32 minutes ago, Tax said:

After a period of possibly 4 years or so of receiving this Lyra Helikon Mono Cartridge as a get well gift from a good audio friend in Texas, I finally got my @rse into gear and mounted it on the Dynavector DV507Mk11 tonearm last night. Just set up P2S quick and dirty and have guessed the overhang as I do not have a Unipro template for this tonearm.

 

Here are a couple of YouTube clips so you can hear what it sounds like.

 

 

 

Those speakers are incredible

The new Garrard idler wheel from Audiosilente arrived from Rome via Fedex this morning. Amazed by jow long this thing spins for. Here is a video and a still photo of the new idler.

 

Looking forward to the a listening sesh this afternoon ?

 

 

The Garrard 401 project has settled for now with the FR64s paired with the FR7f special and Duc's prototype 12 inch wooden tonearm with the FR1mk3f.

 

The immediacy of the vintage FR1mk3f is astounding. I am guessing that if it were to be a current production cartridge it would be sold for thousands. 

 

Edited July 7, 20214 yr by Tax
Video clip added

New toy in the form of a Micro Seiki turntable mat arrived today.

 
Darker background thereby a perception of more energy in the notes...

 

 

Edited July 22, 20214 yr by Tax

CU 180 Tax?   Can't get much better.

 

 Looks so much better imo

 

 

  Love mine.

Edited July 22, 20214 yr by metal beat

48 minutes ago, Tax said:

New toy in the form of a Micro Seiki turntable mat arrived today.

 
Darker background thereby a perception of more energy in the notes...

 

 

Looks great. Will your bearing be okay with the weight?

10 hours ago, metal beat said:

CU 180 Tax?   Can't get much better.

 

 Looks so much better imo

 

 

  Love mine.

Thanks mate!

 

Yes, CU-180. Mated quite well with the Allnic stabiliser.

 

Thinking of organising a Sydney GTG once CV19 under control. You in?

Edited July 22, 20214 yr by Tax

9 hours ago, PKay said:

Looks great. Will your bearing be okay with the weight?

Thank you!

I am using a special thrust pad made by @Shark which should be able to take the extra 3kg.

 

I guess time will tell. If there is bearing wear then I will either get another thrust pad made up or buy one of the newer machined spindle kits.

 

The Garrard certainly seems to benefit from the extra platter weight.

The new Beast (Commonwealth 12D3 with Ikeda 407 and Dynavector 507) is complete just in time for Christmas 😋

2 hours ago, Tax said:

The new Beast (Commonwealth 12D3 with Ikeda 407 and Dynavector 507) is complete just in time for Christmas 😋

How does it compare with your Garrard?

On 17/12/21 at 9:14 PM, PKay said:

How does it compare with your Garrard?

Got to listen  this morning. The two TT's are in two different rooms and set ups.

 

The Commonwealth was never set up so virtually 50 years new and needs a bit more run in time. Sounds fuller than the Garrard which has slightly better noise floor possibly due to the Audio Silente idler wheel and the new  thrust pad. Overall I am happy with how both TT's sound.

Brought these home today. 
 

Cutting down the start up time from 4 minutes to 2.

Waiting to fire them up after dark 😈

Yummyness 😋

Happy Colours

 

Tax is thinking about @metal beat and VPI RCM's 🤔.........

 

Tax to Mrs Tax:  Hon'  what do you think? Should I paint the plinth?

 

Mrs Tax: What colour were you thinking?

 

Tax is thinking of @Keithw 🤔 and says Ferrari Red 😋

 

Mrs Tax: ummmm! We need a happy colour, are you doing this to sell or enjoy for yourself.??????

 

Tax: To keep and enjoy for myself 😀

 

Mrs Tax: Then I say a happy colour like Yellow.... or that fresh Sunflower I got from the farm today.

 

Tax: 🥴🤪 Goes to Bunnings and collects colour cards in all shades of yellow.

 

Tax: sleeps on it for 3 restless nights 🤔🤔🤔

 

On the 4th day - Tax: Hon' what do you think about this nice metallic or hammertone grey? 😀

 

Mrs Tax: So meh! What is it with you audiophools? Everything is black or grey!

 

So this is how Tax ended up with "Happy Colours" to finish the Commonwealth journey🌻

Wow.  Lamborghini yello 🥳

Good solution. At least now it is uniform. 

4 hours ago, metal beat said:

Wow.  Lamborghini yello 🥳

I would call it CBA yellow 

3 minutes ago, vinilink said:

I would call it CBA yellow 

 

At least you didn't call it a New York yellow cab 

Edited March 3, 20224 yr by metal beat

45 minutes ago, vinilink said:

I would call it CBA yellow 

Ah ha! There must be something subliminal going on🤔

 

Could it be a coincidence that Mrs Tax works for CBA? 🤯

1 minute ago, Tax said:

Ah ha! There must be something subliminal going on🤔

 

Could it be a coincidence that Mrs Tax works for CBA? 🤯

 

Tax,  put a CBA logo on it and ask them to sponsor 🤑

5 minutes ago, metal beat said:

 

Tax,  put a CBA logo on it and ask them to sponsor 🤑

And next to the logo...which bank?

21 hours ago, metal beat said:

Wow.  Lamborghini yello 🥳

Yes, the pearlescent in it reacts to different lighting

Brave. 
I like it. 

This afternoon I was very appreciative of @nevillekapadia spending about 3 hours at my place helping me dial in the two systems.

 

We started on the small rig where the Garrard 401 is in the front lounge. I had moved the Miyabi cartridge onto the FR64s so needed his pair of ears in the sweet spot to help me dial in VTF and VTA by ear.

 

Once we were happy with the progress there we moved to the big rig with a pit stop via the kitchen to have some shaw and smith to further lubricate my ears and gullet.

 

Luckily Neville liked the Yellow plinth on the Commonwealth when he saw

it in the flesh. I had previously sent him photos but he was on the fence.

 

We started off with a CD in the big rig and I played "Unforgivable Blackness" a CD we are both familiar with and fully energises the room. It was the first time he was listening to my rehoused and tweaked 6C33C amplifiers.

 

I then played the Ikeda 407 and FR7f -s pairing and the DV507-ii and Lyra mono pairing. Again I was able to change the VTA and VTF till we got it to where we thought the sound was well balanced. I then started playing with further tuning by adding different platter mats and playing the same Nick Culp LP. We agreed that addition of the mats to the Commonwealth's stock platter was an improvement in providing better focus and imaging. We tried the Oyaide which was better than stock.
 

We then tried an original Micro Seiki CU mat which we liked as it gave us the best balance of breadth, depth and decay. 

I think the colour works well with the Commonwealth mechanism, tonearms and the Yellow.

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

Love it. 👍