My System....TT Upgrade

[Punch]

I just bought a Linn LP12 with a Grace tone arm from a friend who is also an LH member. It was set-up with a Soundsmith cartridge, and I am really enjoying the results. I have listened to an MSFL Donald Fagen "The Nightfly", Supertramp's "Breakfast in America", and an MFSL of Poco's GH/Legends. I am anxious to hear how good it will sound once the cartridge breaks in. Note: you can see the JBL 250Ti brochure in the background. I picked it up in 1986 when I was 16, and I still have it....they floored me even back then.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/nguisto22/NPG_8625.jpg
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/nguisto22/NPG_8623.jpg
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/nguisto22/NPG_8611.jpg
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/nguisto22/NPG_8622.jpg

[Titanium Dome]

Hey, Punch, nice TT. Glad you're enjoying it.

You may have mentioned this before, but I'll just ask anyway: Can you tell me about the bases you have under your 250Tis please? I'm thinking of doing something similar, and would be grateful to to know where you got them or how you made them.

Thanks!

[4313B]

That looks very nice. :)

[DavidF]

I have always appreciated the long line of Linn tables. Your new piece fits 'right' in with the other equipment... designed right, built right, and kept right.

[SEAWOLF97]

demo ?

we'll be in Chicago on 1 Sept for Chris's wedding :D

[Robh3606]

That's one nice looking system I bet it sounds great!

Rob:)

[Punch]

Thanks for the kind words!

The bases actually came from the same friend that I purchased the TT from....He had them custom made for me by a woodworker he knew/knows. They came to me raw and finished on all sides but one, the bottom. I put the beveled edge on all sides and then finished them with stain. The footers are by Mapleshades.

Tom...you have an open invitation! Please stop by.

[Mr. Widget]

Beautiful! I love those classic tables. Linn is an excellent company and you can keep that table running for virtually forever.

Is the Soundsmith cartridge a high compliance MM design? I ask because your tonearm is a design that is meant to be used with that style cartridge... most modern cartridges are a higher mass and need an arm with a lower resonance.

Very cool set up. What preamp are you using?


Widget

[DavidF]

Beautiful! I love those classic tables. Linn is an excellent company and you can keep that table running for virtually forever.

Is the Soundsmith cartridge a high compliance MM design? I ask because your tonearm is a design that is meant to be used with that style cartridge... most modern cartridges are a higher mass and need an arm with a lower resonance.

Very cool set up. What preamp are you using?


Widget

Hope Punch will forgive my interloping but I see a Cary SLP 70. A very nice tube preamp.
http://i-vol.com/cary_slp-70/

[Punch]

Hi David...GOOD eye! It is an SLP-70. They do not come up for sale that often, and for that matter, they are not even seen that often. That link is my friend Kelly's amp. We are e-mail friends. Mine is heavily modified by Cary but not as much as his. I have vintage NOS red base RCA tubes in it. It works great with the Perreaux power amp.

Widget...thank you as well! It is a perfect match for the 707 Grace. Here is the cartridge:

The acrylic mounted SMMC3 cartridge by The Soundsmith affords high end performance from a very moderately priced cartridge. The SMMC3 provides a level of musical clarity and beauty from vinyl that will motivate you to rediscover your record collection.

The SMMC3 stylus and cantilever design is the best available in its class. Where most cartridge manufacturers make their profit by using a very low cost "bonded" elliptical or even conical stylus, Soundsmith uses a "nude" single piece Elliptical shaped Diamond stylus.

The SMMC3 is one model in a great cartridge lineup that overturns the myth that "moving coil" cartridges are the only path towards perfection. The evolution of the SMMC3 cartridge affords lower EFFECTIVE moving mass than most all MC types of cartridges. Far lower. Why is that good? Because when you lower the effective moving mass, it’s easier to control. If it’s easier to control, the stylus can stay in better contact with the groove walls. That’s good, because if you can’t stay in contact with the groove walls, you can’t hear what’s on the record.

Is a moving coil preamp required? No. The SMMC3 is a "Moving Iron design" - designed to be used with a standard Moving Magnet preamp. No transformers. No finicky multi-stage ultra high gain preamp required.

http://shop.mapleshadestore.com/Soundsmith-SMMC3-Phono-Cartridge-stereo_acrylic-body/productinfo/SMMC3-ST/

I think the Needle Doctor has them as well...I had to wait 9 weeks for :(

[rusty jefferson]

.

Is the Soundsmith cartridge a high compliance MM design? I ask because your tonearm is a design that is meant to be used with that style cartridge... most modern cartridges are a higher mass and need an arm with a lower resonance.

Widget

You may have already Googled the Soundsmith cartridges, but here's a link to Punch's model: http://www.sound-smith.com/cartridges/smmc3.html
It is a high compliance model, but not MM or MC, but Moving Iron. Here's a brief description from a website:

"...Moving Iron Design
A Moving Iron cartridge design has both the magnets and the coils fixed in place. A very low-mass and extremely precisely wound iron cross is affixed to the cantilever/stylus assembly and placed between the magnets and coils; as the iron cross moves in the magnetic field it generates signal voltage. Since only the iron cross moves, more coil windings (higher output) and heavier magnets (more powerful) may be used without penalty. Other advantages to the MI design are very low moving mass (greater resolution) and superior channel separation (better imaging)..."

The output is high enough that they will often work fine with MM stages. I suggested Punch give one a try as I had heard a couple of the lower priced models that sounded quite good, and he has a phono stage in his preamp.

[Mr. Widget]

You may have already Googled the Soundsmith cartridges, but ...Hey, thanks for that. It does sound like the perfect solution for that arm.

I'll make a note of it, I too have an older table with a low mass arm looking for a new cartridge. I do tend to prefer low output MC designs, but it would be good to put new life back in that old table.


Widget

[SEAWOLF97]

Hey Nick ...now that you have a worthy TT system, you need good vinyls to spin ?

Chris has been amassing a nice inventory for his store ==>> http://www.discogs.com/seller/pdxpunk52

he has lots that aren't posted yet ..been shipping to Asia, Europe and a lot down under to Oz...

if you have something that you are looking for, give him a call
or..... [email protected]