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Back into vinyl - part 1

About five years ago, while I was living nice, quiet, and boring vinyl-less life, I run across some very nice LPs while walking around my local flee market. I got rid of all my records years ago, almost immediately after Sony and Philips promised us all “Perfect Sound Forever”. My music life was easy and simple, few hundred of my CDs were complemented by couple hundred cassettes and only sometimes I was wondering how come some of my cassettes sounded very obviously better than CDs.
But I would not let these thoughts bother me – digital was better, period. Doesn’t every manufacturer of audio equipment say so for 20 years now?
Anyway, the albums I run across were so dear to me and so impossible to find on CDs that I bought them, without even thinking about the fact that I had absolutely no idea how to use them. Did they even sell turntables anymore?
Being a nerd I started searching the Net for information and to my surprise discovered that not only they still sell TTs, but there is a whole range of them, from 50 Presidents all the way to tens of thousands.
I was considering getting me some of those 78s, so three-speed machine was needed. I quickly found a site of KAB Electro-Acoustics, and called the guy.
Kevin was very helpful and knowledgeable. After hearing my pathetic story he very kindly described me current situation on the marked and few days later I was a proud owner of KAB Broadcast Standard, equipped with Shure V15VxMR.
The LPs that I bought sounded amazing. They were almost 40 years old, though in very good condition, but the sound was so real that no CD could even touch it.
Bare in mind, my system was nothing to write home about – middle-of-the-road ES Sony CD player, amplifier and cassette deck and Mission speakers.
And then I found audio forums.
OK, I have to admit – I am always questioning my knowledge. Even when I am 100% sure about something, there will always be a thought buried somewhere deep inside, saying “What If You Are Wrong?”
So I started asking questions and in return heard condolences about my TT and really stupid explanations about why direct drive is inferior to belt drive. Someone even quoted well-respected magazine reviewer stating that DD table is constantly changing speed at a rate of about 3500 times a second, which is quite audible.
I bought it.
I sold my KAB table (surprisingly very close to the original price), in my heart blaming Kevin for selling me this junk, and got myself a … well, I don’t think I should use any more names here – it is really irrelevant. Let’s just say that the table was listed at $750 and at that price point is considered to be a de facto standard in audiophile world.
Well, this is where my problems started. First, the damn thing was running fast. I was trying to get my dealer to fix it with no positive outcome. “The table is flawless” was the answer. Oh and did I mention “No Returns” policy?
Running fast, switching between speeds was a nightmare, and then in 2000 they released an updated motor in which was supposed to fix speed deviation problem (what problem?) which set me back another $150. With no positive outcome.
I had to let it go, losing a lot of money in the process.
What do you think I did next? Correct, I bought another belt-driven table from different manufacturer. It was about twice as expensive as my first one and was coming from the company that is even more respected in audiophile world.
The construction of the table was very unusual. Almost as unusual as one of the first models from this company, shown in one of Stanley Kubrick’s movies.
Built quality seemed to be better, but as I discovered, in order to achieve best results, I needed much better tonearm, special power supply etcetera, etcetera… Oh and did I mention that you can’t really clean the record on this table? Friction between the belt and the platter is too low for it…
I got back to the previous company and purchased their just-released top of the line model. Exotic materials used for platter, outboard power supply, fancy words used in its description… I was not as stupid as I used to be, so I purchased it from Canada, thus loosing my US warranty, but saving about 30%.
Well, what do you know? The table was running fast! The brilliantly engineered power supply did not allow for speed adjustments without knowing the schematics and friendly technical support staff of the manufacturer was too friendly to respond to my request.
Another bummer.
I was getting smarter. No more purchases, I said to myself, before I am sure I know what I am buying.
Very famous and very local manufacturer just released reasonably inexpensive model, which I borrowed from my local dealer. Build quality was so low that I still don’t understand how people can actually mention the word “quality” when talking about this table? Platter bearing was loose, table was running slow and besides the motor was running hot as hell. I called the company with my questions and they responded that bearing has to burn-in (oh really?) motor has high operating temperature and speed can be easily adjusted by using their power generator costing a mere $1000! Thanks!
I tried few more tables. The more expensive they were getting, the more I was shocked by their poor quality.
I got tired. My vinyl collection was several hundred LPs by now but I had no means of listening and enjoying.
Then I called Kevin.
I told him about my experience and my frustration and his simple and knowledgeable words got me back to real world.
I have a degree in electrical engineer for crying out loud, cant’ I do something?
And I did.
To be continued…
alex_yakovlev
gurevise
5 posts
 
Hey Alex,
I'd love to read the end of this saga in part 3.
That is if there is an end to it.

Actually I'd really like to know of Kevins TT's are so good compared to all these "hifi" companies.
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Alex: What is a 1210 as opposed to a 1200? And are we to assume that you got yours from KAB, replete with the fluid damper and outboard supply? [FYI: Mine is an early-80's 1200MKII (bought new at that time), to which I have added Kevin's mods, plus a Michell record clamp, Sorbothane mat (now in conjunction with a Technics thin rubber mat underneath it), Music Direct tonearm wrap, and placed atop a Symposium shelf resting on FoculPods Sorbothane pucks. It's presently got a B-M Glider M2 installed, and my perpetual 'next' upgrade is supposed to be installing better RCA jacks on the lead-out wires...]

Gurevise: Your question is the one that I wish I could answer but can't. Mr. Yakovlev has much more experience than I with other TT designs - I've had the same 1200 since I left college and nothing else (I've heard others, but not in my system or with the same carts I've had). My guess is that with the KAB and other mods mentioned above added, the basic design goodness of the 1200 should make it many ways competitive or superior to most belt-drive options in its moderate price range (my one major reservation about the design is that the aluminum platter's inherent resonance is not completely damped compared to most audiophile designs, although doubling-up on the mats as outlined above helps). It sounds good enough to me that I haven't felt the need to replace it (only tweaked it) during the period of time in which every other component in my system has been upgraded an average of twice, but this is not the same endorsement as if I were to verify my impressions by in-home auditioning some of the competition. Unfortunately, for me that seems too much of a hassle and expense when I'm already happy, so I can only wonder...
alex_yakovlev OP
102 posts
 
Thank you ladies and gentlemen for all your replies. Now I'll try to answer your questions.
Sean - I gave a lot of clues about the tables that I had. If you look for them, you should be able to identify them with no problems. :)
Zaikesman - I do not have 78 RPM yet, this is my next move.
Jc2000 - you are absolutely right, lots of people are trying to bite me still. The difference is that now I don't care.
Gurevise - when comparing tables from "High End" manufacturers with 1200 one has to understand the difference in production cost. If 1200 was built in one of these tiny places it would cost thousands. But even without taking price into concideration - I would put my modified MK2 against anything below 5-6 thousand, maybe even more.
Zaikesman - 1210 is black version of 1200, that's all. As for Kevin's table - no, engineer in me was too ambitious to let this happen. After my DIY project I was left with plenty of parts for three tables, so I built mine different from Kevin, with more radical approach to power (I removed all original power supply components) and replacing tonearm with RB600. Also, I got rid of pitch slider and strobe LEDs.
psychicanimal
1,738 posts
 
One of my guys modded the power supply in his 1200. He does not advocate the outboard power supply, though:

I have heavily reworked my 1200 and it's pretty insane. Don't pay too much for this power supply if that's what it is because there is little to it. The main (theoretical) advantage might be in getting the mains power transformer (very well shielded in the 1200) out of the chassis, although I notice zero 60 Hz hum with a Denon high gain moving coil pre-preamp with my 1200. 60 Hz hum would be transformer noise as opposed to 120 Hz "buzz" which is the sound of a noisy diode(s) in the bridge rectifier. Shottkys eliminate this. Also there is a major advantage to leaving the power supply inside. Because it is virtually riding on the motor coil windings, the impedance is practically zero and so minute current surges supplied to the motor by the power supply when speed corrections are called for (such as on the rise of a slight warp when the motor literally has to lift the arm) are instantaneous. If the power supply is too far away and or the impedance between it and the motor is higher than it should be for any reason (such as thin cabling), then the speed correction response time will be slowed and wow (especially) and perhaps flutter will increase dramatically. This could be audible on recordings such as piano or violin, depending upon the degree. This exact same thing happens in power amps where the power supply's load is now the output transistor/speaker interface instead of the motor. That's why McCormack and others place their filter caps directly beside the output transistors on the same pcb (less than an inch or two away) instead of running wires from ones placed somewhere else such as in the middle of the chassis.

I am following a combination of Kevin's and what my friend suggested. KAB's power supply responded very favorably to cryo'ed power cords and changing the DC cable from the stock 24 ga to 18 ga solid core was phenomenal. All the internal DC cabling in my 1200 will be rewired by Robert of Ridge Street Audio. Robert wants to use 12 ga solid core silver wire--cryo'ed, of course. he aslo wants to see if the power supply can be revved up further. I think it will be cost effective to send it to cryo treatment.

Anyway, the KAB modded MK2 is pound for pound THE best buy in analog reproduction. I have been aware of Alex's project and as time goes on more and more people are taking the plunge and going for the "creature on steroids".

Alex, have you listened to the Teres? It seems to me that in the under $5K category that's the only other TT worth checking out.
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
A.Y. - Since you're obviously much more zealous and technically knowledgeable about this TT stuff than I am, I'm curious about your opinion of a few things regarding the 1200. Since you chose this platform to work with, I'm assuming that what you find indispensible are primarily the 1200's speed-control system and cast-aluminum plinth. What I want to know is, how would you rate your Rega replacement 'arm against the 1200's integral 'arm (especially with the KAB fluid damper added)? What is your opinion of the TT main bearing quality? How are you mechanically isolating your 'table? And do you, like me, have any issues with the platter damping, and if so, what approach do you or will you take for this?
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