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Peacebone
Sep 6, 2007
I have a Pioneer SX-770 blackface model and I want to be able to play music from my computer with it. Right now what I have is

Computer > 3.5mm stereo plug to 2 RCA Jack Cable > TC-750 preamp > Aux on the receiver.

The sound that comes out doesn't sound as good as the turntable phono and it's not really listenable unless at really really low volumes even then the bass sounds heavier than it should be and the vocals come out pretty thin.

I'll try again but from what I remember not using the TC-750 preamp I couldn't get any sound to come out. I'm using a Unibody MacBook Pro for reference.

I also have a presonus firepod and I'm wondering if using that somehow would make things better?

The speakers I have are $50 Sony bookshelf speakers.

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BattleHork
Nov 1, 2005

MMMM, MANDOM.

Peacebone posted:

I have a Pioneer SX-770 blackface model and I want to be able to play music from my computer with it. Right now what I have is

Computer > 3.5mm stereo plug to 2 RCA Jack Cable > TC-750 preamp > Aux on the receiver.

The sound that comes out doesn't sound as good as the turntable phono and it's not really listenable unless at really really low volumes even then the bass sounds heavier than it should be and the vocals come out pretty thin.

I'll try again but from what I remember not using the TC-750 preamp I couldn't get any sound to come out. I'm using a Unibody MacBook Pro for reference.

I also have a presonus firepod and I'm wondering if using that somehow would make things better?

The speakers I have are $50 Sony bookshelf speakers.

That preamp is only for plugging a turntable into a line input.

If you couldn't get any sound plugging the laptop directly into the Aux input for some reason, try the Tape input.

Peacebone
Sep 6, 2007

BattleHork posted:

That preamp is only for plugging a turntable into a line input.

If you couldn't get any sound plugging the laptop directly into the Aux input for some reason, try the Tape input.

Yup that did the trick. Thanks!

CountryFriedSnake
Feb 25, 2006
apologies for stepping in but my mackie 1400i finally blew up this weekend...it was a workhorse for over ten years...thinking of buying a peavey cs 1400...any thoughts?

i'm running three technic 1200s through a pioneer djm-600 with four boss dr. sample's (202 & 303) and a bass guitar run through a digitech pedal routed through a vxm-1000 which flows into the aforementioned djm then two fx processors before hitting my beloved mackie...

and no, i don't go out and spin, i'm an apartment-dwelling mad scientist nerd boy bemoaning the loss of his mackie...

thanks and apologies once again for the intrusion...cheers

EDIT: bought a qsc plx2 this afternoon...not taken it out of the box yet...the floor model was okay but i couldn't road test it properly

CountryFriedSnake fucked around with this message at 01:16 on Aug 10, 2009

bacon!
Dec 10, 2003

The fierce urgency of now
I just bought the Cambridge Audio 540P phono stage. Probably gonna get an Emotiva or Cambridge 2 channel amp and just use my existing receiver as a pre-amp for everything else. I might upgrade my turntable to a PROJECT or REGA too - we will see what happens!

William Lee
May 16, 2003

I guess it's about time for our William Tell routine.

bacon! posted:

I just bought the Cambridge Audio 540P phono stage.

What are your thoughts on this unit? I'm looking to get a stage and it's right in my price range, so I'm interested.

Doc Spratley
Mar 4, 2007
Miskatonic U. Alumni

vibrantglow posted:

What are your thoughts on this unit? I'm looking to get a stage and it's right in my price range, so I'm interested.

I've got one, sounds great. I picked it up to use instead of my Technics dmc mixer. I'm setting into the monumental task of making archival rips of all my vinyl.

William Lee
May 16, 2003

I guess it's about time for our William Tell routine.

Doc Spratley posted:

I've got one, sounds great. I picked it up to use instead of my Technics dmc mixer. I'm setting into the monumental task of making archival rips of all my vinyl.

Does the RIAA equalization make a noticeable difference in sound quality?

Doc Spratley
Mar 4, 2007
Miskatonic U. Alumni

vibrantglow posted:

Does the RIAA equalization make a noticeable difference in sound quality?

I don't think I have ever listened to vinyl without the RIAA eq? I have always connected to dedicated phono inputs.

bacon!
Dec 10, 2003

The fierce urgency of now
Has anyone used any of these vinyl record cleaning devices such as the Nitty Gritty: http://www.nittygrittyinc.com/ or are these just audiophile snake oil?

Ghumbs
Jan 1, 2006

bacon! posted:

Has anyone used any of these vinyl record cleaning devices such as the Nitty Gritty: http://www.nittygrittyinc.com/ or are these just audiophile snake oil?

I've used something similar at my local record shop. There's definitely nothing "snake oil" about it. Clean records very noticeably play better and devices such as these are the most thorough methods of cleaning. I am not at the point where I'm able to invest in one right now, but it's definitely on my short list.

something_clever
Sep 25, 2006
I should have never gotten rid of my good ole warm sounding Technics stereo amp.
I think it was this SU-V7X:

The New Class A moniker was not "real" class A but som sort of emulation with the benefits of A and the power of AB...but anyway

I replaced it with a fancy Denon AVR-1800 surround receiver. It works fine for watching a dvd, but for listening to music in stereo it is dreadful. You can almost hear all the sterile ones and zeros.
I'm not even sure if the Technics amp was that great, but it sure sounded better than my current denon piece of poo poo.

If I was to go out and get a similar warm sounding amp in todays marketplace,
which amp/brand should I look for?
I'm looking for a no nonsense affordable (~$500) class AB with around 100w RMS/8ohms.



proton posted:

The sound is scratchy off and on for certain frequencies for a good 15 minutes after being turned on. Is this normal ? After that its pretty much flawless. Is that just the way these old units are ?

Sounds like some old/dry(=reduced capacitance) electrolytic capacitors in some part of the receiver(audio filter?) A electrolytic capacitors capacitance increases with temperature, so once the receiver is hot the receiver works as designed :science:...or something.

Anyway its pretty normal for old electronics.

Hippie Hedgehog
Feb 19, 2007

Ever cuddled a hedgehog?

proton posted:

The sound is scratchy off and on for certain frequencies for a good 15 minutes after being turned on. Is this normal ? After that its pretty much flawless. Is that just the way these old units are ?

It could be a bad capacitor like something_clever says, but you should also be looking for cracked solder points. It's typical for old electronics that the solder will crack and cause "crackling" sound due to sparks. This is due to repeated heat expansion and contraction over the years.
When the amp has been powered for a while, the sparks have heated the solder joint so the metal expands and the cracks disappear, causing the sparks (and crackling) to stop.

What I would do is to take out the circuit boards and use a magnifying glass to inpect every solder joint on major components, like large caps and transistors. Look particularly closely at the high voltage part. When you find something suspicious, re-solder it.

I hear this problem is more common in newer, cheap, electronics where the components are placed by robots and then machine soldered, because this process calls for higher tolerances and thus larger holes in the PCB, making the components' weight rest completely on the solder joint instead of being "cramped" into the hole like it would be if manually mounted.

answersyouseek
Aug 19, 2003

No Moderation
I have one of those garbage ION usb turntables (I know they suck. It was a gift.) and I was wondering if I could replace the cartridge with a nicer one. If so, what are some suggestions for a new cartridge that would be better than stock.

Hippie Hedgehog
Feb 19, 2007

Ever cuddled a hedgehog?
I just picked up a friend's old Onkyo belt-drive turntable along with a new Denon PP2 preamp. He's fitted the player with an Ortofon cartridge which sounds pretty good.

Now, I get a fairly audible rumble as soon as the needle hits the plastic. I've concluded that it's motor rumble, because just putting my ear against the dust cover, I can hear that same tone as soon as the motor starts.

Now, this unit is from the early 80's at least, so I expect some maintenance is due. Is there anything in particular I can do?

I took off the bottom and it looks like this from below:

Click here for the full 2048x1732 image.

The Stygian
Feb 7, 2007

Exeggutor?
You can take off the dust cover while it's playing, for one. Another little 'trick' I've found to reduce surface noise a bit (and increase the bass quite a bit too!) is to put an empty jewel CD case under each foot of the turntable. Works a treat with my Rega P3-24.

CUNT AND PASTE
Aug 15, 2004

~see my amazon wishlistu~
I have a 2003-era Stanton turntable. After I purchased it, I read nothing but horrible things about them, so I've been a bit wary of it since, but it's been an OK deck. To be honest, I don't know much about needles and tonearms all this jazz. I just wanna toss drop the needle on the record and forget about it.

Anyway, I ended up wearing out the needle that it came with, so I bought a Stanton DS-3. I popped it on and gave it a disc I didn't care about in case I did something wrong. During the first listen, my girlfriend turned to me and said, "Would you be upset if I told you I think it sounds awful"? She can't understand why I store my CDs as FLAC rather than MP3s, but she immediately noticed a difference compared to the stock needle after not listening to any vinyl for a whole month. I agreed, it really does sound awful.

I don't see any way to make adjustments to it. Can I do anything about it? Or should I just replace it outright, and if so, what's good that won't break the bank?

I've been eying Rega decks today. If the Stantons really are that bad, should I just take the plunge? I wish there were a place I could audition such things..

BattleHork
Nov 1, 2005

MMMM, MANDOM.

oval office AND PASTE posted:

I have a 2003-era Stanton turntable. After I purchased it, I read nothing but horrible things about them, so I've been a bit wary of it since, but it's been an OK deck. To be honest, I don't know much about needles and tonearms all this jazz. I just wanna toss drop the needle on the record and forget about it.

Anyway, I ended up wearing out the needle that it came with, so I bought a Stanton DS-3. I popped it on and gave it a disc I didn't care about in case I did something wrong. During the first listen, my girlfriend turned to me and said, "Would you be upset if I told you I think it sounds awful"? She can't understand why I store my CDs as FLAC rather than MP3s, but she immediately noticed a difference compared to the stock needle after not listening to any vinyl for a whole month. I agreed, it really does sound awful.

I don't see any way to make adjustments to it. Can I do anything about it? Or should I just replace it outright, and if so, what's good that won't break the bank?

I've been eying Rega decks today. If the Stantons really are that bad, should I just take the plunge? I wish there were a place I could audition such things..

Make sure your tonearm is balanced and the tracking force set correctly.

If you decide to go with another cartridge, the Audio Technica AT-95E and Shure M97xE are good value cartridges at around $50-60. Make sure you have a headshell handy.

Not an Anthem
Apr 28, 2003

I'm a fucking pain machine and if you even touch my fucking car I WILL FUCKING DESTROY YOU.
Just got a Sherwood ST-903 DC FG servo linear tracking automatic turntable for 5$. When I power it up the motor spins but doesn't respond to the front panel's buttons illustrated below, at all.

Linear turntables are pretty cool but apparently a PITA


Its strobes almost at 33 when I max out the +


Can't find service manuals at all. Any suggestions?

Hippie Hedgehog
Feb 19, 2007

Ever cuddled a hedgehog?

The Stygian posted:

You can take off the dust cover while it's playing, for one. Another little 'trick' I've found to reduce surface noise a bit (and increase the bass quite a bit too!) is to put an empty jewel CD case under each foot of the turntable. Works a treat with my Rega P3-24.

Dustcover? Yeah, there is one of those, I guess. Haven't used it.

I don't see how the jewel cases would help, since the vibrations are coming from inside of the record player. It's already standing on pretty soft rubber feet as well. (Also, if I ever need more bass I will be happy to adjust my receiver EQ.)

Watommi
Dec 17, 2004

I am all that is man.
Audio-Technica AT-PL120 Turntable
TC-750 preamp
The stand is a couple of $18 end tables from Target that I made a bit more sturdy and stuck together.



Just got back from the record store. Was looking for The Violent Femme's self titled, which they didn't have, but instead I picked up Duke by Genesis and Led Zeppelin IV, both in basically perfect condition.

Should I be storing my LPs in the clear plastic dustcovers?

Not an Anthem
Apr 28, 2003

I'm a fucking pain machine and if you even touch my fucking car I WILL FUCKING DESTROY YOU.
Those tables are the superlight chip stuff right? What a lot of people do is route out an inch or so from the center section and fill it with sand or some other heavy substance, then glue in a thin surface to the table again. The weight isolates really well, and having such a light table like yours might be really prone to skipping if you walk around it. Just giving ideas.

Watommi
Dec 17, 2004

I am all that is man.
Yeah, they're almost like a really heavy duty cardboard. I glued and screwed them to make them so they don't wobble at all, and the floor itself is really sturdy and doesn't vibrate. So far I haven't had any trouble at all with skipping.

William Lee
May 16, 2003

I guess it's about time for our William Tell routine.
My Harmon/Kardon HK670 (made in either '79 or '80) has started to make very loud crackling sounds through the speakers when I turn it on. It also does this when I turn it off, and continues to do so for up to a minute.

Could this be related to capacitors? Any ideas about what is causing this?

Hippie Hedgehog
Feb 19, 2007

Ever cuddled a hedgehog?

vibrantglow posted:

My Harmon/Kardon HK670 (made in either '79 or '80) has started to make very loud crackling sounds through the speakers when I turn it on. It also does this when I turn it off, and continues to do so for up to a minute.

Could this be related to capacitors? Any ideas about what is causing this?

If it keeps going after you cut power, I agree it sounds like it's the capacitors.

Fungal Hi-Fi
Jul 26, 2009

vibrantglow posted:

My Harmon/Kardon HK670 (made in either '79 or '80) has started to make very loud crackling sounds through the speakers when I turn it on. It also does this when I turn it off, and continues to do so for up to a minute.

Could this be related to capacitors? Any ideas about what is causing this?

I had a HK380i (from 1980 or 1981) that did a similar thing, repairs were estimated at over 200$ by a tech. They pop up used for 50 to 75$ on CL et al, and I bought a used Sansui 551 to replace it.

I opened it months later and all the caps in the preamp section were leaking (brown goo on and under the board), with two banks of diodes/transistors melted to their heatsinks.







Amazingly it sprung back to life with copious amounts of Deoxit, but I stored it immediately as I felt it was more of a fire hazard than anything else. Still, it played fine when I turned the power on, and then engaged the A/B speaker switch after 1-2 minutes.

For your model, the service manual can be found at http://manuals.harman.com/HK/service%20Manual/HK670%20sm.pdf and lists all the capacitor values, which is useful since finding them in situ can be a pain with 30+ years of dust on them.

bacon!
Dec 10, 2003

The fierce urgency of now

Turnip Head posted:

I've used something similar at my local record shop. There's definitely nothing "snake oil" about it. Clean records very noticeably play better and devices such as these are the most thorough methods of cleaning. I am not at the point where I'm able to invest in one right now, but it's definitely on my short list.

I just bought a GEM record cleaner and some fancy sleeves from sleevetown, along with nitty gritty FIRST pre-cleaner. The sleeves were backordered, unfortunately, but once they come I'll post some pics and a trip report of the cleaning process. Its reviewed pretty well (but only amongst stupid audiophile websites, so who knows) and is significantly cheaper than a vacuum cleaner.

Ghumbs
Jan 1, 2006

bacon! posted:

I just bought a GEM record cleaner and some fancy sleeves from sleevetown, along with nitty gritty FIRST pre-cleaner. The sleeves were backordered, unfortunately, but once they come I'll post some pics and a trip report of the cleaning process. Its reviewed pretty well (but only amongst stupid audiophile websites, so who knows) and is significantly cheaper than a vacuum cleaner.

That looks very interesting. Let me know how you like it because that is a far less expensive route.

I just went to the Sleevetown website and see the sleeves I have are backordered. If these are, in fact, the ones you got, you'll love them. I keep all my records in those sleeves behind the album jacket, but both inside the outer sleeve. That makes for easier access to the vinyl and prevents ring wear.

Ghumbs fucked around with this message at 22:10 on Sep 23, 2009

HKR
Jan 13, 2006

there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally



I was on a bit of a vintage audio lull for a while, having a system that sounded decent and no real desire (Or money) to upgrade. That recently changed when I had to give my PC speakers to my boyfriend and hook up my computer to my SX-525 and Bic speakers. Once I had those speakers in front of me (As opposed to across the room) I realized how lovely they were and immediately began the hunt for new ones.

While my local good will sometimes has decent speakers, for the past few months they haven't had much to write home about. The speakers were either A)Over Priced for what they were or B)Needed serious work to get moving. Usually it was a combination of both which kept me away.

Desperate to get something that sounded nice I decided to head to Hawthorne Stereo here in Seattle. I chose Hawthorne because they have a huge selection of vintage gear that they test and refurbish and also provide warranties for. While I might have paid way more this way then waiting for a good deal at good will, I also knew I would be walking out with something good.

After a bit of searching, the manager pointed out a set of B&W DM110s to me and asked me if I wanted a listen. One song later and I was sold on the set.





These guys sound amazing. The bass is loud and present, but not over powering.

bacon!
Dec 10, 2003

The fierce urgency of now

Turnip Head posted:

That looks very interesting. Let me know how you like it because that is a far less expensive route.

I just went to the Sleevetown website and see the sleeves I have are backordered. If these are, in fact, the ones you got, you'll love them. I keep all my records in those sleeves behind the album jacket, but both inside the outer sleeve. That makes for easier access to the vinyl and prevents ring wear.

http://www.sleevetown.com/lp-sleeves-inner.shtml : I went with the "mobile fidelity master sleeves". They have very good reviews - not sure if those are the same ones you have. I also got a Hunt brush which is extremely nice compared to the crappy LAST brush I had before...gets off pretty much all the visible dust

Nimrod
Sep 20, 2003


I just picked up this receiver for $40 the other day and I really like how it sounds over the Yamaha A/V receiver I was using before. I could use some suggestions on an am/fm tuner now for under $100, though.

Ghumbs
Jan 1, 2006

Nimrod posted:



I just picked up this receiver for $40 the other day and I really like how it sounds over the Yamaha A/V receiver I was using before. I could use some suggestions on an am/fm tuner now for under $100, though.

I've heard pretty good things about this: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-XDRF1HD-HD-Radio-Tuner/dp/B00168Q248/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1254007583&sr=8-1

Note: HD /= High Defininition

Nimrod
Sep 20, 2003
That tuner looks like exactly what I need, i'll probably order it next week.

Another question, the receiver has an a/b speaker switch, and I was wondering if it would hurt anything if I were to hook up a second set of speakers (or my center channel speaker) and run both channels at once?

Bass Ackwards
Nov 14, 2003

Anything can be used as a hammer if you try hard enough.
Any other Pro-ject owners in here?



Custom modified RPM 1 with an Ortofon 2M Red. Sitting behind it is a Speedbox II and a Phonobox II, both in black.

Bonus points if you can guess the artist I'm listening to (Sire Records should be a dead giveaway).

Ghumbs
Jan 1, 2006

metaxus posted:

Any other Pro-ject owners in here?

Very cool. I've got an RM5 SE and love it.

As for the record you're listening to, I'll just throw out Talking Heads.

Bass Ackwards
Nov 14, 2003

Anything can be used as a hammer if you try hard enough.

Turnip Head posted:

Very cool. I've got an RM5 SE and love it.

As for the record you're listening to, I'll just throw out Talking Heads.

It's Madonna. I'm sad.

And yeah, the RPM 5 is a nice mid-range table... It gets most of the engineering and design benefit of the higher end RPM models without the really bad price tag.

What cartridge are you using?

Ghumbs
Jan 1, 2006

metaxus posted:

It's Madonna. I'm sad.

And yeah, the RPM 5 is a nice mid-range table... It gets most of the engineering and design benefit of the higher end RPM models without the really bad price tag.

What cartridge are you using?

For now I'm using the Sumiko Blue Point #2 that came with it. I'm sure I'll use it for a while but I don't know what I'll upgrade to next.

Watermelon City
May 10, 2009

I picked up a Sanyo DCX3000K receiver today from Goodwill. It sounds good except for some background hiss. Any ideas on how to reduce the hiss?

HKR
Jan 13, 2006

there is no universe where duke nukem would not be a trans ally



Watermelon City posted:

I picked up a Sanyo DCX3000K receiver today from Goodwill. It sounds good except for some background hiss. Any ideas on how to reduce the hiss?

Do all inputs have a hiss? It might be your component itself.

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Dem Bones
Feb 25, 2005
Listen, I didn't face ten long tours against the goddamn 'bots to come back home and lift baby weights.

metaxus posted:

Any other Pro-ject owners in here?
Just finished setting up my Debut III. :)



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