a program that would take the waveform of the song on the good play-through and use it as a comparison. As long as the next records being tested fell within a certain percent of that waveform, "good to go". Then again this probably exists, but that guy wants to keep his job and suppresses any discussion on the topic at work.
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Oct 21, 2013 05:03
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The receptionist basically said, "Every way we've tried to improve on this process has produced a poorer result. Our newest machines are from the early 80s, and our oldest are from when pressing vinyl was first automated in the 40s. The oldest machines are our most reliable." Human inspection seemed like a big priority, and since they make 40% of the new vinyl for sale, it seems to work.
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Oct 21, 2013 15:01
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Finally purchased a new amplifier for my 70s Optonica turntable to pair with, rather than a modern multichannel amp. My first Sansui - an AU-2200 (I was hoping the incorrect model number on the listing would lower the bid count, but looks like I got it for around the average price). http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111188646596?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Looks to be in good condition and it's not far away which is always a good thing. Now to find a nice pair of sensitive speakers to go with it. Hoping it sounds comparable to my housemates Technics SU-8055 as that's been a really nice amp and was a similar price.
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Oct 21, 2013 16:00
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A bunch of new vinyl I just bought is kind of warped. How much warp is too much? The cartridge moves up and down almost a 1/4 inch per revolution on some of the outer tracks. The damper brush on my m97x seems to take care of it, so the records play. Should I try any of the oven tricks? One record is so visibly warped that I'd consider returning it if I hadn't already flown several states away with it.
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Oct 21, 2013 22:17
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eddiewalker posted:Our newest machines are from the early 80s, and our oldest are from when pressing vinyl was first automated in the 40s. The oldest machines are our most reliable." This makes sense, the SMTs are nice machines, but they are essentially workshop presses with some automation attached. I imagine the earlier machines were custom built from the ground up. Nice tour photos though, it's great to see a plant like that still running. There are numerous videos on the internet showing the chemical bath stage if you are interested. eddiewalker posted:A bunch of new vinyl I just bought is kind of warped. How much warp is too much? Any warp is too much, a record should be perfectly flat. Because there is only a handful of pressing plants making all the new records now, the QC has slipped.
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Oct 21, 2013 23:47
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To be fair, they sat in my rental car all day at work. Covered garage, but it was still a warm day. Sandwich them between 2 sheets of glass, oven on as low as it goes until the glass falls together, remove and cool?
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Oct 22, 2013 00:23
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I've never really successfully pulled it off to be honest. I've tried a few times with the glass and sun  method, but they never came out totally flat. It's supposed to deform the grooves a little bit. There's definitely an art to it, and I suggest you experiment with some rubbish records first.
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Oct 22, 2013 00:28
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My Technics 1210 MkII has a broke lifter thing that is on the tone arm. Is there anywhere I can get this piece without buying a whole new tone arm? Excuse the dust, just pulled it out from a cabinet I had it in and it doesn't have a cover.  TooLShack posted:Figured the issue out, appears the tone arm is bad. I followed the directions in this youtube and it's fixed for now. Jesus Christ, I just looked at this video and tried this test. Apparently the previous owner already loosened it, probably masking the bearing damage from however he broke the lift arm, and the bearing assembly definitely has been mangled. gently caress! I can't afford a god drat arm right now and I just want to play some music. Aeka 2.0 fucked around with this message at 04:22 on Oct 22, 2013 |
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Oct 22, 2013 03:10
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Have you seen my apex seals? I seem to have lost them.
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Aeka 2.0 posted:My Technics 1210 MkII has a broke lifter thing that is on the tone arm. Is there anywhere I can get this piece without buying a whole new tone arm? Make your own then...
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Oct 22, 2013 06:24
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| # ? May 9, 2024 03:34 |
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Holy poo poo, haha. That's pretty awesome.
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Oct 22, 2013 07:08
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