Exact Audio XTC Counterweight

doak · « **on:** 12 Jun 2014, 01:14 am »

I'm seriously considering the acquisition of an XTC replacement counterweight for my WTA.

JC - Mr. Exact Audio - has asked me to provide the weight of the stock (silver) counterweight, as well as the diameter of tonearm. He is selling on eBay an XTC weight for the "classic" series Well Tempered tonearms but is apparently uncertain if it will be a proper fit for the new WTA type arms.

XTC Well Tempered eBay ad:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400723472761&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:GB:1123

He is aware that others have ordered XTC CWs for their WTA/Versalex TTs. Well, those people are certainly here, like Mick Wolfe and others. I'll send PMs if necessary but figured I'd start with this post. If you have the specs JC has requested or other pertinent info, please reply.

TIA.
Doak

doak · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Jun 2014, 02:55 pm »

"Ah yes, I recall this customer now. So, the collar for all WT is the same, and the standard weight should also be ok unless you are using a particularly light cartridge.
Regards,
JC

- xaudiodesign"

Problem solved. Case closed.

Doak

DavidS · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 Jun 2014, 12:00 am »

not so easy with the "case closed" .... bills to be paid for the service. Owing is a report on how the new counterweight works out on your WTA. Is this an upgrade we should all be considering? Looking forward to reading your impressions.

threadkiller · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Jun 2014, 12:24 am »

Yes, even this dullard is curious...
I bow to the greatness of Firebaugh, yet, the Auditorium mats are better than stock, and he'd agree. So, I'm thinking the XTC could be worth checking out. Love the band, so what the heck...

One tweak I'll pass along- Take the top plate off the motor. Try it and report back.

doak · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Jun 2014, 02:05 am »

AOK, the XTC counterweight has been ordered.

Will write it up as I develop what seems worth sharing.

Here's the Auditorium 23 mat review from 3 years back:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=78140.msg977948#msg977948

Doak

rob400 · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Jun 2014, 02:48 pm »

I've bitten the bullet and bought the counterweight. I'll post my opinion of it in a week or so.

mick wolfe · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Jun 2014, 06:41 pm »

Quote from: DavidS on 13 Jun 2014, 12:00 am

not so easy with the "case closed" .... bills to be paid for the service. Owing is a report on how the new counterweight works out on your WTA. Is this an upgrade we should all be considering? Looking forward to reading your impressions.

David....Go down to page 3 in the achieves here. Under the "does anyone use 2 counterweights" thread, three of us have commented on the effects of the XTC counterweight. I still stand by my comments of several months ago. This is a very nice step up in refinement for the WTA.....especially considering the small investment. But as always, it's for individuals to decide for themselves if it fits their sonic palette. One size NEVER fits all in this hobby.

lowtech · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Jun 2014, 08:53 pm »

deleted.

doak · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Jun 2014, 07:56 pm »

It's here. One week from order to delivery - UK to US.

The XTC weight went on amazingly easily. It's slight closer to the pivot point than the single stock silver weight I was using indicating higher mass the stock unit. The weight of my Cartridge Man Music Maker 3 specs @ 6.2g and the XTC sent is spec'd for carts 6.5 - 11g (other weights are available). I was concerned about not being able to use it with the CM MM3 - but no such problem occurred. The XTC is quite close in to the pivot - which is supposed to be a good thing, so all is well. The set screw made it super simple to make minute adjustments, something I found VERY difficult to do with the stock weight.

In summary I encountered no technical problems in swapping counterweights.

I've played 4 album sides at this point from LPs I know well and love. The fact that they were played completely through with no desire to interrupt I take as a good sign. I won't/can't say much more at this point than: It works as a substitute counterweight for the WTA.

More to come when I've developed more info.

Doak

mgsboedmisodpc2 · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Jun 2014, 08:09 pm »

Doak wrote "I've played 4 album sides "
Name those album sides please

doak · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Jun 2014, 02:42 pm »

Quote from: mgsboedmisodpc2 on 19 Jun 2014, 08:09 pm

Doak wrote "I've played 4 album sides "
Name those album sides please

OK, as requested.

1. Art Farmer/Jim Hall: Big Blues, side 1
2. Harry Connick Jr.: When Harry Met Sally..., side 2
3. Tracy Chapman: Tracy Chapman, side 1
4. Ry Cooder: Jazz, side 2

All are original pressings. A couple are "promos."

Doak

doak · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 Jun 2014, 02:03 pm »

The fact that I installed a new (to me) cartridge 3 weeks prior to installing the XTC CW is complicating matters here. I thought I had the Cartridge Man Music Maker thoroughly dialed in, but I realized that the SRA was still not optimal. I now think it is and the sound is substantially improved from what I was listening to for about a week.

Upshot is, I need to listen to this for a while before changing anything. Further complication is that what I'm hearing now is so good I would rather not touch it!

Doak

rob400 · « **Reply #12 on:** 24 Jun 2014, 01:51 pm »

I've lived with the XTC for a while now so feel sure that my feelings regarding it are clear. I wasn't expecting much but I have been pleasantly surprised. For me it's a clear improvement over the stock counterweight. My description of the improvements echo all of what Mick Wolfe wrote in a previous post on the two counterweights thread. The improved tracking creates a more refined, solid, smooth sound with increased low level detail. I was concerned that with the refinement there might be a loss of some involvement but I can report there is not. To try and quantify the improvement is never easy but I would say maybe half what I experienced going from Dynavector 20xl2 to XV1s is wrought here. At $70 I say it's a great bargain and a no brainer for WT owners. Regarding set up I've attached an image of my set up which shows that I set my ball high in the cup with a high arm tube (for other positive reasons) which meant that I didn't have a problem with the weight hitting the RCA box to arm connection in use. This might not be the case with a lower set ball on LTD arms. If it's relevant choose the correct weight accordingly gents.

doak · « **Reply #13 on:** 24 Jun 2014, 02:01 pm »

Thanks Rob!

I haven't had much time to listen lately, much less carry out comparison testing.

Much appreciated.

BTW: Because of the low weight of my cartridge the XTC weight is much closer to the tonearm wire but there is no interference with proper functioning.

Doak

mick wolfe · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 Jun 2014, 04:31 pm »

Quote from: rob400 on 24 Jun 2014, 01:51 pm

I've lived with the XTC for a while now so feel sure that my feelings regarding it are clear. I wasn't expecting much but I have been pleasantly surprised. For me it's a clear improvement over the stock counterweight. My description of the improvements echo all of what Mick Wolfe wrote in a previous post on the two counterweights thread. The improved tracking creates a more refined, solid, smooth sound with increased low level detail. I was concerned that with the refinement there might be a loss of some involvement but I can report there is not. To try and quantify the improvement is never easy but I would say maybe half what I experienced going from Dynavector 20xl2 to XV1s is wrought here. At $70 I say it's a great bargain and a no brainer for WT owners. Regarding set up I've attached an image of my set up which shows that I set my ball high in the cup with a high arm tube (for other positive reasons) which meant that I didn't have a problem with the weight hitting the RCA box to arm connection in use. This might not be the case with a lower set ball on LTD arms. If it's relevant choose the correct weight accordingly gents.

Rob...glad it's working out for you. ( and hopefully Doak and anyone else as well) I mentioned and you echoed that it's a nice step up in refinement akin to upgrading your cartridge one level or even more. Kudos to "mgsboedmisodpc2" and "Kt77" for being the first to shine a light on this nifty and inexpensive tweak.

rob400 · « **Reply #15 on:** 24 Jun 2014, 05:34 pm »

Yes thanks to mgsb'2 and Oscar.

Kt77 · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 Jun 2014, 12:31 am »

Quote from: rob400 on 24 Jun 2014, 05:34 pm

Yes thanks to mgsb'2 and Oscar.

You're more then welcome, now if only others were more open-minded to give it a try, they might be surprised as well.

_o scar

Kt77 · « **Reply #17 on:** 26 Jun 2014, 12:32 am »

Quote from: mick wolfe on 24 Jun 2014, 04:31 pm

Rob...glad it's working out for you. ( and hopefully Doak and anyone else as well) I mentioned and you echoed that it's a nice step up in refinement akin to upgrading your cartridge one level or even more. Kudos to "mgsboedmisodpc2" and "Kt77" for being the first to shine a light on this nifty and inexpensive tweak.

Thanks for the kind words, Mick.

_oh

mick wolfe · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 Jun 2014, 04:51 am »

Quote from: Kt77 on 26 Jun 2014, 12:32 am

Thanks for the kind words, Mick.

_oh

No problem Oscar. You've yet to steer me wrong. Love the AR GreenLink BTW......

Kt77 · « **Reply #19 on:** 26 Jun 2014, 11:30 am »

Quote from: mick wolfe on 26 Jun 2014, 04:51 am

No problem Oscar. You've yet to steer me wrong. Love the AR GreenLink BTW......

Thanks again Mick,

And I'm so happy to know that you're enjoying the AR Greenlink's as well, as sometimes we can't always tell what others might hear or not?, but one can get a generazation about how some products sound/function just enough to believe in their capabilities to want to recommend them on others behalf - after all, if one isn't willing to try/hear unknown items, wouldn't that be sad.

There are just some many things that can be added tweak wise to the WTL based tables, that many have simply overlooked -,what applied with the older makes, work just as well with the newer ones, including isolation feet/platforms.

Be good Mick, it's always a joy hearing from you.

_oh