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New Townshend Rock 7 owner

The Townshend is in transit to it's new home. I purchased this one-owner table as a package, complete w/ Funk Firm FXR ll arm, dc motor upgrade, Discovery Balanced phono cable and Brinkman PI cartridge. It come with all original boxes, manuals.

If all goes well, I should be able to get it up and running with one exception, my phono stage is not balanced. Since the original owner bought this from a respected dealer as a package, I think my best route would be to get a pair of RCA to XLR adapters in order to hear the package as close as possible as was intended.

Any thoughts on that aspect? What brand adapters would be recommended? Also, any thing I might need to know from experienced users to help with set-up? Thanks.
128x128slaw
nsp
653 posts
 
bdp24
The Zeta tonearm is not one that I am familiar with. If you spoke directly to Max then you got it from the source!! It's nice that he was honest enough to give his opinion and not try to sell you the newer model if there was not that big of a difference.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,865 posts
 

@nsp, the Zeta is a cult item from the 1980’s and 90’s, far better known in the UK than in the U.S. It was a favorite with users of the idiosyncratic Decca cartridges, who also liked the Rock. In fact, the Rock was developed using the Decca cartridge.

Regarding the nomenclature used for the various parts of the Rock Mk.7, the 12" round disc the LP is placed on (it’s white on the Rock Mk.7) is always referred to as a platter. In most tables, the "body" of the table that the platter’s bearing and usually the tonearm are mounted onto is called a plinth. As the body of the Rock Mk.7 is so "skeletal", it’s hard to think of it as having a plinth!

At any rate, the belt should not touch the 12" white platter, or anything else other than the metal sub-platter. Changing the height of the motor pod to effect where the belt rides on the sub-platter is simple---just shim it with a thin sheet of any material of your choice---metal, acrylic, wood whatever. Or place it on little "footers" of your choice---you can try hard materials and softer, see what you prefer.

slaw's avatar
slaw OP
21,774 posts
 
@nsp ,
What type of shelf do you have the Rock 7 on? Whatever it is, check for flatness. You’d be surprised that several materials look flat to the naked eye but are not. I have my Rock set up with it’s feet screwed all the way in. IMO, this is the best way. Leveling can be done with the Rock’s ingenious adjustable outrigger weight or by the platform itself assuming you have the platform on adjustable feet. (I find in my set up, the motor pod’s set screws are just barely enough to get the pod off of my platform.)
@bdp24, The Merlin motor housing has 3 adjustment screws, I think your table’s motor housing may have no adjustment capability, just shims.

One question, when you are adjusting the pulley’s angle/level, is the platter on or off the tt? This will also depend on the pulley distance......what I’ve found is if I adjust the pulley with the platter off and start the motor, sometimes the belt will look fine until I put the platter back in place. Another thing to consider is the platter levelness when doing all of this set up. I swing the trough back to it’s normal position and keep the tonearm at it’s resting place. Then use a weight on the platter ( in my case a brass 3/4lb weight). I keep a small bubble level on the tonearm mounting plate always. Mine is set up where if this bubble level is centered I know my set -up is accurate. Once I know the platter is level I make sure to orient the platter to a reference point for later. This way I can now remove the platter and re-install it with changing the level.
When I look at my belt’s position on my pulley, it in slightly above centered. Once you get familiar with the tt and all of it’s needs, the set up process will become more natural to you.
nsp
653 posts
 
 bdp24
Thanks for the clarification I have the terminology straight now. The top of the belt is what is rubbing slightly on the bottom of the white platter which holds the 12-inch record.
It's not a problem with the built hitting or rubbing against the plinth.
I think as I mentioned in my previous post the top of my motor housing is significantly higher then the top of the plinth. I think lowering the motor housing would help this problem.

I read with interest your comments about the London Decca cartridge. Is yours the London Decca reference? All of the attributes you described is what I'm looking for in a cartridge. You mentioned it's a good match with the zRock7's damping but you also mentioned a caveat concerning loading. My stand-alone tubed phono stage only has one moving magnet setting 47k. Is this a mismatched in your opinion?
nsp
653 posts
 
slaw
My rock7 is on top of the symposium Ultra platform. If you read my previous post bdp24 I explained that the top of my belt rubs slightly on the bottom of the white platter which holds the record.
I also mentioned that my motor housing which has three set screws is significantly higher then the top of the plinth and Max said in his guideline that these two should be even in heigth.
I was wondering if the top of your motor housing is level with the top of your plinth?
Also the belt position on my motor housing rides quite low which is another reason I believe the motor housing should be lowered on my system.
The three set screws on the motor housing seem to be a hexagonal configuration. Do you know the correct tool that fits the screw holes?
I have to screwdrivers that came with unit but I think they are for adjusting the angle of the motor .
 
Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate any help that you and bdp 24 or anyone else can give me as I plan to become more Hands-On and knowledgeable with this setup as I used to be with previous turntables and tone arms that I owned.
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