TT options

[giw12]

Hi All

Been reading here for a while but this is my first post as I've only recently begun to think about getting my vinyl up and running again.

I'm in a real quandary about what to do with my current deck. It's a Delphi Mk2 (I think), with Ittok and Koetsu (Black I think). Vague I know, but I came by the set up almost by accident. I worked briefly in a hifi shop in Glasgow in the late 80s and bought the lot from a customer who had, after a few shandies, taken the cantilever clean off his brand new Troika. He demanded we sell him a high end CD player (Cal Tempest I think) and the shop owner sold me the Oracle for a good price. I later bought the Koetsu from another customer.

Thing is, I've never been a techy sort of person, and the Oracle set up was done by a friend who also worked in the business. Now, many years down the road, I swear it's not quite singing like it used to and I've got no real idea of what to do to get the best out of it.

Worse (I suspect) is that I've fallen out of love with the deck and maybe, just maybe, it's time for a change.

I've no idea what current offerings in the TT world are like and I'm curious to know if they can come close to my Oracle (when it's on form). I rather like the look of the Clearaudio Concept and also the Acoustic Solid offerings and to be honest I'm hankering after something shiny and new.

Bit of a meandering request I know, but would appreciate the thoughts of you learned forumers.

Cheers!

ETA I also have the first X-LP phono stage.

 

[Jazid]

Pbono stage cpuld be the bottleneck here methinks

Sent from my GT-I5800 using Tapatalk 2

 

[giw12]

Hi

The phono stage excepting, would the newer decks hold a candle to the Oracle?

 

[rockmeister]

The oracle was a very fine deck indeed and if 1250 is your all in budget I doubt you'll better the sound. Why not keep the deck, sell the arm and cart somehow and spend on a new arm/cart and phonostage? Even then however, I think you are £1000 shy of wiping the eye of the system as it is.

Maybe more info on your whole system might help????

 

[Guest]

1) Get the cartridge checked over - it could be on its way out (wear, or suspension).

2) Setup - check it hasn't drifted over time (get this professionally done. You don't give your location?)

3) Phono stage - what are you thinking using a Koetsu into an X/LP anyway? :nup: try and borrow a decent valve phono stage (Puresound P10?) and SUT and hear the difference which will be ENORMOUS.

 

[giw12]

Currently I have no amp...have just moved house which has wiring for speakers in the 2 rooms I'm happy for them to be in.

Speakers are Spica TC50s (bought by myself in 1987) and Tannoy P30s (inherited but so far seem pretty poor).

My concern is that the Oracle is a bit too good and is giving an imbalance. I'm not keen to spend what I think I'd need to spend on phono, amp, speakers etc to bring it up to par with the Oracle....the main challenge being lack of time and risk of damage (I've got 2 small children). If I'm over-estimating though then please let me know

I'm in West Sussex....any cartridge/turntable specialists who could assist with set up?

p.s. apologies for being such a blank canvas....I knew my onions in about 1991 but have since more or less switched off from hifi.

 

[roob]

Sell the Ittok get an Ekos2 c£1000.

 

[i_should_coco]

Dunno if this is in budget, but I was very impressed with this recently: http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?89291-STST-Motus-II

It pretty much fulfils my idea of how a TT should be designed!

(for the record, Guy's a friend, but I want one of these myself).

 

[naxos10]

If you are hankering after new then just sell your current combination then spend the income from it. BD Audio have a few ex-dem Acoustic Solids that look nice. Alternatively, and being totally biased a Notts Analogue plus arm.

 

[MJ.]

Get your current TT / cart serviced / set up properly and see what you think then.

I would imagine you're not getting the best out of it (or even close) and so are in no position to tell whether you like it or not. As has already been said, if it still doesn't light your fire then, move it on.

 

[giw12]

Hi all

Just to resurrect this one, the Delphi is now sitting proudly on a wall shelf in my living room having been sorted out by an Oracle guy. She's definitely a keeper but some cash needs to be spent. Hopefully you can give me some suggestions!

So, spending 1k in the short term, I'd appreciate your thoughts based on the following:

1. The original ittok tonearm cable was knackered and was replaced by a very basic one

2. The Oracle guy reckoned that my Koetsu was had degraded beyond repair. It's 15+ years old and doesn't have much in the way of 'sparkle'

3. My amp is an ancient technics receiver

4. I've got an MF X-LP as phono stage and the amp needs to be turned up half way to get decent sound levels

5. Speakers are Spica TC50 which still sound sweet

Many thanks in advance

 

[bmtell]

1) Get the cartridge checked over - it could be on its way out (wear, or suspension). 2) Setup - check it hasn't drifted over time (get this professionally done. You don't give your location?)

3) Phono stage - what are you thinking using a Koetsu into an X/LP anyway? :nup: try and borrow a decent valve phono stage (Puresound P10?) and SUT and hear the difference which will be ENORMOUS.

Do this.

 

[oldius]

bmtell's suggestion is very sensible barring the desire for a valve phono stage. I'm sure what he meant to say was that you should listen to a top quality phono stage as the rest of your equipment is potentially very good indeed. Any suggestion that you should only listen to a tube device should be ignored as I am positive he did not mean to mislead or misinform due to any personal bias.

 

[AGrail]

Did the Oracle guy offer to buy your Koetsu?

 

[awkwardbydesign]

did the oracle guy offer to buy your koetsu?

lol!

 

[luckysim0n]

Did the Oracle guy offer to buy your Koetsu?

No he took it away to dispose of it humanely

Qwerty power

 

[bmtell]

bmtell's suggestion is very sensible barring the desire for a valve phono stage. I'm sure what he meant to say was that you should listen to a top quality phono stage as the rest of your equipment is potentially very good indeed. Any suggestion that you should only listen to a tube device should be ignored as I am positive he did not mean to mislead or misinform due to any personal bias.

It was the first two points and most of the third I'd recommend.

The cheapest way to get a good cartridge would be to send the koetsu to some one like Dom at northwest analogue.

If the xlp has an mc input then maybe stick with it for the moment and get a decent amp. Go for whichever floats your boat at your price point.

 

[rockmeister]

My opinions are:

1. A basic tonearm cable will be fine if properly routed with clean secure connections.

2. Koetsu's don't 'sparkle' at the best of times. Try a Lyra.

3&4. Buy a decent used amp with a MM phono stage built in. If you then need a MC Transformer, that's fine and transformers sound better than many complete phono stages, so sell your MF to help the finances.

5. Good!

 

[giw12]

Thanks all for your thoughts. I'll mull it over and maybe give Dom a call.

Will keep you posted as I (hopefully) enhance