winter wrote: 
See what happens when you finally get the right cables?

My stereo took its own lunch money, beat itself up for being a bully, and achieved a form of pacifist nirvana - twice.

In theory, my stereo could make "My Heart Will Go On" sound better than Mozart's Requiem. Of course, the testing of that theory would begin the Apocalypse, so ...

 kurtster wrote: 





Yes, make sure it has the latest firmware update...most out of the box do not. Usually a sequence of buttons to push to determine which version you have.

Check out avsforum.com for good discussion on your new piece.

 kurtster wrote: 
It could also be an artifact from whatever system of filtering your DAC's output circuitry is using.

 mzpro5 wrote: 

The sybalance part is what's astonishing.  Makes me wonder it its related to the clock/jitter issue in the DAC, any DAC, all things being equal ?

I've already played my own burns (same files) through an outboard DVD player.  Night and day difference.  What once maked me grimmace now makes me smile.

 kurtster wrote: 
Yeah!!!!  good going kurt.

Just reporting back on the ehternet to receiver delio.

Onkyo TX- NE609

Its flippin tits !  (old construction term)

Playing wav files.  Once I share files through Media Player 11 (yuch, its free, but I need it to share the files because its a free DLNA server required for playback, ancient XP home puter ) I can surf the files through the receiver.  Remote control access to the puter from the couch. 

I just cannot describe the difference I'm hearing.  Expectations have been exceeded, by miles.  Detail is amazing.  Things that I thought were sybalence in the past (? the "S's") are no longer an issue, cymbals are clearer than I have ever heard.

The receiver has dropped the signal a couple of times, but there is a warning about big files.  Gonna have to make some phone calls.  The receiver is updateable via ethernet.  It does have a USB so an external hard drive may solve that problem.  Going to load up a USB flash drive and see how that works.

The receiver will play FLAC, AAC and OGG, in addition the the usual stuff.

Ethernet radio is next, but I'm going to play the puter for now ...

 kurtster wrote: 
If you decide on building the MC step up let me know, I'll be glad to help...

Have fun!

Thanks all for the cart / stylus input.  It has all come back thanks to the discussion.  I now remember why I went MM originally, the cost.  I went as high up as I could at the time with the AT 14Sa and was happy.

As usual, the more answers you get, the more questions you get.  I've got a dozen Peaches crates full of vinyl.

Now I have a lot to digest.  Thanks again guys

 kurtster wrote: 
I added a couple of more MC choices to my post while you were answering. Every company had different suspension designs some with natural rubber and some with synthetic materials. Some hold up great and some not so well. If the replacement stylus you buy is actually 20 years old and not a newer build I'd be suspect. Even if it works ok it may not last as long until the suspension fails or just stops sounding "right" as the compliance changes as the material decomposes. Once you hear a good MC cartridge you'll know its worth it. The lower mass enables them to articulate so much more detail. Not to say all MC cartridges are great as there were some duds but they have an inherent advantage.

 Beaker wrote: 
If you knew it, why does reading it disturb you so much?

Now go and flame DaveInVA for doing the same thing...

 DaveInVA wrote: 

I might just take you up on the offer.

Last question.  How will the suspension be for a new stylus that has sat on a shelf for 20 years ?  AT quit making them at least 20 years ago that I know of.

 DaveInVA wrote: 
I should have mentioned that.  The reason why MC is generally better than MM is that a small coil of wire has a lot less mass than a magnet.  To get more output from a MC cart, you add more coils of wire, and therefore more mass.

Going MC is absolutely worth it!  For transcription, you want to spend as much as possible for the transducer (cartridge) for sure.  I mean, don't throw money away, but concentrate your investment there.

 kurtster wrote: 
If you get a good MC cartridge it will pull more detail out than most MM can. However you need a decent step up device. If you go the transformer route then you need a very good one or you are throwing out much of the performance of the MC cartridge. Many active MC step ups are pretty poor also and can be noisy. Back in the 80's I designed a simple step up using matched J-Fets that works great. I still use the prototype today as I think it sounds better than the step up in my PS Audio phono preamp. I'ev built dozens of these over the years and a few have built their own copies. I'd be glad to provide you with step by step instructions and pictures if you'd like to build one. It can be built for $50 ish depending on how far you want to go on quality parts. It can be easily built in an afternoon. Once you hear a good MC cartridge its hard to go back. Just pick a cartridge that has an appropriate compliance for your tone arm. You could go with a High Output MC but most are a compromise and are mainly for people that cant afford a decent step up device. And most phono preamps are fine with 4-6 mv from a MM cartridge many get noisy when fed with a HOMC putting out 1 or 2 mv. There are some very nice LOMC cartridges that can be had for not much more than a replacement stylus for your AT especially if you are willing to go for a used one. There is also a company called AK Labs that sells a nice new LOMC for about $200 on ebay. Soundsmith makes excellent MC cartridges also. He also retips old ones from various manufacturers. Dynavector makes great MC cartridges also but they are for lower mass arms generally.
If you do go for a new stylus for the AT14Sa they do come with new suspension. Many 30 y/o cartridges even if OEM new by now have had the suspension material break down. They may fail all together or just not sound right. 

 DaveInVA wrote: 
Yes I did, thank you.  Checked them out on the website that black321 provided and went to the one you had, too.

I'm sort of at a loss as to do anything else other than to refit the AT 14 because I would still have to either spend $100 bucks or $300 by the time I found something used and get a new stylus for a used cart.  Then there is the MC preamp.

I guess my question remains do I spend $100 for a 30 yo plus MM cart ?  Or wait and reinvest ?  It was used up until about 5 years ago so it hasn't been idle all that long.  I would hate to waste the bucks on a dead duck.

The primary purpose is ripping for archive now.  Obviously the better the cart, the better the rip.  But I'm not going to be getting a new turntable anytime soon. 

I am way open to advice.

 kurtster wrote: 
Did you see my response about the cartridges?

 kurtster wrote: 
The year sure is pure disco!   I was making a sweeping generalization anyway.


I thought that was pretty much settled.  Direct drive has the torque that disco-style (vs. radio) DJs want, and after the signal comes out of the Gemini disco mixer, a Linn LP12 sounds no better than an original Edison.  Belt drive sounds better in general by isolating the drive motor from the platter, thus reducing jitter.  And by eschewing needless feedback loops for speed control, the "hunting" speed variations are eliminated.

I'd argue that the clock motor, which relies on the AC line frequency, is less than ideal.  Although AC line frequency has excellent long-term stability, the short-term nature of phonograph records makes a quartz time reference a better choice.  Quartz time bases have excellent short-term stability (without any need for feedback) which makes them ideal for record playing.


I was warned not to use a Shibata to play stereo-cut records.  I forgot why, though.  If it works for you...


Hmmmm...  The website is vague, and I've long since forgotten typical outputs of MC cartridges.  Might be worth calling them to ask.  I've found that if I ask politely to speak with an engineer, I often get to talk with the person who designed the part.

When I got my first MC setup, I bought an inexpensive step-up transformer that worked fine with my MM preamp, until I replaced it with with a NYAL Moscode MC preamp that I bought from Harvey Rosenberg in person.  Shame I tossed it last time I moved.

If you can find a step-up transformer or a phono pre-preamp at the right price, go for the standard low output MC.  If you can find a good one, a high output MC with your phono preamp gain maxed-out should work.  I don't think I'd trust the suspension of an old cartridge that hasn't been used in a while.  But as long as you have it, it doesn't hurt to try.


Ouch!  I originally started doing the .wav thing, but all the typing killed me.  You have my empathy!

 Antigone wrote: 
Of course, there are other possibilities ...