Ron's Speaker, Turntable, Power and Room Treatment Upgrades

[Ron Resnick]

Ron, I think an Air Tight cartridge might solve your compatibility issue. (and knowing your sonic preferences, you will love its sound)

Thank you, Keith. At this point I feel I have a compatibilty concern (or a potential issue), but not yet an issue.

Let's see what Jim White says . . .

Has anyone compared the Air Tight PC-1 Supreme or the Air Tight Opus to the ZXY UNIverse Premium?

 

[Ron Resnick]

I only want one (1) tonearm and (1) cartridge.

However, I am thinking it would be very nice to have the ZYX UNIverse Premium on the SME 3012R -- a combination I know I like -- and a Koetsu Coralstone or Blue Lace on an Ikeda IT-407. These combinations might yield an interesting, and perhaps merely subtle, contrast.

 

[bonzo75]

I only want one (1) tonearm and (1) cartridge.

However, I am thinking it would be very nice to have the ZYX UNIverse Premium on the SME 3012R -- a combination I know I like -- and a Koetsu Coralstone or Blue Lace on an Ikeda IT-407. These combinations might yield an interesting, and perhaps merely subtle, contrast.

There are many reports on the gon of FR being better than Ikeda and as you saw Shakti prefers koetsu in his FR over the Ikeda. I have heard a coral stone on an Ikeda though in a completely different system but it did not do any of this staging body density etc

 

[shakti]

A Koetsu Coralstone or Blue Lace on a Fidelity Research FR66s Tonearm, combined with a TechDas Titanium Headshell would be a condidate for a "final" combination
(at least for me)

 

[PeterA]

Ron, it is curious to me that none of the new American Sound owners is considering the SAT arm, except possibly Rockitman. It seems to be designed and built with some of the same principles, namely solidity, simplicity and the most exacting build quality.

It seems that you are focused on vintage arms for a vintage table. Is that because this is the combination you heard at David's house when you auditioned the table?

 

[bonzo75]

Ron, it is curious to me that none of the new American Sound owners is considering the SAT arm, except possibly Rockitman. It seems to be designed and built with some of the same principles, namely solidity, simplicity and the most exacting build quality.

It seems that you are focused on vintage arms for a vintage table. Is that because this is the combination you heard at David's house when you auditioned the table?

Halcro has an acoustic raven modern TT. Ask him how many arms he faced up to his fidelity research. Ron's SME Zyx preference is driven by listening on Steve's techdas

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Ron, it is curious to me that none of the new American Sound owners is considering the SAT arm, except possibly Rockitman. It seems to be designed and built with some of the same principles, namely solidity, simplicity and the most exacting build quality.

It seems that you are focused on vintage arms for a vintage table. Is that because this is the combination you heard at David's house when you auditioned the table?

Peter,

I already have 2 excellent tone arms. I do plan on 4 tone arms at some point when my budget allows which is part of the coolness of the AS. maybe 2 more Durands? I don't know. but I've not crossed any tone arms off my list.

although i'm not focused on it, i might try a vintage arm that David might recommend, maybe for my mono. I sure was impressed by what I heard at David's place, but no way to know what the arm was doing as there was only one type. from my time involved with Durand tonearm testing I did observe characteristics for some arm, tower and base materials that does lead me to expect particular arms to behave in particular ways in direct comparison to my Telos's. but would it actually play out that way? time will tell.

the SAT is certainly one to think about, but in 6 months when the AS arrives there could be others to think about. but just because we are not talking about this question is no reason to think we are not open to it. who wouldn't be other than the price of entry? every bit of feedback on the SAT is over-the-top.

 

[Tango]

It seems to be designed and built with some of the same principles, namely solidity, simplicity and the most exacting build quality.

Hello Peter,

That exactly what SAT is. The two things prohibiting people opting the SAT is its high price and lack of in home demo. Its the kind of product that you have to hold your breath, just dive into the pool and hope there is planty water in it . I introduced Marc Gomez to Thai market and now he has sent six here. David uses 3012 for all his tts. This arm I think is excellent not only because its sound but also its adaptability to carts and tts. Its price definitely make easy to dive into one. I also thought of buying one for second arm for my 927.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[Ron Resnick]

Ron, it is curious to me that none of the new American Sound owners is considering the SAT arm, except possibly Rockitman. It seems to be designed and built with some of the same principles, namely solidity, simplicity and the most exacting build quality.

It seems that you are focused on vintage arms for a vintage table. Is that because this is the combination you heard at David's house when you auditioned the table?

I know you, Mike and Kedar dislike my propensity for theoretical triangulation but I am very content with the ZYX UNiverse Premium on the SME 3012R. The other cartridge in which I am interested is the Koetsu Coralstone (or Blue Lace). I think there is a consensus that the Koetsu is happiest riding on a high effective mass tonearm. The SAT is not a high effective mass tonearm, I believe.

Also, based on what I heard from an SAT with a Lyra Etna SL (the least objectionable Lyra I have ever heard) on a TechDAS Air Force One Premium, and based on Michael Fremer's review of the SAT, I believe the SAT is very neutral and detailed, and I think the AS-2000 will be plenty neutral and detailed all by itself.

 

[Ron Resnick]

A Koetsu Coralstone or Blue Lace on a Fidelity Research FR66s Tonearm, combined with a TechDas Titanium Headshell would be a condidate for a "final" combination
(at least for me)

shakti, That's sure is a final combination!

What sonic differences, if any, do you hear between the Coralstone and the Blue Lace?

 

[Ron Resnick]

The future listening room:






It has looked like this for five years already.

 

[Folsom]

Really? I hope everything is going right with the contractors... 5 years seems... well, I guess I don't have the whole story.

BTW have you looked at the terminator arm? Seems hard to beat. It's a littler different but you'll have enough room to mount several.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Now I am thinking it would be very nice to have the ZYX UNIverse Premium on the SME 3012R -- a combination I know I like -- and a Koetsu Coralstone or a Blue Lace on a Fidelity Research FR-66S with a Yamamoto titanium headshell.

 

[bonzo75]

Until you visit Mike's, and realize that the Durand plus GFS apart from being awesome solves your output issue, and some long term zyx users on the Gon consider it to be the best they have heard their zyx with. And then your fourth arm can be for a mono?

 

[Ron Resnick]

I appreciate the suggestion. But on the GFS I cannot get past A.J. Conti telling me that he measured the GFS and found a frequency response rising 10 dB in the treble range.

Many people hear the GFS as transparent and detailed and articulate. I am sure my ears would interpret that as bright and analytical and fatiguing.

 

[Tango]

Now I am thinking it would be very nice to have the ZYX UNIverse Premium on the SME 3012R -- a combination I know I like -- and a Koetsu Coralstone or a Blue Lace on a Fidelity Research FR-66S with a Yamamoto titanium headshell.

Excellent choice Ron. Two combos shouldnt sound too close to each other.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[Ron Resnick]

Dear Tang, I actually was thinking that these two proposed combinations might sound pretty similar.

 

[Tango]

Dear Tang, I actually was thinking that these two proposed combinations might sound pretty similar.

Dear Ron,

Although I have never heard TOL ZYX. I have read your report on it in Monostereo and also follow comments from those who have it.
I do think the ZYX sounds closer to Opus than the Coralstone. In your report, you mention something like the ZYX is more musical, more meat on the bone than Anna. At the same time, it doesnt lack the detail of Anna and also has good frequency extension on both ends. This to me sound more like an Opus. Coralstone only has the first half. I think Kedar summarizes it well in other thread.

Two different tastes are good to have.

Tang

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I appreciate the suggestion. But on the GFS I cannot get past A.J. Conti telling me that he measured the GFS and found a frequency response rising 10 dB in the treble range.

Many people hear the GFS as transparent and detailed and articulate. I am sure my ears would interpret that as bright and analytical and fatiguing.

you really need to use your ears. with all due respect to the dear departed Mr. Conti.

particularly with the Aesthetix Io.....which will throw a bunch of mellow and bloom at it. and you will get micro-dynamics and low noise from the Io you will not hear from anything else with that GFS output.

the arm needs to be solid enough to handle the long cantilever and mass......like the Durand composite arm wand Telos. the GFS was designed for the CA Linear tracker, a very high mass approach.

jazdoc is my most frequent visitor, and is a Benz LPS user (loves it's relatively mellow perspective) with tubed phono/pre/amps and hates anything edgy or bright. ask him what he thinks. he loves the GFS and it's likely his next cartridge. he likes to tweak it when he comes over and is very familiar with it.

 

[bonzo75]

There was zero hint of brightness in 4 GFS systems I have heard. I can understand why you call atlas or colibri bright, but not GFS