Playground for practical listening exercises

[Charlie1]

I would appreciate giving these files a listen. New belts and level matched.

ZZZ - https://www.dropbox.com/s/0b4vwnailx4y2 ... Z.MOV?dl=0

YYY - https://www.dropbox.com/s/me4x2eoq0ncbg ... Y.MOV?dl=0

XXX - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ld7lcscgxeonh ... X.MOV?dl=0

BTW, I’m Linn factory trained and know my way around an LP12.

ZZZ makes most sense of the music for me
YYY worst
XXX can see why folks would like it but I'd rather live with ZZZ

[Defender]

for me
YYY sounds most in tune and flows best and it goes down in this order

XXX
ZZZ

but I prefer one against another comparisons vs. 3 against each other

[Charlie1]

but I prefer one against another comparisons vs. 3 against each other

Me too!

[Spannko]

I prefer ZZZ. xxx

[Charlie1]

I prefer ZZZ. xxx

Why, oh why, oh why?

Doh! that makes YOYOY

[tokenbrit]

I prefer ZZZ. xxx

Why, oh why, oh why?

Doh! that makes YOYOY

Is that a yo-yo between zzz & xxx?

ZZZ seemed a more sympathetic rendition... And didn't put me to sleep. (ZZZ Tops)

[Charlie1]

Is that a yo-yo between zzz & xxx?

:)

[Spannko]

I prefer ZZZ. xxx

Why, oh why, oh why?

Doh! that makes YOYOY

🤣

However, YYY is often seen as challenging. Under the present circumstances I thought it YYY’SR to XXX and make up.

[John]

Thanks everyone who has had a chance to listen. I’ll keep it to two files next time and I’m working on improving the sound quality for future recordings. I’d like to wait a bit before I reveal to see if we get more contributors.

[beck]

I am on the YYY team this time around.

[Lego]

YYY for me

[Lego]

B2 JT

[John]

I want to thank those that gave these files a listen.

ZZZ - Technics 1200Mk2 with Audio Technic VM-95E. The turntable is stock other than an Ittok arm cable.

YYY - LP12 with a new Linn belt

XXX - LP12 with a new Blue belt

PS. I have yet to orient the belts. I have some recording equipment on the way that will allow me to make line recordings on my MacBook which will make it easier to sort things out. I regretfully recycled an iMac which I previously used for line in recordings.

[Spannko]

There’s got to be something wrong with your LP12 John. A Technics 1200 isn’t even as musical as a Rega 3, never mind an LP12!

[Lego]

I want to thank those that gave these files a listen.

ZZZ - Technics 1200Mk2 with Audio Technic VM-95E. The turntable is stock other than an Ittok arm cable.

YYY - LP12 with a new Linn belt

XXX - LP12 with a new Blue belt

PS. I have yet to orient the belts. I have some recording equipment on the way that will allow me to make line recordings on my MacBook which will make it easier to sort things out. I regretfully recycled an iMac which I previously used for line in recordings.

John all you are doing here is comparing an LP12 setup by you vs a Technics 1200Mk2
A Rega3 vs a Technics would be a much more interesting comparison as both turntables are factory set.I've no idea how the Mark2 sounds but I could easily come to the conclusion that your setup is so bad it makes a Techics sound good.However if you added a Rega 3 to the mix and the Lp12 sounded way better than the Rega then at least you'd be proving to us all that you know your craft.

[Lego]

There’s got to be something wrong with your LP12 John. A Technics 1200 isn’t even as musical as a Rega 3, never mind an LP12!

What makes you think the Technics is musical Spannko?

[Spannko]

There’s got to be something wrong with your LP12 John. A Technics 1200 isn’t even as musical as a Rega 3, never mind an LP12!

What makes you think the Technics is musical Spannko?

Can you rephrase your question please? It makes no sense to me in light of any of the preceding comments.

[Lego]

There’s got to be something wrong with your LP12 John. A Technics 1200 isn’t even as musical as a Rega 3, never mind an LP12!

What makes you think the Technics is musical Spannko?

Can you rephrase your question please? It makes no sense to me in light of any of the preceding comments.

You said the Technics is more musical than the Lp12 in those clips ,give me an explanation why

[Spannko]

It’s more tuneful than the LP12.

[Lego]

It’s more tuneful than the LP12.

In your opinion.I found it less tuneful

[Spannko]

It’s more tuneful than the LP12.

In your opinion.I found it less tuneful

We all make mistakes from time to time.

[Lego]

It’s more tuneful than the LP12.

In your opinion.I found it less tuneful

We all make mistakes from time to time.

Hold on Spannko this isn't a test ..you picked what you preferred, where's the mistake !!??

[Spannko]

In your opinion.I found it less tuneful

We all make mistakes from time to time.

Hold on Spannko this isn't a test ..you picked what you preferred, where's the mistake !!??

Test? Where did that come from? I really don’t know what your point is.

[Lego]

We all make mistakes from time to time.

Hold on Spannko this isn't a test ..you picked what you preferred, where's the mistake !!??

Test? Where did that come from? I really don’t know what your point is.

Really sorry when you said we all make mistakes ,I thought you were referring to yourself

[tpetsch]

It's very telling to me in an A/B like this when an LP12 an may be involved when you don't hear from some of the members here. And just how emotionally invested people are in defending gear they own until the end.

I just listened several times again, and I can't get past it, YYY just has that LP12 artificial fatness coloration/blueprint over the whole performance and therefor over every performance. ..And the Blue belt as I expected did that Hi-Fi thing to the performance and got the LP12 to sound kinda less big/fat and artificial -which BTW pretty much everyone over at PF prefer this new Blue belt, and this too is really telling- but the overall tune suffered.

The Techniques was like a breath of fresh when compared to the other two, seemed to play the music with out that added Linn inherent coloration I've come to loose interest in over the past few years. And I have to admit, it's not a bad sounding deck.

And I'm curious, what is the OP's opinion -John- of the three differences as he experienced them while listening in his actual listening room?