Clearaudio Performance in my system. Initial impressions.

[1KW]

My little old technic 1200 mk5 direct drive quartz motor has no drift either Too bad the tone arm is a piece of junk.

[PHC1]

I remembered that I picked up a pre-owned record of Roger Waters "Pros and Cons of Hitchiking" a while ago because it was cheap and hard to find. Turns out to be in great condition. After a thorough cleaning, I gave it a spin.

I have a CD of the same album and used to listen to it quite a bit as I really liked it. I can tell you this, the record blows away the CD by a wide margin.

The bass on CD was a big let down for me since I've heard this record a long time ago over my friends house and the CD version always sounded compressed, thin, lifeless and harsh. The record is warm, full bodied, with incredible dynamic range. So much for the argument of limited dynamic range on records.. Yes, technically the CD's do have greater dynamic range but what recording engineers do with it God only knows.... I'm sitting here in total disbelief how much better the record sounds and the drums rolling across the soundstage shake my room.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by 1KW

My little old technic 1200 mk5 direct drive quartz motor has no drift either Too bad the tone arm is a piece of junk.

Direct drive when well executed can be a great thing. Over the years, manufacturers in general have walked away from that approach as the decoupled motor seems to be a better sonic approach.

[turntable]

Originally Posted by PHC1

I remembered that I picked up a pre-owned record of Roger Waters "Pros and Cons of Hitchiking" a while ago because it was cheap and hard to find. Turns out to be in great condition. After a thorough cleaning, I gave it a spin.

I have a CD of the same album and used to listen to it quite a bit as I really liked it. I can tell you this, the record blows away the CD by a wide margin.

The bass on CD was a big let down for me since I've heard this record a long time ago over my friends house and the CD version always sounded compressed, thin, lifeless and harsh. The record is warm, full bodied, with incredible dynamic range. So much for the argument of limited dynamic range on records.. Yes, technically the CD's do have greater dynamic range but what recording engineers do with it God only knows.... I'm sitting here in total disbelief how much better the record sounds and the drums rolling across the soundstage shake my room.

Great album. try to pick up radio Kaos

[gregswaim]

Originally Posted by PHC1

I remembered that I picked up a pre-owned record of Roger Waters "Pros and Cons of Hitchiking" a while ago because it was cheap and hard to find. Turns out to be in great condition. After a thorough cleaning, I gave it a spin.

I have a CD of the same album and used to listen to it quite a bit as I really liked it. I can tell you this, the record blows away the CD by a wide margin.

The bass on CD was a big let down for me since I've heard this record a long time ago over my friends house and the CD version always sounded compressed, thin, lifeless and harsh. The record is warm, full bodied, with incredible dynamic range. So much for the argument of limited dynamic range on records.. Yes, technically the CD's do have greater dynamic range but what recording engineers do with it God only knows.... I'm sitting here in total disbelief how much better the record sounds and the drums rolling across the soundstage shake my room.

Is that CD mastered/remastered after the year 2000 or before?

[1KW]

Kind of different music, thanks for the tip. I am listening to songs off both using Rhapsody and it sounds pretty good. The music is like a combination of new wave and pink floyd.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by 1KW

Kind of different music, thanks for the tip. I am listening to songs off both using Rhapsody and it sounds pretty good. The music is like a combination of new wave and pink floyd.

I like this album, it's kind of like a story, you have to listen from beginning to end otherwise it doesn't make sense.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by gregswaim

Is that CD mastered/remastered after the year 2000 or before?

I'll check..

[gregswaim]

Originally Posted by PHC1

I'll check..

The reason for that question is because,in my opinion, CD recordings mastered/remastered before the year 2000 are crap and should trashed ASAP and the ones after 2000 are keepers. If your CD was mastered/remastered before the year 2000 I would suggest getting a newer copy and redo that A/B and see what you think then.

[PHC1]

I took a few hours today to play around with VTF. I'm still using the Lofgren geometry and I have a suspicion the VTF may play a slightly different role with different geometries. Seems every little thing affects the sound.

The Maestro should be tracking between 2.0 and 2.5 gms of VTF so I started at my base setting of 2.0 and decided to experiment in .05 gm increments. Tedious work but easily appreciated differences.

What made it easier is I started with 2 and 2.5 gms to hear what the extremes would bring and then started working my way down from 2.5 gms.

It seems this cartridge with Lofgren geometry sounds most "balanced" with 2.25 gms of VTF. Above that range, the bass starts to tighten up but also gets too lean and artificial sounding and the mids/highs start to become too forward and lean as well. Below that range, it starts to bloat out the bass and mids/highs are too laid back and I lost some air and immediacy in the sound. The 2.25 hits the sweet spot!

I'm sure this won't be the last time as I'll have to do it again for the new phono stage to find the happy balance besides all the tweaking with the loading the cartridge properly with the many choices the phono stage gives you. I already know what the answer is but I'll still experiment.