A Copernican View of the Turntable System

Hi Ralph,
I've noticed that both you and J.Carr have recently 'transferred' over to 'The Dark Side' by adopting the new Technics SL1200 DD turntable over your previously loved belt-drives.
The Empire in your case and the Final Labs and big Micro Seiki in Jonathan's.
Can you reveal why you have changed, and what the Technics does that the Empire doesn't?

Regards
Henry

Hi Folkfreak,
We must be related.....
Palladian cartridge, Herzan.....😁
I trust you're still enjoying the Palladian..?

Your supporting shelf for the turntable is most unusual....
I can understand the reasoning behind it (assuming you have springy floorboards)....but perhaps you swapped one problem for another..?
Suspension systems (as I know from engineering) are designed to MOVE...😱
Not only side to side, but also up and down depending on the details.
I can well understand how the readouts are more severe than in my situation.
The Herzan in your case must really be earning its keep....👍
On the positive side, the differences when the isolation is 'ON' compared to 'OFF' must be night and day...?
Are you able to describe the effects you are hearing?

Regards
Henry

@halcro 

I've noticed that both you and J.Carr have recently 'transferred' over to 'The Dark Side' by adopting the new Technics SL1200 DD turntable over your previously loved belt-drives.
The Empire in your case and the Final Labs and big Micro Seiki in Jonathan's.

Halcro,
As far as I know JCarr was using a Marantz TT1000 DD as a daily runner.

His Final Audio TT has been in storage - last I heard he was wanting to build a new  motor drive system because he found the Final too complicated due to the fact that the Final system requires an external power amplifier to drive the motor. Effectively you have a preamp (sine/cosine wave generator), power amp, interconnects and speaker cables plus external motor to drive the 26kg platter. Even worse, you can hear substandard amplifiers and cabling as clear as a bell which means you are up for decent power amp and cables plus the TT & controller. I use an Onix OA60 amplifier ( sounded much better than the Rowland power amp I previously used to drive the TT  ) and all MIT cabling in my Final TT set up. Needless to say the Final Audio Research TT is not for minimalists.   

As far as I know JCarr was using a Marantz TT1000 DD as a daily runner.

You're right Dover...

My TT-1000 by itself has a little less mass in the platter system than stock (I needed to shave down the top of the platter to get a flat surface for the graphite mat to bond onto). Add the center clamp, and the net weight ends up pretty close to stock - not enough to warrant readjusting the servo gain.

He goes on....

Dover, you have a Final Audio? So do I (grin). My unit predates the Takai-era Parthenon, but is new enough to have the SPZ plinth rather than the original granite. It also has the bi-phase motor controller. FWIW, Kitamura's preferred material for mat and clamp was chrome copper rather than gun-metal. 

And then more....

Even on my Micro-Seiki SZ-1S, which has a 28kg machined stainless-steel platter and integral vacuum clamp as well as air bearings for the platter and motor/flywheel, I ended up keeping the air bearings engaged and defeating the vacuum clamp (although I did prefer to insert a mat between LP and platter surface).

Impressive collection...
That Micro is higher up the scale than the SX/RX-8000 I believe...
http://www.thevintageknob.org/micro_seiki-SZ-1.html
But I wonder if he's gone over to the new Technics SL1200 in place of the Marantz...or is he a 'paid' mouthpiece......?

Halcro, As far as I know JCarr was using a Marantz TT1000 DD as a daily runner.

That is correct. There was a TT1000 for sale on ebay a few years back for local pickup only very close to me. He wanted a second one. I was going to pick it up for JCarr and give it to the AU Lyra importer to ship to Jon in Japan. LOL - they were outbid on ebay by someone else.
All his other turntables are in storage.

cheers