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AUDIO FORUMS >> Vinyl >> What’s your vinyl system.
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Message started by instinct2 on 12/04/19 at 02:06:08

Title: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by instinct2 on 12/04/19 at 02:06:08

I have a Vinyl Nirvana Thorens 125 with Ortofon Black 2M Black. Just purchased the Decware 947’s. Also have one Decware power cord and blue jeans speaker cables... but I might resale for Decware speaker cables. I have an older integrated amp, not great at all. Which I plan on using until my funds recover on last 2 purchases. Any suggestions on amp? Leaning towards SE84UFO25 off recommendations, but I didn’t have the speakers at that point. Any thoughts of synergy with the 947’s? Also would you Bi-wire the 947s or not worry about it? Also will I be able run my vinyl rig without the zp3 for the time being? My thought is buy amp, zrock2, and then the zp3. But maybe I should go with the zp3 then zrock2. Would love hear your vinyl rig chain of what has amazing synergy and what other components are in your chain to learn from.... table, cart, wiring, amps, etc. too!!! Thanks for your help! You rock

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by bikehappy1 on 12/04/19 at 02:25:27

Howdy I2. I was in your place a couple few years ago. I bought the amp first, then the zp3 and last but not least, the speakers. I would definitely get the zp3 before the zrock2. In my opinion, I like a little volume every now and then so I went with the Torii MKIV witH 25 upgrades. My vinyl rig is my weak link now with an Audio Technical AT120 but with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. I love my Decware gear and I believe it’s a bargain sound/dollar spent. I have a Zrock2 now but I just use it for digital. Cheers!

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by instinct2 on 12/04/19 at 02:54:41

Love it Bikehappy! Hard not to want everything right now, but the process is kinda fun ;)

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by hdrider on 12/07/19 at 22:55:32

I2 - Welcome. Once I had made the decision to get heavy into Decware I sold off my ARC, Krell, NYAL, Sequerra gear and ordered my Rachel, ZP3. I purchased a ZMC1 off off of a forum member for my LOMC and then bought a CSP3 off another forum member and had it sent to Steve for a check up, warranty change over and new set of stock tubes. I am driving Omega Super XRS 7mkII speakers and a Deep 8 sub. I have had a SOTA Star Saphirre Vacuum turntable with a Fidelity Research FR-64 tonearm and a Dynavector 17DX cart. I have never looked back on my Decware conversion/purchase. I bought a SE84CS 2 watter to prove out the concept about low power about five years before the conversion. I read darn near everything Steve wrote and was active on the forum asking questions and getting data. When in doubt, get a call into Steve and talk speakers/amp. I have been involved since I was 18 and have never had a better system or more enjoyment from music/video ever. Happy listening, Chris.

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by bikehappy1 on 01/01/20 at 20:01:43

I just ordered a VPI Prime TT! I’ll be using my 2M blue until I $ recover a bit. I’ve been looking at cartridges and I’ve come to believe that a low ohm mc cartridge would fit the ZP3 best with a ZMC1. We’ll see what cartridge the future holds.

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by HockessinKid on 01/01/20 at 21:56:44

Great turntable. Enjoy it.

HK

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by Archie on 01/01/20 at 23:06:28

Doesn't the knob on the ZMC1 allow for just about any cart resistance?

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by bikehappy1 on 02/09/20 at 03:05:01

I thought ZMC1 is for low resistance mc’s and the ZMC3 is for high resistance mc’s. ZMC2 For high output mc’s. What I wonder about are high resistance mc’s that have a low output. That might not work well with a 42 dB gain tube phono stage?? The Kiseki blue has 0.44 mv but 40 ohms. That doesn’t seem to fit well with either the 1 or 3??

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by Archie on 02/09/20 at 17:35:53

My take is that the different ZMCs are more related to cart output. I never had a detailed conversation with Steve on this so it might be worth a call to get some real clarity. Getting a ZMC3 with a low output and high impedance cart (if such exists) might not give enough gain whereas the ZMC1 seems to cover the same impedance range, only wider. My head spins whenever I read about MC stages of other manufacture. Those stages seem much more cart specific.

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by Steve Deckert on 02/11/20 at 00:56:16

Quote:

You are correct that high impedance low output moving coils do not work well with the 42dB of gain. The ideal output hitting the input of the ZP3 is 4mV or higher. If the combo of cartridge/stepup transformer is below that and you are not having any hum or noise issues with your turntable, you can run a ZTAGE at the output of the ZP3 to increase it's gain and dynamics.

Steve

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by StevieT on 03/28/20 at 01:29:42

Mine is little over 100 years old.

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by Ace-Tone on 03/28/20 at 16:09:04

Hey Instinct,

My set up: SE84UFO25 (caps upgrade) VPI traveler 2. Cart/soundsmith zephyr mkIII es. ZP3 (stock). Zrock2 (caps upgrade). Zstage (stock).
mapleshade double helix + spkr wires and jumpers. Decware DM947 (mid range option).
Absolutely heaven in my well treated 11' x 16' mad cave. Last upgrade was the soundsmith!

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by HockessinKid on 03/28/20 at 18:03:18

Here is my set up from cartridge to preamp:

Dynavector 20X2 low output moving coil cartridge > Nottingham Interspace turntable w/ high mass platter, Cardas upgraded Rega RB300 tonearm (continuous Cardas wiring directly from cartridge pins to phono preamp - no IC junction box) & Boston Audio Mat 2 (carbon fiber mat) on a Neuance Platform w/ sorbothane pads > Modwright Instruments PH 9.0 phono preamp w/ upgraded 7308 & 6C45 tubes) > Acoustic BBQ Double Run IC's > Decware ZROCK2 w/ 25th Anniversary mods & silver RCA inputs/outputs + Raytheon 5418A tube w/ windmill getter > Acoustic BBQ Double Run IC's > Decware CSP3 preamp w/ 25th Anniversary mods.

HK

Title: Re: What’s your vinyl system.
Post by Lon on 03/28/20 at 18:18:08

Here's mine:

Cables: all power cables are PS Audio PerfectWave AC-12; interconnects are all VooDoo Cable Stradivarius Amati except one pair of WireWorld XLR between NuWave and ZTPRE. Signal Tubes: Decware tested and matched 6N5P in ZTPRE, CSP3 and Monoblocks; Amperex 12AU7 in ZROCK2

It all starts with a PS Audio P10 regenerator. Then. . . .

Rega RP3 with white belt, Groovetracer Reference sub-platter, Delrin platter, counter-weight and record weight, Elys 2 Cartridge, TTPSU. Captive RCA cables into

PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter. I had a ZP3 but I wanted to try out the NuWave Phono Converter and found it very satisfying and kept it because I can use the balanced output into my ZTPRE. So I am using balanced cables into

Decware ZTPRE. The ZTPRE makes the NuWave Phono Converter sound fantastic, nearly as good as the very best tube complement in my ZP3, and it also has mono and phase selection options and can handle MM and MC cartridges. Balanced out into the ZTPRE is a great boon for the system and the combo of NuWave and ZTPRE gives me great sound. From the ZTPRE the signal goes to

Decware ZBIT. The ZBIT allows me to take advantage of the balanced output of the ZTPRE and fine tuning the gain from the ZTPRE and to the

Decware ZROCK2 with the 25th Anniversary Mods. I can't sing the praises of this unit enough. It gets the sound just right and allows me both tonal and gain adjustment as it goes to

Decware CSP3 with 25th Anniversary Mods. This preamp is 95 percent transparent and the 5% that isn't is 25th anniversary dense goodness. I have further gain adjustment (and it really matters in tuning the sound) AND it is the very best headphone amplifier I have . . . powering ZMF Ori phones excellently, the ZROCK2 letting me dial away the bit of leanness and tartness I find in these phones ohterwise. From the CSP3 the signal goes to

Decware SE84UFO3 Monoblocks with the 25th Anniversary mods. I have fallen deeply in love with these two year old suckers. They are my sonic world. Tube-rolling in these amps alone can give me a half dozen exciting amplifier signatures. I settle on one. . .and then the allure of new vistas makes me discover another. . . .I can't recommend experimenting with these highly enough. Finally the signal goes to

Decware/Turning Point Audio HR-1. My second pair, my first production pair, my new benchmark for speaker performance.

Overall I don't listen to LPs as often as I should with this great set up. But when I do, I'm transported to audio happiness.