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Advice for a new Oracle Delphi Owner

Calling all Oracle Delphi owners, I recently bought a nice condition MK III and have a couple of questions for existing or previous owners of this fine turntable.

My questions are.

1) Do you always switch off the platter each time you change the record over or try to unclamp, flip over, re clamp whilst the platter is spinning. If the answer is yes I assume the motor is robust enough for the constant switching on and off?

2) Do you ever play with an alternative platter mat without the clamp. If so what brand.

I really like this turntable and it sounds excellent with no issues evident at the moment. My only thoughts are that it is a little more time consuming to use due to the constant power off, unclamp, place record, reclamp, power on and play routine for every side of play. 

Look forward to any input.

Thanks.
ateal

Showing 7 responses by harold-not-the-barrel

harold-not-the-barrel
895 posts
 
I have had 4 Delphis. II.5 and II.7 with the GROOVE ISOLATION w/ clamp & space-washer were the best hands down in audio quality. Because it´s the best record clamping system there can be. Platter + GI + record become one unit. Never liked the hard mat nor the stiffer suspension of IV, nearly impossible to fine tune the otherwise great suspension and sounded just awful. The get the best out of an Oracle its suspension must be in perfect balance. No exceptions. The micro detail sound is very hard to beat, for any deck.

Using Reso-Mat on the original GI mat is another thing. And you can use the original clamp as a weight. It even sounds very very good :) IMHO
Haven´t had static issues with Reso-Mat either.
harold-not-the-barrel
895 posts
 
Excellent ! No lateral movement. The sound is already there. There is never too much bounce. It was so fun to bounce my Delphis. I dreamed the bouncing would last for a minute, at least. Seriously, happy days :)
harold-not-the-barrel
895 posts
 
It would be foolish to replace the GROOVE ISOLATOR . So is replacing the original soft suspension. Fine tuning becomes much more difficult. So does finding the right tune/sound balance. There´s no real advantage when things get more complicated. The sound surely becomes different but not necessarily better. The GROOVE ISOLATOR / clamp system gives THE best audio w/ HQ high compliance cartridges. Period.

I never liked the sound of stiff suspension with hard mat @  Mk VI.
At the time I didn´t have a HQ MC to try so I say nothing about MC carts. 

Best of Luck
harold-not-the-barrel
895 posts
 

ORACLE GROOVE ISOLATOR 
This is an original ORACLE dense rubber mat for DELPHI and PREMIERE MK I - MK III 
NEW OLD STOCK - made in France

The ORACLE GROOVE ISOLATOR is made from a vinyl based compound which is electrolytically positive charged. Since all record vinyl exhibits a negative charge, the two are electrostatically opposite therefore creating the apparent "stickyness" through electrostatic attraction. This is not a chemical bond, such as what would be found with Sorbothane or even glue. 
This method was chosen because an electrostatic bond leaves no chance for a chemical residue on the record itself. This does happen with the silicon Sorbothane mats and particularly with cork mats, albeit the deposits are infinitesimally small. 
The other advantage of an electrostatic bond is the direct cancellation of negative static build-up in the record due to triboelectric stresses. 
The ORACLE mat doesn't really stick to the record, both are drawn to each other electrostatically. This is why it is important to keep this mat fastidiously clean, since the forces are so relatively weak even the smallest particles on the mat will inhibit this static process. ORACLE BRILLIANCE solution is an excellent cleaner. 


harold-not-the-barrel
895 posts
 
That´s right. Towers out of place, a poor factory quality control indeed (got it cheep, demo or proto perhaps). Very difficult to fix. I frustration changed it to a brand new GOLDMUND STUDIO.
But that´s another story, of course. Ah, those crazy days of my youth :)
harold-not-the-barrel
895 posts
 
"As I recall, adjusting the Delphi III's tower height does not change the tension on the springs - only their height. The turntable is designed to be "springy" and performance will likely suffer if you try to "firm up" its suspension."

Exactly. I owned one Black/Gold III 25 years ago. Gorgeous machine. Alas, it was impossible to fine tune because the location of towers didn´t match the upper chassis tower holes exactly. Sounded good though. But I never could get the best out of it. What a shame :/
harold-not-the-barrel
895 posts
 
I never liked the sound of stiff suspension with hard mat @  Mk VI. Typo.

Correction: Mk IV. the first model with hard mat & stiffer suspension. I never experienced V or VI.

Sorry for confusion :/
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