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I've got a pair of Acoustic Research AR91s at the moment but some Sansui SP-2700s have popped up and I really like the look of them. With the size of the apartment I can only have one or the other, and the room the stereo is in is quite small. The Sansui really go a lot better with our decor but the ARs aren't bad looking by any stretch. Would this be a straight up downgrade or will this have to be a "listen and find out" situation? I'd have to sell what I've got before I could pick up anything new and I don't wanna do something dumb, I don't really know enough about speaker stats to do a side by side comparison just on the data sheets alone. AR91 Specs  Sansui Specs 
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Mar 12, 2024 22:58
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| # ? Sep 9, 2024 12:11 |
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Megabound posted:I've got a pair of Acoustic Research AR91s at the moment but some Sansui SP-2700s have popped up and I really like the look of them. With the size of the apartment I can only have one or the other, and the room the stereo is in is quite small. The Sansui really go a lot better with our decor but the ARs aren't bad looking by any stretch. Would this be a straight up downgrade or will this have to be a "listen and find out" situation? I'd have to sell what I've got before I could pick up anything new and I don't wanna do something dumb, I don't really know enough about speaker stats to do a side by side comparison just on the data sheets alone. Personally I wouldn't bother. Those speakers have so many different drivers and controls and such that you'd probably have to overhaul all of the internal crossover components to get it to sound nice, and that's assuming that the cones and foam and all that stuff are in good condition
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Mar 12, 2024 23:26
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I mean, those are cool as historical/collector/prop pieces but yeah I wouldn’t spend a bunch of money on them unless I knew I had a good reason to and I certainly wouldn’t use them as hifi speakers. They are umm, Not Good by modern standards. There are def speakers of that era that are, but those Sansuis aren’t it AFAIK. What’s your max budget for speakers? What kind of decor aesthetic are you after? Do you want a fully period-correct setup?
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Mar 12, 2024 23:38
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The AR91s sound great to me and I'm not in a rush to upgrade, it's just the opportunity. Budget would be about $500 - $1000 AUD, about the range the 91s could be sold for. I'm not after a fully period correct setup, what I have currently is a Denon DP-57L turntable, Fosi Audio BT10D amp and a Phono Box S2 pre. I really like the wooden grills on the the Sansui, everything in mid-century, lots of wood, wanting to keep that aesthetic. I need to take a better pic of the setup but this'll give you an idea of the aesthetic for now: 
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Mar 12, 2024 23:48
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Megabound posted:The AR91s sound great to me and I'm not in a rush to upgrade, it's just the opportunity. Budget would be about $500 - $1000 AUD, about the range the 91s could be sold for. I'm not after a fully period correct setup, what I have currently is a Denon DP-57L turntable, Fosi Audio BT10D amp and a Phono Box S2 pre. Check out the walnut cased Kef Q350's, they're gorgeous and sound amazing. You'd probably want a small sub to go with them but they've still got plenty of oomph on their own
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Mar 13, 2024 00:23
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Thanks for the recommendation. I'll keep an eye out.
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Mar 13, 2024 01:40
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Hi folks, any recommendations for a phono preamp? I found my SL1200mk2 with a M44G cart. It still works great. I'm using it for sampling into my MPC and listening so I've got speakers and a mixer but I want to get it up to line level. I'm not a hardcore audiophile but I don't mind spending a little for a good preamp say under 200? It doesn't need USB or BT. Just good quality sound. Also the stylus is quite old but it looks like these carts are discontinued. Are the aftermarket styli any good or should I pick up a new cart?
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Mar 17, 2024 21:47
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I'm always down to recommend the Pro-ject Phono Box S2. It's small, neutral and supports both MM and MC cartridges so if you change in the future you won't need to also change your pre-amp.
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Mar 17, 2024 22:18
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Megabound posted:I'm always down to recommend the Pro-ject Phono Box S2. It's small, neutral and supports both MM and MC cartridges so if you change in the future you won't need to also change your pre-amp. Yeah this or the $130 Schiit one
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Mar 17, 2024 22:40
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Matt Zerella posted:Hi folks, any recommendations for a phono preamp? You've already gotten some good recommendations, but I'll add the NAD PP2/PP2e/PP2i, I've had a couple and always been happy with the sound from them.
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Mar 19, 2024 09:42
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Megabound posted:I'm always down to recommend the Pro-ject Phono Box S2. It's small, neutral and supports both MM and MC cartridges so if you change in the future you won't need to also change your pre-amp. Seconded The adjustable gain and cartridge loading make this drat near universally compatible, and the price makes it a no-brainer.
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Apr 3, 2024 13:41
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For Aussies, JB HiFi are having a deep sale on the Soundburger.
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Apr 16, 2024 11:43
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Megabound posted:For Aussies, JB HiFi are having a deep sale on the Soundburger. poo poo. I might have to buy another one. I got my first one from JB for $369, but it's black and I wanted one of the colourful ones. I can justify $214 for what'll basically be an ornament. edit: They're no longer on special. Poop. Bass Ackwards fucked around with this message at 07:32 on Apr 20, 2024 |
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Apr 20, 2024 07:29
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Yesterday I picked up an Onkyo TX-4500 receiver and a Pioneer PL-510A turntable. The Onkyo is interesting because it has 60 watts per channel, three(!) tape inputs, two phono inputs and three speaker outputs, and is generally highly regarded as underappreciated. I haven't fully gone through the functionality of this, but it definitely needs the switches and pots cleaned out really well. The Pioneer doesn't give good sound - nothing out of the left channel, and the right sounds like poo poo. I'm trying to determine if it needs a new cartridge (I believe it has the original Empire 2000 cartridge installed) but it sounds like it could also be the cables or adjustment issues. They're both so pretty though. I'm pretty sure I overpaid for them (got them from a coworker's son's girlfriend's father's estate, they weren't for sale and I offered some cash and got these and some nice vintage headphones as well).  
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May 7, 2024 15:55
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I found some mystery speakers at the HFH Restore today. They were heavy and solidly constructed so I guessed 50s or 60s and for $10 I figured I should see what drivers were in them. I grabbed a Phillips screwdriver from the tool aisle and unscrewed the back on one.  Knight KN820 drivers in nice shape. Did some googling and it turns out knight didn't actually make speakers they just rebranded other manufacturers drivers. These are actually 2 way ElectroVoice wolverines drivers.  Took them home and both had the upper brace that holds the speaker/grille panel in place loose. One was missing so I used a yardstick and the other I was able to reuse the original brace. Both read 6.5 ohms so I hooked them up and they both sound great.  Not sure what I'll do with them. Might refinish the cabinets and keep them around in case I ever find a low wattage tube setup they would work best for. Might also make some mcm legs for them to match optional ones EV sold with some of their cabinets. 
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May 15, 2024 03:15
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So, I ordered a cheap AT cartridge installed in a new headshell (my old one had a broken wire) and installed it in that PL-510A I bought. I adjusted everything and it sounds absolutely amazing now. Hooked it up to that Onkyo and confirmed the phono stage works fine. Couldn't easily do that before. Problem is, this beautiful Pioneer has to be my spare because with the lid opened, it doesn't fit where I have my current turntable. That one's a Technics BL-22, a lower profile belt-driven automatic unit from the nineties that was my dad's. Ah well, what a spare to have I suppose. Maybe I'll put that and the Onkyo upstairs, though I'd need another set of speakers... oh no, this is how it begins, isn't it...?
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May 27, 2024 01:27
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take the cover offfffff
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May 27, 2024 02:16
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Dogen posted:take the cover offfffff I have kids and cats, this is an awful idea in my house
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May 27, 2024 02:32
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CornHolio posted:I have kids and cats, this is an awful idea in my house put it in your office this is how it starts
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May 27, 2024 04:43
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CornHolio posted:I have kids and cats, this is an awful idea in my house I have 5 cats and actually added a factory fresh lid to my 1200 when I got it so I’m just trying to live vicariously
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May 27, 2024 06:02
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My girlfriend bought me a Sound Burger for my birthday and it's basically been the most used record player I own now. I absolutely love taking it outside and playing vinyl on the back porch. So much so that I've been searching for the right bluetooth speaker to pair with it. I think I've found that speaker.  The Marshall Emberton II is perhaps the best sounding, and still small and portable, bluetooth speaker I've heard. Not as loud as the JBL Charge 5, but half the size and cleaner sounding, with a more solid bass that doesn't sound distorted or boosted. 
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Jun 10, 2024 22:03
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Hi-five fellow Sound Burger enthusiast. It is far and away my most used record player since I got mine a few years ago. I love that Marshall BT speaker, might have to snag one of those myself.
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Jun 10, 2024 23:42
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Frozen Peach posted:The Marshall Emberton II is perhaps the best sounding, and still small and portable, bluetooth speaker I've heard. Not as loud as the JBL Charge 5, but half the size and cleaner sounding, with a more solid bass that doesn't sound distorted or boosted. I grabbed one of these based on your post, I'm just using it with my phone in my work office but this was a great recommendation and completely agree regarding the bass.
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Jun 25, 2024 00:22
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On the other hand get two charge 5s and set them up in stereo and annoy your neighbors
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Jun 25, 2024 00:36
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Is the OP up to date? I don't really know what I'm doing, but I need a turntable. Budget is ideally $400 CAD. Is my best bang for buck going to be something like lp60x? I'd like automatic, or at least auto-return.
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Jul 2, 2024 02:03
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Jenkl posted:Is the OP up to date? I don't really know what I'm doing, but I need a turntable. I think Monoprice has some decent tables out these days? I know Crosley has a LP120 knockoff for less than $200 that would be better than the LP60.
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Jul 2, 2024 04:00
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I'll check out some Monoprice and Crosley options, then! Used, I'm seeing the following turntables available (ask price, CAD), no idea how they'd compare, though I know there's often diamonds in these roughs. Do any of these stand out? Yamaha YP-D6 - $450 Pioneer: PL-510A - $130 PL-115D - $175 Dual: CS450 - $180 CS514 - $185 Technics SL-B1 - $160 NIKKO NP-550 - $50 Realistic LAB-2200 (Linear Tracking, whatever that means) - $110
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Jul 2, 2024 14:33
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Jenkl posted:I'll check out some Monoprice and Crosley options, then! Tricky thing with used TT's is usually the cartridge dictates a lot of the price. Like that Yamaha is way overpriced (more of a $250-300 kinda TT), but it might have a cart on it that's worth $300 so it's hard to say. Of that list, for a solid and simple to maintain turntable I would lean towards the Dual CS-450. They're not fancy but they're solid and good, the whole brand was sort of centered around budget but performant. Again, tricky to value without knowing about the cartridge.
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Jul 2, 2024 14:46
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Jenkl posted:I'll check out some Monoprice and Crosley options, then! The biggest things to look for would be: Make sure the motor is still strong. It should get up to speed in just a few seconds. Make sure the speed is stable enough. You might want to know how to read the strobe markings. Does it come with a cartridge/stylus? That might be an added expense to plan for, since you don't know how worn out it is.
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Jul 2, 2024 15:06
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Everything listed has at least some kind of cartridge, if varying age and quality. 510A has its cover though it's a bit dinged up. I'm ok with that, it seems common for these used ones. The ad says the "needle is relatively new". Dual CS514 has an "Empire 4000 XL Diamond Stylus with 20 play hours." I like that this person listed that explicitly. The Dual 450 just says it "has an ortofon cartridge". There's also a Sony lx310, default cartridge, at $250, I hadn't mentioned.
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Jul 2, 2024 16:57
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Jenkl posted:
If it's an Ortofon "OM" style cartridge I'd go for that. It's a really robust cartridge body and if you turn into a big vinyl nerd weirdo you can upgrade the stylus very very easily, cartridges are very much one of those things where audio weirdos get very opinionated about but I've always enjoyed any well set-up OM I've heard. The newer "2M" ortofon line made changes to the body so you can only upgrade a little bit before buying a full new cartridge. If the listing doesn't say, this is what an OM looks like:  It's very likely if it's an OM cart at that price that it's a 5e, which is very decent. I find the OM10 to be a nice sweet spot for price to performance. For reference, a replacement 3e stylus is about $40, a 5e is $55, 10 is $75, 20 is $215, 30 is $350, and 40 is $650. They all just slip onto the tip of the cart with no tools or skills required. 
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Jul 4, 2024 13:45
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It is an OM based on the pics, not sure about the exact model though. I'm negotiating with the person now. It might not work out as they're fairly far from me. They also are selling a pair of EPI A70 speakers. They say the tweeters are original, but the woofers have been replaced. Another $200 potentially. From what I'm reading these are solid speakers at an ok price. I currently just have these Sony SS-CNEZ3. They're functional enough I suppose, but sound a bit washed out... Not sure that's the technical term lol. The 510 is a backup option, but the seller hasn't been responsive.
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Jul 4, 2024 15:10
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If you get an OM5E I recommend immediately removing and reinstalling the stylus when you get it. All the OM5Es at my job are way too tight and have trackability issues, removing and putting the stylus back on usually fixes it.
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Jul 4, 2024 21:11
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Jenkl posted:I'll check out some Monoprice and Crosley options, then! Don't get any old linear tracking table. They are incredibly cool but also very annoying to service. Pioneers, Duals, and Yamahas are usually pretty good buys. That Technics is a belt drive model, and I've always thought the belt-drive Technics are pretty good deals, since most people go for the direct drives.
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Jul 6, 2024 10:02
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Appreciate all the input. Doesn't look like the Dual 450 is gonna work out. What's left is (all CAD): Yamaha YP-D6 - $450 Pioneer PL-115D - $175 Dual CS514 - $185 The Yamaha appears to be missing the whole headshell. Guessing that adds another $100-$200. I'm reading the build of the 514 is poor (cheap plastic). There's also a Audio technica lp60x for $120 that I might just get for now. Leaning to the 115D.
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Jul 6, 2024 17:35
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Jenkl posted:Appreciate all the input. Yeah it’s about $100 for an AT VM95e premounted on a headshell. Keep in mind that you will want to replace the stylus, and possibly may have to replace the whole cartridge, on any used/vintage turntable that you buy.
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Jul 6, 2024 17:55
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Jenkl posted:Appreciate all the input. Have you checked Canuck audiomart? Some very good deals on there from time to time.
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Jul 8, 2024 13:50
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I had not! But in a nice twist, the Dual CS450 and the EPI A70 will work out in the end. $360 cad for both. I'll report back in a couple weeks after pickups are arranged.
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Jul 8, 2024 15:13
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Everything is set-up but the turntable is very quiet. I also have nowhere to put this ground. I'm not sure if that's my lovely Amazon digital amplifier (lepai lp-2020A+, 20W) or not having whatever a pre-amp is? It sounded fine when tested before purchasing but I didn't get their setup details. Rookie move.
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Jul 21, 2024 01:55
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| # ? Sep 9, 2024 12:11 |
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yeah you need a preamp buddy, that'll give you a ground and the appropriate amplification and filter for a line out to a reglular stereo amp
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Jul 21, 2024 02:37
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