Nude Turntable Project

Cool. Those armpods turned out nice.

We have LIFT-OFF!
Now a few weeks of heavy running in of cartridges, arms and cables before preliminary listening impressions?
NUDE TURNTABLE

Henry,
Thanks. Kind of wondered how the side would be finished. I figured that was a possibility for the top plates but I thought I saw a singular so was wondering. I understand now and love the idea.

I like the Micro and think it 'punches above its weight' so to speak but even I would fade it against the modern "high-tech" arms you mention. That said, against its modern day price competition, it is great-sounding and great-looking to boot (assuming you don't mind the industrial aesthetic...).

Hi T_bone,
The aluminum top plate is 10mm (3/8") thick and comes with the correct sized hole pre-drilled for each arm and is screwed to the bronze arm-pod.
Each top plate costs a mere $90.00 so many arms can be accommodated by simply switching in the appropriate plate.
The 55 mm diam hole in the arm-pod is independent of the arm and it's top plate.
I hope this is clear enough but next week all will be revealed to answer your questions?

The quality of workmanship and finish on the Micro Seiki MA-505s which you recommended, leaves every other arm in the shade IMHO.....even the modern "high-tech"arms like the Phantom II, Copperhead and DaVinci Grandezza.
If it sounds as fine as it looks, I'll be very happy?

The sides of the pods will be smoothed and finished in 2 pack gloss black polyurethane paint.

Halcro,
Cool. How would those pods be finished? An aluminum top plate would take care of the topside, but how about the sides? Also, how do you deal with arms which have a much smaller diameter mount?

I've just received the raw bronze castings for the arm-pods (see link).
I designed the pods to suit all the arms I'm familiar with so that the inside diameter hole is 55mm diameter which can take the thick VTA tower of the Continuum Copperhead arm whilst the cable entry/exit slot in the curved rear of the pod, allows for the Phantom II sideways connection din plug as it moves up and down on its VTA travels.

The pods are now off to the automotive paint shop for its 'piano black' polyurethane finish and the drilling and tapping of the spiked adjustable feet and the aluminium top plate.
Hopefully I will have the completed pods back in a week?

I also bought off EBay, the 'famous' Fidelity Research FR 64S tonearm (thanks Tuchan) with silver wiring and stainless steel armtube.
I will be able to hear for myself whether the hype about this arm is correct or if Raul and Ralph (Atmasphere) are correct in their assessments?
LATEST

Yes, Jelco made the AQ and Sumiko arms. I have an FT-3 and it was pretty good once I applied the arm wrap from the Sumiko Analog Survival Kit. Works quite well with an AT-OC9ML.

Halcro, a review of Raul's system should suggest a few good vintage arms. I bought a Technics EPA-100 on his advice - a very versatile arm. He also likes specific Fidelity Research, Micro Seiki, Audiocraft, Audio Technica and Lustre arms, but that is of little help without specific model numbers so check out his system.

Are the Jelco arms made by the same company who built the Audioquest and Sumiko Premier arms? I had a Premier FT-3 and while I would not say it was outstanding I did consider it to be very good - quality construction and finish, good bearings, adaptable to a wide range of cartridges, and reasonably priced, particularly now on the used market.

Jelco arms resemble vintage equipment. The SA-750 comes in a 12" version that would overcome the spindle-to-pivot issue. I'm currently playing with a SA-750D (9" version) that sounds pretty good with a Lyra Clavis Da Capo.

Thanks for the encouragement Bpoletti.
I guess it's too late to stop?......but I am having fun.

I'm thinking of getting the Fidelity Research FR-64S tonearm. There is so much hype about this arm (especially among the Germans), and although it's a high mass arm and won't necessarily mate well with my MM/MI cartridges, i think I owe it to myself to hear this setup with a LOMC cartridge as well and I have a spare Universe cartridge that I can compare directly with the DaVinci setup on the Raven?

Does anyone have other suggestions for good vintage arms that I should look for?

Here's an update on some further purchases whilst I await the arm-pods
EBAY IS GOOD

Check out Reed arm pod. Turntable.it

At least you have the wherewithall to understand what you need and how to get it. Go for it, it's a great project!

I'm watching with interest and have similar thoughts about trying a nude direct drive table set-up.

Well things never go smoothly do they?
After chasing some known arm-pods worldwide, I was shocked to learn that the basic cost of each one was $2000-$3000...and that's without the delivery costs, duty etc.
This lead me to design my own pods in solid brass (after all I am an Architect and solving design problems is my 'metier'?), however when I sent the drawings for pricing, I received quotes for $1500-$2000 as machined in brass and powder-coated!
Apparently this was because they had to cast the brass before machining it as there were no billets available of the correct size for immediate machining?
I then tried pricing for machining in stainless steel and still received prices of $1600!!?
I then tried a 'casting' price for brass (or bronze) and managed to get that down to $450 if I had 3 pods cast.
With the arrangement of the 'Nude TT-81', an arrangement of 3 or even 4 arms as satellites was certainly possible so I've just let that contract for the 3 arm-pods to be cast in solid bronze.
This will now take another 3 weeks.
Meanwhile, what I thought might be a relatively economical alternative to a modern high-end deck with high-end arm and LOMC cartridge, looks like getting a bit out of hand?

The TT-81 cost $350, the Grace G-940 arm was $460 and the Empire 4000D/III Gold was also $350 so for a total cost of $1160, I thought I could put together a total analogue system far cheaper than the cost a single high end LOMC cartridge?

Now the sickness has begun and with my requirement for placing the TT-81 so far from the Phonostage/Preamp, the long Cardas phono cable costs $900 and the armpods will end up costing $600 each.....and I need 3 of each to service my ever-growing 'madness'!!?

Now I have bought a Micro Seiki MA-505S tonearm and am still looking for another arm.
Additionally I'm also looking for headshells, silver wiring and additional cartridges!
Someone please STOP me!!?
MADNESS

Dear Halcro: Seems to me like you will have a lot of fun and enjoyment with this project, good!.

Btw, the Grace looks really nice.

regards and enjoy the music,
raul.

I have now designed the arm-pod which is being machined and have ordered 2.25 metres of Cardas Golden Reference phono cable with 5 Pin DIN and XLRs which is being made.
I have a pristine example of the Grace G-940 damped unipivot tonearm (on Raul's recommendation) Here
In 2 weeks hopefully, I'll be good to go?

Dear Bpolleti: The set up is exactly as the Halcro only with different footers ( three of them. ).

The footers I'm using are a pneumatic ones by Audio Technica and you can see it in the picture " turntable 2 " in my virtual system, are the ones that were supporting the Micro Seiki RX-5000: in " picture 005 " you can see it too.

Those AT footers goes directly at the bottom SP10MK2 metal cover: no big deal.

regards and enjoy the music,
raul.

Dear Halcro: Good to know it's promising even in that less than " perfect " set up.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

After listening for several hours to the 'Nude' TT-81 with various well-known albums, I have to say that it does not seem to suffer in any way in comparison to the Raven AC-3.
It's too hard to make any detailed comments or comparisons because:-
1. The TT-81 was on the floor
2. It didn't have the correct 240V-100V step-down transformer (which it now has)
3. It was played with an 'unrestrained' DaVinci Grandezza arm with a ZYX Universe LOMC whilst the Raven has a 'restrained' Continuum Copperhead with Empire 4000D/III Gold MM cartridge

What I heard was enough for me to make room on my wall-hung shelf for a permanent place for the TT-81 Here
whilst I design and build an arm-pod, find a tonearm to use and purchase a 2 metre length of low-capacitance phono cable.

The Project continues!

Halcro thats quiet the motor housing on that JVC Victor I believe member Tbone had one up for sale in a factory dual arm mount plinth

Downunder,
Certainly not 'pain'.
In fact on first listen (despite the makeshift nature), this is surprisingly good sound.
I think HiHo may be right about JVC/Victor?

Halcro. and?

You don't get away with not commenting if it sounds like pleasure or pain

Up and running.
Took Downunder's advice and 'mounted' the 12" DaVinci Grandezza Ref.
RUNNING

That a bummer Halcro.

Buy a 12 inch arm wand from Bob - or use one of your other arms :-)

(It looks similar to a Denon DP-80 but I don't know if Denon made for Victor.)

JVC/Victor was one of the three major turntable manufactures, along with Technics and Sony, that made their turntables completely on their own. Other brands such as Denon had to rely on outside sources such as Micro Seiki or those "big three." It's about time people start giving JVC some credits and their DD tables are truly underrated. I'll take a JVC over Technics in the same price range any day! Enjoy the experiment.

_____

First problem encountered.
The Phantom II does not 'fit' against the TT-81 because of the extra 'banding' around the platter and the SME base to the Graham arm.

NUDE TT

Dear Raul,

Please find a working camera to take pictures to post on the site. It would be interesting to see your rig to better understand of what you speak.

Regards,

Bill

The formula: 4 footers + 2 towers = 1 plinth.

Regards,

Dear Raul,
Thanks for the advice.
Of course if the experiment has some success I will get some armboard Towers and will ask you for some help?

Regards and I AM enjoying the music with The Empire 4000D/III cartridge.
Halcro

Dear Halcro: That Victor DD TT is very good ( It looks similar to a Denon DP-80 but I don't know if Denon made for Victor. ) and loks fine in naked fashion.

For begin with the tests that " can " could help ( maybe the Downunder mango can suggestion works better. ) but if you think that what you heard is something of good quality performance then you IMHO have to think in a dedicated tower tonearm board.

My Technics " experiment " is exactly like your Victor only with the AT footers instead your tip toes like ones and of course with a " mango " can arm board tower!

A friend of mine has his SP-10 MK2 with tip toes like and has successfull results..

Btw, in the other TT thread ask me for pictures of the naked SP-10 version that I can't do it because my camera is out of work but now with your picture-site everything is on " understand " status about.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Thanks Shane,
You're right of course and if it sounds promising with the 220-100V transformer, that's the first change I'll make.

I don't think I've seen cans of mango at Coles but I'll try Ebay to hear the difference :-)

Hi Henry

sounds like some fun.

first up I believe can's of mango sound better as they have a thicker syrup adding to isolation properties :-)

seriously, you need you get a correct 240 to 100vlt transformer. a friend of mine bought a micro seiki vintage table and it had an 220 stepdown and adding the correct 240 vlt made a world of difference. I use this one
see link http://cgi.ebay.com/Voltage-Transformer-110-130-220-240v-100v-200-300w-/190437406129?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c56f435b1

keep us informed on your progress