Very nice, brings back memories …
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Hi Graham,
Your “second” system is making me wish I got a Nait 50!
I’ve used a Dynavector SUP-200 step-up transformer with both a Troika and (my current) Karma with great results. I definitely preferred having the SUT in the mix vs. using the Dynavector P75 set in the (very well-regarded) “Dr. T” mode.
Hope this is helpful!
Joe
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Thank you, Joe. Peter Swain has suggested a high output Audio Technica MC cartridge (meaning no step up transformer required) that I had never heard of previously. If it does the business, I’ll report my findings here - as I can’t be the only one scratching my head as to which cartridge to use with the Nait 50.
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Why not consider a high quality MM?
No need for a SUT.
They seem well-regarded in some quarters (I’ve not heard an MM in years, just wondering as it would seem a natural partner of the Nait50 inherent design)
In a word, yes.
People can research it I am sure if they know where to look on social media and apparently it will be available soon 
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Did you notice any difference after removing the stylus guard?
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I can’t really say, I just did several changes at once, I’ll let it sink in for a while without it and then swap the guard back on, will keep you posted.
My vinyl set up showing my home made second tonearm pod, plus my lovely phono stage, just starting to glow from the valves as it warms up.
Thales compact mk2 turntable
Thales statement arm
Exquisite ST cartridge
Chord tonearm cable
Mitchell tecnoarm mk2
Ortofon windfeld cartridge
Homemade pod
Allnic h7000 phono stage, with upgrade valve tube in power supply
That’s about it, love have 2 arms as the exquisite sounds wonderful, and pulls far more out over the windfeld, but it can be too much on some pressing, that’s when the windfeld steps in.
Plus it’s as eady as just turning a know to select input 2 on the phono stage.
Love my vinyl when in the mood.
Cheers dunc
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I’m curious. What do you mean by a cartridge being “too much”?
The exquisite ST cartridge is a beast off a cartridge, it’s extremely detailed, very lively, but i found it can be a bit too bright on certain pressing.
But put some well pressed vinyl under it, and it simply wonderful, easily the best vinyl i have ever experienced.
So having a second arm with a very good cartridge on it is a nice thing to have, it doesn’t get used much, but it’s nice to have as i said. It simply can’t live with the exquisite cartridge but being less forgiving it works for me when needed.
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Not many have experienced the thales turntable, and arm set ups, they are quite unique really.
To start off with the turntable is battery powered by built in rechargeable batteries.
Solid billet of aluminum, weighing around 25kg
Special damped plinth.
Then the tonearm, this has the ability to track the complete album correctly, so no 2 null points for me, this is correct over all the album, as the head shell pivots as it tracks along the grove, this keeps the stylus correctly in the grove for all the album instead of slowly twisting in the grove as it goes.
The cartridge is also special in how its made, again unique still i believe to the exquisite range.
Put all this together and you have a very unique, very special turntable, thats been compared to the very best turntables you can buy.
I feel very luck to have such a thing, and it goes lovely with my dcs kit.
I also can’t state enough also how good the allnic h7000 is, the pair are simply wonderful together.
Cheers dunc
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I see. Thanks for answering.
I have a similar cartridge in the Lyra Atlas Lambda SL. I find if it’s too bright (such as with 70s DG recordings) I just increase loading (e.g. from 470Ω to 453Ω or less). My other arm is also getting a Lyra Atlas Lambda, but the mono version.
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Yes i can also easily adjust the loading as well, quite a few different options, but for me adjusting the loading on the exquisite cartridge just doesn’t tame the top end, it also tames the dynamics down, and it just sounds off in comparison. So much so i would rather live with the , top end than what you get once you mess with loading.
The exquisite is very sensitive to set up, i found i had to add a bit extra weight to what they recommend for it to really click for me.
I also have to be very careful with cartridge set up, as due to the way the arm works, if it not quite in the right place, then it will be 100% wrong all the time, unlike a normal arm where it will most possibly be right ar some point along the record, unless you are miles out that is.
But luckily i got the Mitchell arm at a very good secondhand price, along with the ortofon Winfeld which is also secondhand, add to this my home made pod, then the second tonearm set up hasn’t cost that much, and it just gives me a second option that’s also not to shabby for when it’s needed.
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I’m pretty happy with my setup. The Lyra Atlas SL (stereo) is on a 12" arm and I really don’t notice much distortion at all (using a Löfgren A alignment). For the second arm I wanted the same cartridge exactly, just in a mono version. I have quite a few mono records so it’s worthwhile to have a dedicated mono cartridge.
I rarely need to tame the Lyra. It sounds so good with just about everything I throw at it. It’s just those crappy sounding 70s Deutsche Grammophon that the high end needs just a little taming.
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I had a similar problem recently. I found my Lyra Kleos a bit bright sometimes, exacerbating high frequencies on some recordings. Despite using a tubes phono.
I solved the problem recently by replacing the 3 Nos Telefunken ECC88 by Nos Mullard. It gave a fuller sound, more organic, and softer on highs.
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It’s interesting about the different carts. I was reading a comparison of the Rega Exact MM and the Rega MC, and there was a suggestion that at times the MC options can sound more harsh of older records depending on the condition.
Now that I have upgraded the old Rega Planar 3 with the 24V motor, Neo PS and Heed Quasar phono, I’m very much enjoying vinyl. Even when the digital replay through the NDX2 is better in hi-fi terms, there is no doubt that the presentation of the same material on vinyl has a certain appealing engagement that is hard to beat. It’s actually quite surprising how good the vinyl sounds on my system, given the digital is 10 times the cost of my vinyl set-up. I’m starting to wonder whether an RP8 with my Exact cart might be a very cost effective upgrade……
Oh dear.
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If you can find a used RP8 in normal condition, it’s a no brainer.
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Indeed, and one was available here not long ago, though it wasn’t that far off a new one and I didn’t go there in the end.
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