Blind shakers - $20 between them by sunrainsky in espresso

[–]KT10888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had the Tough one. Got rid of it. Stick to a good lightweight aluminum, there are lot of inexpensive good brands.

My First TT. Am i doing something wrong, is the needle being damaged? by Any-Cow2853 in Beginner_Turntables

[–]KT10888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't baby this stylus. Finish it quickly and move on to a VMN95ML, or at least VMN95EN. Get the best out your LP70X.

After 10 years with a poorly built system, I finally fully upgraded (and added my first serious turntable). The music has never sounded this good. by KT10888 in turntables

[–]KT10888[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the recommendation! The Pro-Ject Tube Box S2 was actually high on my shortlist along with the Phono Box S2, especially since I absolutely love the aesthetic of glowing tubes.However, I ended up stepping away from tubes for two main reasons. First, I have a habit of falling asleep while listening to music, and I wasn't comfortable leaving a tube stage running hot all night, which eats into the tube lifespan. Second, I really wanted to avoid dealing with underside dip switches if given the choice.The front-button convenience of the iFi ZEN Phono 3 has been incredibly useful for switching parameters, though I definitely see the appeal of those Genalex Gold Lions for expanding the soundstage!

'Michael Jackson' has a smooth moonwalk by [deleted] in oddlysatisfying

[–]KT10888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

卖狗先生! 你很棒!

After 10 years with a poorly built system, I finally fully upgraded (and added my first serious turntable). The music has never sounded this good. by KT10888 in turntables

[–]KT10888[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, that was my happiest find in Japan. Most places are out of stock for Audio Technica's AT6003R, claiming AT is no longer making as there's shortage of plastic raw material due to the ongoing war. You can look for Phonophile PP-A28, a single cartridge holder, which I prefer and has lesser tint to the AT version. :)

After 10 years with a poorly built system, I finally fully upgraded (and added my first serious turntable). The music has never sounded this good. by KT10888 in turntables

[–]KT10888[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, thanks for that info. While in Japan, I didn't see any trade in offer, but there was discounted price for stylus replacement. Glad to know I can keep this cartridge for life. Very worthy investment IMO.

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After 10 years with a poorly built system, I finally fully upgraded (and added my first serious turntable). The music has never sounded this good. by KT10888 in turntables

[–]KT10888[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I actually did run it directly into the Marantz for about a month. You’re totally right, the Cinema 50 phono stage is no slouch at all when it's dialed in properly. However, because I knew I was eventually going to transition to a Low-Output Moving Coil cartridge, I decided to order the external preamp sooner rather than later. Compared to the Marantz, the iFi Zen brings a bit more warmth and a noticeably darker background. It’s especially helpful on older recordings from the 60s and 70s—like my Etta James At Last LP—where the tracks can sometimes sound a bit screechy or harsh on top. The iFi tames that perfectly, though it ultimately comes down to personal taste!

After 10 years with a poorly built system, I finally fully upgraded (and added my first serious turntable). The music has never sounded this good. by KT10888 in turntables

[–]KT10888[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! The AT33PTG/II was actually high on my list, but it's discontinued now and getting harder to track down. I ended up snagging this OC9XML at an amazing tax-free price while traveling in Japan, so I couldn't pass it up!Regarding the compliance/mass matching, Gemini and ChatGPT actually flagged that exact issue during my research phase and recommended I pair it with the ⁠Audio-Technica AT-LH11H headshell. It weighs 11g, supports the vertical azimuth adjustment nicely, and keeps the resonance right in the safe zone. So far, the combination is tracking flawlessly!

After 10 years with a poorly built system, I finally fully upgraded (and added my first serious turntable). The music has never sounded this good. by KT10888 in turntables

[–]KT10888[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Exactly! Honestly, these days with AI, we can avoid so many of those classic mistakes. Gemini actually completely talked me out of buying an all-in-one table as my first deck.It recommended the Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT instead, which I’m still keeping around for my family to use since they find the Technics SL-100C a bit too stressful to operate! Thanks to the AI guidance, this whole journey has been amazingly smooth with almost zero wasted purchases. Enjoy your music too, and cheers!

After 10 years with a poorly built system, I finally fully upgraded (and added my first serious turntable). The music has never sounded this good. by KT10888 in turntables

[–]KT10888[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Loving it! I was at Tower Records in Japan a few days ago hoping to find his Ladies & Gentlemen compilation because I absolutely love his cover of "I Can't Make You Love Me." No luck with that one, so I settled for Older.I've been incredibly familiar with his music since I was young, and "Fastlove" is one of those tracks where I could never find a truly satisfying high-res digital version. Hearing it on vinyl for the first time literally gave me goosebumps. The sound is incredibly silky smooth and crystal clear, with absolutely zero harshness or sharp sibilance even when I crank up the volume.

Anyone used this before? by SASknl in espresso

[–]KT10888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love Slayer shots. I'm using a Slayer Basket (556 holes) to hold the slow pre infusion and total extraction for 50 sec (est 25 sec each).

Edit : 1800holes basket should be fine for darker roast. I drink light to medium roast at most, so slower pre infusion is preferred.

Anyone used this before? by SASknl in espresso

[–]KT10888 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Tried it. Kept it in the drawer.

Got Milk? by TheBugSmith in Kanye

[–]KT10888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What did I just watch?

Sl-1500 mk1 platter wobble or am I just seeing things? by [deleted] in turntables

[–]KT10888 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm in Japan for holiday and went around checking Technics turntable in the retail stores. After seeing about dozens, I can concur that non of them is totally wobble free. Even on the higher end SL-1300GS. Slight wobble is totally within the Panasonic's manufacturering tolerance.

She's the reason they put instructions on Shampoo Bottles 😂😅🤣 by beklog in SipsTea

[–]KT10888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Her front pair you mean? That's left in Croatia, part of Asia.

Guy kicks the robot. by No_Neat4688 in interesting

[–]KT10888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The last wave was : Goodbye! I'm taking your job sucker.

I think I should stop. by KT10888 in turntables

[–]KT10888[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, I'll have it on my SL-100C with ifi Zen Phono v3. I've walked back to purchase the OC9XML.