Ortofon TC3000 turntable/cartridge computer
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[Deleted User]
Posts: 7,658
Hello,
Since I was fine tuning the Maplenoll/Shelter combination using the Ortofon I thought I would take a photo of it, since it's a fairly unique device. It was originally made by Ortofon as an end of assembly test computer for their factory. They modified it a bit and made it available for audio dealers who wanted to offer turntable/cartridge clinics. How itworks is pretty simple, after entering in the month, day and year it measures the ambient room temperature. Then the turntable is connected with the headshell removed (or cartridge clips taken off if the headshell doesn't come away from the tonearm) and it will measure the complete tonearm/connecting cable capacitance. Then there is a very accurate tracking pressure device that attaches to the computer and measures the tracking force. Then a special Ortofon test record is played, once done a paper "test card" is put in the front opening and soon it chatters away and out of the top it gives the results. It lists the playing speed, capacitance load and resistive loading, tonearm resonance in both the vertical and lateral modes and gives the level of the resonance.
Then the second record side is played and the cartridge results are given. Output levels for left and right as well as channel balance and left only separation and right only separation. Then a tracking ability is given in uM for left and right. It checks the cartridge phase and then left and right frequency response from 1kH to 20kHz. I was able to change the viscosity of the tonearm's damping material to reduce a low frequency resonance and make very fine azimuth adjustments to give optimum channel balance (0.6dB) and tracking (80uM).
Cheers, Ken
Since I was fine tuning the Maplenoll/Shelter combination using the Ortofon I thought I would take a photo of it, since it's a fairly unique device. It was originally made by Ortofon as an end of assembly test computer for their factory. They modified it a bit and made it available for audio dealers who wanted to offer turntable/cartridge clinics. How itworks is pretty simple, after entering in the month, day and year it measures the ambient room temperature. Then the turntable is connected with the headshell removed (or cartridge clips taken off if the headshell doesn't come away from the tonearm) and it will measure the complete tonearm/connecting cable capacitance. Then there is a very accurate tracking pressure device that attaches to the computer and measures the tracking force. Then a special Ortofon test record is played, once done a paper "test card" is put in the front opening and soon it chatters away and out of the top it gives the results. It lists the playing speed, capacitance load and resistive loading, tonearm resonance in both the vertical and lateral modes and gives the level of the resonance.
Then the second record side is played and the cartridge results are given. Output levels for left and right as well as channel balance and left only separation and right only separation. Then a tracking ability is given in uM for left and right. It checks the cartridge phase and then left and right frequency response from 1kH to 20kHz. I was able to change the viscosity of the tonearm's damping material to reduce a low frequency resonance and make very fine azimuth adjustments to give optimum channel balance (0.6dB) and tracking (80uM).
Cheers, Ken
Post edited by [Deleted User] on
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Very, very cool!2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.
