Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

kvetcha said:
honestly, compared to some of the crimes against aesthetics I witnessed at the show, a nice mid century-style walnut box is just fine by me.
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I think given it’s size and pretty safe look it’s stands, when released, will make or break it.

It seems the higher you go up the company ladder in price the less money they spend on designing how the thing looks…
 
kvetcha said:
This thing is built like an absolute tank, though. They certainly didn’t cheap out on construction.
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Oh no I don’t think any of the high end companies cheap out on construction, they just don’t spend any on industrial design.

I agree with you that the MoFi isn’t offensive, it’s just a bit boring. Apart from the black ash one, that looks shockingly poor.
 
I wanted to pop in and say thanks for the input. I ended up with a used PLX-1000, the phono and splurged big on a used zephyr mkiii. I really wanted line contact, and it does have high output, so I thought I could possibly save on spendy phonos.

I couldn’t be happier. PLX is tracking with it fine. I am super shocked at How good it is. I think I prefer what I’m getting to my art9/Mofi set up. You hear Peter talk about how one doesn’t need low output with his design. I’m a believer.

I think I can fill gaps with SACD and vinyl and rock on. good to be spinning My albums again.
 
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VMPKJ said:
I wanted to pop in and say thanks for the input. I ended up with a used PLX-1000, the phono and splurged big on a used zephyr mkiii. I really wanted line contact, and it does have high output, so I thought I could possibly save on spendy phonos.

I couldn’t be happier. PLX is tracking with it fine. I am supper shocked at How good it is. I think I prefer what I’m getting to my art9/Mofi set up. You hear Peter talk about how one doesn’t need low output with his design. I’m a believer.

I think I can fill gaps with SACD and vinyl and rock on. good to be spinning My albums again.
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Soundsmith carts are the real deal and Peter Ledermann is a true mensch. I’m glad you’re loving your setup.
 
So what earpads do you use with your Meze 99's? I just switched to the pads with the foam and I think I like these better than the cloth pads. They seem to mellow out the highs just a tad. Wondering if anyone tried different pads to see if they could get other improvements (or differences) in sound.

I've only spent a day with them, but I like the result over my Senn's for certain records. Depending on the mastering, the Senn's can make some albums sound a bit hollow (Sabbath Vol. 4 and Pulp His n Hers, for example). The Meze 99 are better balanced in that regard, so I can enjoy those albums on headphones now. Time will tell if they can be used for extended sessions like the Senn's though - the Senn's smooth out the highs and have the velour pads, which completely takes away listening fatigue. Anyway, if the Meze's end up being ok for long-ish sessions, they would probably supplant my Senn's.
 
Turbo said:
So what earpads do you use with your Meze 99's? I just switched to the pads with the foam and I think I like these better than the cloth pads. They seem to mellow out the highs just a tad. Wondering if anyone tried different pads to see if they could get other improvements (or differences) in sound.

I've only spent a day with them, but I like the result over my Senn's for certain records. Depending on the mastering, the Senn's can make some albums sound a bit hollow (Sabbath Vol. 4 and Pulp His n Hers, for example). The Meze 99 are better balanced in that regard, so I can enjoy those albums on headphones now. Time will tell if they can be used for extended sessions like the Senn's though - the Senn's smooth out the highs and have the velour pads, which completely takes away listening fatigue. Anyway, if the Meze's end up being ok for long-ish sessions, they would probably supplant my Senn's.
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I have these and love them, much better than the stock pads I have on my Classics.
www.brainwavzaudio.com

Hybrid Oval Replacement Memory Foam Earpads - Suitable for many Headphones

The Brainwavz velour / PU leather hybrid Memory Foam Earpads are for use on large Over The Ear Headphones like ATH M50X, ATH M40X, Steelseries, HyperX, AKG, HifiMan, ATH, Philips, Fostex Shure SRH440, Monoprice, Fidelio, Beyerdynamic DT-770 many many more
www.brainwavzaudio.com www.brainwavzaudio.com

20210317_200213.jpg Meze_Brainwavz_PO.jpg
 
AnthonyI said:
I have these and love them, much better than the stock pads I have on my Classics.
www.brainwavzaudio.com

Hybrid Oval Replacement Memory Foam Earpads - Suitable for many Headphones

The Brainwavz velour / PU leather hybrid Memory Foam Earpads are for use on large Over The Ear Headphones like ATH M50X, ATH M40X, Steelseries, HyperX, AKG, HifiMan, ATH, Philips, Fostex Shure SRH440, Monoprice, Fidelio, Beyerdynamic DT-770 many many more
www.brainwavzaudio.com www.brainwavzaudio.com

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Cheers for that. I saw those exact ones when I was doing a little research this morning. Definitely going to try them then.
 
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It continues to be “the little table that could.” Now having demoed the Technics GR, I can confidently say I nailed this “system synergy” from the get go. A VPI is the right table for this setup!

The GR did appear to have a bit of a blacker background, and its arm may have tracked just a smidge more accurately. The low end on the GR really slams. It’s very stout. It digs deep. The Cliffwood has a bubbly warmth in the lows to low mids that I have not found from any other manufacturer. It’s a fluidness, it blooms. It’s wonderful. The top end on the VPI is sweet, where on the Technics, I wouldn’t say it’s clinical, but it is definitely less “analog” leaning to my ears - tested with a Grado Opus3, by the way. The GR does a lot of things right! It just wasn’t right for this system.

Now for the wrong…. I will say, the biggest downfall of the table is the tonearm lift. I believe others here have had the same issue with the GR, but it was truly awful. There’s no other way to put it. It doesn’t catch the tonearm until the very top of its range of motion, and when lowering the arm, it doesn’t lower so much as it just slams it down. That detracted so much from the user experience for me that unless this table totally knocked my socks off to the moon and back sound-wise, this was going to be a dealbreaker. This is something Technics really needs to address, and a quick google showed me that I’m not alone with that takeaway.

Compared to the PLX-1000, the low end on the GR is tighter and has more impact, for sure, and the arm most definitely is a better tracker. The buttons have this wonderful “ka-chunk!” when you push them. It’s in charge. I was considering having the GR be an upgrade to my secondary system to replace the Pioneer, but ultimately I just could not get past the tonearm lift. It made the entire experience unenjoyable, and kind of stressful! For more than double the price, it just wasn’t there for me.

Probably obvious at this point, but back it went. In this relative price range, I would be more interested in the $1K range to see how the SL-100C, Debut Pro, and Orbit Theory perform. I think I’d probably also take the StudioDeck over the GR in a relative even cost head to head, but it’s been a while, tough to say. Tactile aspect, nod goes to the MoFi, undoubtedly.

So that’s what I got for ya!
 
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