Thanks for the response. I just downloaded the manual. Also, your pics of your system is neat. Soon as the table comes in I will contact you. I like the external motor arrangement. That is very similar concept to my gyrodec. |
You are right about the table. I have been working on getting a good compressor hooked up with it but using my shop air system the sound is pretty impressive so far. I understand what you are recommending and i will implement some of the ideas you passed on. I have noted that carefull setting of the air pressure is key to getting the platter moving freely. I have heard several comments around the higher pressure for the arm vs platter. I have also found that leveling the system is also very key in the free movement of the platter. I like the idea of cleaning the air ways especially the small ports since a little pressure drop can go a long way in this system. As I said to Greg, these hobbies can get quite consuming! thanks again for the suggestions. I am already enjoying what I am hearing and look forward to bringing this system up to even higher levels. |
The letter from Lloyd highlighted three key areas for performance improvement. I will work to scan the document to make it available via email. The first tweak was to firmly attach a brass threaded rod to the "brass cones" or feetand then tighten until the cones will not turn. This should strengthen the support system. The cones are set into lead disks. The right front cone is the one used for level adjustment. The second tweak is focused on improving the damping from the pump to the arm/platter. Lloyd recommends using the a plenum(resonance chamber) for the airpump discharge then splitting the flow to the platter and arm. The line going to the arm should be very long and should have an additional resonance chamber. The implication is the arm is much more sensitive to pressure fluctuations. I heartily agree with this approach based on my experience with directly hooking up a "too small" compressor to the system with the single plenum in the pump discharge versus using my "shop" air compressor which has a very large surge tank and pressure regulator to smooth out the pulsations. The performance of the arm dramatically improves with the higher pressure and use of the additional plenums. I also recommend installation of a pressure regulator between the pump and the plenums. The air line going to the platter should have a needle valve to maximize the air pressure to the arm. The final tweaks involve stiffing the tone arm connection to the VTA adjustment bracket. These tweaks include installing a bottom plate on the vta adjustment bracket, epoxy the top plate, trim the plastic plug in the back of the tonearm such that the metal part of the arm contact the vta bracket. Once adjustments for VTA are optimized, then actually epoxy the back of the arm to the vta bracket. This approach is meant to stiffing the system. The final tweak is dependent on the nature of the counterweight arm. If it is hollow, fill it with Mortite. Again I will try to scan the document and attach since the letter has some drawings that help one visualize the tweaks.
As for the vintage of the table, Greg informed me that the original owner was a person affilated with Absolute sound and he was the second owner.
Right now I am just enjoying the table as I have recieved it but I will implement some of the ideas that others have successfully completed. My first priority will be to adjust the lead platter as it appears during the shipment process, the platter was banged up a little. Being a solid lead plate should make this pretty easy. I have already smoothed out the platter so the record lies flat and the bottom does not rub but i do hear a little rumble near the damaged section of the platter when i lower the pressure to the platter air bearing. As the pressure is increased the rumble virtually disappears.
Thanks again for the ideas. |
peter; it got bunged up during shipping, Platter was dented on edge, corian was cracked, and arm rest was cracked, but with some patiences and excellent support from Greg Davis, (seller), i was able to get it running and repaired. I plan on posting my system soon because it is a neat table. I must commend maplenoll on the system. Most tables would have been trashed after the beating this table took but it is built like a tank. i would like to implement some of the other tweaks others have done but damnit, i just want to listen to my records. I still can't get over how quiet the table is and what sound stage i am hearing. Still tweaking the VTA and have not even gotten to the oil damping trough so i know there will even be more improvements. Kind of scary since i thought I heard the best with my earlier Gyrodec but this system is a level above anything I could do with the gyro. I love that airbearing arm! It is a good fit with my zyx airy3. thanks for the note |
Packing with lots of bubble wrap would probably have prevented the damage to my table but that takes time and effort. I think the rugged construction and weight just gives the impression it does not need much packing. Anyway, i think if I ever get another used table, i will work to pick it up if possible. I have never had a problem moving one in my vehicle. If the paul wants needs some help please refer him to me and i will share some of the things i did to "fix" my issues. The tough repair was the corian but i did find a supplier that would sell me the seam glue that pretty much worked like a charm. |
charlie
I am thinking about building a prototype arm similar to the arm on my maplenoll to see if it would have some marketing potential. I will keep you informed as to my progress if you would be interested. It would be an airbearing/linear tracking arm that has full vta/vtf/azimuth adjustablity. |
For those interested, I finally figured a way to get the lloyd walker letter scanned and posted. You can find by clicking on my system and looking at the pics under the maplenoll tweaks. My system has the tweaks mentioned except the packing of the counterweight arm. I continue to adjust my system and finally have the air setting about right. I find 20-25 psig works well with my system. I about have the VTA/VTF adjusted to my satisfaction without the oil system. That will be my nest iteration. I did have to smooth out the underside of the platter due to the damage it recieved, but once that rub was removed, the quietness of the table improved greatly. Anyway, hope you enjoy the tweaks letter. |
Piedpiper: I moved the pressure up to 40 psig and definately see the improvement in the arm and platter. Thanks for the tip. I am getting ready to add the oil trough now that I have the vta/vtf set. What should I expect from this move. The manual suggest a little more VTF and possible more VTA. What has been the experience as you or others have moved to using the oil trough. thanks again for the tips. I will hopefully get my pics posted on my system this weekend. |
Thanks for all of the tips and ideas to set up a maplenoll. I finally have the oil trough installed and am working on tweaking the vtf and vta to find the best setting. Huge improvement in bass response as the oil system was implemented. I really like the way the zyx air 3 works with this system. I love to listen to the Buckingham/Nicks album,great soundstage and incredible detail from the subtle acoustics to the incredible range of vocals from the two singers. The Dr John, Night Tripper album is another one that just comes alive with this system. You can almost smell the french quarter listening to it. I am still looking for a permanent air compressor system that is quiet enough but can deliver the pressure i am looking for. Anyone have experience with Jun-Air? They are a little pricey but based on the specs, seem to be a solid and quiet compressor. I am also looking to make a carbon fiber tonearm to see what improvement that will have. Again thanks for the tips. |
Crem1
What type of stillpoint/riser did you get and how did you install? did you replace the brass cones with the stillpoint cone? The technology basically creates a suspension for the maplenoll. I have experienced how easy vibration finds its way to the music so i understand how this can help. WHat difference did you hear? Were the quiet passages quieter? Just trying to understand where to expect the improvement. On a separate note, have you ever rebalanced or smoothed out your platter. I still have a "bump" in mine that I am working to eliminate myself using a random pattern sander. Do i need to take the platter to a machine shop to have it properly leveled? |
I have ordered the stillpoints and will let you know how they do in my system. I agree with the increase in pressure and air pressure regulation. I still have not brought my permanent air compressor but i have a great dampening system similar to what you are talking about.I do have a 30 gallon tank that my compressor is connected to and have the pressure regulated from that vessel. The larger tank along with the "walker" plenums definitely smooth out the pressure. I will end up going with a jun-air model 3 (oil lubricated compressor) but will wait until I get my move finished (relocating everything to Shreveport, La). The higher pressure smoothed out everything. I am working on a carbon fiber tonearm but it will require some modifications to spindle to get it right. Once finished, it will allow for direct cable connection with the phono preamp and allow for easier VTA adjustment. |
That is about 400 less than the cheapest Jun-Air model 3. I saw the silent air line but could not find anyone who had direct experience with them. My Jun-Air will be in next week and i will post my results. I also recieved in the stillpoints yesterday. |
My Jun-Air compressor came in today. I found a good deal on an overstock item on Ebay. The model# is 6-15. It is an oil lube compressor that is easily delivering 50 psig to the table. The noise factor is nil. Its about like a refrigerator. Jun-Air is used a lot in the research and medical industry. Pluto Audio also uses Jun-Air. The compressor is built like a tank so its actually a good match for the Maplenoll table. |
Crem1
I took a little different approach even though it was one more piece of equipment. I hooked up a separate pump to the platter and left my large/high pressure for just my tonearm. Both systems have filters and pulsation bottles as you have described. I did this because running my larger compressor for the tonearm and platter was making my compressor run a little hot. So far very pleased with the results |
I recently purchased a jun-air compressor model 6-15. The flowrate is rated for approx 2 cfm. The compressor keeps up with my system good. but I find after about 2 hours of continuous use the compressor gets pretty hot. 3 cfm would do nicely and would allow the compressor enough cycle time that overheating should not be a problem. |
IMO, the arm performance at 45 and 50 psig is improved. I used a diaphram, oiless fish aquarium pump for platter. puts up about 5 psig and can run continously for weeks so its pretty reliable (and cheap). |
It was the Renn model 400. About fifty bucks, it is a small quiet oil-less air pump that is designed to run continously. |
i will keep you informed on the project. Be patient, i work slow. Once i have the design concept down, i will send you a copy. |
Crem1
Thanks for the kudos and speedy recovery. You will be in our prayers. I will have some pics of the oil dampening system in this new configuration soon. Still experimenting with different viscosity of oil and tapered pins to optimize the dampening. I found out pretty quickly, too much dampening is not a good thing. You lose the delicate details pretty easy. |
yes, as a matter of fact did. It did cool the compressor. I was content with that until I moved and ended up with a spare air pump that I was using in a Koi pond at my last location. Decide to try it on the platter and found my cycle time on the big compressor dropped significantly because even at 5 pgig on the platter, it was using most of the air. I did not measure the flow but the cycle time dropped by 50% easily. Also this allowed me to beef up the system to the arm to run 50 psig. I have run it higher but much above 50 on my spindle you can start hearing the leak across the bearing. But I find the performance is better near 50 psig. I understand I also may need to "clean" out my spindle and arm if the air has not been properly filtered. |
Same type of pump only a larger version. The smaller pumps may not be able to put up the pressure. This one puts up about 5 psig. By the way, it is a Rena 400, i mis typed earlier. |
Crem1
I know what you mean about taking a break from the tweaks. I still have a ways to go to catch up to you and piedpiper but sometimes you just got to play the music for a while. However, the sound from this table is great. People who come over are astonished to hear the quality of the music. I have had more than one person question the quietness of the analog until they heard my table with a clean record and clean stylus. Now that I am finished with my move, I will look to finish my new wand and headshell project. It won't be a black diamond arm but hopefully a close clone |
couple of walker tables advertized in that price range. I do not know anything about either one, but reviews are consistent about walkers product |
yeah there is a long string on this subject on this forum. both strain gauge system as well as walker are above my zone at this point. Guess i have to do with my tweaking the noll |
I posted a thread on the audioasylum and got a similar theme in that it was focused on improving the air bearing platter and tonearm. here are his comments. He has a signature model versus the standard model I have
Next thing to do is buy some real high quality air regulators to replace
the cheap ass screw valve which comes stock. I've tried various brands,
but have found that the Binks brand are more stable than most of the
others. I have 2, one for the platter pressure and another for the platter
pressure. I have the air pressure regulators and their gauges set into a
panel on the front of my TT stand, so that it is easy to see, and easy to
adjust. You'll need one that is low pressure for the arm, which runs
around 3 PSI. The other one will depend upon which arm manifold that you
have, either 20 to 25 PSI or 40 PSI. I have the higher pressure arm
manifold (Signature version #2) so I went with the highest quality Binks
model specifically designed for 20 to 50 PSI. The regulators were around
$75 each. Gauges were around $30 each, again Binks models.
If you haven't noticed, air quality and regulation is VERY important. Keep
this in mind.
I made a custom Purple Heart plinth for mine, that is 6 inches thick, which
really opened up the table ... much better than the original plinth. This
wasn't cheap. I gave my cabinet maker friend my plinth for a month to make
it all align perfectly. (You have to be sure that they realize just how
important 1 or 2 thousandths of an inch is in this case. (Although I
always wondered just how acurate the factory was ...)
As far as the arm is concerned, there is plenty that should be done. I had
a machine shop place a .002 spiral groove throughout the arm to improve
stability. Stock, there is just the air fitting and nothing else. Oh, be
sure that they have the arm tube and that the champhere the rough edges, of
course.
Replace the stock arm tube with Thompson Shafting. Any good machinist will
be familiar with Thompson Shafting. It has .001 run out in a 20 foot
length. It will not bend or distort like the stock hollow shaft does.
(This is why many Maplenoll arms will bind, and/or have tracking issues
half way through a record).
My stock arm tube was filled with a polymer type sound deadening material,
sourced from an old friend who works for NASA. It came in a plain brown
wrapper, so I'm sorry that I can't be of more help. I also wrapped the arm
tube with black duct tape, which really tightened up the focus and deepened
the stage.
I had a carbon fiber arm tube made for me by a friend who has an archery
store. (They use carbon fiber arrow shafts at $100 to $200 EACH!) Anyway,
he made me a carbon fiber arm tube from a broken arrow shaft that is really
interesting. Once again, it is duct tape wrapped for improved staging and
focus.
It's funny that Lloyd recommended using "Super Glue" on the arm/VTA adust
connection. I hope that he at least recommended the good stuff that
actually works that is horribly expensive. I used a very small amount of
JB Weld in that area. JB Weld is amazing stuff, and it is much, much
stronger than Cyanoacrylate.
The stock platter bearing needs to be "trued" by a competant machinist. Get
both plates trued. It cost me somewhere around $30 (in 1990's money) to
have them trued by a machinist friend. If you really want to get tweak,
have another platter bearing made with more surface area.
I am taking a little break from my tweaks but I have some interesting ideas to follow up on. Thanks again for all the thoughts. |
Crem
Thanks, I truely value yours and piedpipers comments. Everyone of the ideas you and him suggested that I tried has worked like a champ. I continue to ask a lot of questions about the maplenoll tables to learn what people have done and how it has worked out. I especially like the mod piedpiper made which moved his motor from the noll plinth. I am also very interested in developing a carbon fiber arm but I am still struggling learning how to solder the fine wire necessary to make these arms work well(just not good with real steady hands). I do have the prototype arm with a graphite headshell. I am working on a type of clamp and VTA adjustment similar to the walker table that will eliminate the looseness in the arm. Thanks again for the advice and ideas |
please let me know about the wands. I have a couple of graphite tubes that I had made so I would love to compare to his design. Once i get the VTA clamp built, I will send you one to see if you like it. It will be similar to the one used on the walker table that will allow the arm tube to extend past the spindle thus allowing for a ridgid clamp between the armwand and the air bearing spindle. this also eliminates tedious adjustment for overhang on the cartridge. I am still looking at how to design the dampening trough so it does not have to hang over the record. Again will be something similar to the more current type designs. |
Agree with the comment about overdampening. I found that out as I struggled to find the right viscosity oil for the trough. Too low viscosity was like no dampening but when i went to a more viscous oil the highs disappeared. I off set by adding more vta but when I moved, i tried a lighter viscosity and found a good balance. I like the design of the walker for two reasons, I tend to slosh the oil onto the record (specially when I have one too many johnny blues!) and the tapered end along with the adjustable oil level would make fine tuning dampening easier. Not sure of the impact of the end of the arm versus the cartridge end however. So far, I just have a few ideas to try. |
I am getting prepared to try the carbon wand on the maplenoll. I have recieved a z lift and clamp system that will allow for easier and more accurate VTA adjustment. The headshell is coming but have not recieved yet. Once completed, the wand will be a carbon fiber that will be clamped at the airbearing spindle that can easily be adjusted for hangover. The clamp will be installed via the two screws that hold the current vta adjustment bracket. THe clamp will provide a rigid connection between the armwand and the airbearing spindle. As for the zlift, I will mount the airbearing spindle housing on it. It has rack/pinion drive that can be adjusted and locked to provide a stable foundation for the airbearing arm. The rack/pinion can make very fine adjustments and with the scale, should be able to set for various record thickness making optimization a little easier. I do not know if i can do on the fly adjustments but in theory should be able to. I have a very fine thread system as part of the rack to allow for very subtle adjustments. I should have installed before end of October, so I will keep you informed. At this point, i will use a hollow tube versus packing. Not sure yet if that will create resonance issues. My tonearm wires will be silver thread from Phoenix wire. Its teflon coated and very limp. THanks for the tip on soldering. Scraping the teflon off made the difference. Once i get it tuned, (assuming its not a dog!), i will send pics. |
yeah, Probably will need a hangover remedy! You might be right about the freeplay but the design i am looking at has the ability to lock the lift against the rack and support system. That is the beauty of this effort, it can be changed back if it does not work! |
Once i moved up to a high pressure for the arm (45psig), I have not had any problem with the airbearing spindle. I have looked at your pics before and wondered why you replaced the air bearing arm. Thanks for the info. I do feel the arm is a weak link but i like the linear aspects of this arm and love the way it tracks. I have looked at ways to improve the vta adjustment and stiffness of the arm hence the tweak I am looking at. I agree the platform is excellent though a little crude compared to the beautiful tables being produced presently. But the sound stage IMO can not be found in any table in the price range you can get a used maplenoll (assuming you can find one). |
Update on my Maplenoll tweaks. I have completed my tonearm construction and began the wiring for the arm. The arm is a yamamoto headshell attached to a carbon fiber tube(0.5"OD). The wiring is teflon coated silver wire(0.003") and will run from the headshell to the Phono stage. The arm is clamped to the air bearing spindle and is easily adjustable to set overhang. I have included a pic of the new tonearm on my system pics. Next step is to install/align the z-lift to provide an easy adjustment for VTA. This arrangement will improve the stiffness of the linear arm while providing an easier way to adjust vta. once complete, i will include the pics of the table mods on my system description. |
I have added two recent pics on my system pics showing the trial oil dampening system. The oil trough is the stock trough that I mounted directly under the air bearing spindle. I attached a pin to the arm clamp and it protrudes down into the oil trough. I am using a fixed level at this time in lieu of an adjustable level in the oil trough. The oil is a heavy weigh lubricating oil with a high viscosity. I have experimented with various levels and viscosities to optimize the dampening for most circumstances. The final touch will be an adjustable level to compliment the tapered pin thus creating the ability to adjust dampening on the fly.
The results are subtle. I did find the stock paddle was too much dampening and tended to kill out the highs (particularly the delicate highs like crystal bells etc.) The dampening tends to help with running a little lower vtf. Following the thread on the universe cartridge, i currently have the cartridge vtf set at 1.68 grams and it is sounding great. VTA is near level with the tail just slightly up on the cartridge. Thanks again for the inspiration from various contributors to this forum. |
charlie
thanks for the kind words. its guys like you who help the novices like me get the encouragement to try new things. |
Update on my tweaks to my Maplenoll. I have installed the zlift, graphite armtube and new headshell. I have decided to go up a couple of sizes with the silver wire because of difficulty with the O.OO3 wire. I will use 0.008 which is still much lighter than the existing wire used on the stock maplenoll arm. My fingers are just not nimble enough!:) I am currently using the wire from the old arm so I have gotten a chance to test fire the setup. The arm is much lighter so I had to remove one of the counterweights to get the system balanced. Now the exciting thing is with the zlift, I can do on the fly VTA adjustment which has allowed me to fine tune my vta while actually listening to a record. The movement of the adjustment is very smooth so there is no skipping or bouncing of the stylus while adjusting the height. The Zlift is a very ridgid and no free play at all. The lift is securely fastened to the plinth and the air bearing spindle is attached to the lift. The results are impressive. When you can hear changes while making the move, its much easier to find the sweet spot. The results with the carbon fiber arm and optimized vta are a stronger/solid bass response, wider soundstage and more clarity. WHat I mean by better clarity is that some albums I had some distortion or muddled sounds particurily with female vocals (stevie nicks on Rumours album as an example). That distortion is gone.
All in all, I think the modifications have improved the table in particular the stiffness of the arm assembly and the ability to easily adjust VTA.
I still have to install my damping trough and I am going to go directly from the arm wiring to my phono stage to see what improvement less cables will provide. I have included 1 pic on my system profile and will try to get some better pics up soon |
My digital camera is on the fritz so I took the pics with my camera phone. I will get some hi quality pics on my system soon and for those interested, will send close up pics and material lists to assist if you want to perform a similar tweak. I am still trying to handle the small diameter wire based on Piedpipers comments. The arm assembly is more stable with the clamp arrangement and I think that is part of the increased bass response and depth to the soundstage. I also think the high purity silver wire will also improve the sound but still working on that one. |
The arm is working out fantastic. My digital camera is due back tommorrow so i will change out the pics on my system to show some details on the arm and zlift. The whole arm assembly i feel will compete with any arm combination out there for stiffness, ease of adjustment and sonics. I must admit piedpiper was right about the wiring inthat the 0.008 is just too stiff so I will try once again with the superfine wire. With the stock wire, the movement is ok but the sonics with the silver wire i think are better particularly with resolution of the high frequencies. I have always been impressed with the maplenoll when it came to bass response(very solid compared to my michell gyro) but the carbon fiber arm with the clamp system i am using has been a noticable improvement. The post clamp that connects the carbon fiber wand to the air bearing spindle is so much stiffer than you can get with the stock maplenoll arm even with superglueing the connections. I might be off, but i think that is probably the big improvement in the bass response as well as lower distortion on some albums. The zlift also is so sweet because it has allowed me to determine for each type of record, very precise settings to ensure vta is optimized. It has a scale that I can quickly move to as I change records of varying thickness. I still have not hooked up the dampening trough so i do not know if that will improve the sound but from my previous experience with the maplenoll stock arm, the bass became a lot more solid. I will report back once i get it installed. Since i have installed the new arm assembly, i am finding the optimum vta is lower than the stock arm while using the dampening trough (ie the tail of the cartridge is lower now). I am still experimenting with vta and vtf but so far, i think the tweak has been a tremendous improvement. Again the biggest improvement is an even more solid bass response, lower distortion on some of my "difficult albums" and a little wider and deeper soundstage. I also have leveled and balanced the lead platter and recoating with acrylic paint. I have noticed the wobble on the platter to improve but I think the teflon bushing has a little free play thus allowing a little wobble. It is not impacting the sound as best as I can tell but I will look to change the bushing once i find out i suitable replacement. I do have some of the stock carbon fiber tube left (enough to make at least two more arms) if you are interesting in it. Again, if you want i can send the material list for the clamp, and zlift also. I found the total cost of the upgrade including the silver wire was less than 200 dollars. |
crem1--added some better pics of the arm and zlift before i tore apart to rewire with the small diameter silver wire. look under my system for new pics. |
I usually have it level but adjusted to get a better view of the zlift arrangement. THe reason up is not good is that a small move in arm height dramatically changes the force on the record. You were right on about the diameter of the wire. Ugh, 50 bucks down the drain! I am back at trying to handle the smaller diameter wire. thanks as always for your tips |
I finished the wiring on the arm using the lighter weight, silver wire. At the point, I am going to take a break from tweaking and just listen a while. The silver wire has resulted in a brighter high frequency and more resolution of the highs. Cymbals, glass bells, etc have far greater clarity, also I have found i need less volume from my system to get the same sound levels (using a sound meter). Not sure if this was just from the silver wire compared to the stock copper wire, or the fact I am going right from the tonearm to the stepup. (less length of cable and few connections). I still need to hook up the dampening trough but pretty impressed with the new setup |
I have finished the oil dampening system modifications for the new arm designed. In the spirit of using the existing equipment, i mounted the swing out dampening trough under the airbearing spindle. I then mounted a tapered pin on the armwand clamp and it protrudes into the trough. I have filled the trough with a highly viscous oil (heavier than motor oil) that my lubes plant produces. The degree of dampening is set by the depth of the fluid in the trough. I can adjust this by a displacer which goes into the trough. I will get some pics of the finished design.
As far as performance, the dampening system works well in that i can adjust the level of dampening very easily and while the record is playing. I found that too much dampening will mute the delicate highs but since it is easy to adjust, i can fine tune it easily. I usually have just the tip of the pin in the fluid unless i have a wavy record or have a record that is difficult to track due to intensity. The design is very similar to the oil dampening system on the walker table but alas it is not nearly as refined.
I now feel i have a table that can deliver everything that is in the grooves. I recently upgraded the cartridge to the universe and feel the system can handle this great cartridge. I am still fine tuning the vtf and vta but I have been tremedously please with the results of the table, arm and now top flight cartridge. I still need to upgrade my phono stage (maybe santa will be good to me:~) I have found myself listening to records finding details that just were not there a few months ago. Some of the delicate bells on Ricky Lee Jones debut album, the presence and sound stage listening to Karajan (1812 overture), the absolute silence required in the system before the flutes start playing the intro into Bolero(never could understand why the record was so hard to listen to until I got this system optimized, and I could go on about the quality of the sound. I truly think the stiffness of the carbon fiber arm clamped to the air bearing spindle was one of the keys to getting the system performance up. Also, the upgrade to silver tonearm wires made a tremedous difference. The vta adjustment is nice, but i do not think it had as significant impact as the stiffness of the armwand system. I also really like the dampening system since it now longer swings above the record. That is a small issue but now i do not have to worry about it as i am changing LPs.
Thanks for all of the input and ideas from various members of the forum especially Crem1 and Piedpiper (2 other maplenuts!). I have really enjoyed listening to how others have improved this line of table. |
This sounds similar to the tritium table arm. It is an air bearing arm that is very short to resemble the actual cutting head. Love to see your concept. I still want to build the separate motor plinth similar to your table but i do not have the tools necessary to craft the device. By the way, you were right about the thinner wire. I finally got a good connection and it is working better than the 0.008 wire. |
Crem1; the table sounds great. i recently purchased the universe cartridge and think I am close to optimizing the vta and vtf. The cartridge had about 100 hours on it so its probably not fully broken in but the cartridge, arm, table combination is fantastic and far superior to anything i have ever heard on my system. I still need to upgrade my phono stage but the resolution of this combination is pretty impressive. I am currently running the vta with cartridge body close to level and the vtf near 1.7 grams. I am using the technique DougDeacon highlighted recently with the universe and the last couple of tweaks have opened up the resolution dramatically. The dampening system is finished and I think it is a resounding success. I will post a pic tommorrow on my system pics showing the dampening system. So much easier than the stock dampening system since I do not have to swing it over the record anymore. I am using a heavyweight oil with a tapered pin instead of the paddle. I think you will like the mods. I also mounted the armlift on the righthand side of the air bearing spindle. Currently I am just chilling out listening to music and waiting for the universe to fully break in. Not sure though the sound can get any better. I am working on a 2000 record deal so it looks like i will be cleaing a few records instead of tweaking with the table. Have you had a chance to build the carbon fiber arm? You will not regret it. By the way, thanks for the bullet plugs. Much better than the radioshack plugs I was using. I may need to call you up to discuss steam cleaning. I really have enjoyed that thread and ready to take the plunge with the steam |
my experience is the oiless pumps are alway noisier than a corresponding oil based compressor. Not sure why but the specs with most brands confirm this. Having said that, the price is right for this compressor. You could mount in a separate room and run the tubing pretty easy thus eliminating the noise issue in the listening room. I did that when i had a shop air compressor in my workroom at my previous location. |
In tackling the issue of air system, i went a little overboard and got a junair compressor. It is a pretty quiet compressor but is oil based vs oil. I have a oiltrap on the outlet of the compressor and use the pulsation tubes (walker audio product) and do not have problems with oil or water getting into the table. THe compressor will service both the platter and arm but i also went with a renn air pump for the platter. this is an aquarium pump that can run continuously but only puts up about 5 psig. thats enough for the platter so i use it hooked up directly to the platter and use the junair compressor for the arm. The CFM for the compressor is approx .5cfm at 120psig. THe compressor is pricey but is built well and should last a lifetime. this compressor is used in the medical and dental industry primarily though Pluto audio uses this line for thier ultraexpensive tables. I have owned the compressor for a couple of years and have been very pleased so far |
piedpiper: sorry it took me so long to get back to you, the pump is actually a rena air 400. It is made in France by Rena (aquarium pharmaceuticals) and I got it at Petsmart. It is the largest one this company makes. Unfortunately it does not have a spec sheet like an air compressor. I do know it puts up about 5 psig using both of the air nozzles and i have approx 300 ft of tubing run to the platter. Remember I also have the lighter platter and not the signature like you have so I do not know if 5 psig will be enough. but its cheap (60 bucks) and it works like a charm. Its designed to run continously so it should be pretty reliable. I have used it for over 1 year with no issues. It also allows me to use my junair compressor for the arm at the higher pressure. I do not know the flowrate but again it works fine with my platter. Sorry i could not be more specific with the specs. I know the pressure because i have a pressure gauge on the airline going to the platter |
The plastic plug is not cemented in very well. When i was modifying my arm, i had to tap a new screw thread and found it came out during drilling. There were two plugs in mine. I have also considered replacing the armtube with a solid piece of graphite rod to avoid the resonance factor. Just have not gotten around to completing this yet. |
charlie
sounds interesting. If you use wood, be sure to seal it well. wood will absorb water(from humidity in the room or inthe compressed air) and possibly swell. THe key to the airbearing is the perfect fit between the airtube and arm that justs allows enough airflow to float the arm. if the dowel swells, you may have some issues with fit. |
charlie
i will look at the barb tonite and see of i can find a source. Some of my instrumentation guru's at work might have a source.Surprised at mcmaster-carr response. Always had good success with them |
charlie
I have my armwand filled with a silicon material to minimize the resonance. I have a teflon tube much to what you highlighted in the center of the armwand to snake the phono wires through. I am not sure it made that much difference though as my first iteration was just the carbonfiber tube. Both sounded better than the stock aluminum arm. I still think one of the keys in the success of my arm is the ridgid construction and clamping system as compare to the vta adjustment with the stock arm. i was never really satisfied with the stock arm because it could be easily flexed. I also feel the direct connection from the cartridge clip all the way to the phono stage adds some value though it is difficult to set up with those fine wires instead of a traditional leads. Please keep us informed as to your progress. I am still working on my project that we discussed earlier, though a new work assignment has me backed up right now. |
