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  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    dudeman said:

    Finally have my new system just about set up. Mr.  Russell, did you get your VPI Prime from Upscale Audio? Mine came pre-setup from them, and everything looks good, except when i lower the stylus on the outside of the platter the tonearm swings back toward the base as it gets close to the platter.

    When the cover is on the stylus everything is stable. Anybody have any advice on what I need to adjust? I’m afraid to tinker too much with it because it seems like it needs a minor adjustment, just not sure if it is the counterweight or something else? I’m going to measure the platter again, but I’m pretty sure it’s level.
    Do you mean that the arm wants to swing back toward the outer edge of the record when lowering it? If so, I assume that is the affect of the anti-skate doing its job.

    Anti-skate should be set to match the vertical tracking force for your stylus. You can pretty easily confirm that if you have a scale appropriate for measuring vertical tracking force. 

    I apologize if you already know this or if it isn't what you are experiencing trouble with.

    Nice rig!
    I’ve got it figured out as you saw above. I actually don’t use the anti-skate on the Prime as they don’t recommend it. Thanks for the compliment and suggestions. I appreciate it!
    Good deal!

    I just read up on those and found that they recommended people dress the tonearm wires to counteract the skating force that occurs when tracking record grooves. That should negate the need for a separate anti-skate mechanism. 

    Pretty interesting approach. I could argue that that isn't a very accurate or scientific approach but if it works, it works.

    I'm sure their engineers are smarter in these matters than I am.
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159


    I threw this together last week. Kind of nice having a separate setup for listening to records with headphones. 

    This is temporary though, since the receiver and turntable are likely getting sold soon.
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • mrussel1
    mrussel1 Posts: 30,879
    She's a beaut, Clark.  How do you rate the headphone amp on that?  Of anything to be critical of on the 2245, the only thing I have is the headphone amp.  I found it a bit harsh or lacking in the sweet sound of the Marantz.  Maybe mine needs to be rebuilt?
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    edited April 2023
    mrussel1 said:
    She's a beaut, Clark.  How do you rate the headphone amp on that?  Of anything to be critical of on the 2245, the only thing I have is the headphone amp.  I found it a bit harsh or lacking in the sweet sound of the Marantz.  Maybe mine needs to be rebuilt?
    A rebuild would likely help. The 2245 doesn't have a separate headphone amp like a lot of more modern amps. Instead, the headphone jack is driven by the main amplifier that also drives the speakers. There are limiting resistors in there that choke down the power to the headphone jack so as to not blow them up. 

    As with finding speakers that are a good match for a particular amp, the same is true of headphones, moreso when the amp is built like the 2245. While I wouldn't describe the 2245 with headphones as harsh, I find that there is a pretty narrow sweet spot on the volume control where everything sounds right. That is especially true with efficient, low impedance cans.

    On my 2245, I can't really go over 9:00 on the volume. Much higher than that and the SPL becomes painful. Also, I get much more pleasing results from studio-type closed back cans than from my Sennheiser or KLH open backs. 

    Edited to add: I like using the 2245 with headphones but I think both the 2215b and 2275 sound better with a wider range of 'phones. They still have that Marantz warmth but each is more detailed or hi-fi sounding than the 2245. (On my examples, anyway.)
    Post edited by dudeman on
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • mrussel1
    mrussel1 Posts: 30,879
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    She's a beaut, Clark.  How do you rate the headphone amp on that?  Of anything to be critical of on the 2245, the only thing I have is the headphone amp.  I found it a bit harsh or lacking in the sweet sound of the Marantz.  Maybe mine needs to be rebuilt?
    A rebuild would likely help. The 2245 doesn't have a separate headphone amp like a lot of more modern amps. Instead, the headphone jack is driven by the main amplifier that also drives the speakers. There are limiting resistors in there that choke down the power to the headphone jack so as to not blow them up. 

    As with finding speakers that are a good match for a particular amp, the same is true of headphones, moreso when the amp is built like the 2245. While I wouldn't describe the 2245 with headphones as harsh, I find that there is a pretty narrow sweet spot on the volume control where everything sounds right. That is especially true with efficient, low impedance cans.

    On my 2245, I can't really go over 9:00 on the volume. Much higher than that and the SPL becomes painful. Also, I get much more pleasing results from studio-type closed back cans than from my Sennheiser or KLH open backs. 

    Edited to add: I like using the 2245 with headphones but I think both the 2215b and 2275 sound better with a wider range of 'phones. They still have that Marantz warmth but each is more detailed or hi-fi sounding than the 2245. (On my examples, anyway.)
    This is helpful.  Thanks.  And you're right, I can't not get it above 9 otherwise it's harsh to me.  And I am using open backed Senns, the 650s if I recall. 
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    mrussel1 said:
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    She's a beaut, Clark.  How do you rate the headphone amp on that?  Of anything to be critical of on the 2245, the only thing I have is the headphone amp.  I found it a bit harsh or lacking in the sweet sound of the Marantz.  Maybe mine needs to be rebuilt?
    A rebuild would likely help. The 2245 doesn't have a separate headphone amp like a lot of more modern amps. Instead, the headphone jack is driven by the main amplifier that also drives the speakers. There are limiting resistors in there that choke down the power to the headphone jack so as to not blow them up. 

    As with finding speakers that are a good match for a particular amp, the same is true of headphones, moreso when the amp is built like the 2245. While I wouldn't describe the 2245 with headphones as harsh, I find that there is a pretty narrow sweet spot on the volume control where everything sounds right. That is especially true with efficient, low impedance cans.

    On my 2245, I can't really go over 9:00 on the volume. Much higher than that and the SPL becomes painful. Also, I get much more pleasing results from studio-type closed back cans than from my Sennheiser or KLH open backs. 

    Edited to add: I like using the 2245 with headphones but I think both the 2215b and 2275 sound better with a wider range of 'phones. They still have that Marantz warmth but each is more detailed or hi-fi sounding than the 2245. (On my examples, anyway.)
    This is helpful.  Thanks.  And you're right, I can't not get it above 9 otherwise it's harsh to me.  And I am using open backed Senns, the 650s if I recall. 
    Yeah, I agree. My open backed Sennheisers are not awesome with the 2245 but they are terrific with the 2215b. Kind of a surprise finding for me.

    I have Shure, Sony and Audio-Technica closed backs and they are all good with the 2245.

    Not having a discrete headphone amp in the receiver is kind of cool in that it supplies more than enough current to drive cans but it is pretty limited in being able to optimize the performance to headphones. 

    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • mrussel1
    mrussel1 Posts: 30,879
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    She's a beaut, Clark.  How do you rate the headphone amp on that?  Of anything to be critical of on the 2245, the only thing I have is the headphone amp.  I found it a bit harsh or lacking in the sweet sound of the Marantz.  Maybe mine needs to be rebuilt?
    A rebuild would likely help. The 2245 doesn't have a separate headphone amp like a lot of more modern amps. Instead, the headphone jack is driven by the main amplifier that also drives the speakers. There are limiting resistors in there that choke down the power to the headphone jack so as to not blow them up. 

    As with finding speakers that are a good match for a particular amp, the same is true of headphones, moreso when the amp is built like the 2245. While I wouldn't describe the 2245 with headphones as harsh, I find that there is a pretty narrow sweet spot on the volume control where everything sounds right. That is especially true with efficient, low impedance cans.

    On my 2245, I can't really go over 9:00 on the volume. Much higher than that and the SPL becomes painful. Also, I get much more pleasing results from studio-type closed back cans than from my Sennheiser or KLH open backs. 

    Edited to add: I like using the 2245 with headphones but I think both the 2215b and 2275 sound better with a wider range of 'phones. They still have that Marantz warmth but each is more detailed or hi-fi sounding than the 2245. (On my examples, anyway.)
    This is helpful.  Thanks.  And you're right, I can't not get it above 9 otherwise it's harsh to me.  And I am using open backed Senns, the 650s if I recall. 
    Yeah, I agree. My open backed Sennheisers are not awesome with the 2245 but they are terrific with the 2215b. Kind of a surprise finding for me.

    I have Shure, Sony and Audio-Technica closed backs and they are all good with the 2245.

    Not having a discrete headphone amp in the receiver is kind of cool in that it supplies more than enough current to drive cans but it is pretty limited in being able to optimize the performance to headphones. 

    When I was using the 2245 more regularly, I ended up purchasing a headphone amp from Music Hall.  That dramatically improved my experience, but it was before the Marantz in the chain, if I recall.  A nice headphone amp can be very enjoyable.  
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    mrussel1 said:
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    She's a beaut, Clark.  How do you rate the headphone amp on that?  Of anything to be critical of on the 2245, the only thing I have is the headphone amp.  I found it a bit harsh or lacking in the sweet sound of the Marantz.  Maybe mine needs to be rebuilt?
    A rebuild would likely help. The 2245 doesn't have a separate headphone amp like a lot of more modern amps. Instead, the headphone jack is driven by the main amplifier that also drives the speakers. There are limiting resistors in there that choke down the power to the headphone jack so as to not blow them up. 

    As with finding speakers that are a good match for a particular amp, the same is true of headphones, moreso when the amp is built like the 2245. While I wouldn't describe the 2245 with headphones as harsh, I find that there is a pretty narrow sweet spot on the volume control where everything sounds right. That is especially true with efficient, low impedance cans.

    On my 2245, I can't really go over 9:00 on the volume. Much higher than that and the SPL becomes painful. Also, I get much more pleasing results from studio-type closed back cans than from my Sennheiser or KLH open backs. 

    Edited to add: I like using the 2245 with headphones but I think both the 2215b and 2275 sound better with a wider range of 'phones. They still have that Marantz warmth but each is more detailed or hi-fi sounding than the 2245. (On my examples, anyway.)
    This is helpful.  Thanks.  And you're right, I can't not get it above 9 otherwise it's harsh to me.  And I am using open backed Senns, the 650s if I recall. 
    Yeah, I agree. My open backed Sennheisers are not awesome with the 2245 but they are terrific with the 2215b. Kind of a surprise finding for me.

    I have Shure, Sony and Audio-Technica closed backs and they are all good with the 2245.

    Not having a discrete headphone amp in the receiver is kind of cool in that it supplies more than enough current to drive cans but it is pretty limited in being able to optimize the performance to headphones. 

    When I was using the 2245 more regularly, I ended up purchasing a headphone amp from Music Hall.  That dramatically improved my experience, but it was before the Marantz in the chain, if I recall.  A nice headphone amp can be very enjoyable.  
    You know, I have been thinking about picking up a headphone amp for quite some time but I never got around to it. 

    I have a feeling that a good headphone amp and a DAC will be in my future but for now, the other Marantz' are doing the job.

    A couple days ago, I rearranged my listening room and experimented with speaker placement. That's something that I would recommend everyone try, especially if they have the ability to put seating in the sweet spot between the speakers.

    For my space, I have a chair positioned in a triangle with the speakers and I measured out the placement to be equidistant from my head. Even with my vintage receivers and less than high end speakers, the soundstage is stunning!
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 9,499
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    She's a beaut, Clark.  How do you rate the headphone amp on that?  Of anything to be critical of on the 2245, the only thing I have is the headphone amp.  I found it a bit harsh or lacking in the sweet sound of the Marantz.  Maybe mine needs to be rebuilt?
    A rebuild would likely help. The 2245 doesn't have a separate headphone amp like a lot of more modern amps. Instead, the headphone jack is driven by the main amplifier that also drives the speakers. There are limiting resistors in there that choke down the power to the headphone jack so as to not blow them up. 

    As with finding speakers that are a good match for a particular amp, the same is true of headphones, moreso when the amp is built like the 2245. While I wouldn't describe the 2245 with headphones as harsh, I find that there is a pretty narrow sweet spot on the volume control where everything sounds right. That is especially true with efficient, low impedance cans.

    On my 2245, I can't really go over 9:00 on the volume. Much higher than that and the SPL becomes painful. Also, I get much more pleasing results from studio-type closed back cans than from my Sennheiser or KLH open backs. 

    Edited to add: I like using the 2245 with headphones but I think both the 2215b and 2275 sound better with a wider range of 'phones. They still have that Marantz warmth but each is more detailed or hi-fi sounding than the 2245. (On my examples, anyway.)
    This is helpful.  Thanks.  And you're right, I can't not get it above 9 otherwise it's harsh to me.  And I am using open backed Senns, the 650s if I recall. 
    Yeah, I agree. My open backed Sennheisers are not awesome with the 2245 but they are terrific with the 2215b. Kind of a surprise finding for me.

    I have Shure, Sony and Audio-Technica closed backs and they are all good with the 2245.

    Not having a discrete headphone amp in the receiver is kind of cool in that it supplies more than enough current to drive cans but it is pretty limited in being able to optimize the performance to headphones. 

    When I was using the 2245 more regularly, I ended up purchasing a headphone amp from Music Hall.  That dramatically improved my experience, but it was before the Marantz in the chain, if I recall.  A nice headphone amp can be very enjoyable.  

    A couple days ago, I rearranged my listening room and experimented with speaker placement. That's something that I would recommend everyone try, especially if they have the ability to put seating in the sweet spot between the speakers.

    Co-sign this. I just rearranged one of my listening spaces and i moved the speakers from one wall to the other and not as far apart and it changed the whole soundscape of the room. Its like the records sound even better.

  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    dudeman said:
    mrussel1 said:
    She's a beaut, Clark.  How do you rate the headphone amp on that?  Of anything to be critical of on the 2245, the only thing I have is the headphone amp.  I found it a bit harsh or lacking in the sweet sound of the Marantz.  Maybe mine needs to be rebuilt?
    A rebuild would likely help. The 2245 doesn't have a separate headphone amp like a lot of more modern amps. Instead, the headphone jack is driven by the main amplifier that also drives the speakers. There are limiting resistors in there that choke down the power to the headphone jack so as to not blow them up. 

    As with finding speakers that are a good match for a particular amp, the same is true of headphones, moreso when the amp is built like the 2245. While I wouldn't describe the 2245 with headphones as harsh, I find that there is a pretty narrow sweet spot on the volume control where everything sounds right. That is especially true with efficient, low impedance cans.

    On my 2245, I can't really go over 9:00 on the volume. Much higher than that and the SPL becomes painful. Also, I get much more pleasing results from studio-type closed back cans than from my Sennheiser or KLH open backs. 

    Edited to add: I like using the 2245 with headphones but I think both the 2215b and 2275 sound better with a wider range of 'phones. They still have that Marantz warmth but each is more detailed or hi-fi sounding than the 2245. (On my examples, anyway.)
    This is helpful.  Thanks.  And you're right, I can't not get it above 9 otherwise it's harsh to me.  And I am using open backed Senns, the 650s if I recall. 
    Yeah, I agree. My open backed Sennheisers are not awesome with the 2245 but they are terrific with the 2215b. Kind of a surprise finding for me.

    I have Shure, Sony and Audio-Technica closed backs and they are all good with the 2245.

    Not having a discrete headphone amp in the receiver is kind of cool in that it supplies more than enough current to drive cans but it is pretty limited in being able to optimize the performance to headphones. 

    When I was using the 2245 more regularly, I ended up purchasing a headphone amp from Music Hall.  That dramatically improved my experience, but it was before the Marantz in the chain, if I recall.  A nice headphone amp can be very enjoyable.  

    A couple days ago, I rearranged my listening room and experimented with speaker placement. That's something that I would recommend everyone try, especially if they have the ability to put seating in the sweet spot between the speakers.

    Co-sign this. I just rearranged one of my listening spaces and i moved the speakers from one wall to the other and not as far apart and it changed the whole soundscape of the room. Its like the records sound even better.

    Awesome! That's half of the fun, getting the most performance out of what you've got.

    One of the pairs of speakers I regularly use are Klipsch KG-2.5s. They aren't particularly fancy or expensive but they are well engineered and built, consimer-grade large bookshelf speakers. I replaced the tweeter diaphragms a while back with Crites TI diaphragms and I recapped the crossovers. I was happy with the results. 

    However, it wasn't until I repositioned them recently that I fully appreciated just how good they sound! That elusive, three dimensional quality is there, front and center. The speakers seem to disappear and the stereo image just floats in front of you with space and depth that seems like you could reach out and touch. 

    I'm powering them with a Marantz 2215b which puts out around 15 wpc and I'm also using a Klipsch subwoofer to help with the low end. Very happy with this arrangement!
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • mickeyrat
    mickeyrat Posts: 44,308
    headphones. open back vs closed...

    go
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    edited April 2023
    mickeyrat said:
    headphones. open back vs closed...

    go
    Both!

    Pros and cons for each. In my experience, open backs give more or a sense of air and space (go figure) while closed backs generally have a more full and solid presentation. 

    There are exceptions, of course. 

    Are you looking for something just to use at home or do they need to travel well and be driven by a phone or portable device?
    Post edited by dudeman on
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • mickeyrat
    mickeyrat Posts: 44,308
    dudeman said:
    mickeyrat said:
    headphones. open back vs closed...

    go
    Both!

    Pros and cons for each. In my experience, open backs give more or a sense of air and space (go figure) while closed backs generally have a more full and solid presentation. 

    There are exceptions, of course. 

    Are you looking for something just to use at home or do they need to travel well and be driven by a phone or portable device?

    just curious.

    have a set each of closed senns and closed bluetooth akgs
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    mickeyrat said:
    dudeman said:
    mickeyrat said:
    headphones. open back vs closed...

    go
    Both!

    Pros and cons for each. In my experience, open backs give more or a sense of air and space (go figure) while closed backs generally have a more full and solid presentation. 

    There are exceptions, of course. 

    Are you looking for something just to use at home or do they need to travel well and be driven by a phone or portable device?

    just curious.

    have a set each of closed senns and closed bluetooth akgs
    Gotcha.

    Sennheiser makes several models of open backed headphones that people really seem to love. I have a pair of HD599s that are really nice sounding but they took a little bit of time to break in.

    Those ones aren't in the upper range of Sennheisers like the 600, 650 and 660s but they sound great and are super comfortable. Good enough for me, anyway. 

    I read a lot of reviews and I chose those over some of their other models because they supposedly have deeper bass. No complaints there.

    I also have a pair of KLH Ultimate One open backs that are super nice. I think they are an improvement over the Sennheisers, but they also cost more. They have plenty of weight in the low end but they don't sacrifice the "air around the instruments" quality that open backs are good for. 

    Do you live somewhere where you can try some different ones? The Guitar Center here has a good headphone display where you can listen to a bunch of them with different styles of music. It was pretty helpful for me since I could do side by side comparisons and get an idea of each company's house sound. 
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • mickeyrat
    mickeyrat Posts: 44,308
    dudeman said:
    mickeyrat said:
    dudeman said:
    mickeyrat said:
    headphones. open back vs closed...

    go
    Both!

    Pros and cons for each. In my experience, open backs give more or a sense of air and space (go figure) while closed backs generally have a more full and solid presentation. 

    There are exceptions, of course. 

    Are you looking for something just to use at home or do they need to travel well and be driven by a phone or portable device?

    just curious.

    have a set each of closed senns and closed bluetooth akgs
    Gotcha.

    Sennheiser makes several models of open backed headphones that people really seem to love. I have a pair of HD599s that are really nice sounding but they took a little bit of time to break in.

    Those ones aren't in the upper range of Sennheisers like the 600, 650 and 660s but they sound great and are super comfortable. Good enough for me, anyway. 

    I read a lot of reviews and I chose those over some of their other models because they supposedly have deeper bass. No complaints there.

    I also have a pair of KLH Ultimate One open backs that are super nice. I think they are an improvement over the Sennheisers, but they also cost more. They have plenty of weight in the low end but they don't sacrifice the "air around the instruments" quality that open backs are good for. 

    Do you live somewhere where you can try some different ones? The Guitar Center here has a good headphone display where you can listen to a bunch of them with different styles of music. It was pretty helpful for me since I could do side by side comparisons and get an idea of each company's house sound. 

    GC up the road. Will look into it. thanks.
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • mookieblalock
    mookieblalock Posts: 3,561
    dudeman said:


    I threw this together last week. Kind of nice having a separate setup for listening to records with headphones. 

    This is temporary though, since the receiver and turntable are likely getting sold soon.
    Everything about this picture is incredible.
  • mickeyrat
    mickeyrat Posts: 44,308

    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    mickeyrat said:

    Is this a new addition for you?
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    dudeman said:


    I threw this together last week. Kind of nice having a separate setup for listening to records with headphones. 

    This is temporary though, since the receiver and turntable are likely getting sold soon.
    Everything about this picture is incredible.
    Haha! Thanks. The receiver and turntable are currently listed for sale but part of me hopes that no one wants them.

    I certainly don't need them but it is such a great pairing, it will be sad to let them go. 
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • mickeyrat
    mickeyrat Posts: 44,308
    dudeman said:
    mickeyrat said:

    Is this a new addition for you?
    yes. am told it plays. will get it in a couple days. I simply cannot wait for 2275 to be done.  and after briefly hearing the 2275 , the onkyo just doesnt satisfy any more. am told needs bulb replacement. so will try to tackle that one myself.

    the appeal of this model was its features having 2 phono stages.65 watts doesnt hurt and its price was attractive . all in with shipping and tax I am at what it was retail in 77-79.

    now I need to sneak it in the house....

    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14