What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

user510 said:

My current TT of interest is the SP10 mkII in the photos below.

It took me a while to come up with a plinth design for this motor unit that would not make a 9 inch tonearm, if mounted to it, look like a mismatch. I think that part is successful. Originally I called this plinth the "Test Mule". The idea being to use a minimum mass plinth to support the motor unit in while testing for rumble and wow/flutter was carried out. Now that I've heard this motor unit in the "Test Mule" I've decided to rename the plinth to something more permanent sounding; The Mule. By accident it echos a character from an Azimov novel. But I like the reference as well as I like the sound of this combo.

This is an ongoing restoration project. At present the motor unit operates without any perceivable fault. SQ seems really good to my ears. Tonearm is the Graham 2.2, which I picked up 2nd hand a few years back. The cartridge is a Shelter 501 type II. I've had the Shelter since 2003. Earlier this year I had Andy Chong recondition the suspension and then replace the diamond stylus into the same solid boron cantilever. Afterwards, the cartridge truly sounds as it did when its hours were low. I may just keep taking the cartridge back to Andy periodically to keep it in tip top order.

At present I have it standing on a Minus-K isolation platform. The granite plate below the Neuance shelf is there to meet minimum weight load requirements of this rather hefty Minus-K. It may look like it belongs in a Lab somewhere, but its contribution to the SQ of my turntables is unmistakeable. So it definitely belongs in my listening room these days. Life would not be right without it.

I also keep a few Thorens TD124 motor units around. This one below gets frequent duty in the listening room

For several years I listened to a Teres model 145.

Here's a shot of it in a custom base I made for it:

I sold the Teres back in 2010.

-Steve
ps: link to my SP10 restoration page: http://www.theanalogdept.com/user510_sp10_mkii.htm

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audioarcher said:

Hi Steve. Looks like your from my neck of the woods. Welcome to WBF. I like the look of your plinth. Getting a 9" inch arm to look right on the SP10 is tough but it looks like you succeeded. Was the plinth difficult to machine?

I have heard good things about the Minus-K. I bet it sounds great. Have you tried any aftermarket TT mats on your SP-10 mk2?

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user510 said:

Hi Sean.
With the textured black enamel it doesn't show that the Mule plinth is constructed from baltic birch multi-ply. 1/2 inch layers. It wasn't so much difficult as just plain detailed and tedious to build. It took some time from beginning to finish.

I've only used the original mat on this. Although I have plans to try a few others out. But I will wait until after the restoration is complete. At the top of the list would be a Boston Audio mat 2. And that is based on comments around the web in forums that I have read. But I also have some ideas for mat designs of my own.

I'm in Lynnwood. Come on over and have a gander at this Minus-K. To watch this thing in action is different from trying to imagine how it works.

-Steve

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user510 said:

My current TT of interest is the SP10 mkII in the photos below.

It took me a while to come up with a plinth design for this motor unit that would not make a 9 inch tonearm, if mounted to it, look like a mismatch. I think that part is successful. Originally I called this plinth the "Test Mule". The idea being to use a minimum mass plinth to support the motor unit in while testing for rumble and wow/flutter was carried out. Now that I've heard this motor unit in the "Test Mule" I've decided to rename the plinth to something more permanent sounding; The Mule. By accident it echos a character from an Azimov novel. But I like the reference as well as I like the sound of this combo.

This is an ongoing restoration project. At present the motor unit operates without any perceivable fault. SQ seems really good to my ears. Tonearm is the Graham 2.2, which I picked up 2nd hand a few years back. The cartridge is a Shelter 501 type II. I've had the Shelter since 2003. Earlier this year I had Andy Chong recondition the suspension and then replace the diamond stylus into the same solid boron cantilever. Afterwards, the cartridge truly sounds as it did when its hours were low. I may just keep taking the cartridge back to Andy periodically to keep it in tip top order.

At present I have it standing on a Minus-K isolation platform. The granite plate below the Neuance shelf is there to meet minimum weight load requirements of this rather hefty Minus-K. It may look like it belongs in a Lab somewhere, but its contribution to the SQ of my turntables is unmistakeable. So it definitely belongs in my listening room these days. Life would not be right without it.

I also keep a few Thorens TD124 motor units around. This one below gets frequent duty in the listening room

For several years I listened to a Teres model 145.

Here's a shot of it in a custom base I made for it:

I sold the Teres back in 2010.

-Steve
ps: link to my SP10 restoration page: http://www.theanalogdept.com/user510_sp10_mkii.htm

Click to expand...

jazdoc said:

Hi Steve,

Hi neighbor! Beautiful set up. The Hagerman unit is killer. Bet it sounds terrific. What kind of music do you spin?

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Johnny Vinyl said:

Welcome Steve to the WBF. I very much admire your skills with regard to the pics you posted. Beautiful work!

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commonone69 said:

Here is my go! Vintage French made TT. Very,very good to these ears. My first Turntable with a linear tracking tonearm. View attachment 13153

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cjfrbw said:

Syntax and a few of his "classic" remarks:

"09-13-12: Syntax
....the kiss of death....

In Analog we will find everything but in my opinion, lots of those units became
a Boutique Character (expensive bottle, cheap fluid inside). All those expensive
units have one in common (when we look back):
GREAT Reviews, lots of Hype
and at the end of Day it was more or less nothing to write home about
(sonically). Some examples?

Goldmund Reference
The Mother of Hype, but the moving Arm changes Azimuth in every groove, the
table itself has a good soundstage, but details are all smeared AND it destroys
every cantilever after some time.

Rockport Sirius III
The American Altar, but the Arm wire inside is so stiff that the Arm can not
track the inner 3 tracks properly, it skips, the only way out is to use a very
heavy cartridge, but the cantilever will be destroyed very soon. And the sound is
ultra thin, completely lifeless without any body. Great engineering, missing the
sonic target by a mile.

Montegiro
A super expensive German Turntable 30k+, endless rave and hype and during
its demo at the High End Show the bearing broke. A typical example for
Boutique. Now they are available for 1/5th price, company is out of business.

Continuum
Framers Finest. I listened to it 3 times, professionally set up from the Importer.
2x it was defect and the 3 time the connected Phonostage had a problem (or
the Arm wire, Phonamp, Cartridge). I always said "Mono IS interesting"
Anyway, that Company is also more or less out of Business what
Australians wrote me. Buy replacement Parts NOW.

Airtangent
The Mother of of all Airliners. Super, super expensive at that time, Hype
endless, bloody knees from Audiophiles - from kneeling in front of it - was
normal, even more expensive with optional remote VTA....but it never worked
properly. The Airflow in some areas was not constant, so..well, you can
imagine...

NVS
The Mother of a "Game-Changer" Product, defect bearing while RMAF but some
wrote, even with that defect bearing it sounded fantastic (great or?) and in some
discussions in Seattle area some buyers wrote how happy they are now
"being a member of the Club."
A pity that the thread about was deleted
No knowledge (from the whole Chain Manufacturer-Distributor-User) about
shipping, no knowledge about platter mechanism, no damping was a result of
that damage and honestly, buying a product from "Engineers" who
have absolutely no idea about technical connections ...well, good luck.

Thorens Reference
The Audiophile Answer from Germany to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Heavy and it will show every visitor "Hey, I am something serious"
In real life you can get the identical sonic quality from every 2-3k$ turntable
today. But the motor management is good.

Wood Arms
Well, let's face the truth, a piece of wood at a string or 'in long' for 16K$ has to
be touched from God AND made from some ultra secret, mystic material, stolen
from the NASA...Energy transfer? What is THAT, we want Emotion... well,
Boutique,...Geometry? Pardon, WHAT? The best bearing is no bearing...
blubber...
Of course you need a 12k+++ Cartridge to get the full sonic impact the Arm is
able to deliver

Linn
Well, even after 30 years they find revolutionary 'improvements'...in a way the
ARC Company in analog. To catch the same customer again and again, that's
brilliant. Sonically? When you want a different sound, all you have to do is to
open the window...

Of course, all owners, no matter from what expensive product, will write that
their unit is an exception and is working like a charm etc. But let's face the
facts: It is the money what counts.
The wealthy Audiophile likes to show others how clever he is and what
expensive units he owns, he wants the Respect to be accepted as an
"Experienced Audiophile" but at the end of day, he also wants
money when he sells that Sonic Wonder. Who writes "Yes, I have that T3F,
Rockport, ...and it is really inferior, but I like it?"
No one.

Is there a way out?
Of course.
Let's visit Dover and steal his Turntable
Syntax (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)"

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Loheswaran said:

I know it's a bit Marmite, but I have personally discussed a few things with Syntax directly and I found him utterly approachable, helpful and very well reasoned. His opinions are formed from actual experience as opposed to speculative theory, and he tends to speak more sense than many out there. He does not advocate spending for the sake of it.

Like Martin Colloms, he doesn't 'follow the crowd' and I respect that. Disagree all you like, but it's funny that he happens to use one of KArmeli's 'Beyond' turntables that by consensus is regarded as brilliant - so I guess 'all roads do lead to Rome' likewise he has spoken highly of the Koetsu Coralstone and Zyx too.

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Loheswaran said:

.... but it's funny that he happens to use one of KArmeli's 'Beyond' turntables that by consensus is regarded as brilliant - so I guess 'all roads do lead to Rome' likewise he has spoken highly of the Koetsu Coralstone and Zyx too.

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