Trans Fi Salvation rim drive tt and Terminator air-bearing linear tracking arm

Finally after 22 long months, I get my analog rig reinstalled. If there’s any interest in it, I’m very happy to chat further.
To kick off, here’s the link to the designer’s web page:

www.trans-fi.com Step009.jpg
 
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Eera Tentation.
IMHO still untouched as one-box cdp.
I owned the Marantz SA1 and Emm Labs CDSA-SE before buying the Eera, and had on loan or auditioned at length, the Audiomeca Mephisto, Reimyo CDP777, Linn CD12, and AMR CD77, and the Eera handily won out against these.
 
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I was v tempted by the Neodio one-box (model prior to Origine), but the Eera was available for trial way easier, even though it had to be sent to me by Cor Dekker in NL.
Complements my analog v well, w the Eera having a lot of analog sensibility natural warmth (tone and timbre rendered v well) and tonal discrimination (discs all sound different, not homogenised), and my analog having some of the best attributes the domain of digital, macrodynamics, image stability, bass drive.
 
Thanks Mark, that’s what I thought it might be. I see they have some new models including a transport only. Did you ever try one of the Metronome CD’s?
 
Only heard one of the top Metronomes at the London launch of ML Neoliths.
Didn’t quite speak to me.
Indeed, reminded me of the bad days of 1980’s cd replay (only the Accuphases and Marantz CS12/DA12 SE sounded at all musical from that period).
No other experience.
The Eera is a totally different ball game to my tastes.
 
Hey, we may all disagree about everything in audio.
But we can all agree on one thing.
The best upgrades are the ones that cost nothing

So Ra goes out for the day, and I get the chance to raise the rafters (quite literally w the audio room in the roof space).
And what do I discover? That my Zu subs bass crossover settings are too high, at really high volume the bass was too thick, one note, and smearing the mids. And it struck me that this may well be majorly contributing to the last reservations I have w my analog sound thru my Zus/NATs ie my well documented mids opaqueness and lack of last degree of treble definition/air.
The Zu FRDs spec down to 40Hz, but have useable output down to 30Hz too, and then drop dramatically to cross to the subs for 30Hz and below.
So I’ve taken my Zus subs settings down from 40 to 30Hz, and level from 5/10 to btwn 3-4/10.
And voila, instant upstick - the mids are much less cloudy, fine detail, trails, shimmer, reverb, that are functions of treble definition are much more evident, and ironically less bass is more bass ie less bass smear/bloat/bleed into mids is more bass definition/speed/natural detail, so that bass lines, kick drums are more in evidence w less stress.
And musical communication and enjoyment take a major step up.
And critically (for a while at least) squashes any compulsion to be looking past my Zus, to horns etc.
The best upgrades are certainly the free ones.
 
Only heard one of the top Metronomes at the London launch of ML Neoliths.
Didn’t quite speak to me.
Indeed, reminded me of the bad days of 1980’s cd replay (only the Accuphases and Marantz CS12/DA12 SE sounded at all musical from that period).
No other experience.
The Eera is a totally different ball game to my tastes.

An unfortunate choice of amplification contributed to a pretty disastrous launch day of the ML Neoliths at KJW1, the Metronome digital front end being equilly as compromised IMHO.

Having demoed that same Metronome Kalista Ref and Electra PS with ARC valve pre and power into ML CLX's, it was quite exceptional, Albee it at price. I also found the latest CD8 Sig Tube further down the Metronome range to be an excellent single box CD player.
 
Well as always, it’s in the setup.
FWIW, I’ve avoided all other product launches there, that day was a bit of an anti climax.
Luckily I’ve found great digital under £10k and great analog under £16k.
 
Well as always, it’s in the setup.
FWIW, I’ve avoided all other product launches there, that day was a bit of an anti climax.
Luckily I’ve found great digital under £10k and great analog under £16k.

I certainly haven't taken that view based on that one isolated experience, the main demo room downstairs at KJ is a superb space to try out new or existing equipment IMHO with access to some very nice HiFi toys indeed.

FYI the staff at KJ had spent the entire evening prior to the event painstakingly positioning the Neoliths to, in their opinion, best advantage, only to find the ML exec who hosted the demo completely altered the position and aspect of the speakers on the morning of the event.

Btw, the amplification was the directive of the distributer and would not have been the choice of the staff.

Fwiw the MT CD8 T can also be had for under £10K.
 
About to order a potentially fascinating change to my Terminator linear tracking tonearm.

Switching the stock Aluminium armwand for one made of carbon fibre. It's 2x lighter, but maintains same stiffness I believe.

Early reports are of greater neutrality, resolution of low level detail, microdynamics.

Y'know, all the good stuff LOL.

A snip at €200 delivered to UK.

Also ordered, a bespoke one piece slate stand for my Stacored tt. 7" high overall, 2" thick slate tier, to get my Salvation tt off the floor, enabling me to both get level independent of the floor, and somewhat out of harms way re floor firing Zu subs. Looks plenty cool too.
 
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About to order a potentially fascinating change to my Terminator linear tracking tonearm.

Switching the stock Aluminium armwand for one made of carbon fibre. It's 2x lighter, but maintains same stiffness I believe.

.

Carbon fiber ..... promising concept.
I built (in home made) a short Tone Arm in PCB (industrial fiberglass double-sided copper).
Music in heaven .....
 
Carolus, I can imagine very satisfying getting great results from yr own craftsmanship.

There is likely to be an upgrade to Terminator of carbon fibre slider as well.
 
I'm also going to order the new arm wand, as well as some cabling. My table still isn't up and running, but I have faith that this will be a better option.
 
Lordcloud, I'm sticking w my existing Silver Litz wiring, and hence the existing method to support the cable loom (ie not moving to the Molex connector).

Early reports from Vic are highly promising on Andrey's carbon fibre wand. With SOTA linear trackers like the Vyger arm also being of carbon fibre, I think this is a logical avenue to try.

Did you know Andrey also about to release a version of Terminator in all-carbon fibre, incl manifold and sleeve.
 
Lordcloud, I'm sticking w my existing Silver Litz wiring, and hence the existing method to support the cable loom (ie not moving to the Molex connector).

Early reports from Vic are highly promising on Andrey's carbon fibre wand. With SOTA linear trackers like the Vyger arm also being of carbon fibre, I think this is a logical avenue to try.

Did you know Andrey also about to release a version of Terminator in all-carbon fibre, incl manifold and sleeve.


I don't have the silver litz wiring. I have copper, it's too short for my set up, and it's terminated in rca connectors but I need a balanced cable.

It makes sense to me to go with carbon fiber. I'm very interested in hearing what you think of it.

I did not know that.....that seems very interesting. I will have to try and find some reports on it.
 
Lordcloud, Andrey's reimagined Terminator in all-carbon fibre is still to be released.

FWIW, it may be a step too far. My good friend on this forum who also runs a carbon fibre wand linear tracker is not convinced going 100% carbon fibre to the whole apparatus is necessarily a good idea.

For me, I may well stick at the wand and go no further.

Btw, are you aware of the new and impvd Al arm mount for the Terminator? I have it installed, and it takes the performance of the arm up a serious notch.
 
Lordcloud, Andrey's reimagined Terminator in all-carbon fibre is still to be released.

FWIW, it may be a step too far. My good friend on this forum who also runs a carbon fibre wand linear tracker is not convinced going 100% carbon fibre to the whole apparatus is necessarily a good idea.

For me, I may well stick at the wand and go no further.

Btw, are you aware of the new and impvd Al arm mount for the Terminator? I have it installed, and it takes the performance of the arm up a serious notch.

I got a new arm mount a little while back from the guys at Darklantern. Haven't been able to try it out yet, but I've read that it is a leap in performance.
 

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