I’m using a Parasound a21+ and p6
MoFi UltraDeck / StudioDeck Owners and those interested
- Thread starter AnthonyI
- Start date
Bohunk
New Member
When I switched from the Sumiko Blue Point 2 to the 2M Bronze, I expected to hear an improvement as the Sumiko had a lot of hours on it and, at 2.5 mV, was always a bit under-powered for my system. I was just stunned at the difference, even with zero break-in time on the 2M. Every tweak I have made to my system has been to optimize performance at comfortable (relatively low) volume. That brings in all that Fletcher–Munson / ISO 226 loudness contour, but within my system the challenge has been keeping the mids present and clear / precise without the highs getting crisp or shrill. The Bronze was like the missing piece. Excellent detail and separation without a hint of sibilance.
kvetcha
Chet Hanks' Filmography Buff
The Parasound has a 1V input sensitivity so you could give 46db a shot. It'll be louder, so it might be more immediately appealing.
displayname
Well-Known Member
Following up on this situation, and I have to say Mofi is really going above and beyond.
They gave me two options:
1 - send the table in and they would have the new motor installed on my existing table, and they'd cover shipping both ways.
2 - they send me a new B-stock table at no cost to me, I keep my current table, AND they suggested I keep the motor they already sent me so I would have a backup motor in the event this ever happened again.
I ultimately chose option #2. That way I can hang onto my table until I'm ready to make the install and pass it along to someone for a very reduced price so they can enjoy it or attempt to fix the table. This also will help offset the cost to have another professional install done, which is what I was truly most frustrated about.
The best part of all, they called me to talk through the options rather than continuing with the email chain. I really appreciated that. I had the same person helping me through the entire process, and the only time I had a delay of more than a day was when he was out at Axpona (which is reasonable). He was also very appreciative that I was an early adopter with one of the earliest version of this table on the market. All in all, I'm impressed with the efforts they have gone for support here. Still sucks that it happened, but this is the type of support you expect in the hifi world.
Slimwhit33
Well-Known Member
They treated me similarly years ago when I had an issue with my first UD. Top notch service all the way.
displayname
Well-Known Member
New mofi gear at the start of this video.
New deck above the UD. New phono below the MasterPhono. New arms not shown but teased.
New deck above the UD. New phono below the MasterPhono. New arms not shown but teased.
Bohunk
New Member
So, I had an intermittent buzz through the speakers on my system. It came through both speakers but was significantly louder on the right. Knob turning confirmed it was somewhere within the phono preamp. The volume of the buzz followed the gain on the preamp. Tube swapping confirmed it was not a bad tube.
I had ordered a new set of cables with the UltraDeck, but had not installed them. I wanted my old system (with decade-old cables from Best Buy) while deciding on the cartridge. I remember reading cables could be noisy so, having settled on the Ortofon 2M Bronze, I swapped them. I had purchased Tributaries Series 4 Phono Interconnects (1.5M with turntable ground wire) and Tributaries Series 4 RCA Interconnects (1M).
The buzz is gone. I can crank the pre-amp gain all the way and can barely hear it with ear to the speaker. I played again the album I had just listened to (Beck, Morning Phase) and it sounded better. Was it the buzzing that was still present but inaudible with the old cables? I can’t say anything like ‘the mids were more present’. It was just better.
The journey continues.
I had ordered a new set of cables with the UltraDeck, but had not installed them. I wanted my old system (with decade-old cables from Best Buy) while deciding on the cartridge. I remember reading cables could be noisy so, having settled on the Ortofon 2M Bronze, I swapped them. I had purchased Tributaries Series 4 Phono Interconnects (1.5M with turntable ground wire) and Tributaries Series 4 RCA Interconnects (1M).
The buzz is gone. I can crank the pre-amp gain all the way and can barely hear it with ear to the speaker. I played again the album I had just listened to (Beck, Morning Phase) and it sounded better. Was it the buzzing that was still present but inaudible with the old cables? I can’t say anything like ‘the mids were more present’. It was just better.
The journey continues.
mindhead1
Well-Known Member
I had buzzing with a the stock UltraDeck cables into my DL MP7B preamp. That ended when I added a Bluejean cable from the TT to the MP7B.
mindhead1
Well-Known Member
I wonder if those tone arms will be an upgrade option for UltraDeck owners.
kvetcha
Chet Hanks' Filmography Buff
Well, it took a little while, but it's hard to complain about that outcome.
Bohunk
New Member
I was always a ‘cables are snake oil’ guy. The signal either gets there or it doesn’t. In my naïveté I completely overlooked shielding. Also, if copper is demonstrably a better conductor than aluminum, then can’t the same be said for types of copper? Anyway, I am keeping the cables. And throwing a suspicious eye at my speaker cables . . .
displayname
Well-Known Member
It might be. The mentioned it while showing the new Fender deck, and that deck had the current arm on it at the show. The ability to upgrade the arm would be appealing.
Mather
Unknown Member
Big difference also between copper and silver. I don't like silver for speaker cables because on my system they play very harsh with really elevated highs. But on some darker tube systems I could see them working really well.
displayname
Well-Known Member
Or darker speakers. All kinds of combinations. Goes back to that synergy situation.
It has crossed my mind to go all silver on interconnects and then copper or blended weaves for the speakers. And this option paralysis is why I haven't changed out as many cables, lol.
Ghost
Original Resident Ghost
Yeah, idk, there's a clear difference in my system buzz/hiss when I swap out the Technics 1200G stock interconnects for my BJC... like its so much worse on the BJCs then my cheapies for whatever reason lol. Also sometimes cables will change it from a hiss to a buzz and vise versa. I dont understand this weird part of it all lol
Mather
Unknown Member
I'm very curious to see if your new fancy cables totally eliminate this issue.
Ghost
Original Resident Ghost
Same actually, imagine it makes it worse lmfao.
Mather
Unknown Member
I doubt it but hum is a bitch when it appears, who knows
Bohunk
New Member
On my preamp, I was able to swap out tubes as a first check. It was not the tubes, and luckily it was the cables. In your case, if the better cables actually enhance the noise does it make sense the noise is generated by the amp and the cables are more accurately carrying that signal? I am just spitballing here as I don’t believe the cables are advertised as filtering noise.
Mather
Unknown Member
My thought process is that it's likely RFI or something in the environment so hopefully the shielding on these new ones will help. But if that's not the case then no they likely won't.