VPI Single Motor Flywheel / SDS / Aries 3

I just had an interesting experience. As I said my voltage is usually 72 at right on 60 Hz. I decided to connect the SDS to my Scoutmaster, I had to lower the setting to slightly below 60 to get the exact speed. When I went back to my listening seat I noticed the voltage read 84. I was puzzled until I realized that I had plugged the SDS into one for the regular lines rather than one of the two dedicated ones. When I plugged it into one of them the voltage went back to 72.
So there is a 12 volt difference between my dedicated and non dedicated lines on the SDS, no wonder they sound different.

Hi Philb,

I have the same setup with a single flywheel, SDS, and VPI ring and clamp.

The SDS voltage and frequency really should not matter, as long as both 33 & 45 speeds are perfect with your KAB strobe.

I learned a good tip on Audiogon for the SDS and VPI setup.

When you are fine tuning the SDS, put an LP record on the turntable with the ring and the KAB disc over it.
Now, before putting the clamp on, take a 45rpm single with the center plastic in it, and place it on top of the KAB disc, then put the clamp on top. (you will still be able to see the speeds on the KAB)

When you go to set your speeds, place the stylus in the center of the 45 track and actually play the 45. (you can leave the volume off of course) Now set your speeds. This gives you the speed of the fully loaded platter including the average stylus drag..

Absolutely the best way to do it..

Have Fun,
Joe

Buy two more belts. One from the motor to the flywheel and one from the flywheel to the platter.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. The Flywheel seems a little more finicky than the simple 300 rpm motor, but I'm still at work at it. One thing interesting is it does seem like it takes the flywheel a good 5 minutes or so to get to a stable speed. If I work on adjustments on speed using the strobe disc immediately, I wind up chasing my own tail! After five minutes, its seems like it has reached a stable speed and I can start adjusting.

I ordered some VPI magic lube for the bearing of the platter and flywheel and applied them last night. It seems to make the flywheel run smoother and quieter, but i have seen no real improvement in stability of speed or being able to lower the Hz on the SDS back to where the single 300 rpm motor was set.

I did get a response from Mike at VPI and he suggested the Magic lube and he is also sending me an HRX pulley. My flywheel has the dual sized pulley for playing 33 and 45 rpm without the SDS. He said since I had an SDS, the HRX pulley should be much more stable and I may be able to use only one belt from the flywheel motor pulley to the flywheel.

The saga continues....

By the way, anyone replaced the black plastic/delrin motor pulley on a 300 rom motor or single motor flywheel before? How do you do it? It hasn't arrived from VPI yet, but I'm just trying to be prepared. Thanks....