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

Discussion in 'Vinyl Nutjob World: Turntable and Related Gear' started by shaizada, Sep 28, 2015.

  1. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Difference between 3D and 3DR arms. I wonder if the R arms were meant to address the more muddied and smeared transient response of the 3D arms.
     
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I'm not one to brag or post unboxing photos, but I will sort of oblige per popular request by posting setup photos (@shaizada: Don't worry, I've got a maple platform coming in. The table is huge and also waiting on the stand to get correct dimensions.)

    classic 4.jpg
     
  3. shaizada

    shaizada Friend

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    Oh f**k. That grain structure....that is unreal!
     
  4. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Jaw just hit the floor...Congrats !!!

    Still gonna use the Ortofon Black?
     
  5. MrTie

    MrTie Friend

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    Your turntable isn't the only one getting wood. Jesus that's pretty.
     
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Thanks. I will be using the MM Black for now. Need some time to save up again as I've already sold off most of my unessential gear and don't have much in terms of remaining major big dollar items to sell. The next item will definitely be a cart followed by a phonostage. I'm all set on amps and speakers.

    Since VPI has been pushing the 3D arms, the armbases no longer have the cups to hold the damping oil (for use with carts like the Denon 103R). Also while this needle bearing will work with the 3D arms, it will NOT work with the 12" metal arm, at least the iteration that I have. Will need to call VPI for help on this or perhaps just get an older armbase with the damping fluid cup that will work with the 12" metal arms.

    Also, despite the hype on the 3D arms, I think I may prefer the metal arms. The metal arms are less damped and have a snappier transient response. The 3D arms are warmer, but transient response seems over-damped. Hard to say as it will come down to synergies. With the 3D arm, I switched from the toxic mercury vapor rectifiers to the more solid-state sounding purple glowie Xenons.

    DSC_2199.JPG
     
  7. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    Wtf, is that thing imbued with the souls of children? Marv's officially joined the old rich farts audio society. Brb, changing the logo for the site.
     
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Finally, up and running.

    DSC_2201.JPG

    A few thoughts:
    1. The on the fly VTA is very nice for someone like me. I have all sorts of records, 180g, 200g, and cheapo disc. It's neat to be able to hear the effect of VTA changes on the fly.
    2. The 3D arm is very light and wobbles a lot. It's harder to drop the needle onto a desired spot compared to the metal arm.
    3. Setup wasn't too painful with the VPI supplied protractor. I believe VPI tends toward keeping the lowest distortion at the inner grooves, which is totally fine by me since I have a lot of old records which are kind of screwy in the inner grooves.
    4. The plinth is SOLID. Much more so than the Classic 1. Not only about 30% larger area (mass), but also because of an aluminum, steel, and MDF sandwich. No, it was not fun lifting this thing up on the rack.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2016
  9. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    It's imbued with the souls of people who have been banned from here (they really weren't banned), and also parts of the souls of Jude, Stillhard, and their sycophants. Note the evil eye in the middle of the grain pattern.
     
  10. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    For $8000 I expected more. Maybe hand delivered by the ghost of Sinatra.
     
  11. MrTie

    MrTie Friend

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    I probably should have just bought a damn Classic for my main rig, instead of all this headphone shit. Chasing dragons 4 eva.
     
  12. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Couldn't get Frank. That's @shaizada's league. But Nancy did drop by.
     
  13. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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  14. shaizada

    shaizada Friend

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    This table is JUST the launch pad for seriously going to the top of the analog mountain. The table will NEVER be a bottleneck or hold u back ever. Major congrats for acquiring this level of a masterpiece.

    I am officially jealous now! :) That rosewood grain is surreal...

    EDIT: Ok System has been warmed up. I'm going to drown myself in some of the new vinyl I picked up.
    EDIT 2: Before I forget, don't use the anti skating at all. Just leave it the way it is.
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Hahahahahahahahahahhaha!

    I hope the readership here understands that this is really my secret plan. I have no doubt the members here, because of their high IQs, will be successful and rich when they get old. This is all just a setup to make sure their disposable income is properly used.
     
  16. BioniclePhile

    BioniclePhile The Terminal Man - Friend

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    The only number I get in relation to high is 420.
     
  17. Chris F

    Chris F Boyz 4 Now Fanatic - Friend

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    Marv, you might want to look into ordering a Mint protractor.
    http://mintlp.com/best.htm

    It takes a solid couple of hours of setup to nail all the parameters but I found it made a big difference for me.

    I like my 3D arm. I bought a used original production one from Harry on eBay but the counterweight end somehow snapped clean off in shipping so now I have a brand new 2016 production one. (VPI lives up to their excellent service rep)

    When I got it I redid a bunch of needledrops in order to A/B. The metal arm does have stronger transient attack but I feel the 3D arm has better staging, tone and decay. The presentation with the 3D arm is more "natural" or "real" if you will. For a mono cart I think you would want the weight of the metal arm or an entirely different arm.
     
  18. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    It comes down to synergy with this one. The 3D arm actually works well with the 2M Black and current setup. I have an idea where I am going with cart, phonostage, etc. using the metal arm, but I plan on keeping both.

    I was disappointed with the "little things" aspect of the 3D arm. No more azimuth ring, single counterweight used for adjusting both VTF and azimuth, the head of the arm not aligning straight with the VPI supplied jig (the metal one aligns), cheesy non-integrated finger lift, etc. Granted VPI was never audio jewelry, but these 3D arms don't have the functionality and ease-of use of the metal arms. There's no reason why they should cost so much as sonically, I see them more as different rather then way way super better as the trade magazines would have us believe.

    BTW, I had some mounting issues with the metal arm on the base that came with the 3D arm. Cueing mechanism couldn't go high enough. I tried adjusting the cueing mechanism, bearing cup, etc. In the end, I had to stick pad material under the metal arm to make it work. It appears the the cueing mechanism for the metal arms go a bit higher (looking at my Classic 1). Will need to go back home to check. The 3D arm has a block of material under the armtube which requires a lower cueing height.
     
  19. Chris F

    Chris F Boyz 4 Now Fanatic - Friend

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    On the new 3D arms you can fine adjust azimuth by unscrewing the side weights. Yeah I know it's not in the manual. :I

    Finger lift thing has been non integrated for a while I think. They seem to switch back and forth. Agree it's cost cutting. The high end tables seem to get the arms with the integrated lift.

    I agree the VPI arms are frustrating to setup. It took me a good 30 minutes of painful adjustment and re-adjustment to get the VTF correct for my Kleos because the range of movement I had to work with was so milimetric. A touch too much and you are 0.1g off. I probably need a different counterweight then the 140g.
     
  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Grrrrrrr.
     

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