Help me improve Rega P2

The DB Systems DB-6 phono capcitance kit is an inexpensive solution for those that believe that frequency response and capacitance are primary drivers of MM phono cartridge sound:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/60043/DB_Systems-DB_Systems_DBP-6_Phono_Capacitor_Loading_Kit-Any

IMHO, much like calculations of primary tonearm resonance, capacitive loading of MM cartridges is of little use in practical terms. But we tend to focus on those things that we can measure, rather than those that we can't.

Thanks, Marty (Viridian). It should be noted, though, that the DB Systems kit, or any other similar kit, can only add capacitance, not reduce it.

But we tend to focus on those things that we can measure, rather than those that we can't.

True enough, in many cases. And I personally have never experimented with intentionally mismatching load capacitance of MM's relative to the manufacturer's recommendation, to see how much difference it would make. But I see it this way: Audio is a pursuit in which many people concern themselves with unexplainable, unpredictable, and often dubious minutiae, even in some cases to the extent of things like which way a fuse is oriented. Given that, why introduce an explainable, predictable, and known inaccuracy into the system, notwithstanding the possibility that it **might** be minor in degree, or perhaps even subjectively preferable? And if it should happen to be subjectively preferable, chances are it is compensating for a problem elsewhere, which ideally and hopefully should be found and fixed rather than compensated for.

Best regards,
-- Al

Al, happy New Year. You make some great points. I agree but have a somewhat different perspective.

Take the primary tonearm cartridge resonance. So much ink gets spilled on that one it's not even funny. That resonance, unless there is a severe mismatch, does not even fall within the audio band.

Secondary resonances within the moving system absolutely fall within the audio band. Just gently tap your tonearm with the cartridge in a non-moving groove to see. Those resonances are harder to measure, though Hi-Fi News used to do a good job of it. In the end they really don't get discussed and that's a shame since they are a far greater deteminant of the final sound that one is going to get.

I guess it all goes back to if the sound does not agree with the measurements, one is measuring the wrong thing.

I also don't subscribe to the concept of accuracy as it applies to audio gear. Oh yes, there are gross colorations, but the rest of it is so subjective. What is more accurate 2% second harmonic distortion or .5% seventh harmonic distortion? Some will argue that the later is the more accurate, but really who cares if the ear finds the seventh harmonic less consonant with the fabric of the music?

Far and away, I believe that measurements have taken the hobby in the wrong direction, particularly as they apply to amplification components. A good example is the harmonic distortion wars of the 70s where manufacturers ladeled on the negative feedback in ever greater attempts to reduce HD at the expense of all other paramters. It's a good case of the tail wagging the dog.

Loudspeakers, IMHO, are a different case. Where would we be without the work of Heyser and Toole at the NRC? Loudspeaker measurements seem to correlate fairly well with what we actually hear. Though there is certainly still room for art in the design of speakers.

But even there, the design of the acoustic suspension loudspeaker was the worst thing that ever happened to the reproduction of music in the home, even if it did make loudspeakers more domestically acceptable and thus brought music in the home to a wider audience. But it was pretty much the MP3 of its day.

I agree, in theory, with your statement about colorations, that it makes sense to find the root problem in the system rather than compensating for them elsewhere through complemenatary colorations. However, practically speaking, my experience is that we don't have the ability to go back and re-record the source material and most compensating colorations in audio gear are compensating for deficiencies in source material due to issues in the recording, and mastering, chain rather than other issues within the system.

A Denon dl 110 is a good upgrade. I've seen a Canadian retailer still selling them for 129. I would also look at the subplatter upgrade from tangospinner....as well as the pully. That gets you under 300. Later on you can go with the tonearm rewire from brit audio.

Yes you can greatly improve that table by bypassing the factory feet. Put the table on 3 Cardas blocks, 3 same size cans you have in your pantry, etc.