New Maplenoll Ariadne owner needing advice

Oilman: I received 2 arm wands from ET. One appears to be a "prototype" silver in color the other a more typical looking arm wand ; they are 6" in length. More to say about them later when I have had some time with friends to explore there potental. Sorry, neither is carbon-fiber.

I am getting prepared to try the carbon wand on the maplenoll. I have recieved a z lift and clamp system that will allow for easier and more accurate VTA adjustment. The headshell is coming but have not recieved yet. Once completed, the wand will be a carbon fiber that will be clamped at the airbearing spindle that can easily be adjusted for hangover. The clamp will be installed via the two screws that hold the current vta adjustment bracket. THe clamp will provide a rigid connection between the armwand and the airbearing spindle. As for the zlift, I will mount the airbearing spindle housing on it. It has rack/pinion drive that can be adjusted and locked to provide a stable foundation for the airbearing arm. The rack/pinion can make very fine adjustments and with the scale, should be able to set for various record thickness making optimization a little easier. I do not know if i can do on the fly adjustments but in theory should be able to. I have a very fine thread system as part of the rack to allow for very subtle adjustments. I should have installed before end of October, so I will keep you informed. At this point, i will use a hollow tube versus packing. Not sure yet if that will create resonance issues. My tonearm wires will be silver thread from Phoenix wire. Its teflon coated and very limp. THanks for the tip on soldering. Scraping the teflon off made the difference. Once i get it tuned, (assuming its not a dog!), i will send pics.

"that can easily be adjusted for hangover."

I can recommend an easy adjustment for increased "hangover" but the decrease of same is not so easy. But then maybe you meant "overhang." ;-)

Seriously though, you may find that suspending the airbearing manifold on the z-lift is a sonic compromise. Bob Dilger made a few mega tables with separate plinths for platter, arm and motor and was surprised at the improvement. If you could make an arrangement where the manifold was mounted on its own massive plinth which was then mounted on the z-lift I think you'd find an improvement but you'd probably have to make a new platter pinth as well to accomodate the logistics.

yeah, Probably will need a hangover remedy! You might be right about the freeplay but the design i am looking at has the ability to lock the lift against the rack and support system. That is the beauty of this effort, it can be changed back if it does not work!

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1223976996043163733nokXJH

I'm quite a bit late in this thread, but I've been watching
it for a few months now. I have some stuff which might be of interest.

Here is a Sig Ariadne that I did some revision on. Extra holes in the air bearing and some cleanup of the casting helped. A rework of the air distribution and inline regulator and filters as well as a gauge and an air switch.

Yes, I feel the original air bearing linear arm is a relatively poor design and I needed a piece in the air bearing whcih I could not reproduce. So out went the air
linear arm and in went a unipivot (I'm sure a few purists will be gesticuluating and sobbing, but it really made it
a better table). I may consider going to a modern air bearing arm at some point, but I'm currently happy with the results.

The pics are a few years old, many changes in TT stand etc. have been made. The dehydrator and air regulators and dryers have been retained, but I decided to run the
air from a standing compressor in my garage. Probably the best decision I've made yet with this table. Also now changed is the foot arrangement which now have large knurled spiked pods but retain the original threads into the table, and the left side leveling knob.

With the addition of addional air holes in the platter air bearing, it is easily floated with about 4 psi and not too much air volume. I machined up some extra center pins for the air bearing out of Delrin- if the table isn't exactly level the original will wear out suprisingly quickly.

By the way, replacement Hurst motors are available from Hurst online for about $50.

RFG