Are there other Artisan Fidelity TT owners aorund?


So after being an audio hobbyist since my uncle got me going down this demented path some 17 years ago I finally purchased a TT. I had flirted with the idea for a very long time but honestly I've heard a number of TT's at shows and at buddies homes and none of them moved me. Now obviously many many variables are involved. Lets start with, was their TT setup correctly (superlatively).., I don't know. Was the arm/cartridge combination simpatico.., again, I don't know. Was the phono preamp just so-so or great and if it was great was the cartridge loaded correctly.., you get my drift.

So with my digital down through the years easily besting (to my ears) the analog I'd been privy to, I found no reason to spend the money required to involve myself with analog. My former Bidat easily dispatched a SOTA Cosmos Vacuum TT in a head to head listening session. Ditto for my former Dynavox Dynastation.., same with my AMR DP777...etc.

At Axpona last year I listened to the $170K Clearaudio TT along with about $85K worth of Pass Amplification and perhaps $200K worth of JM Labs speaker and cabling only to be more moved by the sound from the Playback Design MPD-5 in the same room.

Finally I realized the only way I would ever find out for myself would be to purchase my OWN TT and make sure it was expertly setup and dialed-in. I had a rare chance to purchase a latest-revision-pristine example of a Graaf GM70 Phono Preamplifier. I have a soft spot for Graaf as Mr. Mariani simply builds the finest gear I have laid ears on. So now I have this phono pre sitting in the box for a few months when I see a SP 10 MK III come up for sale in Agon. So, I threw caution to the wind and contacted Chris at Artisan Fidelity; after some conversation I hung up having just commissioned the building of a SP10 MKIII Next Gen TT.

I was happy for about a month then the fear started to creep in, "what have I done?". What if this thing SUCKS!!!! and my digital system which is very very very good if I do say so myself stomps it!

During the build I researched and read tons of user reviews (I don't really pay attention to so-called pro reviewers) on arms and cartridges. I finally settled (with a lot of talking to Chris and other friends and a lot of late night web searching) on the Kuzma 4 Point and the Ortofon MC Anna.

So, here we are today and I have had my TT for a little over 3 weeks now and I have about 150 - 160 hours on the rig. Early on it sounded ok, you know.., good but nothing special. I liked it but my digital was fully up to the task and in some cases much better :) (now I'm scared)

Ok, so fast forward to 100 hours.., ok, I think I'm starting to understand all this analog hype :) better and better. now we are at 150 hours.., the word SUBLIME comes to mind. The spaciousness, openness and natural continuity of the analog is addictive. The dynamics seem to go on forever along with a naturalness that is very difficult to put into words. I did purchase the Furutech Demag, the Destat II, a scale..., all the toys to go along with it :) Again, I wanted to know for myself and the only way to do that was to take the plunge.

So how does my digital hold up? Well, my well run-in long time AMR DP777 has NOTHING to be ashamed of. It sounds great and I can easily go from the TT to the DP without too much shock (the AMR guys are big vinyl heads and use vinyl as a reference when designing) BUT... when I have two equally well recorded pieces of music (Best of Eva Cassidy comes to mind or Diana Krall Live in Paris 24/96 vs 180g/45) as good as my digital sounds the SP10MK III simply walks away. Again the digital is not trodden underfoot and indeed 20 seconds of the digital and you will be into it fully, but the analog rig beguiles with its effervescent ease and infinite continuity of musical flow.

Ok, so to end this long synopses.., I am now deeply into analog and have been going to local used record stores and burning up my cc on Music Direct and Acoustic Sounds...etc.

The folks at Artisan Fidelity are the real deal and they built me a museum quality +180 pound Porsche Basalt Black TT/piece of art that sounds AMAZING!!!!

I also ordered a Bassocontinuo Apogeo rack for the table which should arrive in about 2 weeks. I am enjoying my foray into the land of analog!!!

THANKS CHRIS!!!!!!!
audiofun
I had mentioned I purchased a Garrard 401 for a new project because of what I have read about idlers... BUT, I may have been hasty with my new-found love of analog. I am so happy now I don't think I am going to run 2 separate analog rigs as my NG has 2 arm capability. Thought about long and way later than I should have last night, but even as I type this I think I am abandoning the 401 project... I am sure it would have been sublime, but I think 2 tables in 2 systems is a bit much for me :) guess I got analog greedy for a minute LOL!!!
Man this hobby!!!I Think the 401 project is moving forward LOL!!! I will just run both TT's in the same system. The 401 is a beautiful platform and I will be taking my time (what hurry right?) making design decisions about the project.

Ok, back to Diana Krall Live in Paris 45 RPM :)
The Live in Paris LP is really good. If you like that sonically try a Stockfisch Sara K LP, Waterfalls or In the Groove. These German LPs may be digitally sourced, I really don't know or care. They sound significantly better than any Diana Krall recording ever did and her sadly departed backup guitarist, Chris Jones, was amazing. Seriously, if you don't like these send them to me with the bill. I'll give them to a friend or keep them as a backup. I can send you my address in a PM if needed but I doubt that will be necessary.
This is a general FYI for SP10MK3 and MK2 owners. When I first received my SP10MK 3 I was contacted by a representative for the Krebs mod here on Agon. The guy was nice enough and we sent a few emails back and forth. As a software developer and degreed Elec Eng I like to know what a mod (at least some tech stuff to consider the efficacy of the intended modification) consists of, I do not need to know the intellectual property behind the modification. In other words a high level explanation of what I am paying for will suffice and I can make an intelligent decision based on what I hear. Examples would be, we rework the PLL's, we bypass key electrolytics, wire is changed in key location to a much better grade, clocks are changed...etc. I resist Magic Black Box changes i.e. you can't tell me anything except that after 100 plus hours it will be better sounding. I mentioned that I knew of a mod where the modification consisted of shooting the SP10 MK3 full of some sort of organic gunk.., for over a thousand dollars. Yes you read that right. I have a number of buddies with TT's and I saw one first hand with one such mod. It was NASTY!!! an oily viscous fluid had been applied to the innards of the MK3 and one buddy stated that is smelled like linseed oil... it was starting to harden and stink. This is a shame as there are very few of these MK3 tables left in the wild. I HUMBLY suggest if a modifier does not stipulate to something like "We DO NOT fill your MK3 full of (xyz) fluid (oil, linseed oil, crisco :)" I would not let them have my table. I am pretty sure I know who did this as I know of at least one of the modders on this table. I am investigating and once I am 100% sure I will share it. I am doing this as a community service. I would personally avoid a modification of this nature like the PLAGUE. Again this is one man’s opinion and of course we are all free to do as we please.

SAVE THE SP10 MK3's LOL

ok, I couldn't help but put the last part in, wish I had a bumper sticker.