is there anyone around here that has experience with the table? and would like to post a mini-review? i suppose what my wondering comes down to is this... Is the 9.1 much of step up from the 7.1? yes there is an upgraded tone arm, but if you were to install the 9.1's tone arm on a 7.1 how? would? results differ between the two then?
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Check out my replinthed MMF7,(if you bought motor, arm (demo), cart(Denon103r), platter, spindle - it would cost you under $1300 and IMHO it would killed it on the right plinth, hands down.) I don't believe the difference between mmf7 and mmf9 is of catastrophic proportions. In that price range you have VPI and few others so it is you who will have to decide if it is worth it or not. VPI is a killer in that price range.IMO |
yeah, i saw that too. The idea of building my own is quite attractive. If i were to do that though I'd want to do it up pretty seriously, and that would lead to more cost than i'm able to handle at the moment. Where do you find materials? are there resources for platters and such? or do you have to result to cannibalizing other set-ups? |
You can buy the same motor (the one that mmf7 & mmf9 uses) for around $140 or less. Platter costs around $80. Belt sells for around $20-$30. And these are all MSRP. - if you shop around, you could get all that you need for around $200. Add plinth material ($50-$150). If you are handy and have basic tools - labor $0. If not - about $200 for a shop/time & help of the pro. Total - well....like you said, it depends on your design and budget. But it can be build for around $300-$400. All you have to do is add arm and cart of your choice.(for $600-$700 you can pick a really nice combo. Buy arm used or demo. Cart - new or demo from dealer) TT parts are easy to get. Google - turntable parts, motor, platter etc. I think "needledoctor.com" have some parts but at full price. Materials for plinth that worked for me in the past were: MDF, Plywood- sandwiched layers and "Bamboo butcher-block". My other table (X) is a lot more expencive and on par performance wise with TT costing X2 or X3 its price. Its construction is a lot more complicated and parts are of much better quality. Labor time is about 60h. Where "Bamboo plinth took about 12h and cost less to finish (sand, prime, seal, paint). For me it is a hobby and hands-on education. That is why I will never buy a ready TT for big chunk of $$$$, if I can build it myself and have a huge satisfaction by doing it. |
i've looked around on google. where did you get your motors? for the x tt as well as the platter? i was checking out synchronus ac motors but they all seem purposed for more industrial uses. what methods would there be for damping the sound, or is there a manufacturer out there that makes motors for such applications? or is the way to go... picking up a Music Hall motor and using it in what ever config. you want? |
This kit looks very good. Friend of my is thinking of using it in his project. Here is the link: Motor Kit If you are interested, it doesn't hurt to contact the seller for more info and/or recommendations. About Music Hall motor, yes....of course you can use it in any project. I would separated motor from the plinth (no physical contact). It should work as long as you keep the center of the motor and center of the spindle in correct distance to maintain the accurate speed. I always try to isolate motor from the plinth whatever design I am working on. Platter....well, from time to time you can grab a nice acrylic platter from VPI here on AgoN for around $300-$350 with the spindle. Belts are all over the place. Different colors, materials , you name it - they got it. Unfortunately I can not revile the make of TT "X" platter and motor/spindle to protect the company and myself. What I can say is that it is used on very good and expensive turntable and that you can not get it. But VIP platter and the motor link that I gave you are on par or better then what I am using. Those are also more expensive. TT "X" is almost finished. I have just updated the pictures. Named it "Red Devil". Check it out, you will see why. |
I own a whole bunch of tables BSP (before silly period) and then two that would be chortled at for their lacking any special anything but now of the PVE Post Vinyl Era. My first a MMf 5 is fairly simple and culminating in (so far anyway) a VPI Scout which has a MC cart an arm that is supported by something that wobbles on every aspect possible. Mind you not, super, nor duper, and not a slave nor a master. I indulged in a bunch BSP linear tracking tables. Aquired a couple, in trades just love the linear arm so I think I have 7 others. 2 BSP are semi automatics not linear. A plinth I take it is a place to set your spinning platter thus by friction your record. This must be a very firm and massive thing if you eschew the trampoliners, where everything shakes so precisely in unison that one part hasn't a clue that somethings shaking. This is less common than the elegent vibration isiolation through absorption and most importantantly mass dampening. You just cannot have enough mass. The most dense things are nasty poisonous things like molten lead. A few grommets of firm but forgiving artificial proprietary geometic repeating fractal spaces seperate the most most masssive perfectly true discs of lets say plastic fractal geometry dipped MDF. Plie them high. get a guy who makes weights out of steel\brass\ lead\ an alloy with a ring of pooled mercury, a few more inches tall- as big as you can in height but no more the 12" diameter. You need a quiet motor so get a megnetic motorvator . It takes 45 mins to get going but if you know more than I the whol thing rests on a point with viscous oil with another pin point support. Once it gets going it will spin a long while. part II later. I know diddley Not Bo. However in my estimation since the TT must turn at a consistent RPM. In fact very consistent it appears. |