Kore, Torlyte no more.

Posted by: Loki on 20 November 2018

As avid followers of the Asgaard blog will know I have used a Russ Andrews Torlyte shelf under the LP12 for many years now, most recently atop an Audiotech table with a sandwich filling of  Naim glass. 

Since the Kore and DR upgrades this summer all has been more than well, yet as things have settled down the screechiness previously attributed to a new XX2 running in has continued unabated. Last night and this evening listening to Gun Gallus on original vinyl I decided something was amiss. It was just lifeless and the 32.5 was at 12 o'clock. 

So, we experimented with its extractionl.

Wow.

Even on that rather rough pressing/recording the difference was immediately discernible. Sweetness and rounded depth returned, and a velvety set of higher frequencies replaced the ear splitting and teeth grinding pretenders to the throne. If only guarding the 9 realms was as easy.

Have you had a similar experience with Torlyte or another support?

Posted on: 25 November 2018 by Filipe
Blackmorec posted:

I don’t know about Torlyte but glass has a resonant frequency smack in the middle of the audible range. It also stores energy and rings so tends to impart a certain hardness to the upper frequencies when used as a support. It also tends to emphasize frequency extremes so can make it sound like there’s extended bass and upper treble but at the cost of naturalness. 

As you can see, I’m not a fan of glass as a support material. Given that every support material tends to imprint its character on the sound I tend to favour maple for its naturalness,  constrained layer damped material for its neutrality or complex bamboo laminate for its excellent price/performance

I have an RP10/Aphelion on Naim glass etc and have just removed it and it seems to confirm what [@mention:71399038679995297] says. Or it’s different. I’d be interested to hear what [@mention:1566878603942595] says regarding his RP10/Aphelion. Excuse the slight diversion.

Phil

Posted on: 25 November 2018 by Richard Dane

Phil, I haven't tried anything different with the RP10 - it sounded good on standard feet and the Fraim top so I kept it there . However, I do have a few  Audiotech tables I could try although it won't look so neat, and also I could try a sonority shelf in place of the glass on the Fraim, which might work well.

What did you try in place of the glass?  What was the positive change to the performance?

Posted on: 25 November 2018 by Filipe
Richard Dane posted:

Phil, I haven't tried anything different with the RP10 - it sounded good on standard feet and the Fraim top so I kept it there . However, I do have a few  Audiotech tables I could try although it won't look so neat, and also I could try a sonority shelf in place of the glass on the Fraim, which might work well.

What did you try in place of the glass?  What was the positive change to the performance?

The Naim glass etc was on HiFi Racks Akorner shelves. The Naim glass etc fixed the limitations of HiFi Racks (oak reacts to its environment) for the electronics. I hadn’t thought before of glass shelves affecting the frequency response of a TT. Maybe more natural sounding. Playing Beethoven Piano Concerto now, and piano sings. No harm trying.

In relation to the choice of phonostage I’m considering I don’t think the change alters whether the Aura is better than the Aria (it is at a price). In about a week I will have the Superline to try.

Phil

Posted on: 25 November 2018 by Loki

Interesting reading about attempts to find the ultimate underpinning combo. Another Fraim would certainly provide visual harmony, but not sure if it would better the Audiotech acoustically. Next experiment will be to remove the Fraim glass between Audiotech and LP12, but that will have to wait until tomorrow at the earliest...duties to perform!