New Member in 2016
Printed From: Graham Slee Hifi System Components
Category: Find what you're looking for here!
Forum Name: New Members Corner
Forum Description: Introduce yourself here
URL: https://www.hifisystemcomponents.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2780
Printed Date: 26 Mar 2026 at 11:54pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: New Member in 2016
Posted By: BillT
Subject: New Member in 2016
Date Posted: 22 Jan 2016 at 8:07pm
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Hi gang, New member from coastal South Carolina - getting back into Vinyl, now that I have retired after 45 years an EE (last 22 with a major semiconductor mfr), as a Principal Architect for Wireless (PAN, LAN and WAN) IoT Gateway and Sensor solutions. You guys are going to give me a hard time as I have had my "vintage" Dual 1219 Idler Wheel TT rebuilt after being in the attic for eons. New home theater receiver is sans integrated phono stage. As I seem to have lost the original V15 type II cartridge (likely my "better half" may have tossed it out in the move to SC, but it needed a new stylus when it went in the attic in 2001). I am awaiting delivery of a Ortofon 2M MM Blue cartridge which should be good enough for my senior ears. I also have had a Shure M97xE in the headshell in the TT, but the stylus diamond tip is missing (works fine in setting the turntable up for the anti-skating adjustment.......as a mechanical sample). I may buy a aftermarket JICO stylus for it in the future. I have read the entire 47 page forum notes etc for the Genera preamp and am about ready to take the plunge on the kit as it seems a good fit (from both a design and implementation packaging standpoint) as well as the Novo headphone amplifier. So......here is the question........is the Genera overkill for my cartridge and TT combos? I think not. BTW.....Graham.......nice job on the design......is elegantly simple and follows the KISS principal; seems great MM performance bang for the BOM $. At first blush I would have never expected a LF351 series op amp to be matched up to the RIAA audio preamp task.....but seems fine. I used these guys in many AFE and active filter designs after getting weened on 741's early in my career. Cheers, BT |
Replies:
Posted By: BackinBlack
Date Posted: 22 Jan 2016 at 8:50pm
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A warm welcome to the forum Bill. The Genera is hardly overkill. Not only will it bring the best from your Ortofon Blue, the asssembly process using through hole components will be good therapy!! The Dual should do the cartridge justice, when funds allow perhaps a new arm would be a good investment. Happy Retirement, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, it's certainly the best job I've ever had. ------------- Just listen, if it sounds good to you, enjoy it. |
Posted By: morris_minor
Date Posted: 23 Jan 2016 at 9:35am
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Welcome to the forum Bill!
Why? Nothing at all wrong with using vintage turntables - I use three from the 80s. The bottom line is - do you get enjoyment from your equipment and the way it plays music? We're a tolerant lot here - no competing factions pushing their views to the detriment of others! I'm sure you'll enjoy the Genera build, and the sound it produces. Keep us posted on your progress  .------------- Bob Majestic DAC/pre-amp Accession MC/Enigma, Accession MM, Reflex M, Elevator EXP, Era Gold V Solo ULDE, Novo, Lautus USB and digital, Libran balanced, CuSat50 2 x Proprius + Spatia/Spatia Links |
BillT wrote:Posted By: Fatmangolf
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2016 at 8:34pm
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Welcome aboard Bill. I have built the Genera, it's a great kit that you will enjoy building and listening to. I think it will bring the out of your turntable and whatever cartridge/stylus is on its arm. ------------- Jon Open mind and ears whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession M, Accession MC, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC. |
Posted By: Graham Slee
Date Posted: 24 Jan 2016 at 8:40pm
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Nothing wrong with a Dual 1219. I've used BSR MP60's and Garard SP25's in my time and had good results out of them after taking out the auto-arm return mechanisms. ------------- That none should be able to park up and enjoy the view without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps |
Posted By: BillT
Date Posted: 25 Jan 2016 at 1:42am
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Thanks for the comments guys. BTW, I bought the 1219 TT new in 1971 and had it rebuilt at a great shop last year.....spins every bit as well after 45 years. It's time to build the Genera, will be a project for February. |
Posted By: BillT
Date Posted: 13 Feb 2016 at 3:34pm
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Well.......the Genera is built.....was relatively straightforward, only issue was having to rely on my DVM to for resistor identification as its getting tougher to read color codes on the small parts. So far......so good. I burned it in over night on the bench before initial sound testing this AM. So far, I am impressed at the sound quality......great design and implementation. |
Posted By: gwebster
Date Posted: 13 Feb 2016 at 6:37pm
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Hi Bill, I also built a Genera and I'm running an Ortofon 2M Black with it on what started as an NAD TT (several mods later, I think the only original part is the main bit of the tonearm). Great little phono stage and after a few days of use sounds even better. Once all was burnt in, while playing the U2 Joshua Tree album, my wife commented "I haven't heard that before" to which my response was "We've had this for ages (the album)". "No! I'm hearing things in the music I hadn't heard before". Geoff
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Posted By: BillT
Date Posted: 14 Feb 2016 at 2:19pm
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Geoff, I use a Dual 1219......100% stock but rebuilt a year ago. I am setup with Ortofon 2M Blue running on a new headshell; also have the Empire 999 PE/X from 4 decades ago as well as a Shure M97xE as backup. What I have noticed is a goodly amount of headroom (no clipping on bass drum passages) and the music is generally much more alive, with the few LP's I have listened to. I was using an old Dynaco PAT4 preamp for its phono stage feeding the new Yamaha home theater receiver......now it can be gracefully retired. In my system configuration the Genera will be always on, with the wall wart hanging on a AC receptacle "eternally" burning in. I am in the process of rediscovering and adding my vinyl collection, and thoroughly enjoying it. |