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Another franken table story

If this helps anyone in any way great otherwise please consider for general amusement.

I’ll try to keep this more readable and jump
to where I bought a turntable, but yes there’s sort of a reason I bought a Music Hall MMF 2.3 one day, along with a TTL PH-01 pre, and a set of AudioEngine A5+ Wireless speakers, and matching sub.

Basically immediately I had a noise issue that kept me frustrated with the TT. It was rare I could get through a record before I’d pick up a hum on one channel and the right channel would drop out. So it basically sat for a year while I relied on Bluetooth streaming to the AudioEngine speakers.

At some point I attempted a return to the table but so did the issue. First I thought it’s cables, it wasn’t, grounding! Nope. Then I need a better Pre, the MH pa2.2 sounded good, as did the Cambridge Audio Duo, neither addressed the noise issue. Different grounding, still not grounding. Must need a better cart, so Ortofon Bronze went on, maybe the table needs a cart with better shielding, let’s try a AT-OC9ML/mkII, amazing sound, when it worked but still hadn’t fixed the issue. Better try another pre how about a used DynaVector P75 mk3? Now that’s the best it had sounded yet… when it worked.
Eventually I took the first step down the modding path and cut the heat shrink from the tonearm (cart side) clips. I quickly found one of the wires was barely held on and I mean only by the heat shrink I just cut. Out came the soldering iron and shortly after I finally had a functional turntable!
But wait that MC cart is riding really low is TF way off or something? Oh, whaaat the alloy platter is ferrous! So on went the acrylic upgrade and TF now set properly via gauge measurement. Bonus static is basically gone, score!
Ok now I’m feeling good…. but that platter wobble, I gotta do something about that how about an upgraded alloy sub platter and a touch of Lucas Xtra Heavy Duty grease to soak up some of those bearing tolerances. How about a linear PSU while I’m at it.

Wow this is sounding amazing now…but it sort of sucks to have to change the pulley position to play a 45 wonder if I could get a better table with speed control system. Look I can get a used RP-10 for what!!!!, and it has a full dust cover, and it will clear the upper shelving, ordered, shipped, delivered. Ah uhm Mr Seller did you uh read the Rega packing instructions? The part where you can’t leave the inner plinth loose in a box and send with UPS 3000mi?

No RP-10 for me so what can I do about speed control.
Dang, 2.3 went DC…hmm says the motor is still an AC unit though….I wonder.. but there’s some comments about motor noise…what if I introduce motor noise… hmm Michael Lim……

I won’t say the journey is over but I will say both the table and I have grown. As my system is today:
Music Hall MMF 2.3 w/ AT-ART9xa
Pro-ject Acryl-it platter
Pro-ject Alloy Subplatter
Michael Lim Low counter weight
Custom Offboard Direct 16VAC PSU
Offboard Motor (60hz pulley) mounted to Michael Lim pedestal
Table and motor collocated via custom platform
Music Hall Cruise Control 2.0
Sutherland PHD rolled w/OPA627 (1kohm/+60db)
Shiit Loki mini+
Shiit Heresy
AudioEngine A5+ Wireless

I’m very pleased with the results at this point though still experimenting. I made an initial attempt at making my own silver coated ICs but was unhappy with sound even vs cheap consumer connects, so plan to iterate, simpler, designs.

Happy listening!


aklackner
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Kept waiting for the part where the whole thing is held together with fO.q tape, but no such luck. Something to look forward to then. Cheers!
lewm
13,034 posts
 
Do you mean to say that the stock platter on your MF turntable is ferrous AND that it wobbles (AND that the soldering on its tonearm wires was faulty)?  These are all unacceptable no-no's, in my opinion.  Did you actually take a magnet and see whether it is attracted to the platter, to prove your point? I think you did a good job to wade through the many issues and find peace finally.
aklackner OP
4 posts
 
@lewm Yes, I verified the platter with a magnet since this was pretty surprising to discover. For further reading there’s references in multiple forums to some Music Hall tables coming with ferrous platters and similar discoveries with MC carts. mounted on these.

Regarding this and tolerances, in the range of the mmf 2.3 (~500usd msrp), these would in all probability be generally acceptable and outside generally audibly problematic. From what I understand, and have personally seen, most LPs have more significant manufacturing tolerances than were visible on the table.
There’s the undeniable cost aspect too, molded parts are cost effective vs precisely machined versions. This calculus isn’t unique to a given major manufacturer. This can be further exacerbated by manual speed changes since it’s less possible to identify and maintain an ideal mating alignment. As the components for Music Hall are made by Pro-ject upgrades to both platter and subplatter are easily available but add nearly an additional 50% to a $500 msrp table.

To Pro-Ject/Music Hall’s credit the original setup covers/masks these inconsistencies well. It seems generally a well developed/balanced product for target audiences. Sort of akin to passenger car vs a track prepped car in commute use. It’s when you start looking for more performance, perceived shortcomings become more apparent.

In other words it’s probably a better idea to buy a better table than to expect to mount an MC cart to one of these or at least acceptable that other adjustments/upgrades will be required to support. To rejoin the car analogy you wouldn’t want to drop in a significantly more powerful motor without being prepared to address tires and likely other supporting systems like brakes. You may be able to get away with changes in a generally equivalent band but moving outside a certain range will have more dramatic demands on connected systems.

I totally agree I should never have accepted a table with a channel that would drop. It’s shocking to hear so many stories of QC issues around new TTs again no manufacturer seems to have the corner on the market here either.

My excitement and desire for my own first TT to just workout blinded me to the obvious and I’d yet to realize how common QC issues are with new TTs. It’s ultimately a recurring lesson for me I seem to learn with many projects I get into and perhaps a cautionary tale for others. With online purchases you’re on your own to determine issues and try to deal with returns. The benefits of accessible local dealer support vs generally lower cost or increased access to options via online shopping. Or maybe even the true cost of a purchase vs the sticker price?

I’ll still choose to look on the bright side and focus on the knowledge gained and shockingly high quality my mmf 2.3 setup now delivers. Perhaps this the source of my rediscovery of the same lessons. 🤣
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