Just to add really dialed the exquisite cartridge in now, after getting it spot on in the jig, I added a bit more tracking weight 0.5 and adjusted the vta whilst playing a very demanding track and all of a sudden it just clicked, obviously I might need to re adjusted this as the cartridge beds in more, but I have gained more low end and the harshness has gone, so over the moon with my efforts, but it does highlight that you really need to spend a lot of time getting these things right
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Graham tone arms had a jig very similar to this back in the 1990âs.
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Hifi plus magazine is on Applestore
So I feel you are enjoying a lot the Thales , Thales arm and Exquisite cart.
Apparently it will stay.
What do you prefer in it vs the SME 20/2 and Dynavector?
Is there something that SME does better or your new tt is completely on a higher level?
I am, itâs very different to the sme.
Itâs a faster sounding deck over the sme for sure, it hasnât got the same bottom end weight, but itâs not bad by any means.
But itâs the detail that the cartridge can draw out that is just astonishing, it has simply made my dynavector sound dull and this cartridge was the one that smashed my rega cartridges so itâs certainly a good cartridge.
I have been once again playing my niles lofgen album, a great sounding album but now I have even more, you can hear him messing with his guitar that I have never heard before even on the rossini and people breathing etc, itâs like I am sitting right next to it all.
As you know the sme has gone and so looking for something to spin the discs on and so far this is the best vinyl I have ever heard, it does have it draw backs as always this cartridge shows up bad records it takes no prisoners at all and that could be a problem but I also have a plan for that if I need to go down that road.
But certainly forgotten all about sme and not looking at going down the 20/12 or even 30, as I was going to do, as this set up minus the cartridge is massively cheaper
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Well this exquisite ST cartridge certainly has me in a strange place, on one hand itâs an absolute gem, by far the best I have ever had the pleasure to hear and on the other itâs a nightmare, as this thing is so transparent and detailed it picks up every bit of a bad recording that I just have never heard before and this is a problem.
If itâs recorded in that grove then this will find it and then shout it out to you, to name a few things it has so far shown me.
Dire straights mofi 45rpm ride across the river, the start of the track, you have a shacker on the left channel, this sounds bad and then after about 5 seconds starts to sound more real as every shack comes and goes and then at times once again as the track goes on, it does it from time to time, then right near the end we have a few very strange notes on the pipe at times, as said never had this before.
Other albums also have some weird things going on, could explain more but you get what I am saying I guess.
But then put a good recording on and well itâs hard to see how much better it could be, itâs like I need 2 turntables or a second arm/cartridge to play and carry on enjoying these tracks.
I know itâs not a major problem but time is running out lol
If after 200 hours you have still that problem, it will be a problem, at least for me.
It reminds me a Kiseki cartridge I had on my SME. I could not listen to 25% of my recordings, because they sound bright or a bit harsh. With very good recordings, it was perfect. I sold it finally.
I think this is the same if I am being honest, I canât see it changing over time, but hope to be proved wrong as my lovely dynavector drt xv1t sounded dull and boring by comparison.
Was also thinking maybe my phono stage isnât 100% compatible and even sent Graham a message about it, so see what he thinks as well
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Has your dealer other cartridges to try ? Maybe a Lyra Etna?
Lots to choose from, he feels this will get better and better as I put More hours on it, but I donât know, he obviously has more experience with them and I probably should just give it more time
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Well after a chat with the dealer, I just need to keep playing records as this cartridge needs a lot more time and so far I am a long way off it, so itâs got a time extension lol
Plus going to try a different phono stage with it, so that also will be exciting to try and may change things?
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What I know and have experienced is that tubes phono stages, generally, struggle with very low output mc carts.
So it can give noise, tubes rush, or just dull sound, lacking dynamics. Maybe the reason you found the Dynavector dull.
Pass Labs phono stage are very well considered today, having some tubes characteristics and solid state dynamics.
If I was at your place, I would try a Lyra Etna with your Tron. The output is around 0,6 MV, so much easier for a tube phono . And the dynamics of the Lyra are staggering.
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If you fancy to try another cartridge then My Sonic Labs would be on the top of my listâŚ
The Etna is nice too 
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And how the Audio Technica Art 1000 you have ? How it compares to the Etna?
To my curiosity can you compare thales with rega planar 10?
For me the rega P10 and etheta3 cartridge running through a rega aura was a mighty fine set up, plug and play and I did think it was all I could ever hope for and get from a deck. But as with most things I looked for more, this lead me to the dynavector and that was going to be a pain to get right on the P10, so my journey starts.
But the turntable I have now and cartridge is showing me things on records that I have never heard before, be that with the rega or sme and its not just me as had a friend round with his favourite albums and he was also amazed by it, it just extracts more from the groove be that good or bad, it really is a moment every time you drop that cartridge
Like with anything itâs hard once you have experienced it, just to forget it and takes me back to the first time I heard the rossini.
But right now I am experiencing good and bad times with it, the Simplicity arm is lovely but you need to make sure that cartridge is perfectly aligned as if not it will be out for the complete album as it doesnât have 2 null points like every other pivot arm it just has one and it keeps that all the time, so get this right and you have a perfect tracking cartridge for the complete album, so very small distortion 0.006 %, so much better than a 12 inch arm etc.
But the cartridge is also stunning and the 2 combined is well, you know. But right now itâs still running in and apparently it takes a while to completely come on song, so it should get even better, as right now it can at times be a bit harsh still, plus my phono stage is struggling slightly with the gain apparently and that wonât be helping but we have a solution for that.
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Well it looks like I have found the problem with my harshness in the exquisite ST cartridge thatâs been bugging me.
Well after hooking up a different phono stage that was sent down to me from the thales dealer, the harshness has gone and now just left with a cartridge that will just get better over time, I knew something wasnât right, but didnât think the tron would be the problem, itâs looks like gain was the main issue and the tron just couldnât cope with it and this then distorted.
So have a RCM theriaa in the system, this is brand new, cold and also needs running it, but out the box itâs sounding great
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Itâs a Polish phono stage. RCM has a good reputation.
I have a tubes phono and canât try all carts, like Dynavector for example, because of the too low output. With carts > 0,5 MV, thereâs no problem.
Hope that RCM will sound good. But you wonât have the beautiful midrange of the TronâŚ.
I am just borrowing this phono stage to see if it does solve the problem and it has, so glad to know what the issue is.
Well if I want to keep this cartridge then the tron will have to go thatâs for sure as it canât cope.
This RCM is brand new, I donât know anything about it, but as I said, cold out the box it is sounding nice, but will see what itâs like after a few days of warm up and burn in
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Why not ask Graham Tricker to change the gain on the Tron and check it doesnât have a fault?