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RottenPilot

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Arizona
  • Interests
    Flying, drumming, shooting, golfing, boating, motor cycles and the list of expensive hobbies continues on and on and on......
  • My System
    Onkyo A-9070 Integrated Amp
    Klipsch RF-7 II's
    OPPO BDP 103 CD/DVD Player
    Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB w/Ortofon 2M Bronze
    SVS PB13-Ultra sub woofer

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  1. Hi Jim, I can't comment on how the the Dl-110 would compare to the Quintet bronze but I will tell you what I know based on a recent listen. I have a friend that was setting up a system for his son and the table he set up was a Dual 721 which isn't your model but perhaps it is close enough for this comparison. He purchased a used Quintet bronze from a friend that put about 30 hours on it and then upgraded to a Cadenza Red. We listened to both cartridges on the 721. The Quintet was nice, and the Cadenza was better. It was fuller, smoother and more detailed. With that said, I would expect it to be because it is much higher priced. Worth the price difference? That depends on your system. Enter a third cartridge that I have never heard of, the Zu / DL-103R. This cartridge came over the next day courtesy of another good friend. On this day, we only had the Bronze and the Zu to compare. I wish I could have compared it to the Cadenza Red because in my opinion it totally bested the Quintet. I like a lively detailed punchy sound. Smooth and punchy but not harsh or bright. The Zu / DL-103R was really really nice. As it turns out, it is about $600 so it isn't cheap, but it is in your price range. I feel the bass was more taunt and punchy compared to the Quintet. I also feel the soundstage was less congested. I have a hard time describing that. Some might say it sounder wider but I describe it as more open or airy. Just more present to listen to yet it had good punch and speed. I don't know what type of music you listen to but during the comparisons, I heard some classic rock, some jazz and some 80's stuff like The Human League, Berlin, Talking Heads etc and it did justice to all of it. I do think it is a good contender and I personally liked it better than the Quintet and the Cadenza. For the record, I am a fan of Ortofon and I currently have a Cadenza Black on my VPI Classic 3, but in your case, I would strongly put my money on the Zu. Just my .02 but it thought I would pass it on my observations.
  2. Here is another update. I have been using a product called Tergikleen with my record cleaning vacuum machine. Tergikleen is alcohol free and safe for all records and labels. This cleaner is used by by the Library of Congress, universities, and the Canadian Conservation Institute. I have tried a few other cleaners, both store bought and home brew but I really like this product. It is a concentrate that makes 30 gallons when mixed with water (de-ionized in my case) and costs $25.99. I make up a gallon at a time and pour it into my lab wash down bottle. I did feel that the solution needed something more to aid in the reduction of surface tension so I added a few drops of Kodak Photoflo and that did the trick. I thought to myself, if the Cyastat SN works well in the mask, it may also work well in the record cleaning solution. I spoke with the good folks at Cytec and learned more than I cared to know about polymer anti-static additives. I am happy to send anyone a PPT presentation about these polymer additives it they would like. We all know that Cyastat SN is a surface treatment and it must be diluted to proper levels to be effective. It is obvious that Reg Williamson did his homework because his dilution ratio is smack dab in the middle of the dilution ratio. This median ratio was most likely chosen to allow for small variances that people may inadvertently make during their mixtures and still be effective. Also, in order for Cyastat SN to be effective, it should remain on the surface for several seconds before removing it. As it turns out, this stuff is also used on lab walls and floors in scientific clean rooms to eliminate static charge buildup. I chose to add .5ml of Cyastat SN to my Tergikleen solution as an experiment. I now have no noticeable static charge after playing an album several times. If your album doesn't need a mask treatment, this may be a quick alternative. Tergikleen is effective at removing the release agent from new records so I use it to clean my new records before I first play them. Adding the Cyastat SN is a bonus. I drizzle the cleaning solution on to the record surface, use my brush to spread it evenly, wait about 30 seconds to soak (non scientific but seems plenty long) and then let my record vacuum do it's thing. Like I said previously, my results have been very good and I live in an extremely static prone environment. Last week, a friend brought a few albums over to play. When I took one album out of the sleeve, it clung to the sleeve like a dog with a bone. I did a quick clean on my cleaning solution on my record vac and that seemed to do the trick. In fact, my friend just called me tonight after playing one of the records that we cleaned and said it was still static free. I take no responsibility or credit for this, I am just posting my experiments and results. As always, YMMV. Good luck and let me know your results if you decide try this. Fact ... We all know, Cyastat SN is fairly expensive. In the US, Cyastat SN can only be purchased in 40lb pails. A 40lb pail of Cyastat SN is roughly 5 gallons and costs $550. With that said, I would again like to thank Neil for his non profiting generosity and his willingness to help us out. Thank you Neil you are a saint among men.
  3. I have to revive a dead thread but I really feel this is appropriate in this case. First, I want to give a huge thanks to Neil for providing me with a couple of ounces of Cyastat SN. This stuff really does go a long way. I made a couple of batches of cleaner on Friday. I am cooking/storing them in brown large mouth UV safe jars. I like the large mouth bottle because I can use a small whisk to stir until everything is dissolved and clear. As for the brown UV safe bottles, I doubt that they do anything in terms of keeping the solution usable for extended periods but they were the only bottles available to me at the moment so I figured I would use them. Well on to the details. I cleaned 20 albums this weekend. Other than taking time for the mask to dry, the process is really quite simple. Pour, spread, dry and peel. Two of the albums I know quite well. I specifically chose them to see if there was a noticeable difference. THERE WAS A HUGE DIFFERENCE! The vinyl looks and plays IMHO, as good as new, maybe even better. I live in the desert southwest and the air is very dry here. When I play a record, there is always a static build up. That was especially true last evening. I thought to my self, self, let's play a freshly peeled record. I played side one and it played quietly. I looked at my needle and noticed it needed a cleaning. I quickly and easily cleaned the needle of what I assume is residual mask left over in the grooves. I lifted the record from the platter to flip it over to play side two and I noticed the absence of static charge while flipping it. I played side two and it was just as quiet as side one. I cleaned the needle again and thought I would play side one to see if there was any further cleaning needed after the initial play. I flipped the record over and WOW, still no static. After playing side one again, I did not notice any further buildup on the needle so one play must be enough to clear the grooves of any residual mask left over in the grooves. Again, noting the lack of static charge after playing, I thought that I would try an experiment. I turned down the volume, set the speed to 45 RPM to save time and maybe cause a bit more friction. I played side one 12 times in a row. The result after playing the same side 12 times back to back resulted NO STATIC CHARGE!!!!!!!!!! I set the speed back to 33, turned the volume back up and again listened to side one. It sounded crystal clear with no crackling or pops. I am quite sure the cleaner without Cyastat SN will pull debris from the record groves equally well. The benefit of adding Cyastat SN into the mix is that it eliminates a surface charge affect which in turn stops the record surface from attracting and holding on to dust particles. To further test this process, I decided to leave the same record on my turntable platter overnight fully exposed to dust and debris. About an hour ago, I spun up my platter and used my trusty Hunt EDA Mark 6 Brush to clean the surface. I am pleased to report that the result was fantastic. The record played just as well as it did following the removal of the cleaning mask. I do believe the lack of static charge keeps the nasty stuff from clinging to your records and should do so for a very long time. This testing was hardly scientific. But I am quite happy with the results. One last note. Initially, I wondered how much of this cleaner do I pour onto the record surface and how many records will a single batch clean. My batch yielded about 16 oz of cleaner. I tried different amounts and different applicators. My current method is to pour 1/4 oz of slurry onto the record surface and spread it with a 3" foam paint roller. I found that a foam paint roller worked better than the foam paint applicator in my ham fisted hands so don't be afraid try both. My math reveals that you would use 1/4 oz per side or 1/2 oz per record. I estimate 30+ records could be cleaned from one 16 oz bottle of cleaner. YMMV, so don't be afraid to experiment. A huge thanks again to Neil for the Cyastat SN as well as Mallette for posting his positive results. It was Mallette's posting that inspired me to try this and I am very great full that I did.
  4. I pay 20 dollars per month to stream from Tidal Hi-Fi and like that I can hear a variety of music before I purchase it. I have purchased 1000's of dollars worth of records in the last several months. Many of the purchases were because I could hear the album prior to making my decision. Some of these vinyl albums range from a just a few dollars used to 50 dollars new as well as some special first pressings were 100's of dollars. Now that I have decided to buy a record. I hop in my car and drive to my local record store listening to my radio. Free music over the air that comes into my car. How is that different from streaming? My radio is free. If I wanted to, I could record the songs straight from the radio just like I did when I was a kid. How does the artist get compensated from the radio station. They don't even pay for their music, they are provided music from the record labels to promote sales. radio makes money to run the station through advertising, not playing music. We hear it, and if we like it enough, maybe, just maybe we buy it. Maybe we never buy it and listen to it several more times on the radio for free. I think there is more to it than streaming and who pays. The music industry is hugely corrupt. They guys with the biggest lawyers win. Have you ever seen an artists first record contract? It's a rarity that the artist get a fair deal and almost never a good deal. I can tell you that the the record company comes out on top and they come out on top every time. Where is the record company in this law suit? Speaking of artists getting paid, on Monday, I heard Midnight Mambo from Sonny Clark on a local Jazz station. I just purchased Leapin' and Lopin' from Sonny Clark for $54.99. Last time I checked, Sonny has been dead for a long long time. Where does the $54.99 go. Sonny isn't getting paid for for this album. Just sayin....
  5. I also enjoy listening to CDs. I have an OPPO 105d which I feel is a good all around machine. It plays DVDs, DVD audio,CDs, SACDs so you can find all sorts of stuff to listen to. It wasn't until this summer that I started listening to records and for some reason, I just seem to prefer the cost and inconvenience of vinyl over CDs...
  6. Stunning, they look absolutely stunning. I can only imagine how pleased you are with them. Very very nice!
  7. I added another 1000 watts to my system. No, not really LOL! I polished my turntable platter to a nice shiny finish. Seemed like the equivalent of putting a chrome air cleaner on my shitty car in high school and thinking it gave me another 100 horsepower. Chrome and stickers, the high school performance bible to add on horsepower. Well at least it looks fast.
  8. I am in concurrence with Coleman. I stream Tidal through my Oppo 105D and find the quality to be excellent. I really like Tidal HiFi!
  9. I am current running my RF 7 II's with an Onkyo A-9070. The specs are very conservative. It is a nice solid piece, has a nice sounding DAC and sounds very good overall. Sort of a minimalist look but I like that. There is a lot of nice stuff out there. Yamaha makes some nice 2 ch stuff as well. I didn't see your budget but if it is between 3K to 4K, look into the Prima Luna DiaLogue Premium or DiaLogue Premium HP. I recently had the chance to hear the lower power DiaLogue Premium on y system in my home and it was very nice. Nice enough to that I would have bought one if my wife hadn't already bought me a new turntable and cartridge for Christmas. With that said, I am still very happy with my Onkyo. As a comparison, I took one of my Emotiva XPA-2 amps from my HT system to drive my RF 7 IIs and even though it is a higher power piece, I still preferred the sound from the Onkyo. I know that I am comparing apples to oranges, but my point is power is not the last word and specs on paper aren't everything. The RF 7 IIs are efficient and really nice sounding speakers.The choices are endless. Ask a hundred people and get a hundred different answers. If buying new, buy from a reputable dealer with a solid return policy in the event you don't like what you hear and want to return it. Some dealers will even let you take a demo home for a demo weekend. Just pick a quality piece to drive them and I am sure you will be happy.
  10. You guys convinced me, I will go! I have never been to an event like this but it's about time I do. In aviation, I am always on the quest to learn because you don't know what you don't know and learning can save lives. Well this isn't quite as dramatic but I have more to learn than all of you have forgotten. thanks for the warm invite guys...
  11. Hi Dave, Swapping the stylus was my first thought. You and I are definitely on the same page there. I found new 2M black stylus replacements for about 500 which would have saved me a nice chunk of cash. Unfortunately, red and blue are interchangeable and the bronze and black are interchangeable. I could have moved up to the black would I have had a bronze, unfortunately blue to black was not a compatible swap according to Ortofon.
  12. Hi John Chi-town, I agree with you about the sub. It was one of the first things I added as an upgrade. I use an SVS PB-13 Ultra. It is very musical yet powerful. Surprisingly, after a few months of listening, my RF7 II's really opened up and produced much better bass than when I first got them. I though that break in thing was rubbish. I believed that your ears adjusted over time and that the sound of your equipment didn't change. I now believe there is some merit to this break in thing. Perhaps it is a combination of both break in and personal adjustment. With that said, I still use and prefer the use of the sub. It is crossed over very well and truly invisible in terms of low frequency placement.
  13. Hi Dave, I auditioned both the 2M Black and the Maestro V2. I am an Ortofon fan. I removed the 2M blue from the Pro-Ject and installed a 2M SE mono cartridge for my limited mono collection. Someday, I will most likely buy a Cadenza Black, for now, I choose stay with a MM. With that said, I chose the Clearaudio Maestro V2 because it was (to me, don't hate me for my opinions) more forgiving of clicks and pops and it sounded a bit more open and airy than the 2M Black did. The 2M black was very detailed as was the Maestro. The 2M Black just sounded a bit less smooth, less open. It was not harsh or anything like that, it was just a bit more bright. Please forgive me if I can't convey my experience accurately, I just don't know all of the fancy audiophile words people use. I auditioned several (5) options in the 600 to 1500 range. When all was said and done, I made the decision with my ears and I couldn't be happier with the music that I am hearing.
  14. After several months, my enjoyment for vinyl has grown more and more. My vinyl collection has been increasing weekly it seems and I thought it was time to upgrade my turntable. As some of you know, I started with a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB w/Ortofon 2M Blue. This was a great starter table and I will continue to use it with a mono cartridge to listen to my mono records. I was very surprised how good a mono record can sound, I was quite surprising with a nice mono cartridge. Well enough talking about the old stuff. My new table is a,VPI classic. Depending on the camp your in (modern or old school) you my find it beautiful or butt ugly. I love the way it looks and I LOVE the way it SOUNDS! While it was a nice chunk of change, it stretched my budget a bit more than anticipated so I chose to stay with a MM vs a MC cartridge. I decided to pair the table up with a clear audio maestro V2 and I am quite surprised how well it sounds. It is a long way from broken in but I will say it sounds nicer each day. I think dollar for the dollar, it is one of the better choices out there. Well at least that's my opinion and we all know what they say about opinions LOL! Enough talking, here is a quick pick. Sorry for the poor lighting, I would rather listen to it, not take pictures. If you Have ever wondered if turntables sound different or better as you move up the food chain, I will tell you that they most definitely sound different. I couldn't have said this with certainty a few months ago but I can say it now. I am not picking on my Pro-Ject, it is a nice table. The reality is that my VPI is startlingly better in every way. It was like going from nice to awesome. The Pro-Ject sounded like records, the VPI sounds like music. I can't imagine how those 10k phono stages, 10k cartridges and 30k turntables sound. The reality is, I don't even want to know for fears of spending my daughters inheritance. For now, I am beyond pleased. My next stop may be a Prima Luna DiaLogue Premium or Premium HP. Can't decide if the extra power is needed. My ego says yes, my gut says probably not. Well I will make that decision next Father's Day. For now, I will spin more vinyl and smile and smile.
  15. Hi Willland, I enjoy the 9070 quite a lot. Sadly, there is rarely a peep spoken of this piece. The DAC's are a very nice touch and sound very good in my opinion. Recently, I took one of my emotiva amps from my theater system and set the Onkyo up as a preamp. While there was quite a bit more available power, I still prefered the sound of the Onkyo without the use of the emotiva. Testing with the sub off, the emotiva gave the RF-7 IIs a bit more bass but the speakers sounded a sort of scratchy. The Onkyo had a smoother treble (not scratchy). I guess I would sum it up as a winner in my book.
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