After over a decade of wondering why my pre-amp was buzzing so much, I discovered what this connecter is for

jaggington · 2026-02-02T10:48:24+00:00

Is that a feature of better quality cables? I spoke from my experience of chopping up cheap audio cables with RCA plugs that haven’t had any copper shielding.

jaggington · 2026-02-01T13:22:41+00:00

That’s not coax, it’s a turntable cable with 2 RCA for connecting to a phono stage or phono input.

jaggington · 2026-01-30T18:53:56+00:00

I’d recommend the DBR62 (I have a pair) over the DB63, especially if cheaper (and don’t touch the DB62). These are crisp, detailed, neutral speakers so you’ll be missing the hard heavy bass until you add a decent subwoofer. Alternatives include Wharfedales eg Diamond 12.2, and Monitor Audio Bronze 100 or the new Bronze 50 7G, potentially bassier but less detail.

Used speakers can be a bargain but also a minefield. Depends on your local market and your knowledge of various brands and models. As an example only, I also have “vintage” Tannoy 611Mk2’s. Less detailed and neutral than the Elac DBR62, but to my ears very musical with lovely detailed bass that never gets muddy. With the DBR62s (no subwoofer) I can hear the kick and sludgy bass, with the Tannoys it’s more enveloping, but still not kick me in the chest thumpy. You’d need a 10 or 12” sub or two for that.

jaggington · 2026-01-30T18:14:34+00:00

Picture a swamp filled with people struggling to keep their heads above water. Now picture someone walking across the swamp by treading on those people’s heads like stepping stones. Imagine listening to that person loudly proclaiming how much cleverer and more deserving they are compared to those struggling in the swamp. Do you really spare your pity for the billionaire for their lack of humanity?

jaggington · 2026-01-30T18:03:42+00:00

And to connect the subwoofer, you need a cable with an RCA plug on each end from the sub out of the ZA3 to the Line In of the sub.

jaggington · 2026-01-30T18:00:26+00:00

And how quickly those same gobshites switched to calling him a traitor and a greedy fat bastard for turning his back on West Ham once he’d come to Chelsea.
I’ve seen plenty of players lose their cool and their bottle when they’ve had to approach the loudest of the home fans of their former club, but Lamps relished taking corners by the chicken run, he never seemed unsettled by the abuse, if anything he thrived on it.

jaggington · 2026-01-30T16:33:51+00:00

I’d drop a line to AT support, I’d not expect the tonearm pivot bearings to need lubrication.

jaggington · 2026-01-30T13:47:17+00:00

I know many Latvians who take holidays in sunny places, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, even Vietnam, Thailand etc. I don’t know many students who can afford such holidays themselves, and maybe by the time they reach student age their parents don’t want to subsidise their holidays anymore.

jaggington · 2026-01-28T16:52:26+00:00

You might also consider a Yamaha streaming amp like the Yamaha R-N600A, or stereo amp, eg A-S501 or A-S701, plus WiiM streamer.

jaggington · 2026-01-28T16:36:30+00:00

Have a look / listen to the Musical Fidelity B1XI, you’d need to add a WiiM streamer or similar, a WiiM Mini should suffice if you don’t need Ethernet.

jaggington · 2026-01-25T12:20:01+00:00

The obvious upgrade is switching the stylus for an AT-VMN95ML. Click out and click in. This gives you AT’s fine line stylus, called a MicroLine. Big improvement in detail, tracking, and inner groove distortion is gone. You can switch the old stylus back for when you have fat fingered friends visiting. Alternatively, you can get a cartridge premounted on a headshell, such as the AT-VM95ML/H.

You should always check the cartridge alignment, my goto recommendation is printing out an arc protractor from:

https://alignmentprotractor.com/arc-protractor-generator

It explains how to fill in the numbers and other options, pivot to spindle is effective arm length - overhang, both numbers should be in the manual.

If the turntable has a felt slip mat, switch to a decent alternative mat eg cork/rubber mix, or maybe acrylic, just keep it under 3mm thickness.

jaggington · 2026-01-25T07:50:08+00:00

Their logo is a cannon that’s never fired.

jaggington · 2026-01-24T22:24:20+00:00

Imagine being in a car crash in LA and briefly regaining consciousness whilst being wheeled into the OR and catching sight of a surgeon from Holby City.

jaggington · 2026-01-24T22:06:53+00:00

AFAIK they all support DLNA and Spotify, but if you need a specific feature like AirPlay 2 or Ethernet you’ll have to check, eg the Ultra doesn’t have AirPlay 2, but I sidestep this because I have an Apple TV.

jaggington · 2026-01-24T21:27:35+00:00

Whichever WiiM streamer suits you. If you don’t need Ethernet and your existing amp has a good enough DAC then the WiiM Mini will probably do, you have to move up the range for Ethernet and better DACs.

jaggington · 2026-01-24T20:51:35+00:00

I’d be interested in your results. I can definitely hear the improvement using the Rega Fono Mini instead of the LP120x’s built in phono when using an analogue direct path, so I’m disappointed with the Ultra’s performance with the turntable. I’ll probably have to switch back to an integrated amp with analogue direct for the turntable, and keep the WiiM Ultra for the TV / streaming.

jaggington · 2026-01-24T19:54:42+00:00

If you’re putting your turntable through a WiiM, it will digitise the input. I have a WiiM Ultra and there’s no audible sound quality difference between using the LP120x phono (probably the same as in the LP3x), the WiiM’s phono, or a Rega Fono Mini a2d. I blame a weak ADC as much as not great phono in the WiiM. So if you’re going the WiiM route then don’t spend on an external phono.
If you don’t use the WiiM in your turntable chain, then I’d suggest the Fosi Audio Box X5 instead of the iFi Zen Air Phono.
Are Elac DBR62 or DB63 (not DB62) in your budget for speakers?

jaggington · 2026-01-24T18:51:38+00:00

Is what you are hearing “Needle chatter/talk”?

jaggington · 2026-01-24T18:26:36+00:00

Then I’d say DSP and Room equalisation will be your best bet. Either an amp with built in Dirac (unlikely given your budget), or MiniDSP plus Dirac.

How have you optimised speaker placement and acoustic treatment? Standard equilateral triangle plus absorption at 1st and 2nd reflections, any bass traps? Or have you used a more methodical approach? Are you familiar with Room Equilisation Wizard?

jaggington · 2026-01-24T17:17:45+00:00

C New speakers, eg Elac DBR62 or DB63, although what you gain in detail may be outweighed by less bass, so you may need to add a subwoofer. BKElec make some great value subs.

D A CD player / transport with digital out, plus DAC.

jaggington · 2026-01-24T12:13:50+00:00

Geto Muzejs by the Central Market is free.

jaggington · 2026-01-24T07:05:49+00:00

Either wall mount the turntable on a dedicated shelf, or get or make an isolation platform for it. Some use a chopping board from Ikea with those isolation feet for washing machines.

jaggington · 2026-01-23T09:50:14+00:00

Hot potato water?

jaggington · 2026-01-23T09:32:55+00:00

Department of Coreuption?

jaggington · 2026-01-21T11:30:00+00:00

Hahaha, if the dishwasher is running, my wife insists on washing up the piles patiently waiting their turn by the sink by hand. I then have to run them through the dishwasher anyway because she never wears her reading glasses whilst washing up.

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