Techinics Sp-10 Mk2a break-in period

There is ZERO break in on these parts, think about it, your table either hold speed or it does not.

Good listening

Peter

I would have to think that there definitely IS a break-in period for an entirely new tt bearing system, of most types. This would vary according to the nature of the bearing (there are many types) and the materials used in the bearing system, including the thrust pad (ditto). What you might hear during break-in is slightly more noise than what will be the eventual norm. Most likely, the variance will be from "no noise" to "even less noise". So, forgeddaboudit.

Dear Peter,

I read somewhere that upgrading the stock power cord on the power supply made improvements to the sound. If that is indeed true, swapping out all the 30+ year old caps should also have an effect on the sound. Thus, my reason for the question.

Dear Lewn,

Your point is well taken. I would imagine the mating surfaces between the thrust pad and bearing can take some time to "get along".

Norm,

Absolutely no question that replacing 30 year old electrolytic capacitors is a great idea - however the "break-in" of these will have no effect on the tables speed stability. As far as bearing breaking in , as Lewm puts it going form "no noise" to "even less noise" will probably have very negligible effect also :-)

In addition to the GrooveMaster Vintage Direct I've also been working a little on the SP10Mk2 and have made a completely new stand alone power supply for these should anyone be interested.

Good Listening

Peter

So in short, to answer the original question, the answer is 'almost nothing to no change at all'.

Really the point is that it will likely keep running the way it had been for another 35 years...

There are other reasons besides speed accuracy why things like capacitors and solder joints need to break in. Can you not hear? Hel-loo!

Geoff,

No audio signal passes through the power supply and control system of turntable motor system - its ONLY task is to maintain the correct speed.

Good Listening,

Peter

Peter, Does your replacement PS sound better than the original?

Rgds,

Dave

Hello Dave,

I got mine without a power supply, so I had to make one, actually I'm making five of them, so I have a few extra. Is it better than the original ? I don't know, what I do know is, that is ridiculously overbuilt as almost anything we make :-)

Good Listening

Peter

Peter, hi, by that logic the power cord doesn't affect the sound of the turntable either.

Geoff

Any power cord with sufficient gauge and good connectors will suffice - if anyone can "hear" a difference with a PC in this particular position I'd state that it is imagined - however to some perception is reality, this is clearly not me.

Good listening

Peter

Sp-10 mk2 owners know the stock power cord on the PS is a thin lamp cord with a two prong connector. I was thinking of upgrading the PC to something better (undecided yet) and with a three pin male connector. I would gladly make the power cord change if it would improve the sound.

There are 'good connectors' and there are always better connectors. I will not argue this particular case because I have no idea, but usually differences in power cords are quite audible, sometimes big time audible.
Another point - we do not have equal hearing abilities in all components of these complex perceptions. What is imagination to some can be a reality to others. To put it another way - if you don't hear something, that doesn't mean it cannot be heard. How important is the difference? It varies and it depends.

In my experience there is no break-in period for caps. However.. each cap brand / type has a different tonal quality. I find that in building tube amps this is widely accepted as the truth.

Hi Peter,

The custom PS on your sp-10 mk2, is it made with a captured power cord or is it fitted with IEC? Have you experimented with different PCs? If so, what are your findings? Thank you

Hello Norm,

IEC socket, and yes I do use various power cords - although I'm not subscribing to the theory that power cords make all that of a difference. As previously stated as long as the power cord is of sufficient gauge and the connectors / outlets are of a substantial quality, there is very little if any difference.

Good listening

Peter

I recently swapped out the skinny stock lamp cord on to the back of my SH-10EA PS for an  Furutech Cu IEC connector. I wanted to hear first hand if different PC used on the PS in this particular application makes an audible differences.  For comparison, I used a  $7.00 generic PC and a 2.0m Nordost Valhalla V1 PC.  I heard absolutely no difference between the two PCs.

 

Norm, Here's the thing:  The lamp cord, as I recall, is/was hard soldered to the PS.  Then when you ditched that you or someone else installed an IEC connector, to which you plugged in the Nordost PC.  In all my audio experience, NO connector has always sounded better than ANY connector, no matter how wonderful and Furutechian it may be.  Thus, if one were to posit that the PC makes a difference, the IEC connector might swamp out any such difference.  Here's where I admit that I hard-wired a length of XLO power cord (which happens to be my favorite) directly into the PS of my SP10 Mk3 and hear...... no difference.  But I felt oh so much better.

However, to my surprise, PCs to power the bias supply did make a difference to the sound of my Sound Lab ESLs.  Go figure.  In that capacity, current carrying capacity of the PC is moot; the bias supply requires very little current.  I generally think that sonic differences among PCs are 90% due to current carrying capacity, thicker is better.  But there are obviously other factors.