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New Townshend Rock 7 owner

The Townshend is in transit to it's new home. I purchased this one-owner table as a package, complete w/ Funk Firm FXR ll arm, dc motor upgrade, Discovery Balanced phono cable and Brinkman PI cartridge. It come with all original boxes, manuals.

If all goes well, I should be able to get it up and running with one exception, my phono stage is not balanced. Since the original owner bought this from a respected dealer as a package, I think my best route would be to get a pair of RCA to XLR adapters in order to hear the package as close as possible as was intended.

Any thoughts on that aspect? What brand adapters would be recommended? Also, any thing I might need to know from experienced users to help with set-up? Thanks.
128x128slaw
slaw's avatar
slaw OP
21,402 posts
 
alonski,

Well, as you read, I have a problem. That is my passion for music reproduced well in my home. I know my style may turn some off but I thought it may be interesting to post my (live) experience. I hope some can appreciate it.

Regarding the Origin Live belt... does your TA motor use a flat belt like my motor w/ Merlin power supply?

The Phoenix Tachometer.....would it be in any way superior to my Sutherland Timeline just to "check on speed stability"?

My tt package included a Gingko cover, it's nice but not necessary. I would not have spent $400 on it myself.

This is my initial response, I will re-read your post again. Thank you for responding.

slaw's avatar
slaw OP
21,402 posts
 
...regarding the less than stellar machining of the platter... since the sub-platter is machined to a higher tolerance and the belt rides on this, the main record platter doesn't have as much of a significance in terms of speed stability.
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alonski
158 posts
 

Slaw,

Please don't misunderstand... I was commending you, not criticizing!  "Posting maniac" was supposed to be a compliment and a nod to your excitement, – sorry I didn't deliver that too well in my response…

In answer to your questions:

Yes, the Origin Live belt is flat, like the one that comes with the Merlin upgrade. I remember the stock motor belt was round, right?

The Phoenix Tachometer is fun and accurate. it does not adjust the speed, just monitors it. Seeing platter speed to three decimal points is exciting to me, because I can get it to stay on 33.333 RPM for a few seconds and then moves up to 33.338 or down to 33.327 which shows great speed stability. Then, I put the stylus in the groove and I can see “Stylus Drag” in action, dropping the speed down a few clicks. What’s cool about that is that Stylus Drag changes depending on what music you’re playing! Big orchestral movements slow the platter down the most and soft, one-instrument etudes much less. Once, just for fun, I experimented with finely adjusting speed back to 33.333 or a close as I could get for each track on an album side (which is the epitome of crazy) and I’m happy to say that thankfully, I could not hear the difference. Now I just adjust speed if need be at the very beginning of a side and just listen to the music.

I din’t pay nearly that much for my beautiful acrylic dust cover! Mine was custom-made to my specs for around $200. Now if only I could remember who made it…

Regarding the platter, yes you’re right, it doesn’t directly affect the speed… I just have a thing for manufacturing tolerances. Visible wobble is bad. Not being able to tell from a few feet away that the platter is spinning, is good.

Keep enjoying enjoying our little analog secret!

Alón

slaw's avatar
slaw OP
21,402 posts
 
alonski,

I'm totally misunderstood. I knew and accepted your post, I just (tried) to inject some levity.

Sometimes I just wish I could be understood. (A ha-ha and a damn right. all at once.) I'm laughing now.

(My dust cover was included in the package deal).

Thank you for responding. I most likely will call on you in the future.

Happy Listening!

cfluxa's avatar
cfluxa
127 posts
 
I can wholeheartedly agree with the posts on this thread, as a very happy owner of a Townshend Rock 7, paired with a Helius Omega tonearm. For anyone who is interested, I just posted the combo for sale here, as I've recently acquired a Kuzma 4 Point. It is startling how difficult it has been to match the Rock 7/Helius combo...
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