Post Pilgrimage inspiration has led to vinyl euphoria (!)

[RFP]

Happy Monday, all<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

I wouldnt admit this to most folks, but believing myself to be among friends here, Ill go ahead

Returning from Hope, I was inspired to enjoy my stereo stuff more than ever before. I started out by doing something to totally meaningless (to most people), but I wanted to make my K-horns feel a bit more special as they ruled over their respective corners; so: I gave them four coats of hand-rubbed Briwax! Dang, the Oiled Oak finish (which, to be perfectly honest, had all the life n luster of Shredded Wheat) came to life with a warm, soft sheen.

So far, so good Im feeling better already!

Next, I turned my attention (or whats left of it) to my vinyl playback stuff. I have had this stuff for several years, and frankly, Ive been a bit disappointed. When I first installed it, the sound was abysmal! Fooling around with it, I discovered that I had connected the cartridge incorrectly the phases were wrong (so, you know what it sounded like). So, with the phase problem (sounds more like pilot error, huh?) corrected, and the sound much improved, I thought that was as good as it was going to get. Still a bit disappointed.

Still basking in the success of my wax job, I re-checked the alignment of the arm. Still checked right on specs. Then I dug out the manuals for the phono stage and the cartridge, and proceeded to open up the phono stage. Oops the photo stages DIP switches were in the MC position (my cart is a MM) and the cartridge loading resistors were 1K Ohm. Oops again they should be 47K Ohms. At 9:05PM I e-mailed Chris Johnson at The Parts Connection and within five minutes got a reply (now, thats service). He said simply to remove the 1K resistors and the loading would go to 49k Ohms (close nuff for me). I did as he said, and ohmygosh a brand new machine (and for free, too). The thing opened up with music I had never heard from this rig. I am so embarrassed that I let this go for so long.

Another sleepless night as I played LP after LP super.

My point This is great fun and imminently rewarding. Had I not gone to Hope I would probably not be listening to my vinyl. Gotta gather up the wife and go LP shopping!

All the best, and a very happy 4^th to all

Rob

Hurst, Texas

[Daddy Dee]

Rob,

Congrats! It is a great moment to hear sound you haven't heard before in recordings.

This forum got me hooked on tubes... I'm trying to NOT go back to vinyl, not go back to vinyl, not go back to vinyl.

[kaiser SET say]

I think several people were seduced by that Parson's and Floyd in Hope[]

So who else is going to come out of the closet[]

If no one noticed the Kaiser could sit and spin vinyl 24/7 if I did not have to feed my family[]

Glad to here/hear you got your rig on track Rob and I was just over at Seti's a couple nights ago and he too has just put several coats of oil on his Belle's and they too are "LOOKING GOOD"[]

Music, it's not just for breakfast anymore[]

[seti]

Yeah my Belles have just been soaking up that oil. I guess over time the wood has just become really dry so once a week or so I rub them with oil and they are looking beautiful.

It was nice hearing my turntable in Hope : ) The floors in my home are 114 years old and bounce way too much for me to listen to vinyl. Not sure if anything can be done as when I put my hand on the wall it vibrates there as well so I think that rules out wall mounting to : ( I'm not sure what lengths I would be willing to got to be able to listen to vinyl.