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System Pics 2021

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That's a lovely PTP deck.
I have a 'standard' chassis Lenco in a decent plinth, with upgraded bearing and lots of care taken in the drivetrain.
It sounds wonderful but I'd really like to move to a PTP ultimately.
Corian seems to be emerging as the preferred plinth material, or panzerholz (if available). I think that's the way I'd end up going if/when.
 
I remember years ago listening to a dem in a dedicated room. The rep had set up mid to upper range Naim gear. It sounded dreadful. This was before dsp was common. The room sucked every ounce of life out of every recording. Like you I was glad to get back home to my modest system.

They get a bad rap like pretty much everything that was highly rated by WhatHifi.

It can't possibly be real Hifi.

Very good speakers that just need a good matching (as opposed to expensive) amplifier and a 'sympathetic' room.

Just like any other speaker then.

They have tiny cabinets/drivers and likely need a sub, certainly for full range and are best in smallish rooms.

I have the active version and they too ideally need a sub, especially at lower volumes. They image more on and behind the speaker line. Some may find them boring especially if coming from something more in your face, I won't naim you, but have very nice tonality and punch.

SVS have just released their latest small sub, the 3000 Micro. I am pretty certain it would be a good match with either version of the LS50. Half the cost of the new Kef KC62 matching sub too.
 
I'd had the Kuzma for 3 years and realised I'd just stopped listening to records. It just sounded boring. I'd play a record once a month, think it sounded quite nice, and then go back to listening to digital the rest of the time. It was worse after I got the 4 Point, which is a very dull sounding arm. The best the Stabi Ref had sounded was with the cheaper Kuzma arms, my first PU7 (stupidly sold to buy the 4 Point) and even an Alphason,which sounded great on the Kuzma. I sold the 4 Point and bought another PU7, which was an improvement. But the Rega P8 I had next to it sounded faster, more dynamic, more fun and more colourful, so I new the Kuzma had to go.

I decided to try something different, and move away from the usual "high end" turntables. I was interested in an idler, but didn't have the skills or patience to restore a Garrard or Thorens. I also didn't want something huge and immovable. The PTP turntables were getting great reviews - particularly for being dynamic, fun and musical - were reasonably priced and seemed well-built. I took a punt and ordered one, with the upgraded bearing and electronic power supply. After some experimentation with mats (I must have been through 20 of the things over the last couple of months), I settled on a Collaro Tempest, and the PTP is sounding fantastic - everything I was looking for.

Over the last decade or two I have owned a couple of LP12s all the way up to the top spec Radikal, Keel, Ekos SE, an Orbe/SME IV, an Ace Spacedeck with the SME and a Moerch DP6, an AMG Viella, a bunch of Regas including the RP8, RP10, P8 and P10, and until recently the Kuzma Stabi Ref and 4 Point. The PTP beats them all. It sounds huge, colourful, dynamic and fun. There is no lack of detail, and tonally it is perfect. Bass is the deepest I have heard from a turntable and there is an intensity of sound and "liveness" that I have not previously heard from any source. I have not stopped playing records since I got it, and now the situation is reversed. I play something digital briefly, but can't wait to get back to playing records.
Lovely looking turntable! Amazing to think its origins date back to the 60s as it looks so contemporary. It is quite a surprise that the PTP Solid9 replaced a Kuzma Ref as I thought that deck would be at the very pinnacle of LP playback. I’m particularly curious as to how Solid9 compared to the higher end Rega decks you owned? Having never heard an idler deck I’d be interested as to how their sound signature compares to other decks? The Solid9 looks beautifully finished I must say, and after doing a little further reading, I really admire the designers artisan bespoke approach.
 
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I'm sure you will find your new deck involving, Lenco's maybe not the most detailed (although I've never heard a PTP) but musically satisfying, or at least that is what I found when changing from Pink Triangle to a Lenco. You certainly go through your tt's Ross, not that there is anything wrong with that. I assume the P8 still gets a look in and you are enjoying that .

Yes, the P8 is still in use and is competitive. Seriously, I could just live with the P8 as my only turntable, it is that good.

Interesting. I have a Stabi Ref with the 313VTA and a Shelter 5000 and think its a brilliant combo. Previously had an Oracle Delphi III / SME V and although I'm not adverse to kit swapping I just cant see myself ever parting with the Kuzma :)

I also had a 313VTA on my Stabi Ref for a while and I thought that was a very good combination. I regret trading the 313VTA in for the 4 Point, because that marked the point at which I I began losing interest in the Kuzma. To be clear, it is a very good turntable and fully competitive with others in its class. It is still in production after decades and is used as a reference for a very good reason. The build quality of the Kuzma arms and turntables is second to none, and if there is a turntable that will survive a nuclear war or a zombie apocalypse it will probably be a Kuzma. But it majors in accuracy, neutrality and detail and is less concerned about fun, and I really needed to bring some fun back into playing records. That doesn't seem to be a priority for a lot of high end turntable owners, or "high end audio" in general in my experience.

Lovely looking turntable! Amazing to think its origins date back to the 60s as it looks so contemporary. It is quite a surprise that the PTP Solid9 replaced a Kuzma Ref as I thought that deck would be at the very pinnacle of LP playback. I’m particularly curious as to how Solid9 compared to the higher end Rega decks you owned? Having never heard an idler deck I’d be interested as to how their sound signature compares to other decks? The Solid9 looks beautifully finished I must say, and after doing a little further reading, I really admire the designers artisan bespoke approach.

The Solid 9 is the first turntable I have owned which competes with the Rega turntables on their own ground - timing, dynamics, musicality and engagement - and adds slam, bass depth, detail and tone. The Regas are also pretty good at these things, but the Solid 9 just does these things like no turntable I have owned.

I had read comments about the dynamics of idlers and the sense of density of sound and tone, but until I heard it from the PTP I wasn't quite sure what to expect. There is an intensity of sound that is new and which I haven't heard from a belt drive. But having said that, I do still love the Regas and as I mentioned above, I could still live with the P8 as my only turntable. It is a genuinely high end turntable. I have used it with some top end cartridges - a Dynavector XV-1S, Benz Ruby, and Ortofon Cadenza Black and Bronze - some great phono stages - Naim Superline/Supercap (now sold), Rega Aura, Whest 40RDTSE and Tron/EAR MC4 - and the turntable can easily get the best out of these.

The ceramic plattered Regas - the RP10 and P10, both of which I have owned - I am less impressed with. I have written about these a number of times in this forum and while the P10 was almost there for me, I just couldn't live with it. The platter adds drama but also an odd colouration as well as somehow removing some harmonic content and I felt it just didn't allow notes to fully develop. But the P8 is near perfect. It has a natural tonality along with the great Rega timing and is seriously competitive with any turntable I have owned and preferable to many.

Some more photos (including electronic power supply):

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P1010626.jpg
P1010627.jpg
 
But it majors in accuracy, neutrality and detail and is less concerned about fun, and I really needed to bring some fun back into playing records. That doesn't seem to be a priority for a lot of high end turntable owners, or "high end audio" in general in my experience.

For me that is what music is all about. Once the fun is gone then what is the point.
 
Yes, the P8 is still in use and is competitive. Seriously, I could just live with the P8 as my only turntable, it is that good.



I also had a 313VTA on my Stabi Ref for a while and I thought that was a very good combination. I regret trading the 313VTA in for the 4 Point, because that marked the point at which I I began losing interest in the Kuzma. To be clear, it is a very good turntable and fully competitive with others in its class. It is still in production after decades and is used as a reference for a very good reason. The build quality of the Kuzma arms and turntables is second to none, and if there is a turntable that will survive a nuclear war or a zombie apocalypse it will probably be a Kuzma. But it majors in accuracy, neutrality and detail and is less concerned about fun, and I really needed to bring some fun back into playing records. That doesn't seem to be a priority for a lot of high end turntable owners, or "high end audio" in general in my experience.



The Solid 9 is the first turntable I have owned which competes with the Rega turntables on their own ground - timing, dynamics, musicality and engagement - and adds slam, bass depth, detail and tone. The Regas are also pretty good at these things, but the Solid 9 just does these things like no turntable I have owned.

I had read comments about the dynamics of idlers and the sense of density of sound and tone, but until I heard it from the PTP I wasn't quite sure what to expect. There is an intensity of sound that is new and which I haven't heard from a belt drive. But having said that, I do still love the Regas and as I mentioned above, I could still live with the P8 as my only turntable. It is a genuinely high end turntable. I have used it with some top end cartridges - a Dynavector XV-1S, Benz Ruby, and Ortofon Cadenza Black and Bronze - some great phono stages - Naim Superline/Supercap (now sold), Rega Aura, Whest 40RDTSE and Tron/EAR MC4 - and the turntable can easily get the best out of these.

The ceramic plattered Regas - the RP10 and P10, both of which I have owned - I am less impressed with. I have written about these a number of times in this forum and while the P10 was almost there for me, I just couldn't live with it. The platter adds drama but also an odd colouration as well as somehow removing some harmonic content and I felt it just didn't allow notes to fully develop. But the P8 is near perfect. It has a natural tonality along with the great Rega timing and is seriously competitive with any turntable I have owned and preferable to many.

Some more photos (including electronic power supply):

P1010625.jpg

P1010626.jpg
P1010627.jpg

That is a great looking set up. Can I ask what rack you are using?
 
That is a great looking set up. Can I ask what rack you are using?

Thanks, I always get asked that, and never know the answer. They were bought from a local store here in Sydney about a decade ago, and I have no recollection what they are.
 
Here is a current photo of the (rather messy) complete system.

Speakers are Graham LS6.

The dac in the picture is a Nagra Classic Dac and power supply, which is on loan while my Nagra HD Dac is being upgraded to a Tube Dac.

There are the P8 and PTP turntables, of course. Three phono stages - the Rega Aura, Whest 40RDTSE and Tron Convergence Signatyure/EAR MC4.

LFD integrated amp.

At the bottom is a Niimbus US4 headphone amp, with Audeze LCD4s hidden to the side of the turntable on the right. There is also an EAR HP4 headphone amp out of the picture.

Next to the headphone amp is a bunch of network gear not current connected - Etheregen, Optical Rendu and their power supplies.

Cables are all from a local maker called Aurealis.



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Yes, it's the LFD NCSE III.

I’m on the the first version of the NCSE, used in conjunction with the MCT SE and am really happy, eventually though I’ll have to get back in touch with Howard Popeck and go for the upgrade which hopefully retains a lot of the original’s charm but with an extra bit of welly.
 
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Sony TTS-8000 turntable in an Acoustand plinth built to my own design, SME V-12, Phasemation PP-500, Aurorasound Vida, Luxman LX-380, Lockwood cabs with 15" Tannoy Monitor Golds and RFC external crossovers.

I've edited to add a couple of pics of the room which I've furnished in mid century style to go with the hifi. Nearly finished. Just the carpet to change although the rugs will be staying.

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Just to update my last post, I finally managed to source a mid century Ladderax record cabinet locally at a not insane price. :)

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