Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

Just finished an evening of listening to my SP10 MK2 back from Krebs upgrade by Bill Thallman. Also added a new PBN Audio power supply and the TTWeights carbon fibre/kevlar/cork mat. Focus and resolution have very much improved. The difference is not subtle. The mat plus TTWeights heavyweight brass/aluminum collet clamp weight close to the stock mat. Well worth the cost. 

http://www.analogplanet.com/content/analogplanet-george-martin-keith-emerson-and-nana-vasconcelos-tr...

Give this one a listen, Michael Fremer identifies the Turntable he is using for this issue of Analog Planet Radio, at about 03.30 into the show.

I’m pretty stoked about this one :-)

Good Listening


Peter

Good to see that the TT-101 is finally working Lewm...and that you find it appealing. You've a lot of fine decks to compare it to so your opinion is valuable.

I'm running the Acutex LPM 420STR on the SAEC WE-8000/ST around my Victor
http://i.imgur.com/lzxFU1b.jpg
and from all reports.....your 320 is better.
One thing I found was that the 420 just came 'alive' when I mounted it in a Yamamoto HS-1AS Ebony wood headshell which surprised me.
It might be worth trying for you.....🎧
Regards

Henry, As I now understand it, the 300 series Acutex's are induced magnet types (of that I am certain), but the later end of run 400 series cartridges are conventional moving magnet types.  So, it would not surprise me if they sound very different. I own a 420 and a 412, but I have never heard either one.  The LPM series has an optional "headshell", which word I put in quotations, because it does not look like a headshell, more like a P-mount.  This is called the "Saturn V".  The LPM320 has a compliance of 42, which makes it even more strange that it works so well on the FR64S.  Using the Saturn V mount with the LPM320 would reduce the total effective mass by at least 5-10g, so it may be worth trying to re-mount my LPM320 into the Saturn V.  (I've got one.) Based on a OEM compliance of 42 and an estimated effective mass of (FR64S plus DV505 headshell plus LPM320 in conventional adapter) at 30g, I calculate an expected resonant frequency of around 5 Hz.  Maybe this is cool, as long as the LP does not have a warp or the floor does not shake.  My best guess is that because the 320 is now pushing 30 years old, the compliance is reduced from its OEM value due to aging of the suspension, which may be working in my favor on the FR64S.

Either you or your machinist is very talented to have made that beautiful and probably effective mounting system for your TT101. Congrats.

JB, I am glad you are happy with the Krebs mod; I've been touting it for months after hearing how it positively affected my Mk3.  I was previously a skeptic. As far as I know, the mod is less expensive when applied to the Mk2 vs the Mk3, so doing it on a Mk2 is even more of a no-brainer.  Also, it will get even better over the first 20-50 hours of use.  At first, I was not sure whether I was really hearing it or whether it was partly my imagination and listener bias.  Then after 10 hours or so and counting, all self doubts evaporated.

Lewm, 


What does the "Krebs mod" consist of ?

Thanks in advance


Peter