Micro Seiki DD-40 with a few mods, running a AT-VM740ML while playing the new De Película album from The Limiñanas & Laurent Garnier. Fun table and album
That is 100% correct. Also, the table cannot utilize a MC cartridge.. of any type, due to the magnetic levitation design.
After almost 30 years with my Technics 1210 I was looking for something new: Dr Feickert Volare with a Sorane SA 1.2 tone arm
So this is one of kind. The plinth is a coated (some kind of paint) VPI TNT2 with VPI Classics Feet, Classics Plater, Avenger motor (+SDS) plus the two arms. The VPI 12-3D tonearm armboard is ebony. The 2nd arm is using a Avenger Delrin tonearm plate (no longer offered by VPI) that was opened up to mount on the 3" corner post. The new to plinth 1/4" plate is machined cast MIC6 aluminum that is bolted to the plinth as a constrained layer with viscoelastic damping. Two new holes were drilled (left of platter) that along with repurposing the existing idler holes (right of platter) to bolt the new AL plate to the plinth. Before the plate was added, tapping on the plinth would get a response through the speakers; after the plate - nothing even when playing. I machined the plate with hand-tools; would not do that again - labor of love. But, the TNT is unique in what modifications can be done to significantly improve its performance (and if I may say, the aesthetics).
my Technics SP10 mk3 gets a new plinth from Acoustand UK. Very happy with how it looks and sounds. back left you can see a mount for a 2nd arm - I have an SME arm board ready
Pacvr , nice looking turntable . I have a TD-124 and thinking about adding an mic6 plate to bottom or maybe top and bottom . Did you get the material on line , where ? Please explain how you prepped the plate before attaching it . What did you use for viscoelastic damping ? Thank you, Bill
Bill, Bill, I bought the plate through a local metal dealer - Metal Supermarkets | Steel, Aluminum, Stainless, Hot-Rolled, Cold-Rolled, Alloy, Carbon, Galvanized, Brass, Bronze, Copper, but they do not appear to sell it anymore. However, quick check shows its available cut-to-size from other such as Find the Right Plastic and Metal Materials | Online Metals. The MIC-6 AL is a 7000 series aluminum manufactured USA by Alcoa. There is a Canadian 5000-series cast aluminum K100S CAST TOOL AND JIG ALUMINUM PLATE (ATP-5 Cast Tool and Jig Aluminum Plate) that you can also find. There is no prep per-say to the plate. The benefit of both is that they are dimensionally flat - machined flat; no warpage with a fine finish. My plate was delivered with a thin PVC-type plastic covering. I left that on one side and because the PVC is elastic it becomes a viscoelastic material; especially under compression. The plate is bolted to the plinth with 5/16-18 bolts torqued to ~10-ft-lbs which provides ~2000-lbs clamping force. After I machined the plate, I remove the plastic protective sheet from the one side and just used some fine sandpaper finishing with 2000 grit; its not really visible and just picks up the color of the shelf it sits on. The edges are polished with 400, then 2000, and then final 5000 grit to get the near mirror finish. Below are photos of both sides after machining and bottom after install. I also grounded the platter spindle to the plate (big ground-plane), and then a separate ground cable goes to earth-ground. There are some rules for proper install of constrained plates - the first is that the stiffness of the constrained layer needs to be less than the what is being damped. So the 1/4" MIC6 plate is about 1/10 the stiffness of the 2" acrylic plinth. The thickness of the viscoelastic layer can be very thin - i.e. 0.015 and still get very impressive damping - read - Constrained viscoelastic layer damping of thick aluminum plates: design, analysis, and testing - CORE Reader. Also, for the install I did, the constraining layer is not in the weight-bearing load path - it bolts only to the plinth. Cutouts were made for the platter shaft bottom nut and the bolts that secure the armboard. Neil
As usual, beautiful choices, looks stunning! Do you have a favorite table that gets the most use? Is it this one right now? Is the Thales your favorite arm?
Thanks. This table gets the most use, followed by the Exclusive P3 then the TW Acustik. Could live with any of them if I had to. The P3 is bulletproof, just keeps working. Thales Simplicity II is my fav arm out of what I have used, no desire to go higher up the chain. It's probably the tonearm that is the reason why the SP10mk3 gets the most use. Cheers
The TW would seem to be a serious TT, too. Do you have thoughts on sound comparisons between it and the Technics? Did you use the Thales on the TW previously?
Day's of work. The motor cutout was done with a coping saw; the shop I bought the plate from decided they did not want to make the cut. I probably spent an entire day preping the plinth and leather coated foam blocks to drill the two new holes w/o any damage to the finish. You will appreciate this, I first thought the plinth was MDF, so I research drill bits for the least damage - I settled on the OverDrive drill bits - OverDrive Bits | WoodOwl, a Star-M brand. When the drill bit hit that plinth and plastic curls came off - surprise the plinth is acrylic. I said above, labor of love, not to be done again
Hi there. Yes, I have an armboard set up for the Thales on the TW. It sounds really good on both tables. Using the SME 3012-R on the TW at the moment and that is aluvely combo. SP10mk3 is a little more neutral than the TW and has better bass control. TW is slightly more relaxed and very god for jazz and those thin 60's recordings. cheers
Very nice! How does it compare to your Technics? Did you have the stock Technics Tonearm on your 1210?
Neil , thank you for taking the time to post the detailed info . You gave me all the info i need . Looking for a nice sme 3012 r tonearm to mount . Very difficult finding something in good condition . Everything related to vinyl is getting too costly. Thanks again, Bill
Because it is a belt drive it has a different sound than the Technics. I think he has better bass and more transient mids. I still have the stock tonearm on my Technics and the the Sorane SA 1.2 has much more mass and punch than the Technics. I will keep the Technics and plan to use both turntables in my system. So far I am very pleased with the Volare, it was a good investment to by a German made drive with a Japanese tonearm.
Atvm540ml back on the JVC QL-A7. It's been 6 months since I spinned some records. Didn't realize what I've been missing .
Nice! I haven't seen one of those since a college friend bought one in '75. I really liked the looks of that JVC TT. Speaking of college, I see in your profile you also have a Thorens TD-160. That was my TT from '75 until I took a hiatus from vinyl in the mid 80's