[Mister Pig]

Hopped into the car today and took a drive over to my good friend Pete Riggle. Pete builds a neat little product called the VTAF, which is an on the fly VTA adjuster for Rega arms. While we were at it, a Common Weight for the Comman man was also installed...which includes a replacement of the plastic arm stub.

The arm is a Moth branded version of the 251. I ordered it with the Incognito wiring kit installed. The new wiring is a one piece run from cartridge leads to output RCA's. There is also a copper plug installed in the base of the arm, to which all grounds are brought to.

I really appreciate the appearance of the brass metal on the Riggle products, and the textured finish adds a nice touch. The system is designed around loosely coupled mounting of the arm, which runs contrary to what I was taught about arm and cartridge mounting. However, there have been others who have noticed the benefits of this type of set up. I understand Origin Live also advocates only lightly tightening down the mounting nut on Rega arms. I am curious to hear this table once everything is set up.

I snapped a couple of pictures of the table and arm. Taking pics of a black table and black arm is difficult, so we will see how these turn out. I might try again in the morning, and see if results can be improved with morning light coming through the window.








Well I am now 1/2 way through this project. Still need a cartridge and a phono stage.

Regards
Mister Pig

[toobluvr]

Senor Pig....

Since you and affordable audio go hand in hand, you gotta check out the Vista Audio ACLE phono stage.  This thing is very very good, not just for the money, but period.

Myself and many others have commented on it very postitively.  Check the Vista circle.

For cartridges,  lots of good affordable ones out there.  From direct experience I can recommend the ones I use (see my signature below).  Buy used!   I bought both the Dyna and Clearaudio used in the $200 to $300 range!

So it is possible to do phono + cartridge for less than $700.  Budget prices, but not budget sound.

[Mister Pig]

Senor Pig....

Since you and affordable audio go hand in hand, you gotta check out the Vista Audio ACLE phono stage.  This thing is very very good, not just for the money, but period.

Myself and many others have commented on it very postitively.  Check the Vista circle.

For cartridges,  lots of good affordable ones out there.  From direct experience I can recommend the ones I use (see my signature below).  Buy used!   I bought both the Dyna and Clearaudio used in the $200 to $300 range!

So it is possible to do phono + cartridge for less than $700.  Budget prices, but not budget sound.

Actually my go to cartridge of the past has been the Dynavector 17D2. Now they have the D3 version released, and I hear it is an improvement over its predecessor.

The Vista Audio phono stage is interesting, and very reasonably priced. The only issue I have with it is its flexibility. Fixed loading and gain settings are a drawback to me. Maybe I can contact Boris and see what can be done about that.

Regards
Mister Pig

[toobluvr]

I hear ya about the flexibility issue, Senor Pig.  Ideally I'd like an uber-adjustable one too, but price is a consideration.

And I think the question about building in adjustability has already been asked and answered by Boris...check the ACLE thread in the Vista circle.

I don't wanna speak for him, and I don't remember the reasoning, but  I do remember him saying he can't make it more flexible.  But I think he also said that he can reconfigure it at any time for your specific loading and gain needs......free of charge!!

In any event, check with him.  He is a nice guy and very responsive.

John

PS:  I love my Dyna 20X-H, so I gotta believe the 17D is even better!  Nice choice.

 

[TheChairGuy]

Make sure that Rock is fairly well isolated, Mister Pig.

I owned what looks like the same vintage Rock as you have and the concrete it was made of was fairly resonant.  The lightly attached VTAF will help matters by isolating the tonearm...as does the trough (which acts as a mechanical filter for feedback, etc)

But, the Rock still benefits from something other than the rubber 'pud' feet in the corners 

Good tunes await I think - enjoy

John

[toobluvr]

Concrete?!   
There's no concrete in there!   
Acrylic, plexi, shaped metal and chipboard.

It does have a built in air bladder (think Seismic Sink) though for isolation.  I find it extrememly effective.  I can pound on my shelf with no transmittal into the cartridge. 

I have owned my Rock since 1997, and have lived in three different apts.  I have never had any vibration problems whatsoever.....be they airboune, or through the floor, or from footfalls,  or whatever. 

Matter fact, from April thru August this year they ripped up my entire street for new sewers and water mains.  Heavy equipment and jack hammers pounding for hours on end such that the entire house was shaking,  yet my table breezed through it all and tracked  like a champ the entire time.....not a single skip!   And I don't even use the silicon dampening trough!!

In my experience this table does not need any elaborate or expensive isolation.  Don't listen to the audiophile snake oil blabber.  A simple solid stand of decent mass and rigidity will do.   Put it on a solid and thick maple butcher block and don't worry about it....it will be fine.  My Rock also sang when I had a 3 inch thick granite surface plate under it.  But at 100 lbs, make sure your rack is up to it!

[Curly Woods]

Good looking analog setup there!  A Dynavector Diamond should sound superb in that setup!  Happy listening!

[TheChairGuy]

Concrete?!   
There's no concrete in there!   
Acrylic, plexi, shaped metal and chipboard.

Okay, his (and yours) would be a Mk III or even IV then.

Mine was a Mk II (I think)...no bladder, definitely only concrete type resin plinth and 4 rubber puds in the corner were all it had to guard against feedback.  Without more attention paid to it, you'd get quite a lot of it, actually.

Regards, John