A Copernican View of the Turntable System

As time and my birthdays go by, I feel I am headed toward a Linn turntable, a solid-state integrated amp cum phono stage, and a pair of bookshelf speakers. My muscles and joints would love that system. Last night I had to carry just the power supplies for my new Sound Lab 845PX speakers up from my basement to my listening room. This awakened symptoms due to an old rugby injury to my cervical spine. It took four of us to uncrate the 845s and carry them into the house. (I timed their arrival to coincide with a visit from my son, from Tokyo, so I could count on his help.) I cannot lift my SP10 Mk3 in its 100-lb slate and wood plinth without assistance and can barely lift the L07D. I don't look forward to carrying my 90-lb tube monoblock amplifiers up the steps from my basement to the listening room, either. This is despite the fact that I lift weights, do push-ups, and do a cardio work out every day. This talk of massive pods and plinths puts me off, even though I subscribe to the theory. High end audio is for young athletes or for those of us with grown sons who have not yet left home.

Dear Lew, In the first place congratulation with your birthday. In the second with your Lab 845 PX. Since you are still working I assume that you are a young gentleman in
comparison with some other members. Except for those two facts
(the birthday and the Lab) I don't believe a single word of the rest of your complaints. I hope your Lab 845 PX will surpass your expectations.

Kind regards,

Dear Nandric, I am working at this point because I still need income, not because I am too young to retire. The speaker maker, FYI, is called "Sound Lab". They are located in Utah. The full name of the product I bought is "Majestic 845PX", a fairly pompous name, as I am sure you would agree. They are basically giant full-range electro-static speakers. I have a lifelong love/hate relationship with ESLs driven by output transformer-less (OTL)tube amps. I sent my old smaller Sound Lab M1s back to the factory for rebuild, and while they were away got a great deal on the 845s, an offer that I could not refuse, if you have seen The Godfather. While all this has been going on, I have been listening to Quad ESL63s for several months. That's a speaker more suitable for someone in our age range with a bad back. I know this is way off-topic, but it explains why I cannot think about messing with arm pods or de-plinthification (thank you, George W Bush) at this time.

Dear Nikola – you said.

I 'assist' ( by looking) my machinist while
he was busy to cut from a billet of bronze a collar for my
Pioneer P-70 tonearm.

For your information – here in North America machine shop rates are by the hour and are based on the following criteria.

$ XX – tell him what you want and go away – come back to pick it up.

$ XXX – if you want to watch him make it

$ XXXX – if you want to watch him and also ask questions.

Now I know at least a couple of us have spare sp10 mkII’s sitting idle ? Well my 2nd sp10 mkII recently got set up in the city. I am satisfied with the sound but being this a hobby I need to get more height on the footers to accommodate another armpod that I am planning on making.

Now I naively thought that all Australians were as nice as Henry. How greedy that person is on ebay asking what he is for those AT 616’s.

This got me thinking. I believe I had a mini epiphany. I was so pumped about it and its simplicity that I had to head over to the local machine shop to see if the costs were in line. The costs were so I had some made. Attached is a picture of them.

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/i/f/1314300811.jpg

These are 5 inches high and made from One Inch diameter solid stainless steel and have adjustable threads. I have just installed them, may get some time to listen before we go away for the weekend. Any comments from those that have direct experience with Nude Sp10’s ?

Well ok I will open it up to all ? I have a thick layer of Teflon.

I have found that different footers on TT’s change the sound dramatically. Any guesses on how the sound will change from the Pneumatic AT616’s ? They are coupled to 4 inches of solid maple that is isolated on three metallic filled legs spiked to the house basement slab.

Oh I almost forgot – Material and labor $48 cash for all four. I had to go away for a couple of hours and come back to pick them up.

BTW – thank you very much Henry for teaching me how to add links and pictures. What a PITA it is an archaic outdated system.

Cheers

Dear Chris, You made some kind of drilling (oil) platform
for your SP-10. Looks to me more convincing than the AT footers below the cover because this cover is very questionable as support. I would add the Stillpoints underneath the the steel 'points' for some damping. I assume that the threads are made in the SP-10 frame? This way you don't need the AT 616 and than (as seller)will probable have some other perspective reg. other Australians than Henry.

Regards,