Turntables, cartidges, and phono stages

[BDWoody]

The idea of digitizing the phono cartridge signal and applying RIAA EQ, crosstalk cancellation, and other phono related massaging in the digital domain, and then converting it back to analog, is kind of a fascinating, but sort of weird at the same time. I mean, if pure technical perfection is what you want, why not just stick with digits from the get-go?

You're trying to make sense of it...

There's your problem.

 

[Frank Dernie]

You're trying to make sense of it...

There's your problem.

It only makes complete sense in the Devialet implementation.

 

[Robin L]

It only makes complete sense in the Devialet implementation.

I dunno. Every time I hear a record play, I hear the sound of entropy. No amount of digital massage can hunt down the elephant in the room.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I dunno. Every time I hear a record play, I hear the sound of entropy. No amount of digital massage can hunt down the elephant in the room.

I don't mean it improves LP fundamentally simply that in the Devialet implementation makes sense to do everything in the digital domain.
It is flatter than any analogue phono stage I am aware of though, as well as offering more equalisation flexibility than pretty well any other.

 

[watchnerd]

The idea of digitizing the phono cartridge signal and applying RIAA EQ, crosstalk cancellation, and other phono related massaging in the digital domain, and then converting it back to analog, is kind of a fascinating, but sort of weird at the same time. I mean, if pure technical perfection is what you want, why not just stick with digits from the get-go?

Oh, there are plenty enough technical imperfections in LP to deal with even if you use RIAA DSP, or even the magical loading woo that Technics is promising.

The joys of cartridge / arm resonances, alignment, VTA / VTF tweakery, off-center records, IGD, tracking issues, speed mismatches, w&f, and my favorite, anti-skate, don't go away.

All that fun remains!

 

[watchnerd]

I dunno. Every time I hear a record play, I hear the sound of entropy. No amount of digital massage can hunt down the elephant in the room.

You should stop playing LPs.

I can come over and relieve you of your burden. I'll even bring the crates and help you pack.

 

[watchnerd]

It only makes complete sense in the Devialet implementation.

I just wish Devialet had allowed a separate EQ / tone control to be set for the phono input, independent of the amp as a whole.

I'd trade some of those obscure LP EQ curves (who really needs L'Oiseau Lyre) for that.

 

[Robin L]

You should stop playing LPs.

I can come over and relieve you of your burden. I'll even bring the crates and help you pack.

I did and I did and I did.
There were some gems in the collection, had the 1930's stereo Stokowski/Philadelphia LPs, also Arthur Fiedler Direct to Disc, plenty of Shaded Dogs, Blue-back Londons. Shame I had to give so much away.

 

[watchnerd]

I did and I did and I did.
There were some gems in the collection, had the 1930's stereo Stokowski/Philadelphia LPs, also Arthur Fiedler Direct to Disc, plenty of Shaded Dogs, Blue-back Londons. Shame I had to give so much away.

Tease.

 

[Ismapics]

Hello Fellow Forum Members: I am not into Vinyl to the point of investing any meaningful cash. So I have an 80's Technics that uses P-Mount Cartridge that other than the cartridge, sounds and works fine. Yes I know P-Mount, but don't discount the achievement it was to design. With that in mind the only cartridges that I can find are only Audio Technica or other brand used. Any other resource out there? Any suggestion on used cartridge new needle combos I should look at?

 

[EJ3]

Try LP GEAR; Thakker (they have U.S. pricing also, I got my Technic P33 from them); Grado (a reputation for having issues with direct drive TT's that has not occurred with my Technics SL-M3 [that is not to say that it wouldn't happen with your unit]); SHURE V15 VP (I have with the NOS stylus & with JICO styli): there is actually a pretty good selection available if you spend some time hunting, both vintage (cartridge bodies don't usually go bad [but, they are old & might]) and in some cases there are new styli available from sources such as JICO and NEW T4P cartridges are also available (while not as great a selection as in the past, there are still a number available). It took me some months of seeking but I now have a fine collection of T4P cartridges for my Technics SL-M3 and standard style cartridges for my DUAL 1229. Happy hunting!

 

[Wombat]

Click on the Brands in this page:

https://www.turntableneedles.com/P-mountT4PTurntableCartridgeSelections

Rega has/had a range of P-mounts.

 

[EJ3]

Click on the Brands in this page:

https://www.turntableneedles.com/P-mountT4PTurntableCartridgeSelections

Rega has/had a range of P-mounts.

Forgot about ttneedles, whom I have also used with good results for various things, including cassette cleaners.

 

[Ismapics]

Try LP GEAR; Thakker (they have U.S. pricing also, I got my Technic P33 from them); Grado (a reputation for having issues with direct drive TT's that has not occurred with my Technics SL-M3 [that is not to say that it wouldn't happen with your unit]); SHURE V15 VP (I have with the NOS stylus & with JICO styli): there is actually a pretty good selection available if you spend some time hunting, both vintage (cartridge bodies don't usually go bad [but, they are old & might]) and in some cases there are new styli available from sources such as JICO and NEW T4P cartridges are also available (while not as great a selection as in the past, there are still a number available). It took me some months of seeking but I now have a fine collection of T4P cartridges for my Technics SL-M3 and standard style cartridges for my DUAL 1229. Happy hunting!

Just saw that the replacement Styli for my Shure Encore Me-75P, which at the time in the 80's was not that expensive, is double the cost of a new Audio Technica cartridge. Thanks for the tips.

 

[EJ3]

Just saw that the replacement Styli for my Shure Encore Me-75P, which at the time in the 80's was not that expensive, is double the cost of a new Audio Technica cartridge. Thanks for the tips.

Possibly 40 or so years of inflation +( the rarity of good cartridges/styli & collectors driving the market) are 2 (there may be more) factors that were not happening in the 80's

 

[Frank Dernie]

Possibly 40 or so years of inflation +( the rarity of good cartridges/styli & collectors driving the market) are 2 (there may be more) factors that were not happening in the 80's

Like production volume!

 

[EJ3]

Like production volume!

Yep

 

[Ismapics]

Possibly 40 or so years of inflation +( the rarity of good cartridges/styli & collectors driving the market) are 2 (there may be more) factors that were not happening in the 80's

Just saw this and I was in 10th grade at the time. CD's were 1 year old from coming into the market, so you can say Turnable demand was at its peak. Stereo Review Aug 1984 Labelle of Maine? My deck is there the SL-Q300.

 

[EJ3]

Just saw this and I was in 10th grade at the time. CD's were 1 year old from coming into the market, so you can say Turnable demand was at its peak. Stereo Review Aug 1984 Labelle of Maine? My deck is there the SL-Q300.View attachment 122952

I purchased a pair of NOS V-15V-MR's (for my DUAL 1229) and pair NOS SHURE ULTRA 300's (for my Technics SL-M3) several years ago and all of the previously discussed things (and then some) had happened to the price of the cartridges. Now I still need a cartridge for my 78's (the oldest being from 1927) and then get setup to digitize them (there I go again, more money into the audio system).