Really enjoying it. Tried the SPU Royal N and Transfiguration Proteus as well as the SPU Century. The arm came with ceramic headshell and some silver litz wires. I ran the Royal N using the wires that came with it from Ortofon but tried the silver with the Proteus and though explicit they bite, the only other headshell wires I have came with a Dynavector 17D2 around 20 years ago and these smooth things off too much, though they’re a relief after the silver. I don’t want to use the Ortofon ones as the Proteus has wider pins than the Royal N.
The Century is providing some fine entertainment and I feel no urgency to revisit the Proteus.
The noise problem is dealt with temporarily by leaving the ground wire unattached. Meanwhile I’m taking steps to remove the powerline adaptor that EDF ENR foisted on me when they installed the solar panels as I think that’s the source of the clicking and buzzing, not sure if it will help with the Spanish radio. For that I ordered a Lyra Phonopipe but the shop left a numeral off the address and it was delivered to a house round the corner. I’ve not been able to retrieve it yet, If the house is still closed up on Monday or they won’t cooperate it will become the shop’s problem.
I’ve had several Rega Exact (from RB300 up to Ekos) but I don’t remember any like you describe. Anything but flat, very dynamic, tonally rather bright, brings bass lines extremely well. With Naim phono preamps, however, it is not a good choice.
Thanks, it’s a “Asian Mahogany Vibration isolation platforms V2” that I bought from Image Loud Speakers here in New Zealand. Great price and its built like a tank. I just needed to add floor protectors for the spikes, and you can adjusted the lengths of the spikes to get it level.
I’ve recently eliminated the powerline adapters linking the solar panel control box to my router which has removed the clicking noise when connecting the arm lead ground wire but left a low level hum which is absent when the ground wire is not connected. The racket from turning on the fluorescent lights in the garage is still worse with ground lead attached, though not exactly quiet when it isn’t.
Substituting a Lyra Phonopipe with a separated ground wire for the Ortofon cable, it still doesn’t allow me to connect ground and now if I do, a little provocation, such as the garage light switch on or even playing the opening track of Metallica’s S&M sends the superline into oscillation producing a noise like a single cylinder four stroke engine run without an exhaust downpipe. Lifting the needle doesn’t stop it but lowering the volume to zero and back up does, which leads me to think earth currents from the power amp are involved. The ND555 providing my signal ground to earth connection is still playing up so maybe this is a factor too, that’s off for repair soon.
On the plus side the Phonopipe gives a very clear sound with excellent timing and dynamics, the Ortofon cable sounds messy in comparison.
Our situations may be too different, but an LP12 with Phonopipe into SL hummed. Disconnecting the earth into the SL and instead running a cheap/ thin wire directly from sub-chassis to the earth on the old phono input on my pre-amp (Naim 52) completely removed it. It might be worth a try.
My tonearm is insulated from the main bearing, which I have run a ground wire from. removing this wire doesn’t effect the issue much but does let the platter charge up. I’m just going to use it without the arm ground wire for now.
Whilst the ND555 is away I’m planning to earth the pre directly to a socket to provide signal ground but I may try going from either phonostage as alternatives to see what happens.
@Sandy8
Great turntable.
Magnificent photo.
A work of art.
Don’t know if there’s an arty hifi thread but this would be worthy of kicking it off.
Inspirational!
Ortofon MC cartridges used to be top of the pile. I used to have an MC20, I think it was, a blue plastic-bodied cartridge mounted in a black Ittok when these were made in Japan and carried a 10% uplift in price.
I still have, notionally, the LP12 on which it was mounted, but just about everything has been ‘upgraded’, now with my venerable ARO and a pretty much brand new Dynavector Te Kaitora Rua.
I am trying to source a Troika to have rebuilt, still the loveliest looking cartridge that I have ever come across, and I have a ‘new’ ARO armtube from WYSAH, which has been re-wired with Linn internal wiring, which would be the perfect platform for it. Now I just have to find the correct boards for my NAC52 (and a new identification ‘sticker’ for its selector button).
Thank you 1Giantleap. I’ve had the Ortofon for a few years now, I remember thinking it was an upgrade from my previous Rega Exact cartridge. Not quite as warm but much more detailed.