Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Great Budget Phono Cartridge and Vinyl Section

I picked up the new Ben Webster, Stardust, 45 rpm album, what a great recording of a great jazz sax artist!

I played it on my so-happy-I-grabbed-this one Denon DP45f automatic turntable. I got it used for $350 or $300, don't remember. Dead quiet, perfect speed, rosewood plinth, drop-dead gorgeous.

I picked up a Goldring E3 moving magnet cartridge for $169 on Amazon, one of the best audio deals ever. A wonderful, accurate, rich full sounding cartridge for the price of a few songs. I have a $3000 Koetsu Black Goldline in my main 2 channel system which I will compare to the Goldring tomorrow. I will let you know.

I'm using the Line Magnetic LM33 phono stage. I love it. I swapped out the stock 12ax7 tubes with a pair of NOS Telefunkens (not budget tubes) and it just sings.

Yes, quite the budget vinyl section which sounds great.

The rest of the system is not budget. The Line Magnetic 845ia integrated amp with the NOS Mullard 5AR4 rectifier tube upgrade is one of the best sounding amps I've ever heard. If you know about the Harbeth 30,2 Anniversary speakers, nothing more need be said. If not, these are some of the best stand mount speakers ever made.

So, the Goldring E3 cartridge and Ben Webster's 45 rpm Stardust album, most highly recommended.

[img]https://imgur.com/pyKqnTq[/img]

[img]https://imgur.com/BOjlhCz[/img]

[img]https://imgur.com/4lsmbpZ[/img]

So, I swapped out the wonderful Goldring E3 cartridge for a Hana ML moving coil. The Hana is glorious ... if the record is perfectly flat. Any warp and the cartridge body contacts the vinyl. Very bad. Adjusting the Denon DP45f's servo tracer tone arm looks like it'll be a challenge. If I am unable to adjust the arm (VTA) then I'll either put the E3 back or put a Shure V15 III with a Jico stylus, or a NOS in box Shure M97 which I got on ebay from Argentina. Sure am looking forward to hearing that one some day.

The sound quality of the Hana ML is really wonderful! I played Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Tin Pan Alley,' and it knocked my socks off. I have added the HSU VT-F Mk5 sub and it fills the bottom octave that the Harbeth 30.2's can't reach. Kind of glorious.

Nothing quite like sitting back with a cigar, scotch, or bourbon and relaxing to a nice record.

Your hobby is killing you.

Laphroaig single malt. Tastes like it was aged in an inner tube with old leaves maybe a mouse or two. Tubes, vinyl, jazz and an adult beverage... pretty good.

What happened? I told my audio dealer buddy how good the Denon DP45f and Goldring E3 sounded. Was that a polite sneer? Yes, yes it was. "You should get the Hana ML and a real table." That's a better sounding cart. He gave me a good deal, $1000. I'll take it I said. He mounted it on the Denon.

So, after listening to the Hana ML on the gorgeous Denon DP45f for a while, I realized there was a problem. The height if the Hana ML is taller than the Goldring E3. There is no height adjustment on the Denon Tracer tonearm and if the record was not perfectly flat some part of the cart would bump the record.

So, I was faced with a problem. If I sold the Hana ML, I'd take a bath. So, I retired the Denon and picked up a well reviewed Mofi Ultradeck that would fit the Hana. What a piece of junk. They could have spent more than 25 cents on the lift mechanism and the arm lock is a joke. Good news, the Hana ML fit. Bad news, sounded like trash. Now, I'm in for some real money and moving backwards fast.

So, I returned the Ultradeck and swapped it for a new Technics 1210G. I may have gotten a good deal on the Hana, but now I'm approaching mid 4 figures for the Hana on the Technics.

The sound quality is great! I'm happy with the sound but my purse is lighter for sure.

I loved the sound of the old Denon table with the $169 Goldring E3 cart. This pricey rig definitely sounds glorious. But, if I could go back in time, I'd be spinning the Denon with the Goldring, enjoying great sound quality and my purse would be full instead of empty.

I'll post some pix when I figure out IMGUR again.

Chasing the audio rabbit ... improved sound quality.

Does sound beautiful.

Don't lick your fingers and touch those tubes. Turn you into a smokin' raisin it will.