considering a Maplenoll

Readers: Thanks for the email. The reason the PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) is so critical to over-all tonearm performace relates to the design of the air bearing manifold and its inner-sleeve insert. Those parts were the brain child of Dr. Lew Eckhart. Dr. Eckhart invented the air bearing manifold long before Bob Dilger's development of the Maplenoll Record Player line . Dr. Eckharts air bearing manifold was intergrated into the design of each Maplenolls air bearing tonearm design. So, no matter what the outward appearence, the heart of the tonearm was the same; Dr. Eckharts manifold and inner sleeve . That manifold in total was developed for hi-pressure applications and while adapted to the air bearing record player, it always required an air pressure of 35-40+ PSI to perform as designed. The tangental tonearm's spindle slips into the manifold's sleeve. The amount of air pressure available to the tonearm dictates the over-all performace , particularity, whether the tonearm would run out of pressure during playback, therby "hanging up" somewhere in playback. The costs associated with a hi-pressure pump are prohibitive when one is attempting to release unique turntable product fully manufactured and available to the public for under $800. It is my opinion Maplenoll resorted to lo-powered pumps for cost reasons and later began selling 20-40 PSI pumps to increase performace under a rash of criticism from consumers and dealers that stopped supporting the line due to incessent quality control issues. The hi-pressure pumps were expensive then and they are now. I have rarely viewed a air pump that is perfectly matched to the Maplenoll Record Player offered for sale for who knows what reasons. But I know this without the proper pump your in for big problems.

Strong agreement with Crem on this subject. I do believe once you solve the air supply issue, the maplenoll product performance approaches levels equal to the best in this industry. There are some good products that meet or exceed the high pressure requirement but as Crem said, they are pricey!

I would just add that if you do get it all ironed out, it can then be a relatively set and forget assuming your floor/wall support is stable through the weather changes. If not, the only adjustment required is a simple check of the horizontal balance, which takes a moment. That and emptying the water from the plenum periodically and you're good to go. Personally, I have no resistance to being hands on, but not everyone enjoys that.

FYI: The air bearing is the heart of the Maplenoll Line. The bearing plates are 8" in diameter and are the same in construction, alloy and design for all models. The bearing plates are incredibly simple in operation: The top plate spins supported by air pressure(PSI). The bearing consists of 3 parts; the two circular plates(top & bottom) and one plastic center pin located in the center of the bottom plate that aligns that plate to the top plate. The bottom plate is afixed to plith and does not spin. Should these parts be damaged ,the Maplenoll Record Player can not operate.

In my opinion never buy a damaged maplenoll, except for parts. Before purchasing a Maplenoll make sure the air bearings are not damaged, out of round or lacking a center pin. Be aware,the center pin's are made plastic and they are ageing. The center pin is the weakest-link of the Maplenoll Record Player and is the actually "inner-heart" of the table. Without it regardless of the condition of the plates , the table will not operate. The air bearing uses between 3-5 PSI to fuction(all models), thereby leaving the rest of the air pumps output for the hi-pressure manifold that operates the tonearm.

The costs associated with the remaking of the bearings is probably more than the cost of the table; the center pin will cost hundreds for a shop to manufacture due to set-up time, the material is relatively cheap to the other associated costs. What ever one does as a owner treat these parts with respect, without them nothing works and you investment could be lost.

In light of the fact these tables are approaching 30+ years old, I want the buyer to appreciate what's important before the cash outlay. Please keep this in mind : Given a lot of TLC and patience , most Maplenoll's even basket cases can have a new lease on life, provided all the parts are included at sale. And for those 'Nolls in excellent condition , they could operate forever. All Maplenolls require some hands-on work but generally operate well after set-up.

Alexthe: All Maplenoll record platters sit a top the air bearing. The platters vary from model to model and were a experiment-in-residence for the Maplenoll Line. The early Maplenoll Line used a 3 LB. platter made of cork and alumunium. The early platters followed a succession of weights (10,20,25,30,50,60 & 70 LB.) and evolved from cork layered with lead , iron center encased in lead, to solid lead. Most were offered as options/upgrades for additional cost and Maplenoll promoted the platter upgrades as having significant playback advantages. In truth , the upgrades offered some advantage to the latter unsuspended tables but a mixed bag to the Maplenoll Line of suspended tables. The reason : Maplenoll had only one source for the under carriage springs. Adding weight to the platter altered the suspension creating a litiany of platter spining problems for unfortunate buyers and dealers. Many of these tables were eventually "traded in" and how many currently exist is unknown. For the person considering a Maplenoll it's is most important the platter spins without obstruction. Nearly all Maplenoll's require a slight hand assist at start-up, that's normal.

For variety reasons some Maplenoll Reord Players do not spin exactly @ 33 1/3 or 45 RPM . The easiest way to resolve this is to invest in a speed controller. A speed controller is just that, it regulates the A/C current that in-turn causes the motor to spin at the required speed. I highly recommend that a Maplenoll owner check the speed of the table and add a speed controller should one be benificial.

This post and others like it have been contributed to this thread to give the prospective Maplenoll owner a "short cut" to understanding the inner workings of a air bearing table and some challenges that could face a new owner or someone wanting to improve performace. In my opinion,other posters such as pidepiper and oilmanmojo are also travelling the same path and their comments here and on other threads are highly recommended to anybody interested in the 'Noll air bearing table line.