Post your turntable setup...can't get enough of those spinners!

Used VPI Classic 1 has arrived in minty mint condition

 

@JoshMorr , Keep the cartridge you are used to so you can actually hear the difference these two items make to the sound. Then when u want, switch carts, but don't waste this one I guess. Use it till you need to get another one I think...YES! Relax and enjoy the music. It's the whole point.

That is fantastic that you are a woodworker. You can just make it yourself, you lucky guy! The spikes will couple and also isolate your table at the same time. The maple platform will help dampen vibrations and normally clear up the sound nicely. Also changes the resonant frequency of the setup. I've heard many improvements but its not always the case....just mostly! Vinyl reproduction is a funny thing because it is heavily electro-mechanical in nature. Take a look at this:

http://www.hamerfanclub.com/forums/topic/49458-my-turntable-sounds-better-than-ever/

 

Thats beautiful! Congrats man.

 

Cheers to a fantastic listening session tonight!

 

Nice dude. Congrats on the table.

 

Took some time to clean up the platter today using Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish.



It totally cleaned up the scuffs in the label recess



and an action shot with a quarter (roughly 5 grams) as the weight on the cartridge (it's taped) until the permanent solution arrives.

I found the Mother's polish recommendation on the VPI forum from their admin, and also "Pledge multipurpose 99% natural" for removing fingerprints from the platter.

 

What's the VTF recommendation for that cart? I don't think the suspension will take that 5g weight for very long.....

 

I couldn't get even close to the recommended 2.7 gram weight with the included 140 gram counter weight. It's on the money right now.

 

Ahhh cool. OK no worries then

 

2.25" Maple butcher block showed up 30 minutes ago...

 

If thats a Denon 103 or 103r, instead of the coin, i recommend a headshell weight such as this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Technics-He...829880?hash=item1a0ccbc278:g:UU4AAOxyXp5SRz6p

and heavier cartridge screws such as these

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cartridge-S...968141?hash=item1c4020af4d:g:e4UAAOxyYSdTFfph

 

What did you think of the difference in sound with and without the butcher block? Also, how are you coupling the butcher block to the cabinet?
Setup looks beautiful!

 

It's a Denon DL-103, and I have an aluminum body on the way that I will be transplanting the motor into while I wait for my Zu Audio 103 to be made (a few weeks until the next batch is ready). @shaizada recomended the weighted Soundsmith screws, and those are what I would have got if not for the upgraded body being on it's way.

http://www.sound-smith.com/accessories/ez-mount-cartridge-screws

I decided to go with the aluminum body, because I would like to do a direct comparison with the Zu Audio product. I originally bought the stock DL-103 so I could have a base line to compare the Zu to.

I'm not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me, but I believe the low end has tightened up ever so slightly, and the whole presentation has become more focused. It could also be the cartridge and SUT getting more burn in time though...

I don't have any thing coupling the block to the cabinet yet I'm going to take your advice and get brass spikes and couple this block to the to the top of the DIY butcher block audio rack I'll be building in the next month or two. I may not get the 4" block though, that's going to be a beastly huge piece of wood, we will see,...lol

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/472

Thanks for everyone's advice in this and all the other threads, I greatly appreciate all of it.

 

The soundsmith screws are truly versatile, and they have a variety of weight to use depending on the material of the screw, but they look dam ugly to me on my headshells, so i dont use them.

I have a 103R but i am not bothered to put it in the aluminium shell ( i have one but never got to do the operation). I feel tha the main differences in sound are due to weight differences rather than damping by different shells etc.

It will be interesting to hear your results testind and comparing stock/aluminum shell/ZU...

Keep on spinning!!!!!

 

JK, the differences you heard are not hallucinatory those are differences made by the wood block very easy to check. Remove the block, re-level the table and listen to the same vinyl cut. Absence of something many times, is more impactful to the ear than the presence of it.

Now, with a 3" or 4" block, you give the resonance a better chance to naturally dissipate into the material and effect the resonant frequency of the whole table/platform combination. Wood has a more pleasant sound that seems to add to the experience. Maple is especially nice, but not all maple is the same. Air dried old stock maple is the one to get, but it is hard to source. The amount of moisture in the wood really impacts the sound.

If possible, when u build your rack, make the top turntable shelf a nice 4" one if possible. Move the current block you bought for the preamp or something else.

I know of other very solid upgrades for your tables but I figured, best to give you a chance to move up the sonic ladder slowly so you can appreciate every step of the way.

When you are ready, get some Edensound Terrastone feet for your Classic turntable and hard couple the table to the large maple block . This defeats the stock isolation but there his a huge jump in sound quality. I would rather you isolate the bottom of the butcher block but hard couple the table to the block itself so it all behaves like one large coupled structure . This sound has a huge upgrade in resolution, big tone, and a larger, yet focused soundstage. Sorta helps with headphones, but with speakers, this will be a very large upgrade.

I really like the above method for the Classic tables. Another different method that also enhances the listening experience, but doesn't have such a big tonal upgrade is the Symposium Segue ISO platform. That along with their upgraded dampener (which fits directly into the stock VPI Classic feet) is another stupendous upgrade. More leveled sound enhancement across the board.

More later...

 

Ooooooh man... I started the the DL-103 transplant and thought I had it beat !!! I had the motor out of the body and trimmed to fit the aluminum case perfectly, taped, and ready for epoxy. Tested with my DMM to make sure I still had both channels intact, and yes I did. Started to drip the epoxy into the body by way of sandwich bag with pin hole, and holy shit it started heating up boiling hot, and I bumped the tape that covers the micro wires that connect to the cantilever!!! Finished up and tested the channels...left channel dead...F@CK !!!

I was so pissed I decided to mount it and dial in the VTA, VTF, azimuth, and alignment anyway. That right channel sounded so nice compared to stock...lol

The ebay seller was super quick to respond and told me to get the unit into an acetone bath, but only cover the body and make sure the stylus stayed out of the nail polish. He gave me a guy that does cart repair and what not, and said I may be able to salvage the cantilever at least. I ended up ordering a pre-built cart from him with his newer aluminum body, and he actually rushed to the post office to make sure it got sent out today. I have to tip my hat to Terence from Paradox for the excellent customer service.

I'll eventually get another donor to put into the aluminum body, but I'll be without a cart until saturday by the looks of things. Oh well, lesson learned, and it gave me another chance to practice installing a cart.

@shaizada Having your vast knowledge a few key clicks away is so awesome.

 

Sorry to hear this ... unfortunately these are the dangers of removing the plastic shell and transplanting it in another (and thats why i am reluctant to do it...).

Well...hope your new cartridge will sing just the way you want it!!

 

Ouch! RIP DL-103...

I totally empathize with the cart mounting and dialing things in; stresses me out bigtime.

Funny story:
I installed the VPI 3D armwand on my Classic 1 last week so I had to swap the Lyra Kleos between wands and redo the setup. After 3 hours of labor tweaking the height of the wand (on the pivot point) and then painstakingly setting things up with the Mint protractor (highly recommended for VPI tables BTW) I am finally ready to play a record. Drop the needle and NOTHING. I am panicking because I think I may have busted a cart that now retails for 4K. A few minutes later I finally figure it out; I had left the Rag on headphone only mode lol

 

Well, I took the plunge... Haven't calibrated it yet, but it should be ready to go tomorrow. Bottlehead Reduction on the way as well.