Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

kvetcha said:
the Synergy series isn’t great, from what I’ve heard, but I’ve read Reference is still solid.
Click to expand...

I don't think I would trade my Bowers for them but the reference series sound pretty damn good. And they are huge and pretty.

I've found that Klipsch reference are great for movies more than music as they are bright. At least brighter than I like.
 
Ethos99 said:
I don't think I would trade my Bowers for them but the reference series sound pretty damn good. And they are huge and pretty.

I've found that Klipsch reference are great for movies more than music as they are bright. At least brighter than I like.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you definitely build a system to suit them. I know Gutenberg loves them, at least.
 
I leave my cover down, but thanks to the double isolation of the deck from the plinth I have to knock on it pretty hard before I can pick up anything audibly or on inspection of a needledrop. Plus dust is my #1 pet peeve and with 13' ceilings its hard to be 100% dust free.
 
I’m thinking about trying a new cart on my LP 120. I have the shure m97xe right now with the standard elliptical stylus that LP Gear is making as the replacement now. It’s fine but I’m looking to get something more detailed and thinking of the AT VM540ML. Does anyone have that on their LP120 here?

Seems like it should be fine and a step up from the Shure. I’ve also never had a stylus that fine before either and it will be nice to clean up some distortion I have at times. I also might eventually try to get the LP Gear Vivid Line stylus on the shure sometime as well but I am ruling out the Jico SAS since it’s $200 now and I can essentially just buy a new cart (~$250 for the 540) for that anyway.

I’m planning on upgrading the table and speakers eventually but I’m probably going to be moving in the next year and don’t want to commit to anything new in that regard just yet.
 
mitchwagz said:
I’m thinking about trying a new cart on my LP 120. I have the shure m97xe right now with the standard elliptical stylus that LP Gear is making as the replacement now. It’s fine but I’m looking to get something more detailed and thinking of the AT VM540ML. Does anyone have that on their LP120 here?

Seems like it should be fine and a step up from the Shure. I’ve also never had a stylus that fine before either and it will be nice to clean up some distortion I have at times. I also might eventually try to get the LP Gear Vivid Line stylus on the shure sometime as well but I am ruling out the Jico SAS since it’s $200 now and I can essentially just buy a new cart (~$250 for the 540) for that anyway.

I’m planning on upgrading the table and speakers eventually but I’m probably going to be moving in the next year and don’t want to commit to anything new in that regard just yet.
Click to expand...

With full awareness I'm starting to sound like a fanboy:

While I'm sure the VM-540ML is great, the cheaper 95ML is a massive move up from the stock m97xe itself. It's also a better compliance match with medium mass arms — which the LP 120 should be — than the SAS or 540.
 
mitchwagz said:
I’m thinking about trying a new cart on my LP 120. I have the shure m97xe right now with the standard elliptical stylus that LP Gear is making as the replacement now. It’s fine but I’m looking to get something more detailed and thinking of the AT VM540ML. Does anyone have that on their LP120 here?

Seems like it should be fine and a step up from the Shure. I’ve also never had a stylus that fine before either and it will be nice to clean up some distortion I have at times. I also might eventually try to get the LP Gear Vivid Line stylus on the shure sometime as well but I am ruling out the Jico SAS since it’s $200 now and I can essentially just buy a new cart (~$250 for the 540) for that anyway.

I’m planning on upgrading the table and speakers eventually but I’m probably going to be moving in the next year and don’t want to commit to anything new in that regard just yet.
Click to expand...
zombie.modernist said:
With full awareness I'm starting to sound like a fanboy:

While I'm sure the VM-540ML is great, the cheaper 95ML is a massive move up from the stock m97xe itself. It's also a better compliance match with medium mass arms — which the LP 120 should be — than the SAS or 540.
Click to expand...
In case you missed it ;)

Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

Zing! LOL wasn't my intended meaning but after that Jesus is King I might be inclined to agree. Seriously that Watch the Throne record is the hottest cut, most un-trackable record I own. Lots of the work MASTERDISK did with Roc-a-fella is garbage. The MicroLine is actually doing a really good...
www.needlesandgrooves.com www.needlesandgrooves.com
 
zombie.modernist said:
With full awareness I'm starting to sound like a fanboy:

While I'm sure the VM-540ML is great, the cheaper 95ML is a massive move up from the stock m97xe itself. It's also a better compliance match with medium mass arms — which the LP 120 should be — than the SAS or 540.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I was going to say.
 
AnthonyI said:
In case you missed it ;)

Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

Zing! LOL wasn't my intended meaning but after that Jesus is King I might be inclined to agree. Seriously that Watch the Throne record is the hottest cut, most un-trackable record I own. Lots of the work MASTERDISK did with Roc-a-fella is garbage. The MicroLine is actually doing a really good...
www.needlesandgrooves.com www.needlesandgrooves.com
Click to expand...
Thanks I’ll keep that one in mind. I really wish my turntable originally came with that cartridge. The newer models of the LP120 came with it but I got mine about ten years ago, before AT started throwing that one on it. My stock cart has a 78 RPM needle on it now and I was never a fan of the sound of it but it’s plenty fine for spinning 78s.
 
mitchwagz said:
Thanks I’ll keep that one in mind. I really wish my turntable originally came with that cartridge. The newer models of the LP120 came with it but I got mine about ten years ago, before AT started throwing that one on it. My stock cart has a 78 RPM needle on it now and I was never a fan of the sound of it but it’s plenty fine for spinning 78s.
Click to expand...

One good thing about that line is that the body is valued so low accounting for only $20 of the $170 for the full package. You'd still have to spend $150 to upgrade if it came with the VM95E the new ones come with. I got a VM95C for playback of really rough records, and just got a whole new body. For the $10 difference on that model it was worth it just for the ease of switching.
 
zombie.modernist said:
One good thing about that line is that the body is valued so low accounting for only $20 of the $170 for the full package. You'd still have to spend $150 to upgrade if it came with the VM95E the new ones come with. I got a VM95C for playback of really rough records, and just got a whole new body. For the $10 difference on that model it was worth it just for the ease of switching.
Click to expand...
Yeah it’s crazy how cheap they are selling these. Has anyone compared the AT-VM95ML with the Shure m97x with an advanced stylus profile? Not sure it’s super fair to compare since they are different sounding carts but just curious.
 
Ethos99 said:
It's been great, dead quiet and great sound. I did find at least one song I like better with the 2M Blue.

The INXS album from earlier.. Never tear us apart has so much more punch on the blue. The grado is cleaner and way less finicky but that song has such sharp highs and lows that the blue brings out beautifully.
Click to expand...


@Joe Mac, so it may just be my recollection of the song listening to it at the skating rink or radio as a teenager but it sounds powerful on the blue just like I remember.

The rest of the album was excellent but something with that song.
 
Ethos99 said:
@Joe Mac, so it may just be my recollection of the song listening to it at the skating rink or radio as a teenager but it sounds powerful on the blue just like I remember.

The rest of the album was excellent but something with that song.
Click to expand...

Fair enough! I do find that for certain songs I have to crank the Grado up a bit but it always responds beautifully when I do that. i haven’t heard anything yet that I don’t prefer it to the blue for. One thing i love in particular about the Grado is piano, I found it could be harsh, bright and at times sibilant on the blue, it’s just so gorgeous and natural on the Grado. The great thing about the tt you have is that so long as you have 2 headshells you can, in theory swap carts for specific albums if you wish!
 
Last edited:
Joe Mac said:
Fair enough! I do find that for certain songs I have to crank the Grado up a bit but it always responds beautifully when I do that. i haven’t heard anything that I don’t prefer it to the blue for yet. One thing i love in particular about the Grado is piano, I found it could be harsh, bright and at times sibilant on the blue, it’s just so gorgeous and natural on the Grado. The great thing about the tt you have is that so long as you have 2 headshells you can, in theory swap carts for specific albums if you wish!
Click to expand...

It's the only song so far but yes, part of that "better" sound seemed to be the volume of the track.

I agree, the blue on most tracks is amped up and cold and I've been very happy with the Grado.
 
Oh yeah, not sure if mentioned before here but is in the PLX1000 thread, double check your anti skate on blank part of a record. A lot of people report around double the tracking force. That said I had mine close to year before I noticed and didnt change audibly.
I also keep my dust cover off while playing records. I have also while drinking caught it on the extra cart putting it back on.LOL
 
Haimez40 said:
Oh yeah, not sure if mentioned before here but is in the PLX1000 thread, double check your anti skate on blank part of a record. A lot of people report around double the tracking force. That said I had mine close to year before I noticed and didnt change audibly.
I also keep my dust cover off while playing records. I have also while drinking caught it on the extra cart putting it back on.LOL
Click to expand...

So I have learned if i keep my extra cart in the holder, I will hit that with the lid first before the tonearm. 👍

Also I'm trying to leave it uncovered.
 
with grado does having a different cartridge change anything or just the stylus.. just so i know if i should upgrade my cartridge and get possibly better sound with a 2/3 series or just only do 8mz
 
So, not sure this is the right thread, but thought I’d share my new piece of equipment. It’s a Schiit SYS - a passive preamp. I love my Oppo HA-1 but it only has one RCA analog input and I needed two so I could run both my record player and disc transport (old Denon DVD-5900). This little passive pre-amp does the trick and I detect no degradation in sound. A small thing but one I’m happy to have found.

image.jpg
 
duke86fan said:
with grado does having a different cartridge change anything or just the stylus.. just so i know if i should upgrade my cartridge and get possibly better sound with a 2/3 series or just only do 8mz
Click to expand...

The 8MZ will fit most Grados make in the last 3 decades. It will definitely be an upgrade to your Black2.
 
GStephenH said:
So, not sure this is the right thread, but thought I’d share my new piece of equipment. It’s a Schiit SYS - a passive preamp. I love my Oppo HA-1 but it only has one RCA analog input and I needed two so I could run both my record player and disc transport (old Denon DVD-5900). This little passive pre-amp does the trick and I detect no degradation in sound. A small thing but one I’m happy to have found.

View attachment 34701
Click to expand...

Pictures don’t depict how good the casework is on Schiit gear, especially considering the reasonable prices.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top