A post about audiophile stuff of which I am not...

I am a failure as an audiophile...
The only discernment I have is "muddy vs bright," and I can tell if there is a lot of scratches but then it just sounds dull to me which goes back to the first distinction.
I can hear if the bass is distorting and I can hear amplifier clipping but as far as the nuances between cartridges or the difference between tracking or skating forces I seem to be a bit deaf.
I say this as I am listening to a Boots Randolf record on the Rek-O-Kut and trying to tell if the tone arm has to much drag and is not tracking correctly.
It sounds fine and the little red Radioactive thing that is hooked to the tone arm is eliminating static. Perhaps I shall refer to it as the Fukushima device...
However there is more volume on one side.

So here are the three systems I have put together.
1. Kenwood KA 3500, Dual 1019 with United Audio base and D71 EE cartridge, Dynaco A-25 speakers

2. Dynaco ST120 with Dynakit PAS-2 preamp, Rek-O-Kut K33H with a Shure HiTrack M97 or M91 I can't quite read the lettering, Sony TC230 "portable" reel to reel and Baby Advent speakers.

3. Radio Shack SA155 Integrated Amp, Otimus/Minimus 7 speakers, with a Panasonic record changer and Ceramic cartridge for playing 45's. The SA155 also is running the "audiovisual center," which is a cheap Sony DVD and the Wii.

5. A Sony TC631 reel to reel and a Denon dual cassette recorder/player (Goodwill special) hooked up to Bose Room-mate self powered speakers in the shop.

I hook my Mp3 player to each system as well with a 1/4 to RCA adapter.

I hear more difference in sound between records than I do between systems. The Dynaco A-25 speakers are in my opinion clearly superior speakers. Better sound across the spectrum, but the Baby Advents sound good at low volume in most cases. That system seems short on the high range but it all improves a lot when I hook up the Dynaco speakers.

The Minimus 7 speakers sound very good at medium to low volume and they sound good with the very low powered Radio Shack amp.

I would like to get a new cartridge to replace the Stanton D71EE which I have had since high school. It was my back up cartridge to my expensive AT 155LC which disappeared when we moved, along with a perfect Technics SL1800 turntable.  My albums which I played with the AT 155LC sound like new when I play them now. The reel to reel tapes I recorded on my half track Tascam 2-22 sound amazing when I play them back on Sony reel to reel, as long as I used good tape to begin with. But there is a problem going from 1/2 track to 1/4 track.

I've been thinking about getting the famous "Red Ed" with an eliptical and a conical stylus so I can use the same cartridge on my Dual 1019 and play 78's and 45's. It is pretty cheap and well reviewed.  So far I have spent less than $200 total over the past two years on stereo equipment. The Dynaco speakers were the most expensive but probably the best buy for the sound improvement ever.

I've been hanging out at the Audio Karma forum and I find it depresses me and makes me just as insecure as the New Ag Talk forums did.

I like setting in my vintage lazy-boy and listening to music coming off of a vinyl record from two old speakers with sparkly grills and sipping a cup of coffee or late at night perhaps a little old number 7 and writing the Lazy Farmer. I don't like the sound being horribly distorted, I can't play it loud, I like glowing lights and analogue meters with needles that bounce, but an audiophile I am not...
Have a ncie day... I'm going to work!