Tonearm recommendations please

I have an Acoustic Solid Small Royal; OL Silver II and Dynavector XX2 as my vinyl front end. I'm considering changing my tonearm but, apart from the fact that I can't trust my ears in a dealer demo, no local dealers stock the Acoustic Solid.

I really like the bass and the sweet treble but there is a slight prominence in the lower mid that I can't tune out. I also have a suspicion that my deck and cartridge could usefully use a better arm. Any suggestions guys?

Kev

 

Hi,

Do you have a glass mat on the Platter. This is the one weakness of the AS Tables (I have the solid one), the resonance of the platter is in the midrange and most possible mats merely attenuate it, not kill it....

Ciao T

 

No, are they readily available? where can I get one?

What do you reckon to the OL Silver and would you recommend a different arm?

thanks
Kev

 

Hi,

The one on my "Solid One" is from Project, aroound 25 quid.

If you want to hear what I mean take all mats from the platter and ping it with a finger nail. Compare the frequency of the resonance with that where you hear the anomaly.

When you place the glass mat (which on it's own also rings VERY STRONGLY) the samdwich is suddenly completely dead.

I have one myself and have not felt impelled to change it. That said, my own Solid is currently down to one arm instead of the three I used to have. The overall winner for me ended up an antique SME Series 2 "unimproved" 3009 with a Denon DL-103R Cartridge....

But that is a completely different line from the modern Arm?Cartridge combo yu are taking.

Ciao T

 

Hi T
tried your finger nail test which showed what you're talking about, but the ringing is higher up the range than I was getting so it got me thinking . After resting the stylus on a stationary record and tapping and pinging all round it turns out that my tt stand is rubbish rubbish rubbish: with a lot of energy getting into the plinth. Using what you said about disimilar materials I played around with what was in my workshop and ended up with a 3/4" firm foam block on the stand with bubble wrap on top of that and a piece of 1/4" ply on top, covered with some black cloth for SWMBO.
I now find that smaller changes in VTF and VTA are audible and I've been able to tune the system to a higher level, it's much improved.

I'm going to bid on a Rega Planar glass platter on fleabay at the moment and try that on the platter.

What do you suggest as a good starting point to experiment with isolation, what I've got now is a lashup which I guess can be improved? I've read on the 'net various systems of granite or marble with foam or an air bladder or different woods, what would you recommend?

On the TT i've noticed that tapping the sub platter or plinth or whatever it's called, shows up much more in the cartridge than does tapping the platter, have you noticed this on yours? Is there any way of damping this or isolating the tonearm?

thanks
Kev

 

Hi,

Ahh yes. I used to have a really heroic solution to that, for now I'm just using self made "string suspension" pucks (I could not wait for ordering some) and a very heavy Ikea wood worktop.

Very thick solid wood worktop or butcher block, on some form of spring/string/air isolation. Many DIY options exist.

No, on my one I have no isses from that angle. Here is why:

Your Turntable:



My Turntable:



With my one there is hugely more mass and the seperate Arm mounting pods are somewhat more isolated too...

Maybe. You could see if you can get a glass plate cut that fits underneath the plinth. Adhere with superglue etc. You could try traditional damping methodes (Sorbothan or Bitumen) but I find them not ideal in my own experience.

Ciao T

 

The arm mounts on a pod that isn't fastened to the plinth? Is that correct?


Kev

 

Hi,

No, the plinth is MUCH, MUCH heavier and the Arm Mounting Pods are much much heavier than your arm mount AND the Arm Pods mont via two Aluminum rods with two more or less lossy junctions (plinth to rod, rod to pod) so a lot more eneergy is lost in the arrangement on the "Solid One" compared to the small royal.

Ciao T

 

Ok understand now. "MUCH MUCH heavier" - blimey I thought mine was heavy, do you go to the gym regularly or just get Pickfords in when you move it

thanks for the input,

Kev

 

Hi,

Mine is around a third heaveier than the small Royal, you can think of a Big royal with a slightly thinner platter. If I mount all three Arm bases (I have just stripped back to a single one) the table pushes about the same weight as my wife.... If I use the sandfilled Acoustic Solid stand and my "heroic solution" string suspended base the whole system pushes near my weight and I'm certainly a big boy.... :MILD:

Used to do some serious body building, have been getting too much of rounding around the middle though. I keep telling my wife though: "But Honey, I AM IN SHAPE! Round is a shape, no?"

Ciao T

 

i have got an old alphason hr 100 mcs tone arm, not used it for years, needs a good home, offers welcomed, good condition.

 

hi there

dont get the rega platter it has a whole that is enlarged compared to a normal spindle and will not fit on your deck accurately.
regards.
darryl.

 

thanks for the info :guiness:

Kev