MoFi UltraDeck / StudioDeck Owners and those interested

[Nee Lewman]

I’ll let you know. Just depends if it gets grabbed off my MusicDirect list for the holidays. Thanks for the input. I’m coming off a shure v15 type iii so I was just looking for a new cart that would hopefully be an upgrade. Was looking at the Hana EL but liked the aesthetic and price on the Opus better since it was on sale at MusicDirect. I’d definitely be open to more input on cart selection but funds may possibly be more limited than most in this group judging by some of the gear you guys run.

I mean… get an Opus and a wiim and see what else you want down the line.

 

[Nee Lewman]

I thought you were more of a knife guy

Axe:

 

[AnthonyI]

Shots fired

............wait, did someone take the sign down at the front door?

 

[r0ck33]

They’re just not the same class of speaker, but I certainly understand wanting to downsize.

This is great information. I will probably stick to my Cornwallis then unless the Wharfedales end up being grabbed of my wishlist for the holiday. I do enjoy their sound. I just have way too much gear and I would like to get the space back. I don’t need a R2R, eq, 8track, cassette deck, tuner, and amp all because they’re Pioneer and look good together.

Don’t worry, hang out here long enough and you’ll start finding ways to buy stuff you can’t afford like the rest of us

I’m already REAL good at that. Just ask my wife.


I have too much gear.

 

[kvetcha]

Find someone to who’ll trade you Fortes for your Cornwalls! They’re technically smaller.

 

[r0ck33]

I've had a lot of cartridges, and I mean a lot, lol, but with all the carts passing through and being moved on, I can say the Opus3 is still in my rotation.

This seems to match what I’ve read in the “research” I’ve been doing over the past several days and that’s why I threw the Opus in my wish list. Of what’s left there, that’s the one thing off that list that I hope makes it my way. Maybe the Grado SR-60X too.

 

[r0ck33]

I mean… get an Opus and a wiim and see what else you want down the line.

This reminds me of another question. I was looking at a Wiim or Ifi for Bluetooth or streaming addition since I ended up with the Marantz PM6007 over the PM7000N. What are the thoughts on this? Worth the added expense over the basic BT adapter in my current setup?

 

[Nee Lewman]

This reminds me of another question. I was looking at a Wiim or Ifi for Bluetooth or streaming addition since I ended up with the Marantz PM6007 over the PM7000N. What are the thoughts on this? Worth the added expense over the basic BT adapter in my current setup?

Wiim is the way to go. Nice interface and will complement the sound your system can make as opposed to diminishing the source through Bluetooth.

 

[r0ck33]

Wiim is the way to go. Nice interface and will complement the sound your system can make as opposed to diminishing the source through Bluetooth.

Is there a model you recommend for best bang for your buck. Hate to spend too much as I could just see if MusicDirect will let me exchange the PM6007 toward a PM7000N and I pay the less than $300 difference Before I even open it.

 

[Nee Lewman]

Is there a model you recommend for best bang for your buck. Hate to spend too much as I could just see if MusicDirect will let me exchange the PM6007 toward a PM7000N and I pay the less than $300 difference Before I even open it.

I mean you should be able to get a wiim mini for like $80. You have a dac in the pm6007, no idea how good it is but you can do optical in and compare to rca in and use whichever you like. Since you have an integrated you don’t need to spend anymore than that.

 

[LiamGallaghersBucketHat]

I originally planned to trade it and most of my other vintage gear in locally for possible vintage upgrades but after deciding to go this route, I figured I’d try to sell locally to avoid shipping. Depending on the thoughts of the members here, I was wondering if it would be worth keeping to have a dedicated mono table, swap between mono and stereo carts on the StudioDeck, or settle for one cart for now and see where that takes me.

I don’t know if this is weird but I don’t know that I want to mix modern and vintage gear.

As a former vintage setup owner, I loved my 530. A couple of years ago, it had some mechanical issues that I thought were fixed. 6 months later, same issue. Frustrated, I decided to go modern with the UltraDeck. I love that table as well, but I missed the automatic features of the 530.
So this summer I took to another shop and had it fixed one last time. I have both tables in my system and just have them take turns.
Your table looks like it’s in fantastic shape and I’m sure you could sell it for somewhere in the $300-$500 range. Maybe more, but since you mentioned mono, it might be easier for you to keep that table because of the removable head shell.
Just some food for thought

 

[kvetcha]

As a former vintage setup owner, I loved my 530. A couple of years ago, it had some mechanical issues that I thought were fixed. 6 months later, same issue. Frustrated, I decided to go modern with the UltraDeck. I love that table as well, but I missed the automatic features of the 530.
So this summer I took to another shop and had it fixed one last time. I have both tables in my system and just have them take turns.
Your table looks like it’s in fantastic shape and I’m sure you could sell it for somewhere in the $300-$500 range. Maybe more, but since you mentioned mono, it might be easier for you to keep that table because of the removable head shell.
Just some food for thought

Good call, I did mean to mention the lack of swappable headshell on the MoFi.

 

[r0ck33]

since you mentioned mono, it might be easier for you to keep that table because of the removable head shell.

Good call, I did mean to mention the lack of swappable headshell on the MoFi.

I may give that a try. I have always wanted to have a mono set up as well so maybe this is my excuse to do so. The 530 is mechanically strong. However, the idio… I mean individual who sold it to me left parts that got loose and bounced around under the still attached dustcover during shipping (still makes me cringe), leaving small nicks and scrapes on the metal detail on the tt. So painful.

 

[HayesWeighsIn]

Welcome @r0ck33! Fellow StudioDeck spinner here, just wanted to chime in and say that for $699, you will not be disappointed with it. Heck of a deal.

I'm currently using an AT VM95ML with it believe it or not, and that little cart astonishes me. The only other microline cart I've had experience with is an Ortofon 2M Bronze which I found to be harsh, sterile, and having virtually no low end. Microlines do lean much more toward the analytical side of the spectrum, but I have nothing but smiles when listening to that setup. It's an amazing tracker.

I've had many, many hours on an Opus3 on my VPI. It's a wonderfully musical cart for the genres you're planning to listen to with a very wide soundstage. I plan to trade mine up the Timbre line at some point.

 

[r0ck33]

I've had many, many hours on an Opus3 on my VPI. It's a wonderfully musical cart for the genres you're planning to listen to with a very wide soundstage. I plan to trade mine up the Timbre line at some point

Thanks for “weighing in”. Your thoughts seem to be in line with what I was thinking after reading review after review and considering what I felt most comfortable as a starting cart budget. Feels good to get supporting feedback from those with experience and knowledge on a subject I’m not confident in yet. Can’t imagine myself continuing to climb the audiophile ladder but you never know.

 

[r0ck33]

I'm currently using an AT VM95ML with it believe it or not, and that little cart astonishes me. The only other microline cart I've had experience with is an Ortofon 2M Bronze which I found to be harsh, sterile, and having virtually no low end

i was considering the bronze and maybe a matching mono before settling on the StudioDeck so very good to know that it doesn’t seem to be as good a match for the sound I’m looking for compared to the Opus. You’ll have to let me know what you think as you climb the Timbre line. I thought about going up one but read so many good things about the Opus that I figured I’d start there with the better price point. Excited to get this stuff in hand. Literally feel like a kid waiting for Christmas.

 

[AnthonyI]

i was considering the bronze and maybe a matching mono before settling on the StudioDeck so very good to know that it doesn’t seem to be as good a match for the sound I’m looking for compared to the Opus. You’ll have to let me know what you think as you climb the Timbre line. I thought about going up one but read so many good things about the Opus that I figured I’d start there with the better price point. Excited to get this stuff in hand. Literally feel like a kid waiting for Christmas.

Going along with my Opus3, which is now the back up for when my cart goes in for a re-tip, I was going to originally go with the Platinum3, but after a few conversations with Rich Grado opted to jump over that and settle on the Sonata3.

The Sonata has been perfectly amazing and hits all the sound characteristics I've wanted and I'm seriously considering getting it's Mono counterpart to along with it

 

[r0ck33]

The Sonata has been perfectly amazing and hits all the sound characteristics I've wanted and I'm seriously considering getting it's Mono counterpart to along with it

After reading about the Timbre line it seemed that the Platinum (original first pick) didn’t offer enough over their Opus for me to want to pay the extra. I’m thinking that maybe the Sonata and the mono counterpart would be the ultimate cart goal for me but we’ll see.

Do you have a dedicated mono set up?

 

[AnthonyI]

Do you have a dedicated mono set up?

I do not, but having a removable head shell and carts with matching specs makes it so easy. I have noticed enough of a difference on my system when using a mono cart with mono pressings to want to add a mono cart back into the mix. I've had Grado Gold and Ortofon Quintet Stereo/Mono combos and while I know "technically" new mono pressings aren't the same thing as "actual" mono pressings, there is a noticeable difference and "authenticity" to running a mono cart with mono pressings, new or old.

Of course this is all subjective, but I found it to be worth the investment enough to consider it again.

 

[r0ck33]

Of course this is all subjective, but I found it to be worth the investment enough to consider it again.

I’ve been really curious to do something for mono pressings being being the majority of my listening will be classic jazz pressings. I’d really love to hear my Are You Experienced mono original pressing through a mono cart.

I’m assuming switching carts on the studiodeck would be a ridiculous method so maybe worth keeping my pl530 as a mono deck. Who knows, maybe I’ll love my mofi so much that I’ll eventually get a ultradeck and turn the studiodeck into my mono deck.