Mike, I have been following your posts on the PBD with great interest, thanks so much for all the valuable info.
I had a question for you regarding the synergy between the DarTZeel combo and the PBD.
Have you done A/B comparisons between the RCA output of the PBD and the BNC connection going to the Pre? What was your impression/differences? In theory the matching impedance from source to Amp should be the optimal and best sounding. Apologies if this has been discussed before, but I couldn't find any reference.

Alex

twistedpixel July 25, 2008 15:43

Underdog; my dart pre has two different phono stages in it.....so i am in good shape there. i also have three nice cartridges.

i would kinda like to maybe add a tubed phono stage too for a change of pace.....but after these tt's , plinths and new arms my budget will be shot for awhile.

mikelavigne July 24, 2008 00:53

Hey Mike, just wondering if you plan on using the Dart phono preamp with your new table(s).

underdog July 23, 2008 23:51

That sounds great Mike. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on those two tables. I will keep you updated on my quest and I will let you know when the GP gets installed :).

mikeduke July 23, 2008 14:51

hi Mike; i have sent the SP-10 Mk2 and the Garrard 301 off to a friend who will be tweaking them, building a plinth for each one, and then we'll need to choose two or three arms to mount. hopefully in a month or so i'll have them back and playing.

i have been searching for a Technics SP-10 Mk3 but so far i have failed to find one.

good luck on your turntable quest; i think the Well Tempered is a fine turntable but i am not personally familiar with it. i agree with Fcrowder that Albert is a good person to connect with about the question.

mikelavigne July 23, 2008 13:16

Fcrowder; sorry for the delay in my response, i've been out of town for the last 10 days or so. thanks for your feedback on Andrew's tourmaline hair dryer. a question; were you able to combine using the tweak and demagnatizing at the same time? in my experience that increases the effect about 25%.

again, thanks.

mikelavigne July 23, 2008 13:11

Holenneck, i have not tried the tweak on a CD and then ripped it to a hard drive; but....i did have a recording session here in my room in late May with 3 pro audio guys and two hi-rez recording chains. we were recording two direct-to-disc Lps to make a K2HD disc. we did use the tweak on the Lp and you could hear the difference on the recordings. in fact; over 12 hours of testing and recording when ever i forgot to do the tweak it was immediately obvious to the group and we started again with the tweak. we even re-did the tweak about 15 minutes into the 'side' to insure we got maximum performance for the recording.

if three 'very skeptical' pro audio guys and a music producer hear repeatable benefits to the tweak it's pretty real.

i would be very surprised if the tweak did not benefit ripping to a hard drive......but i don't personally understand how it works exactly and have not tried it myself.

mikelavigne July 23, 2008 13:05

this question may have already been asked, but if this tweak really works, would it make sense to perform this process on a CD then rip the disk to a hard drive, will the same sonic benefits be transfered over to the hard drive and be forever captured?

holenneck July 23, 2008 11:26

Save yourself, some time effort and money and speak with Albert Porter about TT recommendations. I think that you will find him to be an excellent and unbiased source of information.

fcrowder July 23, 2008 08:50

Mike, are you familiar with Well Tempered tables? I am pretty sure that their is a new model coming out in the future. Should I consider that as a possibility as well? I am in no hurry to get a TT. I need to do other things first then I will focus on that aspect.

mikeduke July 22, 2008 14:56

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on the Technics. I am sure that you can get it sounding great. As I said, I am just not that level of comfort yet. But I am pretty sure that the level I am thinking about will take my system above my current cd player. I think I have seen that also about changing those rings. That is another reason I like to have a dealer like Barry. I know that he could and would do this for me.
And yea, the Playback is simply fantastic.

mikeduke July 22, 2008 13:50

Re: The Tourmaline De-Ionizer

Why is it that it is so easy to discount tweaks and equipment that offer a high ratio of value to cost? Case in point, the Tourmaline De-Ionizer praised by Mike as a low cost, very effcetive method of improving the sound from CD's and vinyl. For those of you who have not seen this contraption, it looks like a hair dryer with a large funnel attached to the end. Further examination of the funnel shaped attachment reveals a wire screen which holds a large number of 3-5 mm tourmaline beads and through which the heated air from the dryer passes and allegedly excites and harvests negatively charged ions emitted from the tourmaline. AT first blush, I thought that Mike had lost his marbles or was that his tourmaline beads; however, was I wrong. After auditioning a few of the Accoustic Revive products (most notably the RTP-2, I have developed a healthy respect for the properties of tourmaline, even if I fail to understand how it functions. The de-ionizer is in many ways similar in effect to the RTP-4, except that instead of working to condition AC, it works directly on the CD or record. The effect seems to be consistent and easily audible, but not night and day. In my system, it seems to remove a subtle layer of grit/haze around the instruments and to reduce low level noise enhancing both dynamics and low level detail and at the same time to make long term listeing more enjoyable by removing subtle irritants. On some material, it increases image height somewhat and improves focus. The positive effects seem more pronounced on vinyl. As Mike mentioned, the effect is not permanent and unfortunately dissipates toward the end of a record side. Your mileage may vary as I suspect that the effect will vary depending on theresolving power of the system.

fcrowder July 07, 2008 20:16

Nrostov, with the system you have now; you have your wife set up for very big audio things later....i will be watching for the Brinkman.:)

mikelavigne July 06, 2008 17:52

Mike; regarding the Playback Designs.....it's pretty amazing....as more and more people are getting a chance to hear it the feedback is just like yours, everyone raves about it. i'm glad you had a chance to hear it.

best regards,

mikelavigne July 06, 2008 17:45

hi Mike,

sorry for the delay in my response; it's been a busy busy week.

congrats on the Grand Prix Audio Monaco rack. it will take your system to another level of performance. i really like the simplicity and elegance of how it works compared to my previous use of cones, pucks, shelves, etc.....which were always a challenge and did not quite reach the performance level of the GPA. one thing to remember is to make sure you install new tuning discs every 12 months or so as they lose their compliance over time.....if you forget your system will slowly lose it's focus and naturalness.

i did purchase a Technics SP-10 Mk2 direct drive tt and a Garrard 301 rim drive tt. my intention is to have them tweaked and installed into custom plinths. then i'll need to choose some arms. i've always felt that the particular implementation of direct drive in my Rockport is what separates it's performance from other mega-tt's. reports from a few 'golden ears' that i respect say that these vintage 'non-belt-drive' tt's perform at levels equal or better than some of the best belt-drive modern tt's....when optimized and used with the best current arms.

anyway; i'm looking forward to playing with these when they are done.

mikelavigne July 06, 2008 17:42

Mike,
I just got back from Barry's and I ordered the Grand Prix rack. I also had a chance to hear the PlayBack. All I can say is wow. It is the most natural and best sounding player I have ever heard. Plus those speakers, Barry has the MM2's, are just fantastic. Can't wait to get my new rack :).

mikeduke June 28, 2008 21:27

Mike,
I just thought I would let you know that on on Sat, I am going up to Barry's place to order the Monaco rack. Can't wait. Of course I will then have a chance to listen to his system. I have my upgrades all lined up in the order I want to do them. It will be a while, but in the end, the result will be worth the wait. Did I read right that you are getting another TT?
If so, can I ask which one? That is one of my future upgrades as well.

mikeduke June 25, 2008 13:56

Hey Mike,

Yeah I am 37 years old. I started this hobby about five years ago. I have been blessed to be successful enough in business to pursue this hobby and put my wife thru law school. Though I have to admit that paying for law school has hampered some of my upgrading. She better make lots of money so that I can get the Brinkman turntable that I want!
:)

nrostov June 24, 2008 13:57

Justin, if you are putting your wife thru Law School i would assume you to be a young guy; your system is pretty amazing for a 'young guy'. you have lots of time to get even more crazy.

old guys like me (56 years old, married 35 years) need to enjoy life while we can....

mikelavigne June 23, 2008 15:43

hi Justin, 4 years ago i moved to a home on 4 and 1/2 acres with a barn. i had the room custom designed and built as a room inside a room, in the barn.

here is a link to an article a wrote about the process.

room article

mikelavigne June 23, 2008 15:39

here is some links to some pictures of some things i've mentioned recently.

here are the 'orphan' instruments i use as 'art' on my entrance wall. originally i had more instruments there but i thought it was too busy. you can see these thru my double door windows as you approach the barn. to the left are some Lp covers i have framed.

entrance wall

here is the hall outside my room. on the left wall are more framed Lp covers, and the entrance door to the listening room. further on the left are the instruments on the entrance wall. on the right is my Lp cleaning station with the Loricraft, and a cabinet with lotsa bits and pieces. above are shelves for some of my hifi magazines.

front hallway

here is a picture of my Ampex ATR-102.....completely refurbished by Jeff Gilman, i have 1/4" and 1/2" heads for it.

ATR-102

beyond the ATR, you can see my center diffuser. you may notice it is shorter by about 12 inches than the pictures i posted a week ago. i liked most of what the new 84" high diffuser did; but i lost some of the center focus and things got a bit stretched. so i experimented by cutting one side out of a garbage bag and covering various lengths of the diffuser here;

diffuser test

that particular picture shows about 60 inches of diffuser. i tried 48", 60", and 72"......and settled on the 72" in the ATR-102 picture and here;

shorter diffuser

diffuser with spotlight

72" is three full sections of the Skyline. it makes sense that half a Skyline might do some funny things. i guess it's crazy that such things make big differences; but they do.

after removing the top 12" section of the diffuser , i have a perfect center focus and depth. the soundstage has a life i've not heard before. i am really, really happy with the result.

mikelavigne June 23, 2008 04:11

Hey Mike,

Oddly enough the room sounds great. It really shouldn' but it does. I just don't like the fact I have to cram so much stuff in there. What I really want is a seperate room for my audio and another room for my home theater. Since I am putting my wife thru law school it will have to wait.

Thank you for the kind words about my system. I went from the Koetsu Urushi(which I thought was amazing at the time) to the Jade Platinum. The difference was mind blowing. I just love the Koetsu sound and I can't understand people that get rid of them.

Oh by the way I love the shelves in the back with the CD's and LP's. Did you have your room custom built?

Justin

nrostov June 22, 2008 18:33

Nrostov, agree..."any friend of Koetsu is a friend of mine". thank you for the kind comment. btw; nice system you have there. i really like the Messenger pre and phono, and the Temptations are great speakers. your gear will love a better room when that works out for you.

i have owned the Koestsu Rosewood Signature Platinum since 1998. i used it as my reference cartridge for about a year and loved it......so much so that even though i've gone on to other cartridges i've kept it. there is a beauty and ease to the RSP that i love. at some point i'd like to try some of the 'stone body' Koetsu's.

i did almost sell it once but then decided to keep it. now i've purchased another tt i plan on installing the Koetsu on that tt for a change of pace when i'm in that mood.

mikelavigne June 22, 2008 16:38

Hey Mike,

You have a beautiful room. The only piece of gear I am familiar with is your Koetsu so I can't comment on what your system must sound like(but if your buying Koetsu then you must have good taste). However, this is the way I want my room to look when I own my own house(currently I rent a house).

nrostov June 22, 2008 16:04

French Fries; i really don't know piano's. we purchased the Yamaha in 1981 for $3500 when my daughter was 6 years old to start her on piano lessons. it has been a very enjoyable thing to have. i've always liked the way it sounds but what do i know about piano's.

i don't know about Stellavox or Nagra other than by reputation. i read and hear that a Stellavox sounds great; but the Nagra output electronics prevent it from sounding very good. OTOH it's almost worth owning a Nagra as a piece of art; how can one not want to possess one of those jewels.

i would recommend going to 'The Tape Project' forum and asking about these there; everyone there is very helpful.

The Tape Project Forum

mikelavigne June 22, 2008 14:45