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Post by Chris on Feb 16, 2018 18:28:30 GMT -5
I recently purchased the Bryston BLP-1 turntable with a generous discount from this vendor: BLP-1 w/Dynavector 10x5 cartridge.
It appears there are still some available at this price. Considering that the cartridge is almost $700 the turntable is about $2k. Essentially, this turntable is built by Gold Note of Italy with Bryston electronics. This is a very well specified (titanium tonearm, ceramic bearings, outboard power supply) turntable and there is probably not much that can beat it at this price point It is early days for me but so far I am impressed with the build quality and sound reproduction.
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Post by larrys on Feb 25, 2018 7:30:04 GMT -5
Chris,
How do you like the table at this point? Do you know the range of cartridge weights it can accommodate? It's tempting.
LarryS
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Post by Chris on Feb 25, 2018 10:02:36 GMT -5
Chris, How do you like the table at this point? Do you know the range of cartridge weights it can accommodate? It's tempting. LarryS According to the Gold Note manual (who make the arm): "The Tone-Arm exclusively features a double counterweight to set up most of the market phono cartridge up to 15 gram mass. Optionally other extra weights are available to handle phono cartridges with higher mass." Each day I use it I become more enthralled. It is very quiet and speed stability seems extremely accurate. I think Bryston did very well to outsource a lot of the development for their first turntable to Gold Note. It is exciting and I think novel design worthy of audition. That said only you can ultimately decide whether this is the right model for you. There is one gotcha I should disclose. With the supplied Dynavector 10x5, I have found that the rear of the counterweight when set for the proper tracking force causes it (the counter weight) to hit the inside of the supplied dust cover in it's closed position towards the end of a record. It's a bit of engineering oversite that I a surprised about? I just leave the dust cover lid up and out of the way when playing so it doesn't bother me. You could even remove the dust cover as well. I've seen Bryston demo pictures without the dust cover. I haven't contacted Bryston about it. It's an annoyance but not a deal breaker for me given how well the turntable performs otherwise.
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Post by larrys on Feb 25, 2018 11:10:44 GMT -5
Chris, How do you like the table at this point? Do you know the range of cartridge weights it can accommodate? It's tempting. LarryS According to the Gold Note manual (who make the arm): "The Tone-Arm exclusively features a double counterweight to set up most of the market phono cartridge up to 15 gram mass. Optionally other extra weights are available to handle phono cartridges with higher mass." Each day I use it I become more enthralled. It is very quiet and speed stability seems extremely accurate. I think Bryston did very well to outsource a lot of the development for their first turntable to Gold Note. It is exciting and I think novel design worthy of audition. That said only you can ultimately decide whether this is the right model for you. There is one gotcha I should disclose. With the supplied Dynavector 10x5, I have found that the rear of the counterweight when set for the proper tracking force causes it (the counter weight) to hit the inside of the supplied dust cover in it's closed position towards the end of a record. It's a bit of engineering oversite that I a surprised about? I just leave the dust cover lid up and out of the way when playing so it doesn't bother me. You could even remove the dust cover as well. I've seen Bryston demo pictures without the dust cover. I haven't contacted Bryston about it. It's an annoyance but not a deal breaker for me given how well the turntable performs otherwise.
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Post by larrys on Feb 25, 2018 11:20:46 GMT -5
Chris,
Thanks for the quick response. I'm surprised about the glitch - Bryston impresses as being very detail-oriented. Did you install both counterweights? The Dynavector is not a particularly heavy cartridge (7.3g according to the specs), which makes it even more surprising. I've got cartridges that weigh up from less than 4g to about 13g.
Larry
p.s. - sorry for the blank response above.
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Post by Chris on Feb 25, 2018 12:39:00 GMT -5
The cartridge was pre-installed. I did check the alignment which was spot on. I checked the tracking force and found it light at 1.75 grams. I adjusted it to 2.0 grams which is in the middle of the 10x5 range of 1.8 to 2.2. I am using the main/default counter weight only and not the smaller secondary weight.
I just sent Bryston a service request about my experience to see what they say.
As I said, the dust cover lid issue isn't a big deal for me.
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Post by larrys on Feb 25, 2018 12:53:57 GMT -5
Great. Let me know what they say,.
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Post by Chris on Feb 25, 2018 12:56:39 GMT -5
I just got a quick reply from Bryston. Working on Sunday no less!
Hi Chris,
Glad you are enjoying the table and my apology for the loose bearing. Goldnote assembles and packs the table in Italy so I will inform them of the issue you had.
Yes Goldnote designs and manufactures the table and we manufacture the power supply.
Yes the tolerance on the lid is tight but Goldnote does not recommend playing an LP with the top down as they claim there is a pressure buildup inside the closed cover created by the massive platter rotating in a confined space.
Hope this helps
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Post by larrys on Feb 25, 2018 20:00:34 GMT -5
I just got a quick reply from Bryston. Working on Sunday no less! Hi Chris,
Glad you are enjoying the table and my apology for the loose bearing. Goldnote assembles and packs the table in Italy so I will inform them of the issue you had.
Yes Goldnote designs and manufactures the table and we manufacture the power supply.
Yes the tolerance on the lid is tight but Goldnote does not recommend playing an LP with the top down as they claim there is a pressure buildup inside the closed cover created by the massive platter rotating in a confined space.
Hope this helps
Just got back from Strathmore. The Rite of Spring by the BSO as well as Branford Marsalis playing works by Clyne, Ibert and Milhaud. A sonic spectacular all the way around! That would seem to answer the question about the cover but still curious that the tolerances are so tight that the counterweight hits. Not surprised by the Sunday response, though. I've sent emails to James Tanner about my Bryston amp and gotten responses in what seemed like milliseconds.
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Post by larrys on Mar 13, 2018 15:28:25 GMT -5
So, the BLP-1 with the Dynavector 20x2H showed up today and has been set up a couple of hours. Some quick first impressions. Build quality of the table is impeccable, just what I would expect from Bryston. The Gold Note arm works smoothly and the build quality of it, too, seems very high. The table has a very impressive, authoritative sound. Bass, in particular, is very nice, with very good weight and projection. Soundstage is very broad and deep - something I'm very tuned in to, given my preference for Magneplanars (the system the BLP-1 is in right now has a pair of Magneplanar 3.7i's and a pair of Sumiko S.9's). The Dynavector initially seemed just a tad fat in the midrange but that impression seems to be lessening the more I listen. Bottom line - all good for now.
LarryRS
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Post by Chris on Mar 14, 2018 13:08:39 GMT -5
Fantastic Larry. Keep listening. I'm sure things will only improve as the cartridge and table settle in.
-CB
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Post by tomhankins on Mar 16, 2018 14:50:01 GMT -5
I have the Bryston table package deal too, only with the Benz Micro Ace S medium (1v) output cartridge on it. For the price I have not heard/owned anything close. I got a great deal from Wolfsong Audio in Georgia on mine. Highly recommended.
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Post by jtsnead on Mar 17, 2018 10:40:42 GMT -5
Hi Chriss,nice reveiw I see you have the JC3 JR how do you like it. Where did you get yours? I have had mine for a few months I got mine from Russ. I like it better than the 3k one I had before.
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Post by larrys on Mar 17, 2018 15:41:08 GMT -5
I've been giving some thought to the Jr. as well. Would be interested in hearing opinions about it.
LarryS
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Post by tomhankins on Mar 17, 2018 19:16:50 GMT -5
For around the same price I would check Audiogon for a used JC3 or JC3+ over the jr.
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