Any thoughts on Origin Live Aurora MkII?

JohnR · « **on:** 15 Jun 2009, 11:34 am »

Looking for a TT here in AU. I want local support, this one is smack bang in my price range and what I have read so far seems very positive... I was wondering if anyone here has heard it or can comment? I would be using it with a modified RB300 (Espressimo Audio, as I recall) and cartridge as yet unknown. I am assuming that spending a little extra on the cartridge would overall deliver a better result than spending more on the 'table. Music is classical with specific concern for smaller ensembles and vocals (inc choral, so not that small I guess).

Any thoughts appreciated... except, please, don't tell me to buy an SL1200

Wayner · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Jun 2009, 01:35 pm »

I haven't heard that table, but I certainly love the RB300 arm, even the stock ones are better then most. I have my arm on my home made table made from left over AR parts (platter, bearing, pulley) and use a VPI motor.

I'm running my favorite cartridge, the AT440MLa, and it is a great combination. But that is just me. I think it's the best cartridge for the money that is out there. I'm sure others will have some other great cart suggestions too.

Are you getting back into vinyl or just wanting to add another deck?

Wayner

lcrim · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Jun 2009, 03:35 pm »

Origin Live may be an advantage for you as its philosophy is to provide mail order upgrades that appear to be fairly straightforward. I think they began as a UK cottage industry providing upgrades for Rega players. They have developed an expertise that reaches into their own designs for entire TT's and complete tonearms.
Being in Oz, you can have swift shipping on various sub assemblies, either as replacements or upgrades.
One thing I couldn't find was how a UK supplier deals w/ the slightly different electrical current in Australia. One of the best websites of its kind however. They do have a distributor in Queensland as well.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Jun 2009, 04:36 pm »

John,

The OL deck probably sounds great for your price range. I've yet to see a bad review on any deck in Mark's range in 6-7 years.

Their service is moderately attentive...not the worst, yet not the best I've found (VPI takes the prize for that among TT makers I've found)

Enjoy, welcome back and don't be a stranger to The Vinyl Circle when you are bit hard by the vinyl bug again

John

JohnR · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 Jun 2009, 11:12 am »

Thanks guys. Wayner - getting into, I suppose. I gave away all my records when I moved overseas 14 years ago, and I still miss some of them, but my tastes, priorities, and financial capacity have changed since then and I also acquired some good LP-age a few years ago in anticipation of being able to play them. I guess the time has finally come.

Larry - I think the QLD distributor must be the site where I saw the table (decibel hifi).

John/TCG - I'm here ain't I?

Question.. Is there a "synergy" between tables, arms, and cartridges?

Thx

JohnR

Wayner · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 Jun 2009, 11:55 am »

I think we are looking for a platter that has good mass, steady speed and a quiet bearing and motor, wheather belt driven or DD. As far as arms and cartridges, the compliance between arm and cartridge is always important, but lots of times its hit and miss. I was hoping that some RB300/clone/modded guys would come forward with their cartridge recommendations for you, just to save you some pain, tho cartridge sound seems to be a personal choice and what one guy likes, the other one doesn't.

Wayner

woodsyi · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 Jun 2009, 12:29 pm »

John,

Here is the RB 300 spec.

Quote

Effective length: 237mm

Overhang: 15mm

Mounting distance: 222mm

Effective mass: 11.5g

Cartridge weight: 4 to 11g

11.5g is medium mass bordering on low mass. This would mean you would want to get carts with medium bordering high compliance. Light-bouncy/heavy-stiff makes sense to me and that's how I remember this cart/arm match thing. Here is a good article. http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/tonearmcartridge.html Having said that, I have used both Benz Micro Ruby and Glider on this arm (both with medium but closer to low than high compliance of 15) and they worked just fine.

In my experience, Michell Tecno weight also improves the performance of Rega 300 especially if you use heavier wood body carts like Ruby. http://www.vinylengine.com/michell-tecnoweight.shtml

robinje · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Jun 2009, 12:54 pm »

I have no other experience with Origin Live except with the Encounter Mk. III tonearm I own. I have sent inquiries before and after purchase via email to Mark Baker at Origin Live and have always gotten a timely and helpful response. I really like the tonearm and have had no problems with it.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 Jun 2009, 01:20 pm »

Quote from: JohnR on 16 Jun 2009, 11:12 am

Question.. Is there a "synergy" between tables, arms, and cartridges?

Yeah, there is 'synergy', but it's mostly quantifiable. Many vinylphools use the term and it ends up coming out like 'alchemy'.

Any deck improves by lessening feedback. Each deck has it's own method, or non-method of dealing with that....and can be helped by the use of a sub-base or quality support under your table.

The Origin Live (newest) tables I've looked at many times and considered for myself. Mark Baker designs them as semi-suspended....with one point only suspended (I think). This makes setup a breeze, gives it good feedback rejection and allows for one point for energy picked up from the motor to escape, as well. He spends an inordinate time focusing on critical damping - a mostly tuning-by-ear method where various materials are used in a design to make a deck sound neither over nor underdamped.

Based on the reviews I've read, he has succeeded brilliantly at that for many years. Critical damping is so important in a turntable and there are lotsa' ways to get it wrong

An Origin Live table, the best Rega-mount arm you can afford and a good cartridge (that's another path entirely...moving coil or magnet cartridge....but, just start with the best you can afford or find in Oz) and you're off, my man

Welcome back to audiophooldom and back from sonic con-veno-phooldom

John

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 Jun 2009, 01:24 pm »

One more thing....scroll down on this page on Teres Audio site to read about the Expressimo Rega 250. They like it a lot...and they sell many more pricey tonearms there:

http://www.teresaudio.com/tonearms.html

Be aware that Expressimo is no longer making them and Sal (the proprietor that lives north of me in California) may or may not be servicing these if there is problems)

I had one (Expressimo counterweight and upgraded wiring) and it sounded quite good for the money charged for them.

Regards, John

lcrim · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 Jun 2009, 02:25 am »

The article from Galen Carol that was linked above by Rim is very good and fact-filled. The synergy between tonearm and cartridge is a true consideration not a matter of opinion.

doug s. · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 Jun 2009, 04:58 pm »

hi john,

i do not have experience w/this deck. but, i think o-l makes great products - i have an o-l modded rb250, and an o-l silver taper (their best arm prior to the encounter/illustrious/etc iterations). both are excellent arms, imo. i also have an o-l dc motor kit, which gave a big improvement to my oracle delphi deck.

a couple of comments - you may want to get an o-l modded rb250 and sell the rb300 - o-l says that a modded rb250 is better than even an o-l modded rb900, let alone a 300... also, upgrading the power supply for the dc motor kit is a good thing, but i believe you can do better then purchasing o-l's upgrade, & for less cash - get something like a hewlett-packard lab-grade dc power supply instead; these can be found on ebay for <$100usd, that will work w/the o-l dc motor...

doug s.

JohnR · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Aug 2009, 05:39 am »

It's heeere.....

Oddly enough, I can't quite figure out how to get the arm onto the table

Great start

It turns out that the arm is a modded RB250 after all.

Rocket · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Aug 2009, 10:30 am »

Hi John,

Congratulations I hope you like the new turntable.

Regards

Rod

JohnR · « **Reply #14 on:** 14 Sep 2009, 10:04 am »

A bit of a non-update update. I have everything now including a second (Origin Live) VTA adjuster but it still doesn't work with the (quite thin) armboard of the Aurora. I need to get or make some spacing washers.

doug s. · « **Reply #15 on:** 14 Sep 2009, 05:02 pm »

Quote from: JohnR on 14 Sep 2009, 10:04 am

A bit of a non-update update. I have everything now including a second (Origin Live) VTA adjuster but it still doesn't work with the (quite thin) armboard of the Aurora. I need to get or make some spacing washers.

any hardware store should have what you need, or you can get them from rega...

doug s.

viggen · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 Dec 2009, 11:15 pm »

How's the table holding up?

I had the original Aurora with the detached motor. I think the table is phenomenal especially after springing for the upgrade power transformer for the motor. I HIGHLY recommend it.

The table responded very well when it was placed on top of a Neuance shelf as well.

I used OL Silver mk2 arm and Shelter 301 cart when I had the Aurora.

JohnR · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 Dec 2009, 01:53 pm »

Quote from: viggen on 18 Dec 2009, 11:15 pm

How's the table holding up?

Unfortunately the guy I bought it from appears to be completely clueless when it comes to providing advice on how to set it up. If you have any basic information I can use to get started like how far should the arm be raised up and stuff like that I would be very grateful.

JohnR

doug s. · « **Reply #18 on:** 20 Dec 2009, 06:27 pm »

Quote from: JohnR on 20 Dec 2009, 01:53 pm

Quote from: viggen on 18 Dec 2009, 11:15 pm
How's the table holding up?

Unfortunately the guy I bought it from appears to be completely clueless when it comes to providing advice on how to set it up. If you have any basic information I can use to get started like how far should the arm be raised up and stuff like that I would be very grateful.

JohnR

john,

re: raising up the tonearm, isn't that dependent on what cartridge you are using, so as to get proper vta? or am i misunderstanding your question?

doug s.

JohnR · « **Reply #19 on:** 20 Dec 2009, 09:38 pm »

Quote from: doug s. on 20 Dec 2009, 06:27 pm

re: raising up the tonearm, isn't that dependent on what cartridge you are using, so as to get proper vta? or am i misunderstanding your question?

Probably but bearing in mind that I am completely clueless... is there some kind of ballpark to get started? and how do you measure VTA?