Wow, sir! That was very generous of you thiefoflight. The Gaia feet are something I was already thinking of, but the second Delos plinth was completely of my radar!
I have the 10 inch 3DR tonearm and am considering the gimbled Fatboy upgrade, but am still open to others. I’m already a believer in cables. Actually, everything you’ve laid out is well thought out. I’ll be researching the Modwright PH 9.0X this morning.
Thanks again!
As great as the Gaia are for speakers, I never got why they should be used under front end equipment which doesn’t generate nameable resonance itself. My impression was, they are designed for the completely different field of application „speaker“. But for sure they will sound „somehow“ also under other equipment.
I think the kind of isolation/coupling is very much dependent on the whole turntable and base concept and very individual.
As far as I can see, turntable isolation, at least for those with external motors, isn’t to tame or dissipate any internally created movement, but to prevent external vibration from traveling from an outside source to the turntable. It’s for dealing with footfalls and airborne vibrations (to the extent possible). Whether the Gaia feet are effective at that, I don’t know, since I don’t have any experience with them. I don’t need to worry about footfalls with my Scout, since the listening room is on a slab on grade, and so far I’ve managed airborne vibrations effectively with a set of Black Diamond Racing carbon fiber pucks and motor platform. At least that’s my understanding of the problem.
Isoacoustics, whether the Gaia, Orea, or Delos lines, are founded in decoupling. They reduce the vibrations from any structure they stand on traveling up to the component while also reducing component resonance itself. I use Isoacoustics under every single component I own, down to beneath a Farad LPS that powers my etherRegen. And that’s on top of owning a $5K rack. To my ears. They make that much of a difference - it just adds that last mile of imaging that makes things super holographic.
Do you still have the 9.0X? I’ve got a 9.0 on trial, it’s excellent, emailed Dan and thinking of sending back for a 9.0X.
I’m in the UK, the other option is the X upgrade, that can be done over here by the distributor.
Yes I chose to send mine back for the upgrade vs getting a whole new unit. It was a fairly quick process. The result was simply more; unrestricted sound, making it more musical.
I don’t recall if I mentioned before, but I’m using Reflektor tubes for both the 6922 pair (6N23P) and the 6C45. They are incredible tubes for this unit, but it all depends on your system synergy.
I’ve done the deal for a new 9.0X at the same price as an upgrade. It was supplied with JJ 6922’s and, funnily enough, I have ordered a pair of Reflecktor 6922 today. It came with the Sovtek Reflecktor 6C45.
Congrats to you! The Reflektor 6C45 is harder to come by here in the US but you might be luckier since you’re “across the pond”. I’ve tried a few other tubes in all seats and this combo is the best. If you’re dating you can also try building a better umbilical between the two and also upgrade the fuse to an SR fuse if you haven’t already. Last, I also took off the footers and have the units on Isoacoustics Orea footers.
There re two main specialist valve sellers over here, one 10 minutes from where I live. He only offers the the Sovtek Reflektor 6C45. I’m not in to fuses. My entire audio cabinet is on industrial isolation feet (they cost $2 each), but I have a spare pair of Townshend seismic bars and I may use them.
I almost never buy things all-of-a-package. I like to pick individual parts, whether a hifi system or a bicycle.
But for a turntable I wanted something completely thought out and engineered by those who live to produce a competitive, well regarded product.
I like the Rega and Linn approach.
I bought a Linn LP-12, fully loaded including their (then) top of the line cartridge. It works perfectly, passes every test-record challenge. It makes me happy and I can’t be convinced that I went wrong.
I agree, within one’s means the Linn and Rega lines are remarkable. well thought out and offering a convincing sound. The two sound unalike. I also own a VPI Prime, which I also like. My Linn has been with me over 40 years, and it is not going anywhere.