The joys of buying a new cart

After much consideration and driving myself up the wall with the decision making I finally decided to purchase a new cartridge - a Lyra Dorian, currently in the post and on its way to me. This is going to replace my Goldring Elite cart which has been in place for a little under 3 years, and which truth be told I've enjoyed a lot, but I fancied a change and having sold the Michell Mycro decided on a new cart. This is the most expensive cart I've ever bought and thinking about it, probably the most expensive I'll ever buy, but sometimes you just need to treat yourself.

However, having been chatting to some people in the office I work you would have thought I had done the single most stupid thing ever. The comments of disbelief at spending this sort of money (£495) on something like a cartridge (normally followed by the question "what's a cartridge ?") is staggering. I've been informed by at least 2 people that I could have bought the wonderful Sony surround system with built in dvd player that they own for half that amount or even an ipod.

I continually get the mick ripped out of me for driving an unfashionable (and crap) car while others spend a fortune on their's, only to sit in traffic jams from what I can see.

It has just dawned on me that I really am in a minority. In my team at work of around 50 people I'm the only person with a 'hifi' - and no I don't include Sony surround systems with built in dvd players for less than £250 in that category and bearing in mind I work in IT where the salary is a above the average (by a considerable margin for some people I work with). I'm the only person who listens to vinyl (not so strange admittedly) but if one more person tells me to get an ipod and download tracks and to join the 21st century one more time I think I'm going to insert their ipod's somewhere unfashionable.

Is hi-fi really not that important anymore ? Due to not buying any hi-fi recently due to being happy with mine (shock, horror) i seem to have missed the fact that all people want now are things that make explosions go around the room.

I find this very depressing.

 

For some of us, never has been.

Why depressing? As long as you're happy, why worry? I am the only person I know in work with any sort of interest in better music reproduction. It bothers me not at all.

 

Did you talk to them about putting a squeezebox through a hifi? - it makes an I-pod look low-tech IMHO. Beat them at their own game, and then play LP's

 

I've seriously thought about the Squeezebox and think it's a great idea allowing me to have music downstairs instead of turning the volume up.

'Important' was probably the wrong choice of word, I should have said 'Hobby/interest'. It's more the fact that people just think I'm strange cos for £500 I could have got sat nav in my car (which would more than double the worth of my car) - this was seriously suggested to me by several people.

The fact that I enjoy listening to music and wish to do it on some semi serious gear just seems so alien to so many people.

 

I learnt to keep my mouth shut about how much I spend on things long ago to those who dont understand.

The one thing I always wanted was a decent watch, nothing to do with prestige or being flash I just really like quality watches. So after I graduated and got a job I managed to save abit and bought a lovely special edition Omega for quite abit of cash. Would you believe someone actually went into town and checked the dealers to see how much it was, it went round work in a matter of hours and I didnt half get some stick. Still 6 yrs on Ive worn it dailly, it still looks mint, runs faultless and is still worth a good bit of cash and I seriously doubt I'll buy another watch.

Sorry about digressing.

 

T-bone,

not digressing that is exactly my point. I spent ages saving for my hi-fi which I always wanted since I started work and for the amount of time I spend listening to music it is not a lot IMO.

The cost only came up in conversation cos I couldn't go away for a weekend with some friends due to work so I decided to spend the money anyway.

 

and your weekend will be over with in no time but your cart will give your many years of joy. Its a no brainer.

 

Just remember Jane Austen's wise words: 'One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other half' and stop worrying about it. I can't understand why (for example) someone would want to go down a pothole or climb a mountain, still less spend large sums of money on the requisite kit, but if it floats their boat ...

 

Hmm I have a Dorian on the way too. Sort of as they're out of stock atm. Been without TT for weeks, wish they'd hurry up.

 

Griffo, you are a braver man than me. Despite the fact that i always try to be as carefull as possible in using them , and try to set up my carts in an excriciatingly anal manner, I've manged to snag and trash two needles in 4 years.

Basically i don't think i have the mental ability to run an expensive cart. I'm sure you will enjoy your new purchase and hope it gives you years of pleasure.

Although I've let it slip a couple of times that i enjoy Hi-Fi stuff I try to keep my dirty little secret to myself at work, as even though some of my work buddies have been personal friends for years and years they wouldn't understand ( and i can understand why sometimes - cables ) . In saying that, one of my work collegues/peers has spent a couple of years building himself modern a race replica motorcycle from often bespoke parts costing £29,000+ ! ( it featured in MCN a few months ago) , this hobby can be brought out in the open though as it's so macho

 

I reckon most people would find hifi pretty macho if they tried to move a full system. Not to mention software.

 

Anex
I had to wait nearly 2 weeks for mine but got an email from Stone Audio yesterday telling me it was in the post - happy and slightly gutted as I have to work this weekend

Sid&Coke
This is my 3rd cart I will have put on the lp12 and so far so good but the thought of putting a cart this expensive on does worry me a little - I have been told that they are actually fairly easy to setup due to tapered holes and Lyra give everything you need so touch wood this won't be the first on I trash.

As for the motorcycles - my sister's fella rides them and is in a stunt team as a hobby (and has been featured on Channel 5) and as for work, well I'm currently at a car manufacturer - they were getting very excited about a car from the seventies the other day - I just don't get it.

 

the shakes prevent me from even thinking about a cart on my tt - next time i'll either get on of the london hifi crew to stick it on or pay a dealer to do it. the second means loads of buggering around i know.

on the other suject brought up by the thread , i don't normally bother talking to non beleivers about hifi. if it comes up in conversation say for example a colleague want to buy a 20 ukp midi job. i normally tell them i have a '' really silly stereo''. most people change the subject.

 

What I do is let somebody listen to my stereo before telling them anything about the cost...even with my very modest/poor system compared to most people here, a surprisingly large number of people are impressed by it (even a girl I know who had a Philips boombox and about 6 CDs with her for all the time she was at uni, so hardly a mega music fan, commented on it 'sounding really crisp').

If I told most people 'I spent £1500 on my hifi' they'd look at me a bit funny and ask why (lord knows the reaction you guys with serious megabucks systems get ), but when they actually listen they do think its good, and then they understand why I bother just enough so they don't think I'm a weirdo!

 

I helped a friend a couple of months back to put a little system together. He wanted dvd and music but not surround. After a bit of shopping around and helping him demos and explaining what it all meant and stuff he ended up buying Denon DVD-2900, Orelle EVO amp and PMC DB1+ speakers. The denon was half price, the Orelle even less as it was in auction on ebay (by the actual company as it was review model that had gone around the mags) and PMC about £120 cheaper as he get through a company supplying the pro side but wre still happy the supply him with the home models.

He saved around £1300 buying this gear this way and was absolutely chuffed to bits with it - He phoned me up about 10 times the night he finally got it all sorted - he was that happy with it.

The next day, still chuffed and was telling someone at work how happy he was with it, and then he found out what I have to put up with when someone, over hearing his conversation, gave him an advert out of the paper stating Asda were doing dvd players for £25.

Now if he had bought a car for the equivalent saving - about 45% - I'm sure that person would have been congratulating him on his purchase.

 

Tell me about it - I get them (when handling fragile stuff like carts!) and my eyesight stops me being able to see an alignment protractor properly.

Add to that the fact that Rega arms need a Rega torgue wrench (otherwise bye bye bearings!) and it stacks up that a dealer install is the only way.

Thank god for armlifts though hey?

As for the stereo - well, I talk about it sometimes, but music gets talked about a lot more often Had some long time mates from the pub round last year for a party (both BIG LEAGUE music fans and midi system owners) and they thought the system sounded great - nice!

 

Dom,
Which Rega torque wrench are you refering to ?
I have a Rega Torque tool for tightening cartridge bolts, it is nothing special though, in fact i'd go so far as to say that it is so heavy that there is more risk in damaging the bearings if using it with the arm fitted to the deck.
I always do my final cart bolt tightening with the arm removed from the deck, much less chance of damaging the bearings this way.

Just for info , i contacted Rega to ask about their recommended torque for cart bolts , thay said:

"The REGA cartridge torque should be set to 0.4Nm
Always turn it for 4 clicks to ensure correct torque".

 

If anyone ever comments on my kit or the cost thereof I look at them sideways and ask if they are as cheap with their girlfriends, generally that does the trick. Or you can simply say yes will someone like YOU probably can live with a £250 DVD system.

Obviously the real winner is to get them to listen, although you then open yourself up to vinyl pops and clicks!!!

 

Originally Posted by domfjbrown
"Add to that the fact that Rega arms need a Rega torgue wrench (otherwise bye bye bearings!) and it stacks up that a dealer install is the only way".

I am curious about this. I was under the impression that it was ok to fit a cart to a Rega arm whilst it is still on the deck, and that it was Linn arms that have more fragile bearings and need to be removed first. Also you don't necessarily need a torque wrench for non Rega carts do you?

 

I've changed god knows how many carts, and not destroyed a bearing yet, but I am very careful, and don't overtighten