Hi Mike,

I have an Audio Desk RCM on the way and have a question for you. I read in the manual that it is possible to have the machine do multiple cleaning cycles before it does a drying cycle. Have you played with that and do you think it benificial? I have not seen it discussed elsewhere.

Thanks,

Sean

sarcher30 June 21, 2012 05:31

Marc,

i've been saying the same thing for awhile about the significance of the tonearm in the total vinyl front end performance. even though you and i do differ to some degree on the question of pivoted verses linear.

if there is one thing i have learned both from my years with multiple tt's and various tonearms, and then after observing the Durand tonearm development process in my room, it is that tonearms separate the good from the ordinary, the excellent from the good, and the amazingly fantastic from the excellent in total tt performance. it's not always that simple as the tt itself and the cartridge can also have their significant incluence too, but limitations in tonearm performance are easily the most significant issues.

even my Newport Beach exercise with 'Snooky' mostly (but not exclusively) revealed tonearm differences more than any other single factor.

i've never been to Europe; but if i ever do and make it to London i would be honored to visit for a listen. and if you are ever in the Seattle area i would extend the same invitation.

mikelavigne June 18, 2012 12:57

Mike, I just can't believe the influence that the tonearm has over the system. Since my rim drive tt and air bearing linear tracking arm have come as a package I can't separate which component is contributing to which aspect of sound improvement, but I suspect the tt speed stability involves soundstage and clarity thru the frequency spectrum, and rhythmn/timing; and the arm involves setting bass quality/foundation for rest of the sound and solidity/transparency of sound esp. as grooves tighten as lp proceeds.
Just amazed such a different sound from belt drive/pivoted arm is even more compelling than ever.
Are you ever over in the UK on business etc?
I live in the London area and would welcome you here for a listen if practical.

spiritofmusic June 18, 2012 07:27

hi Ed,

i hope you had a Happy Father's day too.....and thanks for the nice comments. the last few years have been fun and the changes have been very positive for me as far as system development, performance and enjoyment. prior to that i was sort of taking small steps forward, back, and sideways, i had acquired multiple tt's, multiple RTR decks, and my room was still somewhat a challenge. but looking back a couple of years it does seem that the smoke has cleared and i've come to a good spot in the road. thanks for the perspective on that.

and i can't wait to 'share' about the MM7's. it looks like the MM3's will be leaving for their new home in the next couple of weeks.....so then it will be 'are we there yet?' time for awhile. :(

i'm happy to hear that your own system (with many of the same pieces as mine) is sounding fine. you can't go wrong with a line-up like that. it is nice that Jonathan could come by and help to tweak things in your room. he has done the same in my room and it made a big difference for me.

i was fortunate this morning that Ki Choi came by to install the head switch on my 1/2" Studer A-820 so i can now play my 1/2" master dubs thru the King Cello. i now have a new reference for music reproduction performance.

next time you get up here to the Seattle area i hope we can co-ordinate a visit. sorry i was not around last time.

best regards,

mikelavigne June 18, 2012 04:32

Whart,

thanks for the kind comments. i enjoyed our phone conversation and clearly we have alot in common particularly our passion to explore the upper reaches of fine audio reproduction. we are both trying to enjoy the journey and maybe learn something along the way and have some fun.

best wishes on your move to Texas from the Northeast. i know you will have fun with the room project and look forward more interactions about it as you move along.

mikelavigne June 18, 2012 04:04

Marc,

i'm glad the Trans Fi tt and arm are working out so well for you. better speed performance has many performance advantages, and i'm a big believer in the huge contribution a great tonearm has too. hopefully there comes a time where a vinyl front end reaches a point where things come together and the music just flows and it surpasses the sum of the parts. sounds like you are in that ballpark now.

as far as air pumps; i did enjoy that the air compressor for the Rockport was in another room (in an attic above my room in a soundproof enclosure) so i had no noise intrusion. that is not always an option for every situation and design.

mikelavigne June 18, 2012 03:53

Mike.... I've had the luxury of spending a few hours in my sound room enjoying some great tunes. During my listening sessions I started reading your posts from the beginning til about Sept. 2010. Ran out of time due to it being Father's Day. Happy Father's Day btw!

I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed reading about your audio journey. I've been through quite a journey myself. Different but none the less a journey that has been filled with lots of education and appreciation of music and gear.

Just wanted to say "Thanks!" for sharing......

Can't wait to hear about the MM7's!

My MM2's/NVS/DarTZeel/PD/Studer A80/ATR-102 is sounding better than ever! JT was gracious enough to come over after Newport to do some tweaking with the MM2's.

Enjoy Father's Day Mike!

theaudioassociation June 17, 2012 19:29

Whart, I have not heard the Kuzma Airline, but it is highly regarded. All I can say is that the Trans Fi Audio Terminator air bearing linear tracking arm may be the best audio purchase I've made - it's bass is just so right, releasing the pivoted SME V earthbound quality, and tracking is really so superlative I can't go back to regular tonearms.
The great news re this arm is that unlike all other top class similar arms incl. the Kuzma, it uses a LOW POWER PUMP. This means that noise is present but pretty quiet, and is only slightly distracting if one was to listen to acoustic/vocals at v. low vols, with the pump next to the listening position. It can still be situated outside the listening room, but in 99% of situations, in room is fine. Also being low pressure it ends up being low maintenance and highly predictable in use.
Lastly at £750/$1200+, it's 4-6x cheaper than the Kuzma. So if you love the performance of air bearing linear trackers but struggle with the Kuzma, really give the Terminator some serious consideration.

spiritofmusic June 17, 2012 07:57

I gotta say, i spoke with Mike over the phone to talk about doing a new room, and he is one of the most down to earth, refreshingly curious people I have spoken to in this hobby. I've been fiddling around with hi-fi for more than 40 years, and know a little, but always have questions and am curious. Not wedded to a particular approach to get to the music. And Mike's considerable system ( and I include in the word system, everything he has done, from the room, to the power to the little details) is obviously a labor of love. In the process, he seems very open to exploring new ideas, and that to me is quite refreshing and a contrast to the sort of know it all, been there, done that, attitude that sometimes comes with the hi-end territory. Spirit, I'll post some comments on your system if you have one up on the Gon, because I have been using an air bearing arm with good results for several years (Kuzma) but hate, I stress, HATe, the pump!

whart June 16, 2012 23:00

Mike, thanks for your kind words on my debut review for A'gon. I appreciate your comments on me successfully getting across the relevant info on the Salvation.
I'm just so pleased that what I thought might be a rocky baptism of fire in the paradigm shift of going from a lifetime of possible inaccurate speed consistency to a system poss 10x more speed accurate has been so seamless. What I didn't totally expect was that reducing time smear hasn't at all reduced the natural warmth of vinyl replay. This has been maintained, and enhanced by the increased solidity of image and enhanced dynamics and percussive impact.
Interestingly, I'm also starting to believe that the arm in a tt rig may be more critical than ever, the locked in tracking of Vic's air bearing linear tracker is startlingly good in traversing lead out grooves, allows bass notes to float beautifully with no earthbound sluggishness, and freedom reaches all the way thru the mids into a really ethereal treble. The majority of this may be controlled by the arm, not the tt.

spiritofmusic June 13, 2012 22:30

Hi Mike, will get around to pictures/system description when my Zu Audio Definitions 4 and Symposium Acoustics Isis Ultra rack is installed in next couple of months. At that point I think I will have reached my end game for major component upgrades. Happy to share info otherwise until then and beyond.

spiritofmusic June 13, 2012 09:57

hi Marc,

i did respond to your new thread. sounds very promising and i hope people get a chance to hear it. the whole rim-drive--idler approach has lots of potential.

i did comment that we need pictures or a link to see it.

best regards,

mikelavigne June 12, 2012 15:48

Hi Mike, I've just opened a thread in the Analog Forum entitled 'Trans Fi Salvation turntable', describing the concept and early listening experience of this innovative direct rim drive tt/air bearing linear tracking arm rig. Have a read, tell me your thoughts. And everyone else interested.

spiritofmusic June 12, 2012 14:31

Mike, I will discuss this in detail with our friend. I think we should pay a visit when your new spks are broken in. Either the Doc or I will be in contact.

Cheers!

zermatt June 11, 2012 16:34

Sam,

late August; "if the creek don't rise".

:-)

and 'Hi' back to Sonny....

best,

mikelavigne June 11, 2012 03:40

Mike,

Sonny says, Hi :-)

What's the ETA for the MM7's?
Congrats on that tape -- "Analog Tape...There Is NO Substitute" ;-)

c1ferrari June 11, 2012 03:07

i thought i had a reference for bass impact and energy, but hearing a recently acquired 1/2" 15ips master dub from a low gen master of a Reggae Classic has now blown that fully apart. and in 1/2" i can keep cranking the volume and there is just so much information that it just gets better and better. at a certain point it's like my whole body was pulsing from the energy and yet i could tell the system was not straining. when you don't have distortion in the source the system can just go with it.

i'm not sure when i might stop grinning. but not any time soon.

there is simply a phyisicality of the music which transcends a recording into real life territory.

spooky.

it's scarey thinking about what the MM7's might be able to do with this. Holy Guacamole!

and i need to install the direct head switch so i can use the King Cello on the 1/2" Studer.

1/2" tape just can do things that other formats cannot. period. it is so meaty and lacking technical restrictions to capture energy. people talk about digital being better in the bass. what a laugh.

i suppose 1" tape is even better but i don't want to have to deal with the constant alignment issues of a 1" machine. let alone the expense of the tape.

and no, i am not at liberty to ID the title, sorry.

mikelavigne June 10, 2012 23:24

Hey Sam,

thanks. it was my pleasure doing the write-up. i did enjoy the show and the whole layout of the Hotel and airport. it sure makes it easy to attend.

it was great seeing you and Sunny, and i hope you both can visit your friends here in the Northwest soon, we miss you.

best regards,

mikelavigne June 10, 2012 20:59

hi Zermatt,

thanks.

ah yes, the good Doctor Gladstone. i wish he would stay on his meds. he has lately somewhat left this planet (metaphorically i mean).

you and your friend ought to come out for a visit sometime. it's just a plane ride away. no big deal for interplanetary travelers like you guys.

mikelavigne June 10, 2012 20:56

hey Marc,

congrats on getting the Trans Fi tt. please let me know when you got the info about that posted so i can look it over.

as far as the Strain Gauge cartridge, i've not personally had one in my system. i do hear it regularly at shows in the Soundsmith room, and for whatever reason it always sounds a bit edgy and lacks ease and naturalness to my ears. maybe it's the extreme nearfield and the speakers or maybe even the volume Peter plays the music at in his room.

the Straingauge is certainly highly resolving and i understand the technology does give it some advantages in energy transfer. a few friends have tried it out in their systems but none have used it long term. the Straingauge reminds me somewhat of the vdH Colibri cartridge of which i owned 7 of. the Colibri offered glimpses of sonic nirvana and was amazingly energetic and resolving, but many times it behaved badly and sounding edgy and lacked ease and nuance. maybe i've only heard the dark side of the Straingauge and there is a 'bit of heaven' about it i've not seen.

i'm likely not the best source of info on the Straingauge.

mikelavigne June 10, 2012 20:47

Mike,

It was great meeting you for the first time while you were conducting this test.

hey Mike,

it was likewise great meeting you too....and i always like putting a face to a name. it was fun doing this test, or investigation, or whatever it was. everyone with a tt was so willing to play the cut. and every room seemed to really like the music, and the music and the musical merits of the recording was what the reaction was.

mikelavigne June 10, 2012 20:35

Hi Mike!

Thanks for your write-up of 6/9 featuring your assessment of rooms at this year's THE Show in CA. It's much appreciated.

It was great to see you -- it's been too long!

Best,

Sam

c1ferrari June 10, 2012 18:45

Mike,

It was great meeting you for the first time while you were conducting this test.

(6-tie) Rockport-BAT electronics-Brinkman. #331 in the atrium. Brinkman tt, arm and cartridge. the room had issues but they were mostly in the bass; and so Snooky came thru fairly well. the combo of Rockport and BAT is not one i would have choosen, as both are a bit laid back in character, but i did enjoy it.

mikelakers June 10, 2012 05:27

I find it very difficult or even impossible to asses the performance of any one component in an unfamiliar system, especially something like a cartridge.

completely agree; and i hope i did not infer anything different. we can guess about cause and effect, but without quite a bit of work with specific combination of gear in a familiar system it's impossible to know what is causing what.

with my own system i do know exactly what is doing what. especially when it comes to arms and cartridges.

mikelavigne June 10, 2012 02:17

Mike, Nice report. Yes, it is subjective and thanks for the qualifications. I'm not surprised that you did not hear anything as good as your system at home. I've only been to two shows and I did not hear anything that I liked as much as my own system. Different, certainly, but not more enjoyable for me. I find it very difficult or even impossible to asses the performance of any one component in an unfamiliar system, especially something like a cartridge.

Peter, thanks. to be clear, i did not use my home system for my show reference, it was the system in room #418 on that Sunday playing Snooky. sure, it was the same gear as my own for the most part.....but it was still a show system with $2500 speakers and in a hotel room like all the others with the same challenges of set-up and such. and there is quite a bit of difference between the performance in my room and that system in room #418.

If and when you have an opportunity to audition the Atlas in your own system, I'd be very interested in reading about your impressions. Is the Ortofon Anna now Durand's cartridge of choice in his arms?

i hope at some point to be able to hear an Atlas side by side with an Anna.....and if/when i do i'll be happy to share my perceptions.

i would rather not try to speak for Joel. i do know that Joel likes the Anna alot. go ahead and email him yourself, i'm sure he would be happy to answer you.

mikelavigne June 10, 2012 02:09