Question for Brinkmann owners...
- Thread starter rDin
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I believe the Brinkman Balance has electrically heated bearings.
I think most any conventional table may benefit from a run in - that is letting the platter spin for some time before listening- I know dealers that keep some decks running all day long while they are in the showroom. The idea is to reach the optimum temp and clearance for the lowest noise.
Brinkmann uses an appropriately biased Mosfet amp with the devices mounted to the bearing housing to act like a heater- clever. Using the Ront separates duties for the little Mosfet amp/heater and adds some inherent benefits that I can definitely hear.
Brinkmann uses an appropriately biased Mosfet amp with the devices mounted to the bearing housing to act like a heater- clever. Using the Ront separates duties for the little Mosfet amp/heater and adds some inherent benefits that I can definitely hear.
Hi rDin, the last thing that you have to worry about is the longevity of the bearing.
I had the chance to see a friend's Balance bearing after many years of operation and was intact please see here:
www.whatsbestforum.com
I had the chance to see a friend's Balance bearing after many years of operation and was intact please see here:
Brinkmann Balance/ Kuzma 4P
I think this one IS the Technics and therefore not the one in question I know. I just though Ked might have just been pedantic!:p Anyway how DARE you say this is just a jazzed up Technics! Technics is much better than this.
www.whatsbestforum.com
Well Shakti you are wrong, read first the white paper of Oasis and Bardo. They utilise the same bearing with Balance
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"wrong" is such a hard word ;-)
I do know the white papers of Oasis and Bardo, both are direct drive, so a similar or even same bearing is given
My statement was comparing Bardo and Balance, which are different turntable Designs.
So all bearing temperature experience done with Balance cannot be copy/paste to Bardo.
at least my point of view.
I would like to ask a follow up question about the optional RoNt power supply. I'm using a Kuzma 4Point arm, which feeds my phono stage directly. The Bardo's outputs are unused. The anecdotal evidence suggests the RoNt is a "not subtle" upgrade, but is this related to using the Bardo's outputs? I'm struggling to see how a different power supply would affect the direct drive in that "not subtle" way?
I had the Bardo 2 years ago and changed from standard PSU to Ront PSU.
The effect is independent from the tonearm in use.
The difference in performance of the 2 PSU is easy to recognize, but it depends on you personal taste, if you see the Ront PSU as performance upgrade or just as a different sound.
1/3 of my visitors preferred the original PSU, 2/3 preferred Ront, you have to find out, to which camp you belong.
My advice would be, to give the Ront a try first.
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Folks have had this disparity in “taste” or of “flavor” all the way back decades ago when the Sondek Lp12 received a lower noise platter bearing or a more stable power supply/speed control. There are always going to be flat-earthers I guess and people obsessed with familiarity... Nothing new here.
But I do find it difficult to wrap my mind around not appreciating a lower noise floor and more stable sweet timbres.
With every technological audio improvement I find my mind less frustrated and confused, trying to figure out why my gear doesn’t sound “right”and instead just spend much more time deep listening and caught up in the rapture of another beautiful performance. Enjoy.
Couldn't agree more Rob. Replacing my wibbly-wobbly stock motor, speed all over the place, with rock solid and super stable SOTA Eclipse motor/Farad LPS, has transformed my record collection, I really don't say that lightly. For me it's the deep reveal of air, depth cues, imaging and microdynamics, that is converting previous wall of sound into a delicate and accurate transducer. The best £2.5k I've spent in my system by far.
I have the Bardo with the optional upgraded Balance supply that is in the metal case. The tube Ronit supply on tests did not give apparently good performance and may be a bit noisy. I would suggest the upgraded balance supply which is also solid state like the original but is a bit more robust. As to leaving it on, I suppose there is no harm to it. The bearing oil does probably settle in from the heat of the motor once it is on for about 15 minutes and I don’t bother to leave it on.
I have the bardo with the big ss supply. In the past Brinkmann proposed two psu for the Bardo; a new small one:
and a large one.
recently Brinkmann introduces a new ss psu for the Taurus and avalaible for the Bardo
and a large one.
recently Brinkmann introduces a new ss psu for the Taurus and avalaible for the Bardo
At least, one of the tube inside must be defectuous. First time, I read the the Ront psu fails.
Oh OK.
I have had the pleasure of listening to the Brinkmann Bardo, Lagrange and Balance, but.. at different times I might add. Out of the three, I did prefer the Balance. Having said that, overall, I found that the Stabi M just seemed to have that something extra special, over the others! I think that the only other 'table that I would consider would be the XL DC.Similar threads
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