Kept waiting for the part where the whole thing is held together with fO.q tape, but no such luck. Something to look forward to then. Cheers!
Another franken table story
If this helps anyone in any way great otherwise please consider for general amusement.
I’ll try to keep this more readable and jump
to where I bought a turntable, but yes there’s sort of a reason I bought a Music Hall MMF 2.3 one day, along with a TTL PH-01 pre, and a set of AudioEngine A5+ Wireless speakers, and matching sub.
Basically immediately I had a noise issue that kept me frustrated with the TT. It was rare I could get through a record before I’d pick up a hum on one channel and the right channel would drop out. So it basically sat for a year while I relied on Bluetooth streaming to the AudioEngine speakers.
At some point I attempted a return to the table but so did the issue. First I thought it’s cables, it wasn’t, grounding! Nope. Then I need a better Pre, the MH pa2.2 sounded good, as did the Cambridge Audio Duo, neither addressed the noise issue. Different grounding, still not grounding. Must need a better cart, so Ortofon Bronze went on, maybe the table needs a cart with better shielding, let’s try a AT-OC9ML/mkII, amazing sound, when it worked but still hadn’t fixed the issue. Better try another pre how about a used DynaVector P75 mk3? Now that’s the best it had sounded yet… when it worked.
Eventually I took the first step down the modding path and cut the heat shrink from the tonearm (cart side) clips. I quickly found one of the wires was barely held on and I mean only by the heat shrink I just cut. Out came the soldering iron and shortly after I finally had a functional turntable!
But wait that MC cart is riding really low is TF way off or something? Oh, whaaat the alloy platter is ferrous! So on went the acrylic upgrade and TF now set properly via gauge measurement. Bonus static is basically gone, score!
Ok now I’m feeling good…. but that platter wobble, I gotta do something about that how about an upgraded alloy sub platter and a touch of Lucas Xtra Heavy Duty grease to soak up some of those bearing tolerances. How about a linear PSU while I’m at it.
Wow this is sounding amazing now…but it sort of sucks to have to change the pulley position to play a 45 wonder if I could get a better table with speed control system. Look I can get a used RP-10 for what!!!!, and it has a full dust cover, and it will clear the upper shelving, ordered, shipped, delivered. Ah uhm Mr Seller did you uh read the Rega packing instructions? The part where you can’t leave the inner plinth loose in a box and send with UPS 3000mi?
No RP-10 for me so what can I do about speed control.
Dang, 2.3 went DC…hmm says the motor is still an AC unit though….I wonder.. but there’s some comments about motor noise…what if I introduce motor noise… hmm Michael Lim……
I won’t say the journey is over but I will say both the table and I have grown. As my system is today:
Music Hall MMF 2.3 w/ AT-ART9xa
Pro-ject Acryl-it platter
Pro-ject Alloy Subplatter
Michael Lim Low counter weight
Custom Offboard Direct 16VAC PSU
Offboard Motor (60hz pulley) mounted to Michael Lim pedestal
Table and motor collocated via custom platform
Music Hall Cruise Control 2.0
Sutherland PHD rolled w/OPA627 (1kohm/+60db)
Shiit Loki mini+
Shiit Heresy
AudioEngine A5+ Wireless
I’m very pleased with the results at this point though still experimenting. I made an initial attempt at making my own silver coated ICs but was unhappy with sound even vs cheap consumer connects, so plan to iterate, simpler, designs.
Happy listening!
I’ll try to keep this more readable and jump
to where I bought a turntable, but yes there’s sort of a reason I bought a Music Hall MMF 2.3 one day, along with a TTL PH-01 pre, and a set of AudioEngine A5+ Wireless speakers, and matching sub.
Basically immediately I had a noise issue that kept me frustrated with the TT. It was rare I could get through a record before I’d pick up a hum on one channel and the right channel would drop out. So it basically sat for a year while I relied on Bluetooth streaming to the AudioEngine speakers.
At some point I attempted a return to the table but so did the issue. First I thought it’s cables, it wasn’t, grounding! Nope. Then I need a better Pre, the MH pa2.2 sounded good, as did the Cambridge Audio Duo, neither addressed the noise issue. Different grounding, still not grounding. Must need a better cart, so Ortofon Bronze went on, maybe the table needs a cart with better shielding, let’s try a AT-OC9ML/mkII, amazing sound, when it worked but still hadn’t fixed the issue. Better try another pre how about a used DynaVector P75 mk3? Now that’s the best it had sounded yet… when it worked.
Eventually I took the first step down the modding path and cut the heat shrink from the tonearm (cart side) clips. I quickly found one of the wires was barely held on and I mean only by the heat shrink I just cut. Out came the soldering iron and shortly after I finally had a functional turntable!
But wait that MC cart is riding really low is TF way off or something? Oh, whaaat the alloy platter is ferrous! So on went the acrylic upgrade and TF now set properly via gauge measurement. Bonus static is basically gone, score!
Ok now I’m feeling good…. but that platter wobble, I gotta do something about that how about an upgraded alloy sub platter and a touch of Lucas Xtra Heavy Duty grease to soak up some of those bearing tolerances. How about a linear PSU while I’m at it.
Wow this is sounding amazing now…but it sort of sucks to have to change the pulley position to play a 45 wonder if I could get a better table with speed control system. Look I can get a used RP-10 for what!!!!, and it has a full dust cover, and it will clear the upper shelving, ordered, shipped, delivered. Ah uhm Mr Seller did you uh read the Rega packing instructions? The part where you can’t leave the inner plinth loose in a box and send with UPS 3000mi?
No RP-10 for me so what can I do about speed control.
Dang, 2.3 went DC…hmm says the motor is still an AC unit though….I wonder.. but there’s some comments about motor noise…what if I introduce motor noise… hmm Michael Lim……
I won’t say the journey is over but I will say both the table and I have grown. As my system is today:
Music Hall MMF 2.3 w/ AT-ART9xa
Pro-ject Acryl-it platter
Pro-ject Alloy Subplatter
Michael Lim Low counter weight
Custom Offboard Direct 16VAC PSU
Offboard Motor (60hz pulley) mounted to Michael Lim pedestal
Table and motor collocated via custom platform
Music Hall Cruise Control 2.0
Sutherland PHD rolled w/OPA627 (1kohm/+60db)
Shiit Loki mini+
Shiit Heresy
AudioEngine A5+ Wireless
I’m very pleased with the results at this point though still experimenting. I made an initial attempt at making my own silver coated ICs but was unhappy with sound even vs cheap consumer connects, so plan to iterate, simpler, designs.
Happy listening!
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