MoFi UltraDeck / StudioDeck Owners and those interested

HayesWeighsIn said:
I'm a current StudioDeck owner who spent a day with an UltraDeck in one of my systems - the one with the Decware tube amp shown in my signature.
The UltraDeck definitely has more isolation with more to the plinth and a bigger platter. I've acoustically always found Delrin to be quite dry, on the darker side, and dampened, so for me, the extra isolation wasn't something I found necessary. The Cardas wiring in the UD, that's for sure a plus. Same length arm, but the UD has improved bearings and material composition. It did not strike me as a night and day difference from the SD, but again, only spent a day with it.
From a tactile standpoint, the UD definitely has a bit of a more robust feel in your hands, but it doesn't by any means make the SD feel cheap in any way. Motor is the same in both, if I'm not mistaken, and a hell of a good one at that. No speed controller and it is bang on to my ear.
Though they came into play at different times, ultimately I own and am very happy with my StudioDeck, and never have a situation where I say, gee you know the UltraDeck would really shine on X record in comparison to the SD, so I think that may hopefully answer your question/tame the tiger. I think @Static Shock is right in not to get pulled into the rabbit hole too far! The MoFi decks have a distinct voice, and it is firmly on display in both decks.
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There are some good arguments to get a UD. I have been tweaking my system a bit lately. New cables, a slate isolation plate for my SD. Some decoupling for my speakers (which made a massive difference). Unfortunately, I want a tiny bit more.
 
AndreasT said:
There are some good arguments to get a UD. I have been tweaking my system a bit lately. New cables, a slate isolation plate for my SD. Some decoupling for my speakers (which made a massive difference). Unfortunately, I want a tiny bit more.
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Isolating my speakers was the one upgrade that my wife noticed and went wow, that sounds great.
 
HayesWeighsIn said:
I'm a current StudioDeck owner who spent a day with an UltraDeck in one of my systems - the one with the Decware tube amp shown in my signature.
The UltraDeck definitely has more isolation with more to the plinth and a bigger platter. I've acoustically always found Delrin to be quite dry, on the darker side, and dampened, so for me, the extra isolation wasn't something I found necessary. The Cardas wiring in the UD, that's for sure a plus. Same length arm, but the UD has improved bearings and material composition. It did not strike me as a night and day difference from the SD, but again, only spent a day with it.
From a tactile standpoint, the UD definitely has a bit of a more robust feel in your hands, but it doesn't by any means make the SD feel cheap in any way. Motor is the same in both, if I'm not mistaken, and a hell of a good one at that. No speed controller and it is bang on to my ear.
Though they came into play at different times, ultimately I own and am very happy with my StudioDeck, and never have a situation where I say, gee you know the UltraDeck would really shine on X record in comparison to the SD, so I think that may hopefully answer your question/tame the tiger. I think @Static Shock is right in not to get pulled into the rabbit hole too far! The MoFi decks have a distinct voice, and it is firmly on display in both decks.
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In my case I would stayed with the StudioDeck had it not been the issue of damage . Both the StudioDeck and UltraDeck were store demos so if I wanted a Mofi deck , I had to take the UltraDeck . At that point I was committed to a Mofi TT so it was the UltraDeck . The dealer suggested that the order of magnitude change would not be all that great ---a 70/30 or 80/20 thing .
 
Static Shock said:
Of all my upgrades using the Gaia series isolation from IsoAcoustics was a major one . I needed to get my floor speakers up so I put them on low stands with the Gaia and it made a world of difference .
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Spending a day positioning my speakers also made a big difference.

Another thought, from my for or against list, would be the upgradability of cartridges in the future. A higher value cartridge would make more sense on the UD which results in possible better sound.
 
AndreasT said:
Spending a day positioning my speakers also made a big difference.

Another thought, from my for or against list, would be the upgradability of cartridges in the future. A higher value cartridge would make more sense on the UD which results in possible better sound.
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I played around with the speaker placement when I first got the TT and have it close kind of . Unfortunately the room its in has a lot of dimensions that impact the sound and not easy to resolve . Maybe this winter when the winter snow storms hit , I will try to tweek the speakers again . My UltraDeck came with the MasterTracker cart. and I feel no need to upgrade it at this point . Other rabbit hole dwellers on the forum have a lot of cart. experience , and a look back at the 126 pages of comments would be a good starting place . When I first joined , I started at page one and learned quite a bit in the process.
 
Static Shock said:
A question about the frequency for changing the belt . My deck will be 2 years old next spring . I check the speed once in a while using a phone app and it has been running at the correct speed . Like a lot of people I give the platter a nudge to help it get up to speed . Some of you have had your decks long enough to consider a new belt . I think I read somewhere the recommendation was 2 to 3 years . My local dealer is no more as they said MOFI changed their dealer network and they no longer are a dealer . Closest dealer is now around 3 hours away which is a pain
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I changed my belt one time. I did so because I noticed the timing was off. Wasn’t massively off but I put on one of my favorite albums and it just didn’t feel right. Checked speed to confirm, called music direct and they charged it over the phone since it wasn’t listed on the website.

I think it was $35 all in. Haven’t given it another thought since.
 
Hi all, I have been a bit of a lurker here, dropping by only occasionally.

I’ve had my Ultradeck + Ultratracker and a Studiophono since 2019 and love it. I think the sound of this combo is getting better and better if that’s possible.

I posted here soon after I got them as I had an issue with the small rubber ‘O’ ring between the headshell and tonearm perishing noticeably. Didn’t seem to be an issue with others, so I kind of decided to just live with it. The general feeling here was it was purely cosmetic so just let it be.

Then about a year ago I noticed two other things. Two of the four screws that secure the motor to the deck started rusting. Then when I went to adjust the level of the deck one time (about six months ago) I discovered the front left-hand HRS foot was seized in place and couldn’t be shifted.

Hmmm. Not good for an expensive bit of kit. I decided I now had three things needing fixing, so I sought out one of the local ‘authorised repairers’ recommended by the distributors here in Sydney, Australia hoping they could be addressed by an ‘expert’ and also done under warranty as they were each just poor design things from the factory.

He had no idea about what to do about any of the issues. He ordered the ‘O’ ring part but thought that the whole arm needed to be taken apart to get it in place - from the rear end of the tonearm! He said he’d take out the motor screws, clean them up and refit. And he didn’t want to touch the HRS foot at all, fearing that twisting it to get it undone could take the whole screw socket out of the body of the turntable (or as I now understand, break off the screw thread from the body of the HRS foot as it is only made of plastic).

Long and short of it was he had the Ultradeck for a month and did not do anything to it. Oh, and the local distributors refused to pay for any repairs under warranty (though they did provide the ‘O’ ring free). So, after a month I brought home the deck still with my three faults.

Frustrated, I decided I’d give it a go and do the repairs myself. The first thing I did though was read every entry of this fantastic forum - and you guys equipped me not only with the info I needed but also the confidence to tackle the jobs myself (I’m not that mechanically gifted!)

So, thanks all. As of this afternoon everything on the Ultradeck is fixed and it is spinning like a top. I even got some of the special white lithium grease recommended here and have lubricated the platter bearing hub. Can post some before and after pics if anyone is interested. Cheers!
 
Beatlesblogger said:
Looks like the MasterDeck is finally officially released.
Article, pics, links and a video here:
MoFi’s MasterDeck is a beast of a high-end turntable | Darko.Audio
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I really, REALLY, like this deck..........which is not a good sign, lol.

That said, I've been able to talk myself off the ledge due to one simple thing, and it's important to me at this point in my life, a removable head shell. Honestly, with my eyes getting older, hands not as nimble and all that goes with just getting older, a removable head shell is a huge, almost non-negotiable, option for me.

So what happens a few days ago? My guy at MoFi reaches out, out of the blue about the new cartridge. We chat about a few things, then we get on the discussion of the MasterDeck and ultimately I mention the removable head shell issue being my "hesitation", and apparently, there is a set screw on the head shell that allows it to be removed to mount the cart.

This all being posted before watching the vid by the way ;)



......after watching the vid, F**K 😖 (5:05 ON THE VID)
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kvetcha said:
Lead us not into temptation
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dwayne-johnson-its-gonna-be-ok.gif
;)
 
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