Turntable speed control

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
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E. England
Happy Christmas one and all. I’m getting new life out of my reinstalled analog, and speed accuracy is the last area I need to nail.
I’ve whittled down choice of method to three possibilities.
KAB SpeedStrobe.
Allnic SpeedNic.
Sutherland Engineering TimeLine.
Thoughts on these would be much appreciated, and other methods I’m missing out on.
Not interested in IPhone apps.
 

rsorren1

Well-Known Member
Sep 6, 2013
365
133
348
Dallas area
Happy Christmas one and all. I’m getting new life out of my reinstalled analog, and speed accuracy is the last area I need to nail.
I’ve whittled down choice of method to three possibilities.
KAB SpeedStrobe.
Allnic SpeedNic.
Sutherland Engineering TimeLine.
Thoughts on these would be much appreciated, and other methods I’m missing out on.
Not interested in IPhone apps.

Merry Christmas one and all. I use the KAB Speed strobe. Works great. Easy to use. All the best in 2018
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
5,411
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E. England
Hey, that’s the kind of recommendation I like .
A prosperous 2018 to you (and all) too.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
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A cheaper recommendation - any 50 Hz strobe https://www.vinylengine.com/library/thorens/strobe-disc.shtml (you can print it ) and drive a 2 cent red LED with a 50 Hz test tone from a CD player in repeat mode - just cut one plug of an old junk RCA cable and connect the two wires to the LED terminals. Typically accurate to better than .001%.
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
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E. England
Loki, is that the Kuzma Strobi?
 

jeff1225

Well-Known Member
Jan 29, 2012
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Where is PeterA ? didn't he have an involved thread discussing this matter a few years back ?

There was also a big thread on Audiogon asking each turntable owner to take the Sutherland Timeline "challenge" with their table.
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
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E. England
I like the KAB, but since the disc is 10” diameter it precludes testing for speed while cart is in-groove ie for stylus drag.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
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I like the KAB, but since the disc is 10” diameter it precludes testing for speed while cart is in-groove ie for stylus drag.

For real condition measurements you can also use a test LP with a software FFT analyzer.
 

ack

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
May 6, 2010
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I like the KAB, but since the disc is 10” diameter it precludes testing for speed while cart is in-groove ie for stylus drag.

You can put the KAB over an LP, which is 12 inches - that's how I do it
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
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Christian, I’m a little worse for wear celebrating Christmas Day with a few bottles of Red, so I’m not getting how the Monarch is actually used to test speed accuracy.
Can you elaborate?
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
7,097
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Northern NY
Christian, I’m a little worse for wear celebrating Christmas Day with a few bottles of Red, so I’m not getting how the Monarch is actually used to test speed accuracy.
Can you elaborate?

You put a 1/2” piece of their reflective tape on the platter side. When up to speed you focus the laser so it hits the tape on each revolution...then you read the display on the unit to see what the speed is and adjust your TT speed controller to get to 33.333 and 45.0 rpm
 

XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
3,591
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I like the KAB, but since the disc is 10” diameter it precludes testing for speed while cart is in-groove ie for stylus drag.

seriously if your table's motor is affected by so called urban myth called stylus drag - time to get a new table :D
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
5,411
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E. England
Bring high torque direct rim drive, I don’t think it is, but handy to check. And that’s not so easy with the KAB.
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
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E. England
Christian, did you consider the Timeline at all before buying the Monarch?
 

rockitman

Member Sponsor
Sep 20, 2011
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Northern NY
Christian, did you consider the Timeline at all before buying the Monarch?

No...mainly because of the focusing and reading on the wall part. Wasn’t too keen on the idea. Of course I have no direct experience with it. The laser tach is a professional scientific device calibrated to an industry standard for all things spinning. I trust it for accuracy over a audiophile device.
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,601
5,411
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E. England
Well Christian, you also once trusted the Herzan as a professional scientific device...
(minor jibe only intended, forgive me, it IS Christmas).
Re the Monarch, do you secure it in a tripod over the tt? I can’t see how having it hand held can be at all precise.
Btw, let us all know just how good the AS-2000 is wrt speed accuracy.
 

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