Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

AnthonyI said:
I really like dealing with Upscale, every time I purchase something they send a "Thank you" email with a discount offer on your next purchase.......but I gotta be honest, I thought for sure there would be a loop hole "Oh, those don't qualify" or something of that nature, but no, they honored it with free shipping. Another company I really like had no discount and also wanted to charge $150 Freight..........I won't hold that against them, but yikes.
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Oooooo....they have the Marantz receiver I've been wanting to buy for the tv.
Hmmmm...
 
HiFi Guy said:
I would imagine Upscale does huge numbers and would rather make a sale than not. Normal markup on speakers and cartridges is 50% and electronics are 40%. Video is usually 16% which is why I avoided it like the plague when I was in the business.
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I was going to mention 50% on speakers being the norm.
Some companies give real grief to dealers for going below a certain percentage if they find about it. Some might even end the relationship with the dealer. But companies like Upscale and Music Direct get in a unique position because of the volume they push. They get to knock off an extra 5-10% that other dealers might get flack for. In turn, local customers will turn to those big online retailers for that extra discount, and suddenly the local guys just become a free showroom for demos that end up at online retailers, hence the lack of dealers.

This is also why so many dealers stick to stuff you can't get online, or the ultra high end (Magico, Rockport, Devore, etc.)

It's good for convince and customer pricing, but unfortunate for many local dealers.
 
displayname said:
I was going to mention 50% on speakers being the norm.
Some companies give real grief to dealers for going below a certain percentage if they find about it. Some might even end the relationship with the dealer. But companies like Upscale and Music Direct get in a unique position because of the volume they push. They get to knock off an extra 5-10% that other dealers might get flack for. In turn, local customers will turn to those big online retailers for that extra discount, and suddenly the local guys just become a free showroom for demos that end up at online retailers, hence the lack of dealers.

This is also why so many dealers stick to stuff you can't get online, or the ultra high end (Magico, Rockport, Devore, etc.)

It's good for convince and customer pricing, but unfortunate for many local dealers.
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Makes sense. I’m glad to have someone just a few miles away I can go to and actually audition the components I’m curious about. I was wondering how the pandemic might have affected his business, worried it might have knocked him out of the game, but he said he’s done well. At this point, I’d feel guilty buying from an online dealer, something that doesn’t concern me in quite the same way when it comes to vinyl! :rolleyes:
 
The Zephyr sounded much better to me today. The imaging seems improved, mids a bit warmer and the highs clearer. I could chalk it up to listener adjustment, except that a track that sometimes gives me drums issues was very clear, also the xylophone on Ella Christmas album on the ART was alway off to the right and clear even though it presents as background on a particular track. The SS was burying it at first. Today it was very clear and off to the right though not as far.

I'll update after I try it at 65db and 470ohms but I may have a winner after all.
 
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i feel like because sumiko is now putting their cartridges on pro-ject turntables, i wonder if the sumiko moonstone is going to become the new ortofon 2M blue... where everyone starts with a rainier and everyone says it either sucks or should be upgraded to a moonstone stylus
 
Had a go at installing my first cartridge. Think if I wasn’t dealing with vintage tech it would have gone better.

So, I’m installing into an old Lenco headshell, which doesn’t screw from the top. I basically have to instal the cart on a wee sled, then instal that into the headshell proper.

The problem is that the AT screws are ever so slightly bigger than the holes in the sled, and the old screws don’t thread through the cartridge. I’m checking in the Lenco forum, but I think I need to make the holes bigger to get it all to work.

Very nearly had it nailed.

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Thackeraye said:
Had a go at installing my first cartridge. Think if I wasn’t dealing with vintage tech it would have gone better.

So, I’m installing into an old Lenco headshell, which doesn’t screw from the top. I basically have to instal the cart on a wee sled, then instal that into the headshell proper.

The problem is that the AT screws are ever so slightly bigger than the holes in the sled, and the old screws don’t thread through the cartridge. I’m checking in the Lenco forum, but I think I need to make the holes bigger to get it all to work.

Very nearly had it nailed.

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I think I'd try my best to find the right screws. Once you mess with those holes, there won't be any going back!

The problem I run into all too often with vintage head shells is that in trying to get the leads attached to the cartridge, I invariably break one of them off at the soldered connection point, and then I'm just basically screwed. So be extra careful when you move those wires around (which becomes more difficult the closer the connecting end of the cart is to the soldered ends of the wires).
 
Russ I said:
I think I'd try my best to find the right screws. Once you mess with those holes, there won't be any going back!

The problem I run into all too often with vintage head shells is that in trying to get the leads attached to the cartridge, I invariably break one of them off at the soldered connection point, and then I'm just basically screwed. So be extra careful when you move those wires around (which becomes more difficult the closer the connecting end of the cart is to the soldered ends of the wires).
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Luckily, I have a spare, as well as a 3D printed version that's a bit more like a modern shell. I can install the cart the normal way using that, but the lead connecters were a little bit pinched in, so they couldn't connect to the cart. Playing with them worried me more, so I reverted back to the old shell.

Waiting to see what the Lenco experts say...
 
Last Zephyr update: I LOVE it! At 470 with 64db it's really fantastic. The low mid punch is back with just a little roundness (though not as much as the ART-9). The tight bass is there but more extended. The Drums are where I want them in the mix, and the highs are both clear and more revealing than the ART 9. I think I'm done with my equipment journey for the foreseeable future. I'm going to enjoy the listening to and buying music.
 
VMPKJ said:
Last Zephyr update: I LOVE it! At 470 with 64db it's really fantastic. The low mid punch is back with just a little roundness (though not as much as the ART-9). The tight bass is there but more extended. The Drums are where I want them in the mix, and the highs are both clear and more revealing than the ART 9. I think I'm done with my equipment journey for the foreseeable future. I'm going to enjoy the listening to and buying music.
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I actually just popped my Sutherland down to 475ohm and am going to spend some time listening!

I’m very glad you’ve warmed up to the MIMC. I love mine.
 
I’m going to be changing up our tv stand and the length of said stand will be longer than our current one, plus my wife just told me that the Pioneer floor speakers are ugly, so it looks like I’ll be in the market for a decent bookshelf that can handle 2.0 movie/tv, CD, and streaming sounds. Oh, I guess they don’t have to look ugly too. 🤪
 
Ginormousthumbs said:
I’m going to be changing up our tv stand and the length of said stand will be longer than our current one, plus my wife just told me that the Pioneer floor speakers are ugly, so it looks like I’ll be in the market for a decent bookshelf that can handle 2.0 movie/tv, CD, and streaming sounds. Oh, I guess they don’t have to look ugly too. 🤪
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Not sure what your price range is, but the Polk LSIM 703s blow my old ELAC F6 (floorstanding) speakers out of the water.
 
Ginormousthumbs said:
I’m going to be changing up our tv stand and the length of said stand will be longer than our current one, plus my wife just told me that the Pioneer floor speakers are ugly, so it looks like I’ll be in the market for a decent bookshelf that can handle 2.0 movie/tv, CD, and streaming sounds. Oh, I guess they don’t have to look ugly too. 🤪
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The Wharfedale dentons are pretty looking speakers that everyone who has bought them on here likes. If you can get away with larger standmounts I’m absolutely loving the Wharfedale Lintons right now and they look stunning!
 
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I am thinking about upgrading my turntable. Currently I have an AT LP120 with a Nagaoka MP110 hooked up to a Vincent Pho-8. I like the look of the Fluance RT85 or Pro-ject X series. I like the buttons or switches for changing RPM, so that eliminates U-turn or Rega. AT's are nice, but I'm not digging the industrial look anymore.

My budget is $1000-$1500. I don't necessarily want a new phono stage, so what turntable would make the most sense with using the Pho-8?

Thanks!
 
cul8er said:
I am thinking about upgrading my turntable. Currently I have an AT LP120 with a Nagaoka MP110 hooked up to a Vincent Pho-8. I like the look of the Fluance RT85 or Pro-ject X series. I like the buttons or switches for changing RPM, so that eliminates U-turn or Rega. AT's are nice, but I'm not digging the industrial look anymore.

My budget is $1000-$1500. I don't necessarily want a new phono stage, so what turntable would make the most sense with using the Pho-8?

Thanks!
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You are clearly in MoFi Studiodeck territory.
 
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