Hunting for a turntable

doctorcilantro

So many choices!

Also looking at Pro-Ject RM10.1 table with stock 10" arm.

doctorcilantro

Order. Placed.

Now just sitting idle....

erniejade

What did you wind up getting?

doctorcilantro

Going for PTP Solid9 + Audiomods arm for now...might add different arm later.

doctorcilantro

Here's a cheap mat to try:

http://www.osageaudio.com/images/MW/GEM_Dandy_Record_Mat.jpg

SCompRacer

Kewl! Peter knows his way around a Lenco. His stainless PTP top plates allowed for an even higher level of build. I have the minimal PTP5 plates like he uses in the Solid9/Solid12. I'll get to that PTP build eventually. I'd do the speed control like he did or build a speed controller when my PCB's arrive. Peter has also experimented will various plinth materials before settling on Corian. What mat does Peter supply or recommend?

That arm is really hot rodded!

Mike Reeter

doctorcilantro wrote: »

Going for PTP Solid9 + Audiomods arm for now...might add different arm later.

Congrats on pulling the trigger, there are so many tables to choose from it's a little overwhelming to nail down one particular table and arm combo.

BlueMDPicker

Congrats!

doctorcilantro

It was REALLY hard to stop looking around. Fortunately I had some good advice from folks here.

I'm putting in an order for a Pete Riggle 10" arm for this Summer, and plan to use a Soundsmith cart with it....

doctorcilantro

Guts...

• 
• 
• 

SCompRacer

doctorcilantro wrote: »

Guts...

Kewl! Let's see some dressed and in action!

doctorcilantro

• 

• 
• 
• 

SCompRacer

Kewl! What are you using for a record mat?


Love to hear that AT33PTG/II cart. My friend Blake has the AT33EV and it has much, much bang for the buck!

doctorcilantro

I'm using the stock rubber mat, and Oyaide MJ12, and might pickup the OMA graphite mat.

doctorcilantro

doctorcilantro wrote: »

I'm using the stock rubber mat, and Oyaide MJ12, and might pickup the OMA graphite mat.

There is no horizontal azimuth on Audiomods Series 5 arms. That said, I was double checking that the table was level because when aligning using the Feickert protractor, raising and lowering the stylus to the protractor would "walk" the stylus back towards the outer rim ever so slightly.

Having used linear arms like the MG1, I thought this was a sign the table was not level, no I suspect the anti-skate ...which is compensating for the force pulling the cart inward during spin. This is a whole new ball game for me!

I'm going to test a bit more and record some test tracks and music using various VTA. I seem to have settled on the stock 2g as it tracked better with no distortion on the (3) 300hz tone anti-skate test tracks on the HFN test record (they are placed inner/mid/outer bands of the record).

Dawgfish

Wow nice deck! Congrats Dr. on the new toy! Would love to get my ears on that.

Dawgfish

SCompRacer wrote: »

Kewl! What are you using for a record mat?


Love to hear that AT33PTG/II cart. My friend Blake has the AT33EV and it has much, much bang for the buck!

Rich, not to derail Drs thread but I picked one of these up used on the Gon with less than 100 hrs. It's a very detailed cart with great separation. Just as an FYI to Dr and yourself, load this cart down around 30-40 ohms. AT recommends loading at 100 ohms and above. I tried loading at 150 ohms with my Cinemag SUT and 100 ohms straight up through the JD-9 (running through some ZU Omens btw Doc.) and the highs were a little strident. I told this to the seller of the cart and he told me he had better luck loading it down. I switched the Cinemag SUT to the 37.5 ohm setting and it sounds beautiful. It still has the great detail and separation, but the highs are much, much smoother. It also sounds good with my Sony T-10 SUTs, which loads the cart in the 4-40 ohm range. Just as another FYI, most folks who have tried the PTG 1 or 2 and the EV prefer the PTGs.

doctorcilantro

Dawgfish wrote: »

Rich, not to derail Drs thread but I picked one of these up used on the Gon with less than 100 hrs. It's a very detailed cart with great separation. Just as an FYI to Dr and yourself, load this cart down around 30-40 ohms. AT recommends loading at 100 ohms and above. I tried loading at 150 ohms with my Cinemag SUT and 100 ohms straight up through the JD-9 (running through some ZU Omens btw Doc.) and the highs were a little strident. I told this to the seller of the cart and he told me he had better luck loading it down. I switched the Cinemag SUT to the 37.5 ohm setting and it sounds beautiful. It still has the great detail and separation, but the highs are much, much smoother. It also sounds good with my Sony T-10 SUTs, which loads the cart in the 4-40 ohm range. Just as another FYI, most folks who have tried the PTG 1 or 2 and the EV prefer the PTGs.

No worries, discuss on. I don't think my Allnic has loading, just gain. I do have a PS Audio Nuwave ADC / Phono that does though. I should do some needledrops compare the two stages.

Is the AT33 like the PTG/II in that the very bottom of the cart is curved? I'm trying to find a baseline for VTA and I think you have to eyeball the entire cart if that makes sense.

SCompRacer

Thanks for the input Dawg. Currently I have a two speed cinemag SUT with my phono set to MM. I can also switch my phono stage to MC where I have numerous loading choices to apply.

Jon, basically same body with the EV having an aluminum cantilever with nude elliptical diamond while the PTG sports a gold plated boron cantilever with nude microline. Some folks think the PTG can be peaky while the EV is smoother in the highs.

Due to my linear arm/table location, I rely more on the shadow method of VTA. Using existing or LED light, look at the arm shadow on the record for baseline level. Then I reset the arm digital display to zero. I basically have two VTA's for thin and fat records. Of course stylus type determines sensitivity to VTA.

doctorcilantro

Love the new wood look on your Lenco by the way, stunning!

I'm going down to muck with the Solid9, it's been on for 4 hours, and I'm curious what the speed will be.

I think I'm going to have to take notes on how long the full drift takes and calculate a position that allows me to start playing within a half hour, but long sessions would lead to the table being fast. It's a trade off.

SCompRacer

Thanks. Yeah, the big slab of gloss black got boring so the skirts changed that. I have PTP5 top plates like your table uses. Someday I'll have to build a plinth for it.

Did you get the standard or upgraded bearing? I'm thinking the small variation is due to oil used since you have the motor plugged into power conditioner that maintains steady voltage. His idler linkage is able to make minute adjustments of idler position, so once you have the time/variation, make a slight adjustment to compensate. You may have to adjust the 33 stop slightly to do that.

You can spend more and even get a handsomer table. However a properly done Lenco will provide a very low noise floor, deeper bass, intense and forceful dynamics, more focus, more texture and be way less homogenous. If you like that type of presentation, you are done shopping for a table. Different arms/cartridges can further tune it to taste.

doctorcilantro

SCompRacer wrote: »

Thanks. Yeah, the big slab of gloss black got boring so the skirts changed that. I have PTP5 top plates like your table uses. Someday I'll have to build a plinth for it.

Did you get the standard or upgraded bearing? I'm thinking the small variation is due to oil used since you have the motor plugged into power conditioner that maintains steady voltage. His idler linkage is able to make minute adjustments of idler position, so once you have the time/variation, make a slight adjustment to compensate. You may have to adjust the 33 stop slightly to do that.

You can spend more and even get a handsomer table. However a properly done Lenco will provide a very low noise floor, deeper bass, intense and forceful dynamics, more focus, more texture and be way less homogenous. If you like that type of presentation, you are done shopping for a table. Different arms/cartridges can further tune it to taste.

The adjustment is easy but takes time as the amount of movement is so small. You really can't do it with the table running, at least the fine tuning part.

I'm reading about the Natais spring tweak

http://www.idler-wheel-drive.com/science/drive-system/

SCompRacer

I'm aware of Jean's elimination of the spring but haven't tried it. Some folks have used small pulleys instead of the thread/string/wire or whatever is used rubbing on a bushing. Mirko was offering a milled aluminum idler arm but I don't think they are available anymore. If the idler has too much end play you can have issues. Too tight is bad also.

doctorcilantro

Well, now I am getting a funky motor noise. This came out of nowhere.

Hello again!

I need some more advice. Today I notice a rather loud noise that I could hear while standing over the table - it's at waist height.

The motor is now making a fast clicking sound. The previous thud was remedied by warm-up but so far this sound has not resolved itself.

Here is a recording from my iPhone, held under the plinth:

Solid9 motor - new sound

The noise starts about 4-5 seconds after i power on the motor, and the platter spins up. Would DC current make this happen? I run the Solid9 through a PS Audio P3 and then an Emotiva CMX-2, both of which block DC on the line.

The file has been normalized so it may seem loud. The motor is much louder than it was just yesterday. Before, it was silent to the point you could just tell the motor was on...now it's making this noise that I can hear when standing up...my head maybe 6 feet from the motor when I am looking down at the table are step back a few feet.

We lost power here a few days ago and everything is ok, including my tube amps, DAC, and P3, so I am left to question what is going on.

I think I need to learn how to take the whole thing apart and service it myself...but the motor has me worried.

doctorcilantro

Looks like a good thread;

http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=2087.0

Dawgfish

That looks like a good start. I would also recheck to see if its level and check/lube the idler assembly and all associated parts. I'm sure Rich or someone more familiar with Lencos will chime in. That's all I've got.

RamZet

Ive setup a few VPI turn tables.
the VPI Scoutmaster2 is a nice unit.


If you guys like American made stuff check out U-Turn. They started on kickstarter last year and now they make turn tables by hand.
http://store.uturnaudio.com/

doctorcilantro

Dawgfish wrote: »

That looks like a good start. I would also recheck to see if its level and check/lube the idler assembly and all associated parts. I'm sure Rich or someone more familiar with Lencos will chime in. That's all I've got.

Thanks, I tried the motor tap fix to settle bearings with no joy. The motor will come out and I'll try a few things. Centering may help, not sure. The noise continues until spin-down, even after power is cut.