Anyone Heard of the BIX turntable - looks like it a bit of a bargain (maybe)

Hi Guys,

having suggested Mr Data go to the WAD forum, I thought I'd take a peak through and found reference to a self assemble record deck called the BIX - looks like its of Chinese origin (revise that - some of it may be of Chinese Origin, but it looks like a US design), but its got a standalone DC motor, adjustable and switchable from 33 to 45, a 40mm thick acrylic platter, and inverted bearing (ceramic ball and teflon thrust plate) and a fairly chunky looking two piece black acrylic plinth. Very nice sounding spec

Never heard of it, but certainly looks real nice. The thing is its all of $619 + $48 overland P&P (fair bit more for fedex) - and that's - what - less than £400 at todays rates.

Direct from Hong Kong (nope revise that shipped from HK, US site):

http://www.diyhifisupply.com/diyhs_bix.htm

Or from Bottlehead in the States:

http://www.bottlehead.com/et/bix/bix.htm

Anyone come across this at all? Thoughts? Bottlehead have a pretty good rep for their amp kits.

Addendum - forgot import duty and tax Still it ships from Hong Kong (2% import) and even with VAT we're talking about £450.

 

I dunno, here's a rather natty looking deck with a great sounding spec at what appears to be a great price (albeit with all the risks of import from the far east involved) and NONE of you have even the feablest comments to offer?

Seriously guys, I respect your opinions and would love your thoughts.

Gah. Some people eh?

PS. Tell me to eff off if you must - I won't be offended ... well not much anyways.

 

Looks OK actualy, i'm a bit of an old fuddy duddy when it comes to TT styling, much prefering the looks of my beloved LP12.
Trouble is that doesnt tell us how it sounds, but if I were in the market for a TT kit I must admit I could be tempted.
Go on then, let us know what it sounds like

Paul.

 

The platter and bearing look very similar to the Scheu products to me, if that is the case then they are top notch. Scheu use a DC motor so i doubt the Bix motor is from that source, unless the auto sensing is for the power supply, but i doubt that.
A very good price tho, almost tempted myself, but i have my part finished DIY effort based on a Scheu 80mm platter

Edit to add -
Just re-read and it is a DC motor, i suspect it is all Scheu components tho i may be wrong (by all i mean platter, bearing and motor).
Take a look here

 

have any of you TT fans seen the latest Project TT £1500 complete with 2 mounted carbon fibre tonearms, for all you 78/mono fans out there.

On "bix" page the most interesting thing seems to be maglev support base, certainly looks more substantial than Relaxa.

 

Hi Paul,

Does look nice doesn't it (solid too). As you say though, no idea what it sounds like (rather pertinent given what's being said on the "Anyone still using dealers?" thread). Being a risk averse sort of person, I want to check out locally available stuff first (NA Horizon, Michells Techno and Gyro and maybe some others if I get a chance), but I'm seriously curious especially at that price. As to looks though, its a matter of taste I guess - Personally I definitely fall in the perspex, acrylic and shiny turned metal camp, as more importantly does Auntie Ants (especially since she moved up to Nottingham ).

If the locally available alternatives don't make me think WOW that really is an improvement I may just go for it and take a most uncharacteristic risk. It'll be while yet though as I need to save some dosh - still payday today and if anyone recognises the Kimber cables I have up for sale in the Buy and Sell section (shamless plug https://www.audio-forums.com/as-rediect/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4459) for the bargain they are , then I'll be that much closer

Penance, according to the website, the motor unit is a DC unit sourced from Belgium (dunno where Scheu come from?) and the autosensing is for the voltage and frequency of the mains.

PS. Yeah, yeah I know I'm a cable sceptic (sort of) and the Kimbers sound no better than the DNM Reson they temporarily replaced, hence up for sale, but they're surely of interest to one of the believers out there

 

yep, does look like scheu to me, but ive been wrong in the past
have to admit, for the price it looks a bargain
check out the scheu cello, 740 euro's so face value seems more, but with shipping and import from the states it may be not so bad

 

Very similar to the Scheu AFAICT.

I wouldn't buy it for the simple reason that it'll be very hard to sell on if you decide you either don't like it or want to upgrade in the future.

-- Ian

 

I hadn't seen the Project - must say though - the two arm thing? Don't ya think its a bit like the car/penis substitute thing? Y'know a bit like the more powerful the car the smaller the dick, but worse? "You think your cars powerful, but my cars got two motors!!!"

Yeah I saw the maglev support. Sounds very interesting, but tell me (cos I'm not sure) - Big magnets and cartridge in close proximity? Could that be a problem? Others better informed than me may have a view.

Had a look at the Scheu site (German yeah?) - certainly seems like there's a similarity there. Ian, you're right resale could well be an issue, but on the other hand - it could be a humdinger, who knows - if only they had a UK dealer eh?

PS. Auntie Ants is away in that London and I've been drinking beer and listening to the Libertines. I may not be 100% coherent.

 

Not a vinyl man meself, but suspect the 2 arm thing is for those that have collections thta require 2 different types of cartridge ie one for mono as some mono records can damagge stereo stylus (or other way round, can't remember) although a few will nodoubt go to the willy wavers, even though they don't strictly need it.

think there is a picture in latest HFC of project deck looks pretty funky in gyrodek sort of way.

As regards magnetic support interfewring with cart, dunno about that.

Paul

 

Hi Paul,

Yeah I know. It's just that I can imagine the reaction of "those who are not initiated" if I were to show the my two armed deck (if I had one).

 

Stereo cartridges tend to be quite noisy on mono pressings, as the stylus is designed to do a completely different job (track a stereo groove). Two arms are ideal for swapping as needed. I have a fair number of mono albums, not quite enough to consider a two-armed deck, but no doubt it'll happen one day...

-- Ian

 

Dear Ian,

Yes, yes I KNOW All I'm saying is if you do go for the two arm megadeck, just hide it away or guests may just think you're a bit inadequate in the trouser department. They won't understand ... trust me :MILD:

 

Ive read about the BIX before but havent heard one.

I have made a kit from DIY hifisupply though, and have learned to respect the quality of their kits.

Have you done a search for BIX on the DIY hifisupply forum? I would imagine there would be a lot of hits.

Chris.

 

Good to know they are worthy. They are distributed through Bottleneck in the States, who have a good rep also. I've searched both DIY HiFiSupply's forum and Bottleneck's, but its a fairly new product so not much user feedback as such, seems most people are hanging back waiting for someone else to take the risk

 

It looks like you are going to have to buy it and tell us about it! I'm very impressed indeed that it actually comes with three armboards, these are usually a surprisingly expensive 'upgrade tax' for us turntable freaks. It looks very simple to stick together which is a bonus. The only things that ring any even slight alarm bells are the DC motor (can be less than pitch stable if not done right) and the lack of any noticeable isolation (it may want a wall shelf). Quite a few comments about it over on audioasylum, and they seem favourable from what I can tell.

Tony.

 

Tony,

Well maybe it looks like I'll have to a) save my money b) dem some less risky things c) wait until a few more guinea pigs have tried it out d) then mebbe take the risk

Re the DC motor, yes a concern indeed, I guess we'll just have to await the guinea pig reports on that. So far as isolation is concerned, the sites aren't specific but suggest there is some kind of isolation (sorbothane? rubber? between the two leaves of the acrylic plinth). Also did you see the maglev support (the Houdini) - I have my doubts - should you be putting a highly sensitive magnetic device like a cartridge in near proximity to strong magnets? - if no problem that'd be well cool - a deck which floats on air :MILD:

PS. If ever I were daft enough to buy such a thing I promise I'd bring it to the first bakeoff therafter.

 

I didn't see that - have I missed a link somewhere? My only experience with things that float was trying a Townsend Sizemic Stink TT shelf under a P9, it totally killed the the groove and flow of the deck. Not good.

Tony.

 

Tony


It is similar to RELAXA but much more industrial looking, if you scroll down "Bix" Tt page you will see it listed as optional extras, this then links to maglev page.

Paul

 

Paul,

I asked Brian Cherry, the guy at DIY HiFi Supply who is responsible for it about the Houdini and he said he had also wondered about the possibility of magnetic interference, but apparently "the magnetic field dies exponentially with distance. There is no apparent stray magnetic effect at tt plinth level".

Mind you I profess a certain amount of ignorance regarding suitable isolation for decks - presumably you are a) trying to limit room and air borne vibrations coming into the deck and b) trying to siphon of deck vibrations somewhere else (which sounds somehow self contradictory to me). All I know is my two sheets of MDF with sorbothane lumps in between works for mine.

I guess a "flying" platform would do the first really well and the second really badly, but I could be wrong. A platform that floats on air though does sound pretty cool What sort of price does the RELAXA come in at - is that a flying magnetic thing too?