Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler After purchase blahs!

I finally purchased the whole set up(m22s, vp100 and QS8s) and now I'm in the middle of the after purchase blues. The shopping adrenalin has been as such a high level for so long that I'm now feeling a bit of a let down. I feel like I should still be shopping. I am trying to resist the temptation to buy something. Today I bought a wireless router when I didn't even need it. It was on clearance, so I couldn't resist. I think I caught some virus from an audiophile message board. SOMEBODY HELP ME!

I am afaid there is no cure once you have IT.The cycle keeps going and going and going.You have THE sickness my friend.

Just beware of those SACD/DVD-A threads. Pretty soon you'll be scrolling through the refurb's at eCost...

Ha! Audiophile post partum depression. Had it too.

How'd I solve it? Got a plasma...

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I finally purchased the whole set up(m22s, vp100 and QS8s)

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Do you have a sub?

May I also suggest a REALLY expensive receiver as well???? Take heart grasshopper - you have reached only the first level of HT. You have left yourself room for UPGRADES!!!! Once you have recovered from your current malaise - TRADE UP.

What's in YOUR wallet?

Most likely your genes (and every man's on Earth) are telling you that the thrill of the hunt is more exciting than the ownership. Do a search on the words "satisficer" and "maximizer" on the message board to see what I mean.

Relax, you won't be happy with your next car, wife, computer, clothes, job, vacations, furniture, nor electronics either, so I guess you're doomed to perpetual misery.

Do you need speakers for another room?

/evil grin

The wife is nice. I think I'll keep her.LOL

i know the feeling littleb. i got a sub first, then waited 3 months and got the receiver.. then 1 more month and got the speakers. then last, a month later, the cd/dvd/sacd player. i stretched it out over a 6 month period, so i managed to exercise my shopping demons.

now, i am looking for a new cd/dvd rack, and a new record player.. the sub will be replaced sometime next year.

bigjohn

bigjohn,

What sort of 'tables are you looking at? I'm hoping to get one in the next year or so, too. So far, the Technics 1200 series are awfully tempting and awfully expensive. I'd be interested in hearing what's on your short list and what you decide on.

josh- if you are looking at the 1200, then we are looking in two WAY different ranges. keep in mind, the 1200 is to turntables what ferrari is to cars. it is the top of the line, end all, say all.. i cant see or justify paying $1000 dollars for the least used piece of stereo equip i own.

i have been looking at some 'non-professional' models that have a reliable cartridge, and good built-in dampering capabilities.

Gemini XL-500
Technics BD-22
and the Numark 200 series.

those are all real good players for around $150-$200 bucks each.

bigjohn

Oh, I agree on not seeing or justifying spending $1000 on a turntable. I was mostly looking at something like getting a SL-1200MK2 (MSRP $550) on ebay. I was thinking perhaps I'd be able to find a heavily used one (I'm not picky on cosmetics) for around $2-300. Even then, that was more than I was hoping to spend.

I'll take a look at the models you mentioned. $150-200 sounds a lot more reasonable for this sort of thing. Honestly, I haven't done much research on this yet; it's still fairly far down the road for me.

Guys I just picked this analog table up at Amazon for $130 shipped. It's a direct drive table, and comes with a middle range cartridge already installed. I haven't used it enough yet to make a recommendation either way, but I thought I would mention it, in case you might be interested.

Stanton has a more upscale digital model for $250 shipped with a good cartidge installed ($199 if you want to use your own cartidge) at ZZSounds.

bigjohn,

From your posts in the past, it occurs to me that you relish the way vinyl sounds.

You might want to take a look here and you may find a quality used table at a decent price...There will be some "unbelievably expensive" tables but there are great deals to be had if you look.

You may also want to read through this forum for insights from some knowledgable folks on turntables...

"Play that funky music, white boy..."

WhatFurrer

I have a box of old vinyl (not well taken care of). My buddies use to DJ back in the day and always wanted the workhorse SL1200. But I have admit, these look COOL. Don't know about the quality though...

Rega P3

Cooler than this?

http://www.amusicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=ACLMAXSOL

How can anyone justify spending that much on plastic?

But at least I can afford a Rega...

That thing doesn't even have a tone arm for $12K!

How about this one? At some point, previous models went for almost $20K when the company was called Finial Technology. My old boss started that company.

Laser Turntable

Cool concept, since the laser never touches the record, the record isn't work as it is w/ a needle.

It is a birth given right to keep man's wife,
how about getting spare for garage?

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It is a birth given right to keep man's wife,
how about getting spare for garage?

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That's almost a haiku!

Yeah...

But what the heck does it mean?

WhatFurrer

Hi,

I bought that Stanton model for my son in Toronto and he says it's excellent. I checked it out after I got it and it had no audible rumble, the arm was decent and reasonably well set up, and the cartridge was okay. The Technics 1200 is the workhorse but unless you were going to use it all the time, I doubt it's worth the expense.

Regards,

Guys, I'm a newbie when it comes to analog and would like some clarification as to how they work. So is the cartridge the equivalent to an outboard DAC for a CD player? And on reviews I've read it seems as though the tone arm makes a musical difference? I don't see how this would be. If the cartridge is what makes the difference in sound would I be best off to get a cheap unit and buy a better quality cartridge? My local dealer can hook me up with the Rega's or NAD(which is made by Rega) players for a good price.

You have the right idea. The cartridge translates the grooves on the physical surface of the record into electrical current. One end of the stylus rides the grooves and the other is attached to a magnet. That magnet sits between coils of copper wire. And as we all know (now you do!) a magnet moving next to copper wire induces current on the wire.

The tone arm is important in this picture because it needs to be relatively inert acoustically. If it amplifies or changes the vibrations that the needle picks up, then it will affect the sound.

So does the base make a difference? I was looking at the Rega P2 which with a deal struck with my local dealer could be had for a not to bad price. Do any of you have experience with the Rega line or know of any reviews I can follow?

Yes, I have a P3 that I have used for many years of trouble free enjoyment. Ensure that you get a quality cartridge, and that the tonearm is adequate. Rega made some decent arms, and also some poor arms. Almost all required shims to adjust height, and this is a critical adjustment to proper sound.

As you have read, there is a good amount of technical advice regarding turntables. You can buy inexpensive (sub $100) or expensive (many thousands of dollars) for turntables. Interestingly, most people have compared an inexpensive table to a $300+ cd player and this does not do either medium justice. The most limiting factor of vinyl is in fact the condition of the record. Typically, they are lacking, and this is translated into "noise" for our listening enjoyment...or lack there of.

There are several other models available, depending on your budget. I would suggest you look at all the above suggestions as low to mid end of the spectrum, and include Music Hall and Thorens. Moving up the food chain, Oracle, and Linn. There are many much more expensive models, but this depends on your budget.

Thanks BBIBH. I'll definitely consider them.

You are welcome.

Another candidate would be the Goldring GR1. It is marketed by an English company that has made some exceptional cartridges in the past. The table is actually made by Rega, and is essentially a P2....for a bit less. Keep in mind that tables are highly engineered devices, with precision parts designed (as mentioned in the thread) not to alter the sound. As the vinyl grooves provide musical information, ensuring that there is nothing added is critical. The cartridge and tonearm should be of good quality and set up properly, as this can also change the sound qualities.

Something to keep in mind regarding some of the top tables - and for that matter higher end audio components (not including most speakers, although it can be accomplished with some), you can purchase pieces to upgrade the model you own to the latest model - ie you can buy kits to upgrade an Oracle Delphi MK II turntable to a MKV. This can be done with SIMAudio, Rega, Linn and Oracle amps, CD players, TT's - to name but a few mfg'ers

This concept could allow you to get a more expensive table used, and have it upgraded to the latest model.

So I have this problem....

I bought some M60's, a VP150, and QS8's....

then I needed a receiver, so I got a Denon AVR-3805...

Then I needed a subwoofer, so i got a SVS PB2-Plus...

Then I needed some nice DVD's to watch, so bought more to add the 125 I already own...

Then I needed a new TV so I started saving for a 61" DLP...and the matching Denon 3910 to go with my receiver....

then I needed remote controlled lighting....

and a universal remote.....

and then.....*sighs and sobs into his pillow*

- D

what about racks and stands and cables - don't forget those!

And Zone 2. You've gotta setup a zone 2 so that the music can be in another room while the kids or the wife or whomever is watching a movie you don't want to see again.

And then you'll start reading about how two subs are better than one.

Oh, the horror...

Son, it's time you checked yourself into an Audioholics Anonymous program!

No Doubt!

I just got out of one of those programs, and it didnt seem to take.
I've been looking at new HD televisions all morning.

I feel your pain. I've been researching video processors. I want a DVDO iScan HD, but I would rather have a product with more DVI inputs if one exists.

I know the pain as well. The wife always asks me why we have a new sub and new mains when we had ones aleady. It is not that easy to explain the "Upgrade" factor.

I started with the TV and worked around that. Seemed to work well for me. Take a look at www.uecweb.com. Although they are factory refubished they are the bes out there. I called Hitachi (in my home town) and they told me to go to UEC. GREAT pricing on TV's and Plasma's are about 50% off. I got a big screan about 2 yrs ago and the only issue I could find wrong with it was a little yellow mark on the back. Have not had one issues since.

Interesting link. The whole refurb thing makes so much sense. People spend a lot on a product and they want it to work perfectly. The stuff gets sent back, it gets fixed, and then it goes somewhere. I hadn't thought about it with TV's but will shop a little more carefully the next time I need to buy (which my wife tells me is shortly after hell freezes over ).

When I purchased my Hitachi form Ultimate Electronics, I was able to negotiate on the price big time. TV's have a huge mark up. I didn't get the deal of the century, but I didn't feel taken either.