MRM Source upgrades
Lid
The ‘retro-style’ smoked lid
supplied can be replaced with a custom made lid if needed to suit the
height of arm in use. My external dimensions were 470w x375dx 83h –
holes pre-drilled to suit the existing lid hinges
which can be transferred. Supplier used - Plastics-on-line in Hull.
Platter mats
The following mats auditioned on my Source (VTA adjusted to suit the changes in mat thickness) with the following findings;
Felt Mat (1.5mm) - softer and warmer with a fuller bass but provides a vinyl friendly surface to use on spinning platter.
Origin Live (1mm) – soft,
flexible and vinyl friendly. Noticeably more forward vocals and
mid-band than felt mat and provided an increase in surface noise with a
lighter balances but more punchy and ‘peaky’ in
nature.
Origin Live on top of
felt mat - this largely combined the best of the two, though surface
noise remained a little higher than the felt alone.
Funkfirm Achromat (3mm) –
positive first impressions, with seemingly a more open but
forward mid-band, though there was a slight mid bass boom/bloom not
encountered with any of the other mats. Possibly imaged
better and more punchy but longer term listening did leave the
impression of introducing some mid-range colouration masquerading as
greater openness? Had concerns over dropping vinyl on to a relatively
hard spinning surface.
Funkfirm Achromat (5mm) –
whilst sharing some of the characteristics of the 3mm it sounded quite
splashy and detached, strident and aggressive.
Oyaide BR12 (5mm) –
rather dulled and lacking sparkle and nothing really to commend it
against the others with bass a little 'dead' and lacking colour/texture,
detail and a bit lifeless, though the soft and patterned
rubber should be kind to vinyl.
Blue Horizon (1.5mm) –
very different visually comprising light coloured, soft (vinyl friendly)
composite cork, rubber, leather combo. Using only the single layer of
the two supplied this provided a well-balanced
presentation, solid, well defined bass, good imaging and provided
vocals with a sweetness not present with any of the new mats and
appeared to build on the best features of the felt mat and was well
balanced and focused presentation.
The Blue Horizon appeared
to show up the OL and Achromat as being coloured in bass, mid, vocal
areas and a little 'confused' in the mid-range emphasizing
sibilance/splashiness; which the Blue Horizon separated
and left far more enjoyable and relaxing; all the other mats would have
left an unsatisfactory compromise.
Power Supply
My Source came with a
plastic cased 19V supply and having considered having a 2D or 3D supply
made I decided to buy a bespoke but commercially available supply from
MCRU.
The new supply revealed
more solid, punchy focused tuneful low frequencies, better rhythmically
with greater texture and detail. The mid-upper range showed vocals
better separated on multi-mixes with greater space and
improved fine detail and more natural throughout. Soundstage was a lot
wider with greater 3D effect in all directions with more space - an
improved and more engaging experience. On switch back to the basic
supplied unit, the soundstage collapsed in on itself
width quite dramatically, bass was a little slower and less interesting
the whole sound being in relative terms a little flat and less
natural. The only perceived changed in balance was that this now
appeared a little 'thinner' and the mid/upper bass and the
mid-range it appeared that there was now a 'bloom'/ or a layer of
unwanted background mush which had been eradicated in the new unit.
Mains lead
