I didnt think I would be writing this review
.
Correction
..I didnt think I would be writing this review with the following results and conclusions?
In fact its hard to tear myself away from the music to devote the time to write this review
..
When I designed the
stainless steel cradle for the TT-101 DD turntable
..I never imagined that I would remove the
surrounding slotted screen?
Nor did I imagine I would be hearing much difference from the
set-up I had been playing over the last 2-3 years? After all
.I was simply changing the turntable supporting feet from under the screen, to directly under the top plate which is effectively how all these models of DD turntables were designed to be supported in solid plinths.
I expected to be rather reserved (if not disappointed) in the changes (if any) I would hear?
And perhaps thats the way it would have played out had I not been forced to remove the outer slotted screen because I had miscalculated by 2 mm the size of the circular cut-out I had designed.
Listening to the new set-up
there was instantly an audible change which confused me somewhat as I couldnt quite ascertain exactly what it was?
The more I listened
.changing back and forth between 3 different arms and cartridges
the more excited I became.
Firstly the silence!
Now the TT-101 was always quiet
.at least as quiet as the Raven AC-2
but this new background silence was quite unnerving.
There was a depth to this silence (if that makes any sense?)
.and through the depth, the newly heard projected voices and instruments had body and tangibility.
Secondly the purity!
At every stage of my audio upgrade path
.from the Halcro electronics to the Dueland speaker capacitors to the fully differentially balanced amplification operation
..there resulted a greater degree of purity
.probably best described as a lowering of distortions?
This new set-up lifted the purity to another level.
But the combination of these two improvements rendered a musical presentation so engrossing, so addictive, so transformative
.that I broke open the Blue Label and danced a jig.
But how did this happen?
What really changed?
The sonic results I could not reconcile with simply a support change?
And then it struck me!
I grabbed the
slotted metal surround screen and held a magnet against it
..
This screen was magnetic steel!
Now Im not au fait with electro-magnetic theory and practice
but I do know that electrical current, transformers, power supplies and coils can produce magnetism and here was a steel enclosure surrounding this potential magnetism?
If there is indeed a magnetic field being created amongst which are placed hundreds of transistors, resistors, capacitors and copper wiring
..it seems a potential for harm? Almarg
..where are you?
Since I have had my TT-101
..on start-up, very often
.the speed readout goes to 33.32 rpm before stabilising at 33.33 rpm after a few seconds. I thought this was normal operation?
Sometimes whilst listening to records
..the sound would wow and I would jump up to see the speed read-out at 33.29 rpm or 33.32 rpm before once again stabilising.
Now on start-up
..33.33 rpm is hit straight off and there hasnt been any speed fluctuations so far.
So my advice to all those with a DD turntable possessing a steel surround
..is please remove it and listen for the differences.
You may well be surprised and delighted?
