Nice turntables. Attached picture is an absolute requirement.

[killdozzer]

This is one of my DD turntables, I had tuned by different means to a higher performance level.

Especially with this one, I would have loved to participate in a shoot-out against other good turntables, after I finished preparing it. Unfortunately, there was never an opportunity to do so and now I do not have it any longer. (Maybe I should have kept it as an exotic).

What are some of the tweaks?

 

[computer-audiophile]

What are some of the tweaks?

In my former blog I had written the following about it (automatic translation)

Total surgery

My new DJ-Tech turntable sounds better every day. Of course, not by itself, but as a result of targeted interventions. For example, with the integrated phono preamplifier along with USB interface, the question arose: Bypass or total surgery. I decided for an amputation and removed this module mercilessly.

It had turned out that it is not enough to set the switch on the device to 'phono', because the connection remains loaded with a capacitor filter. Now I connected my RCA cable to the amplifier directly to the thin wires coming out of the tone arm and - lo and behold - a dark veil is drawn away from the music stage.

Last but not least, I moved out the mains transformer that was transmitting mechanical vibrations to the turntable deck. With the volume control fully turned up, the needle resting on the record with the drive stationary, I had identified this troublemaker. Now silence reigns here as well. Transformer and power switch are currently in a temporary housing.

I have replaced the slip mat with a rubber mat and additionally put a flat rubber ring on the lower edge of the aluminum platter, which in itself effectively dampens the ringing of the platter.

I also mechanically stabilized and damped the bearing base of the motor, the support was only made of thin sheet metal.

Not to forget the loose tone arm bearing. I adjusted it correctly.

 

[pseudoid]

Analog-Gone-Digital?

It's a functional skin on my media player of choice, since I resigned from planet analog.
Sometimes I switch to other functional skins that include famous reel-to-reel/cassette decks... and I pretend.

 

[Sal1950]

It's a functional skin on my media player of choice, since I resigned from planet analog.
Sometimes I switch to other functional skins that include famous reel-to-reel/cassette decks... and I pretend.

Great choices.

 

[computer-audiophile]

Analog-Gone-Digital?
View attachment 293866
It's a functional skin on my media player of choice, since I resigned from planet analog.
Sometimes I switch to other functional skins that include famous reel-to-reel/cassette decks... and I pretend.

If you want to fool yourself and make do with fake things - why not.

 

[Stoney Burke]

My Linn Axis since 1990, replacing a Thorens TD-166 mk2. Changed to a Moerch UP-4 tonearm with 4 g tonearm wand a few years ago. Use both Ortofon OM and Shure V15Vx/JICO SAS boron cartridges.

View attachment 171160

Thinking of also upgrading my Axis tonearm. Can you share any difficulties you encountered?

 

[drewdawg999]

Here's my Michell Gyro SE with Tecnoarm and old Koetsu Black, complete with mess. I believe I'm playing an old pressing of Led Zeppelin II here.

Current state of the system, cleaned some stuff off the rack so it's looking rather spare. And my hearing is getting bad enough that I can't hear the artifacts in the cymbals on Katy Lied anymore, making it even better now.

 

[Thomas_A]

Thinking of also upgrading my Axis tonearm. Can you share any difficulties you encountered?

Not difficult if you know how to loosen the top board. Hou need an arm with the Linn geometry. Moerch is within 1 mm so those are fine to use.

 

[Valentino]

I had this Sota Sapphire for many years, with upgrades it became a Mk. II/IV/V mix. The arm was the ingeniously weird Well Tempered, which I found that had it limits. The very nice Audio-Technica AT33PTG/II was not something it could control.

Now I have a 50 years old Thorens TD 125 Mk. II with a new 33/45/78 rpm electronics board, stiffened original plinth without bottom plate but with fat sorbothane feet, a Bokrand AS-230 arm and cartridge/headshell combos for different purposes. Pictured is my favorite AT33PTG/II in a Korf ceramic headshell.

Regular readers of ASR might be pleased to know that I use the Cambridge Audio Alva Duo phono amp and the mascot is of course a unicorn made of china.

 

[TheBatsEar]

Cambridge Audio Alva Duo

Took me some time to realize you can disable the auto standby, almost sold it because it annoyed me. ;-)

Really pristine Thorens you have there, very cool.

 

[computer-audiophile]

Am also an old Thorens fan. (Concerns the old company, not the one of today).

 

[Valentino]

That is a wonderful pic of Yehudi! Great looking TD 150 Mk. I as well. My oldest son has a very nice Mk. II with the TP 13a arm stowed in the basement here. It has a Tandberg logo on the plinth, not uncommon in Norway.

Disabling that auto standby was the first thing I did. I’m one of those weird people who read the manual.

 

[Anthony LoFi]

Very cool. I had a similar thread connected anti-skate on my old J.A. Michell Engineering Transcriptor Hydraulic Reference Turntable with Fluid arm. It was very tweaky, fussy and inconvenient. I can understand why they recommend not using it. I bought a fancy quartz lock direct drive Technics to use for a daily driver and the Michell was for only show.

I have such a fine specimen which alas needs a new belt and the speed control fluid. It has the hydraulic arm and a Stanton 881EEE.
Brought it for $640 (NZ) in 1978 on hire purchase. I was an apprentice at the time and it seriously restricted my social life.
Wonderful memories.

 

[Sal1950]

Very cool. I had a similar thread connected anti-skate on my old J.A. Michell Engineering Transcriptor Hydraulic Reference Turntable with Fluid arm. It was very tweaky, fussy and inconvenient. I can understand why they recommend not using it. I bought a fancy quartz lock direct drive Technics to use for a daily driver and the Michell was for only show.

I never could buy into that method of platter design.
I can't believe that it controls the various vibrational inputs to which a LP is subjected to in an
optimum way
I also used a dust collector of the type shown a couple times. When I set the brush on a turning LP even
without the stylus on the record. I could hear the brush softly singing along with to the records grooves.
Same with the brush on the TOTL Shure and Stanton cartridges.
I can't say for sure they made audible contributions to the tables sound but I never used any of them long
term, to me they just said "wrong" ?

 

[computer-audiophile]

The Transcriptor from J.A. Michell is a very nice kinetic design object, but not a very good turntable. It's nice that it exists, though. It has also played a few roles in interior design of film sets to have a stylish decoration.

 

[Multicore]

Joan is Awful

 

[Sal1950]

Joan is Awful

She should do something about that mustache. LOL

 

[Doodski]

Same with the brush on the TOTL Shure and Stanton cartridges.
I can't say for sure they made audible contributions to the tables sound but I never used any of them long
term, to me they just said "wrong" ?

I ran the carbon fiber head shell brush and a carbon fiber mat with my Technics. It seemed to cut down on static.

 

[Sal1950]

I ran the carbon fiber head shell brush and a carbon fiber mat with my Technics. It seemed to cut down on static.

Quite possible ?

 

[Doodski]

Quite possible ?

O' yes. The mat was a huge improvement. The head shell brush came after and was not as noticeable.