Dammit! My cheap TT sounds better than my good one!

The concept in this thread transcends brands and models, even components.

My main system uses a Pioneer PL-12D and a Quadraflex Reference 620T(big, heavy DD w/straight arm), both using Grado Prestige Greens. That's less than $200 in TWO tables that both meet/beat the modern competition. My amp is a Sansui 5000X and my speakers are Phillips 8"s w/ Pioneer soft poly dome tweets in home made sealed enclosures. Again, this setup easily meets/beats the new stuff of similarly-claimed quality. Finally, I challenge anyone to show me a one-box (transport, supply and DAC in one chassis) CD deck that significantly outperforms my black plastic early 90's Pioneer single tray without spending a huge wad of cash (got mine for $5 at a garage sale).

The point is this: The snobs will always be there (the Lexus drivers who look down on their Toyota counterparts). Enjoy your gear because it successfully does what YOU want it to, and not because it makes some other guy jealous (even though that is a really cool feeling).
 
crooner said:
My earlier Sansui SR-838 (around $300 used) is at least sonically equivalent to my new $1700 VPI Scout!
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The 838 is a great turntable. I owned one some years ago and rue the day I ever sold it. If I ever get another one it will stay.

My Kenwood KD-2070 sounds pretty damn good. It sports a Signet TKE cart.
 
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Yes it is!
I absolutely loved mine.
I guess the VPI beats it in the "stereophool approved" department. Also, since it's belt drive, I guess less prone to trouble in the long run. The Sansui is after all 30 years old and quite complex electronically. Mine worked perfectly for the two years I owned it.

One thing that struck me about the SR-838 is the tonearm design. Bearings are very smooth and the machined precision of the arm itself is top notch. Low friction means better tracing of the grooves, specially at the critical inner section of the record.



danj said:
The 838 is a great turntable. I owned one some years ago and rue the day I ever sold it. If I ever get another one it will stay.
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Technics have been making TTs for along time. They've also made some of the best. All that technology trickles down to the low end models. My SL-1350 with an inexpensive Ortofon sounded as good as my other hi-end TTs.

ReEdger has the SL-1350 now and I'm sure he'd agree.
 
Nothing is wrong with it.
I am sure I set it up perfectly fine.
My point was that some of the better vintage stuff holds its own against the newer models.

dogscanskate said:
crooner,

what exactly is wrong with the VPI set up ? I'm pretty sure some guys here can help you get it to perform better!
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Wow, this sure brought back some memories.
Actually, I cheated. I stopped using both and got a Pioneer PL-630. Blows both of them out of the water. Ran the Shure on that for a while, and then went to the Stanton 881S that came with it and have been running that ever since. Damn nice cartridge. A little warmer sounding than the V15 V. Actually, just a bit more pleasant overall than the V15.
The one really impressive thing about the Pioneer is the "blackness" of it. Now, I don't mean that it is black in colour, cause it is very silver! Rather, when you are listening to it, the background is just a sheet of black Nothing. The music just seems to float there, and the noise floor goes away. Very cool!
As you can tell, I LOVE my Pl-630!
 
A cheap, well set up table will beat a poorly set up better table
 
Erik, ditto on the 630--I like your description. I also have a PL-570. Where the music just flows effortlessly from the 630, the 570 has to work a little harder to get it out, but its warmer sound is more comfy for some music. I love them both! :)
 
I made sure my table was properly set-up, but then again I expect the sound to improve as it breaks in. The table has no more than 20 hours on it, thus far.

I played Janis Ian's Between The Lines last night. Not an album known for audiophile sonics, and yet Janis' vocals were astonishingly real, fully fleshed out. Perhaps the table is just now beginning to show its potential.
 
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theophile said:
I've owned an Oracle Alexandria from new.The tone arm wiring gave out so I went to the local charity store and bought an el-cheapo JVC belt drive.Loved it.I saw something on the 'net from someone who owned a Yamaha PX-3 and the Alexandria.This person said that they marginally preffered the Yammie.That got my attention.
When I later saw a PX-3 for sale on that auction site I bought it.

Gadzooks!This thing is much better than the Alexandria!Iwas intrigued by the pictures I seen of the PX-2,it looked more substantial than the PX-3.Well once again I saw one on the auction site and won it.It bettered the PX-3 by a handy margin.
Now I revel in f***ing awesome sound at home and am not at all interested in blatherings about the latest TT by the pontificators.I've heard the Linns,owned Regas,Oracle.
I've got a great TT and if everybody thinks Japanese Direct Drives suck,I couldn't give a hoot.I've got music. :D
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But that's a very expensive cartridge you're using with it.
 
grumpy said:
A cheap, well set up table will beat a poorly set up better table
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In my case, I am thinking that the Pioneer was best of all. I set it up, whereas the Ariston/Linn/Rega was set up by the foremost TT expert in the area. Pioneer did very impressive work on this piece.
 
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