My comments were based on the original spj arm being hard to set up, the recent lyla being far easier to use.
SPJ Alba/La Luce
- Thread starter bonzo75
- Start date
My comments were based on the original spj arm being hard to set up, the recent lyla being far easier to use.
There are five individual micrometres on this the original tonearm allowing precise adjustment of everything.and I mean everything
The impressive-looking arm base is machined from stainless steel and consists of three main parts: the ground-plate, the VTA pillar, and a canted horizontal platform that extends out from it. The 15mm-thick ground-plate is bolted directly to the 'table and supports the overhang micrometer, its locking screw, and the VTA pillar's horizontal rails. Each full turn of the overhang micrometer knob changes the distance of the pivot from the spindle by 0.5mm forward or back over a range of 38mm.
The horizontal platform either side of the VTA pillar is raised and lowered with the VTA micrometer knob. Each full turn represents a height adjustment of 1mm, a lock keeping the setting in check. Reference marks are engraved on a plate around the base of the VTA knob (adjustable during play) to keep track of your position.The platform carries the main pivot. It's made of hardened, grained, polished steel with an upward-pointing tip centered to accept damping fluid, if needed Just next to it, the azimuth micrometer pillar raises and lowers a small platform on which a secondary "traveling pivot" rides. azimuth can be amazingly adjusted during play and very precisely indeed.
On the near side of the platform sits a pillar with yet another micrometer-operated device that raises and lowers the arm-lifter mechanism. The VTA height indicator, which is attached to the base ground-plate, has an engraved scale facing the adjacent oblique-angled tip of the platform. Each of the longer lines on the scale above and below the center line represents 1.25° of change at the pivot tip. Turning the VTA height-indicator "instrument" raises and lowers the engraved scale. Calibrating the zero line with the tip of the horizontal platform marks a reference point for VTA when it's changed.
the classic SpJ tonearm allows for precise and accurate adjustments of overhang, azimuth and VTA. The armtube is machined from a solid titanium cylinder of six different inner diameters and five different outer ones; only three of the latter are visible. The titanium "cartridge headshell is crimp-connected to the titanium armwand, which in turn is crimped at the pivot end to a solid titanium block. On the bottom of the block sits a cup with a jeweler's diamond bearing fitted over the fixed pivot on the base. A secondary down-pointing pivot is secured and locked from the top of the block.
Behind the pivot point sits a decoupled brass micrometer-operated counterbalance that features three removable weight screws; three heavier screws are provided to adjust for a wide range of cartridges. The Side-Thrust Bias Controller comprises a pair of smallish weights riding a horizontal threaded rod suspended on a carrier above the counterweight.
The impressive-looking arm base is machined from stainless steel and consists of three main parts: the ground-plate, the VTA pillar, and a canted horizontal platform that extends out from it. The 15mm-thick ground-plate is bolted directly to the 'table and supports the overhang micrometer, its locking screw, and the VTA pillar's horizontal rails. Each full turn of the overhang micrometer knob changes the distance of the pivot from the spindle by 0.5mm forward or back over a range of 38mm.
The horizontal platform either side of the VTA pillar is raised and lowered with the VTA micrometer knob. Each full turn represents a height adjustment of 1mm, a lock keeping the setting in check. Reference marks are engraved on a plate around the base of the VTA knob (adjustable during play) to keep track of your position.The platform carries the main pivot. It's made of hardened, grained, polished steel with an upward-pointing tip centered to accept damping fluid, if needed Just next to it, the azimuth micrometer pillar raises and lowers a small platform on which a secondary "traveling pivot" rides. azimuth can be amazingly adjusted during play and very precisely indeed.
On the near side of the platform sits a pillar with yet another micrometer-operated device that raises and lowers the arm-lifter mechanism. The VTA height indicator, which is attached to the base ground-plate, has an engraved scale facing the adjacent oblique-angled tip of the platform. Each of the longer lines on the scale above and below the center line represents 1.25° of change at the pivot tip. Turning the VTA height-indicator "instrument" raises and lowers the engraved scale. Calibrating the zero line with the tip of the horizontal platform marks a reference point for VTA when it's changed.
the classic SpJ tonearm allows for precise and accurate adjustments of overhang, azimuth and VTA. The armtube is machined from a solid titanium cylinder of six different inner diameters and five different outer ones; only three of the latter are visible. The titanium "cartridge headshell is crimp-connected to the titanium armwand, which in turn is crimped at the pivot end to a solid titanium block. On the bottom of the block sits a cup with a jeweler's diamond bearing fitted over the fixed pivot on the base. A secondary down-pointing pivot is secured and locked from the top of the block.
Behind the pivot point sits a decoupled brass micrometer-operated counterbalance that features three removable weight screws; three heavier screws are provided to adjust for a wide range of cartridges. The Side-Thrust Bias Controller comprises a pair of smallish weights riding a horizontal threaded rod suspended on a carrier above the counterweight.
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Thanks for the description. It appears it just has all the ordinary adjustments but done with accurate knobs that appear confusing at first.
This is a one off, i am not sure if she will produce more. The latest lyla is quite an improvement with its bigger vta knob and the black carbon tone arm I think there are only three of these tonearms produced. I think its a big update over the previous lyla.
The SpJ Alba turntable is direct-coupled, non-suspended design that features two platters weighing 30-Kg. The increased mass, the turning momentum, and the increased inertia.
The lower 40-mm thick carrier aluminium platter has thirty embedded stainless steel cylinders, 105-mm long, placed around the platter periphery.
One third of the carrier platter mass rotates below the bearing’s center of gravity.
To meet the special demands of such huge mass, turning force and moment of inertia, a large sintered bronze bearing is used.
The bearing house of the Alba turntable is made of one-piece 8-Kg, high quality permanently oiled, sintered bronze bearing which is hand matched to its chrome-hardened steel spindle-shaft.
The top, record platter weighs 10-Kg and has three stainless steel tiptoe sharpened points that rest on the carrier platter.
On the standard AlbaThe mechanical impedance match of the top platter which consists of a thick acrylic upper layer bolted to 25-mm thick aluminium platter, restricts the vinyl record stylus-induced resonance and passes them smoothly through the three tiptoes into the mass of the carrier platter. This version replaces it with a hard to source Amarid material from the kevlar family originally developed by du pont the stuff that bullet proof vests are made from. This was the designers personal turntable and the platter was made for her own use.
A central, asymmetric 41-mm thick, solid aluminium block holds the sintered bronze bearing house, and the vertical stainless steel arm cylinder "neck" base platform.
An aluminium T shaped lateral cylinder, perpendicularly bolted to the underside of the central block and this form a broad, T – shaped support.
The Alba turntable rests on three contact points and is levelled by adjustment knobs on each side of the T-shaped aluminium cylinder support.
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Just got the last ever La luce to be built from october 2019, a big step up in my opinion has the Lyla 2 tonearm which is a giant step up many updates to the entire structure of the tonearm, the counter weight assembly has been vastly improved. There are updates to the main bearing and to the motor pod and the way the motor operates. The sound is vastly superior to early la luce turntables in every the motor runs very very quiet now, for some reason the noise floor has dropped drastically quiet passages are inky black now there is a sence of hall space that was just not apparent previously at all. The bass is far deeper and controlled but is also fast fast and dynamic. The most striking thing is the lower grain overall there is simply more music its that drastic there is way more information being produced at the same time has a grace that is truly spectacular. Will post some pics soon. The latest spj laluce is one of the most musical turntables I have heard in a long time period.
Forgive me if this is an unfair question, but I am sure I am not the only inquiring mind who is wondering.
I have been very interested to learn of your, and now MikeL’s, excitement and enthusiasm for the CS Port. Coming from such different design philosophies (other than belt drive) are you able to give us any insight into how the CS Port sounds versus this last La Luce?
I have been very interested to learn of your, and now MikeL’s, excitement and enthusiasm for the CS Port. Coming from such different design philosophies (other than belt drive) are you able to give us any insight into how the CS Port sounds versus this last La Luce?
Mik,
It appears you get all the better examples of what’s available in analog.
Have you ever considered leaving something for the less fortunate ones?
P.S. I got an older La Luce sample, that is being refurbished at the moment.
The problem with the La luce is that they are no longer produced I managed to procure the last version, this was the last to be supplied by her a month back but I got hold of it thursday.
They are very very different indeed the cs port has the most wonderful natural sense of space and air very very natural sounding great bass and texture the drive is fantastic. The laluce is very fast and vibrant it has tremdous pace and extremely three dimensional. Both are seductive in different areas the la luce does micro detail in a fashion that is breath taking the cs port is big and bold. Does not do nuance in the same way. The bass on the laluce is fast
I will start a separate thread on the spj turntables with pics in due course.
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They are difference the spj does micro nuance that is spectacular that said the cs port is well nuanced. The spj captures small details.
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