Halcro, I am using a Signet TK5Ea. Stylus is on its last leg and gotta find a suitable substitute. Any option if I can't find or afford an original, perhaps certain Audio Technical model replacements?
Rwwear: The only F6 I had was switching between speeds with two big buttons. One speed button can get stuck and I have to press other other speed button forcefully to "pop" it back to the desired speed. Another F6 I owned had the strobe light bulb went off but the indicator needle still works. Other than that, it works smoothly. I'm spoiled by the automatic features, I have to admit. I'm getting lazy these days...
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Hiho, The Signet TK5Ea is a sweet cartridge but there is an even better stylus for it than the original.... The AT 155Lc is a nude Line Contact, pressure-fitted on a beryllium cantilever and transforms the TK5Ea into a real 'Player'....😎 Unfortunately, they stopped making the 155Lc stylus and finding one takes patience. http://www.head-fi.org/t/691757/audio-technica-at-155lc-cartridge-stylus-has-no-more-than-50-hours-s...Best bet is to look for a complete AT-155Lc cartridge with low hours and 'grab' it. This one looks to tick all the boxes. Good luck... |
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Hiho,
 Pick up a replacement stylus for a AT 440MLa.  I ran that on my TK-5Ea and was surprised at how great that combination was.  I liked it even better than my TK-7SU. Â
Regards, |
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The AT155 has the same 490mH generator as the modern 440/120. I see the 440 replacement stylus went up another $50. For another $25 or so you can get a 150MLX stylus. This is a great combination with the 490mH motor, reminiscent of the 160ML. The Signet TK5Ea, 7Ea, 7LCa, all have 550mH generators. All the beryllium styli (7LCa) are extremely rare. If you're looking, there are models like 152LC/ML and Signet MR5.0 LC/ML. These have the same fitment. The 440MLa stylus has a bump at 16KHz - might be a perfect match for the 550mH motor, I don't know. All of that series will fit. BTW, AT has a new "B" version of the 440/120. The generator appears the same. Regards, |
Regards. Stereoneedles (dot com) still offers the original ATN155LC. Another alternative from the same vendor would be the ATN140LC, a nude LC stylus on a tapered alloy cantilever. A slightly warmer performer.
As Halcro (hi, Henry!) mentioned, the 155LC is an excellent upgrade stylus for the TK-5Ea, detailed response while avoiding distracting brightness.
Peace,
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Hi Timeltel, Good idea to check stock with Stereneedles before ordering. Someone said they were out of all styli with beryllium cantilevers, over a year ago. They are slow to update their site and someone said they had trouble getting a refund. I have an ATN140LC - sounds similar to a an ATN440ML and the generator is the same 490mH. The 140 is more compliant. If they have the ATN155LC,  that would be a good buy. Regards, |
Isn't this stuff best posted on the "other" thread, sometimes known as "the thread" on MM cartridges? Just sayin'...
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Hello Halcro,
Inspired by Dave the Messenger and his latest DD TT purchases I have also started to live dangerously. Well, hopefully not. I bought a LUXMAN PD444 and a brand new Trans-Fi linear tracker T3Pro and put this on Houdini maglev feet. Having experienced the benefits of both maglev spindle & maglev feet w/ my own L´Metamorfosi inquiry I just couldn´t resist that Japanese DD monster machine w/ maglev spindle (grin).
Regards |
Harold, Have you had a listen to that rig yet? Â Seems like a great combination. |
Hello Harold, Congratulations on your PD444. I haven't yet tried the Terminator arm on my PD444, as it would be too crowded for three tonearms-- which was one of my reasons for the Luxman purchase. I tried Resomat on top of the stock Luxman rubber mat, but found that combination weak in the presence region.   So what do you make of the Luxman as compared to the Salvation? Have you tried the redesigned Terminator slider with banded bearing cups? I have one that I need to test soon. |
Hi Harold,
Congrats on joining the "Living Dangerously" Club..🎉😜
We await your reports with excitement and trepidation...🤔
Regards |
Thanks Halcro, it´s my pleasure :)
First impression: the speed is always spot on no matter the music´s quantity, from weakest whisper (of flute) to most furious (jazz-rock) fusion and heaviest symphony orchestra passages. Its speed is rock solid - technically faultless. Impressive. |
Hi Dave, this is all your fault ;)Â
My PD444 has a hard "Relief" mat (a Goldmund Relief Mat copy?) glued on platter. With Reso-Mat on it this old Japanese monster is, in every meaning of the word, a terrific performer. I have waken up my good old Ultra from hibernation and now is back in service. This inquiry needs the best tracker available to determine the real sound quality. Already at this starting point everything sounds just fine. I will give my full report soon...
I have the latest saddle design with smoother underside. What do mean by the "slider with banded bearing cups" ?
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definitely living dangerously...
a good friend has a technics sp10 mk2 that has needed to be repaired twice at $500 a time.
he still uses it
;)
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Harold, you already had the disease. It just mutated.... On Terminator the inside corners of the aluminum angle "thrust pads" on which the two needle bearings pivot, are replaced by thick, tensioned horizontal rubber bands. The pivoting needles fix their locations during break-in by slightly penetrating into the rubber. I assume that this new approach adds damping, and-- after the needles have seated into the rubber-- imposes a small dynamic counterforce against the wand’s vertical travel. I can imagine that the dynamic weighting could be helpful to a short wand of light vertical inertial mass..
Audio_d, I hope your friend had all the electrolytic caps replaced in his SP-10. Aging electrolytics are probably the biggest risks in living with a vintage DD. I routinely replaced them all in PD444, LO7D, and SP-10. |
Dave, could you show your slider w/ banded bearing cups ? |
It's a bit more complicated than that. Each slider is matched to its air manifold at factory. To update a slider to banded cups you need to break off the alum bearing cradles glued to your existing slider, then glue on replacement cradles that accommodate the bands. I'll post a photo after finishing this (delicate!) operation.  |
I didn´t know this. I very much appreciate your info. |
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One of us (in the US) has to buy a Pioneer Exclusive P3. That's the only one missing from our collective ownership. (I know that a few Aussies, like Downunder, have got them.) God knows what surprises may be in store in terms of how a P3 can malfunction, and there is no service back-up at all outside of Japan. That's "living dangerously" for sure. Up to at least a few years ago, Pioneer would and could service them inside Japan.
I just ordered my replacement feaux MN6042 from JP. Since my Mk3 is working perfectly, Bill Thalmann advised me to just keep it for a spare, but it's tempting to wonder whether the Mk3 could perform even better with JP's PCB replacing the stock MN6042.
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I was under the impression the P3 had a lifetime warranty if you could get it to Japan. Am i wrong? I would love to have one.
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RW, Isn't that a sort of oxymoron: "lifetime warranty if you could get it to Japan"? I knew a guy who lived in Tokyo and owned two P3s, but he would hand carry his P3 to the service center and pick it up after work was done. I am not aware that they would be willing to accept shipments from other parts of the world, and then be responsible to pack and ship in return. (On the other hand, I don't know that they wouldn't do that, either.) The fellow in question has since moved to Hong Kong and curtailed his vintage buying habits. (He had two Denon M100s, too. (Not sure that's the correct alphanumeric designation, but I refer to the BIG Denon.)
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My thoughts were if the P3'a are still under warranty there must still be parts for them. But I could be wrong about that.
Japan does have a great postal system though. I once ordered a guitar from Japan and got it in three days in great shape.
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lewm
02-16-2016 8:05pm
One of us...
I just ordered my replacement feaux MN6042 from JP. Since my Mk3 is working perfectly, Bill Thalmann advised me to just keep it for a spare, but it's tempting to wonder whether the Mk3 could perform even better with JP's PCB replacing the stock MN6042. If your stock chip exhibits the same clock fluctuation as all the samples I've measured, it is an improvement. Â |
Japanese are usually very serious about what they are doing, both in business, technology & arts. They also are very polite and very honest in business IME. They have passion for perfection, for example HQ audio gear and records (both analog and digital). I have tens of used Japan pressings vinyl albums and they all are practically like new, nearly all ordered from Japan. Never had any kind of issues with Japanese sellers, they also ship very quick. |
Thanks, JP, for your comment. I guess the question is whether the superior performance of your chip would be audible, compared to the OEM MN6042 in my MK3. I doubt we can ever know that, if the difference would be subtle, as I imagine it would be. Because one's aural memory is not trustworthy in matters such as this, where my Mk3 would be out of use for weeks until Bill would find time to make the change. On the other hand, this means I need two of your PCBs, one to install now and one for that rainy day.
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Halcro, Not sure if you heard, Jico has discontinued the SAS stylus. Apparently they can no longer source the diamonds. The SAS was identical to the microridge and looks the same as an AT microline. Don't know if anyone noticed, but AT has been phasing out the ML tip in favor of an LT. The source was probably Namiki. Jico has plans to reintroduce the SAS. Regards, |
I saw your Posting of this news Fleib.
Sad indeed.
Will wait and see what they come out with as a replacement..🤓
Regards
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Another, perhaps lesser bit of news, but this time good:Â My Victor TT101 is most likely fixed! I won't have it back in my house for 1 or 2 more weeks, but since I've waited to hear it for more than 2 years since I bought it, I can be patient a little longer. (I'd have to check back in this thread to figure out when I actually bought it; it's been that long a time.)
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Lewm, who is the monk that touched it this time? Very happy for you. |
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May a lotus bloom in your underwear, oh revered one.
None other than JP of Technics chip fame.
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Lewm, I'm looking forward to your impressions and possibly a few pics of the completed unit.
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Lewm
None other than JP of Technics chip fame.
Very nice, looking forward to hearing what was needed and any
 anecdotal information.
Perhaps JP will chime in on the TT101?
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JP did a lot of work on my TT101. We're still debugging it, or I should say that HE is still debugging it. More anon.
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I'm working on a complete restore of a TT-101 too, should hopefully have it up and running in a week or so.
Lewm, Â I have found suitable replacements for most of the transistors in the TT-101, some of the original ones have the silver plated leads that oxidize, as many of the Toshiba Small signal transistors of that era did. Â
If you need a list of these Id be happy to send it to youÂ
Good Listening
Peter |
I find the rebuild and re plinth of a direct drive from the 70’s really far more appealing than spending considerable sums on a new belt drive despite the pitfalls, most of which are repairable we hope. I am currently re plinthing a Sony TTS 8000, using a SAEC 506/30 and an AT ART9. Even with the plinth at prototype stage it sounds fabulous, and easily superior to my (previous) Roksan Xerxes 10/SME IV. Absolutely effortless and super clean sound, after many hours ensuring the arm position and geometry were as good as can be, this required me to produce a specific protractor (laser engraved on to acrylic) which has enabled very accurate cartridge alignment. Once the final plinth is complete and made i’ll put some images on my system page.. This really brings back the joy of our crazy hobby and it's fascinating to use 40 year old designs that can excel sonically against most modern decks..
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Peter, can you publish the list for all to see or send me one to audpluse at aol dot com.. Thanks. |
Thanks for the offer, Peter. Â I sent you a PM. Â Just as an aside, isn't silver oxide a perfectly good conductor, which is partly why to use silver? Â I know when Bill Thalmann worked on my DP80, he replaced all the OEM transistors with new ones, on the premise that the OEM ones with which he is familiar are prone to failure (although I don't think any of them had actually failed in my DP80). Â I wouldn't be surprised if the transistors in the TT101 were of the same provenance as those in the DP80.
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Aigenga,
You tightened the bottom bearing well too tight, this one is used to set the height of the rotor inside the motor housing. Â You should re-examine this assembly. Â The reason that the bottom plug was secured with a "clay like material" was to prevent it form coming loose. Â tighten it just so much that you get a rub with the top cover on the motor on, then back it off a quarter turn, then secure it with a dap of nail polish or similar.
Best of luck
Peter   |
Regarding the transistors used in the TT-101 I want to make sure that I can get the table working with the new ones installed, I'm still a little ways away form this.
Once I get it going I'll let you know the appropriate replacements
Good Listening
Peter
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ps68, You've independently hit upon exactly the reason I went off on a craze over these vintage dd turntables. In the end, the better ones are the best bang for the buck. Plus, the drive and rhythm that they can impart to music are addictive and unique. The best idler-drive turntables are of a similar flavor.
To all: The problem with my TT101 seems at the moment only to have been a tiny crack in the main PCB, right near the edge. JP thinks it occurred during manufacture, 30-odd years ago. The circuit was only maintained by solder, and once the solder cracked (invisibly, I might add), the result was a fault in TT101 function that was manifested intermittently, depending upon stress on that PCB. There was no need to replace the SC3042 chip in mine or indeed any of the discrete transistors. Great work by JP to find this problem, only made possible by the fact that the thing finally malfunctioned in the presence of a smart guy who knew how to trace down the cause. Other such problems are being searched for, just as a precaution before I get it back. I hope this is not premature, but I am very pleased.
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Lewm,
Absolutely, the top end of the late 70's DD era will never be repeated, and many of them are still very viable contenders when it comes to proper high fidelity. The limiter is finding them in unabused condition, and knowing a good service tech if anything needs doing. Beyond this, with careful design one can build a vinyl front end comparable to any very costly current piece. I have a DP80 also, which I will base my next TT on, after the TTS 8000 is fully finished. This so rewarding when it works well..Â
Glad you may have got the Victor sorted, good work finding the fault by your guy.. |
PBN, Was reading your instructions to Aigenga with interest, since I think I may have a go at cleaning and lubricated the bearing in my unit, once I get it back. Seems to me that loosening the plug, which I assume means turning it counter-clockwise, would have the effect of lowering the bearing/spindle/platter such that the outer edge of the platter might ultimately rub against the escutcheon that surrounds the upper level circuitry and the tachometer and switches. "Tightening" the plug, which would make it move upward into the chassis, would seem to me to be the way to relieve that condition. This, I think, is the opposite of what you wrote. However, since you may have worked this out with your TT101 right in front of you, I am thinking that maybe I do not understand the anatomy of the TT101. Please by all means correct me if I am wrong in my concept of the relationships among these structural elements.
Thanks.
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Lewm,Â
All the DD motors I've worked on, except the DP80, are made like this, the bottom cap that also holds the thrust plate for the bearing are used to adjust the rotor up / down with, which of course moves the platter up and down with it. Â If you screw this one too far in the the rotor can rub against the top cover of the motor. Â Of course this works in reverse too of you don't screw it in far enough the rotor can rub against the bottom cover of the motor as well. Â
What I do on all the tables I refurbish, which is quite a few by now, Â is to tighten the plug so the the rotor seats on the top bushing then back it of 1/4 turn before sealing it in place.
Hope this clarifies the matter. Â
Good Listening
Peter |
In addition to the DP80, the SP10MK2 and 3 don't have any height adjustment via the bearing either.
Good Listening
Peter |
Dear Peter,
Forgot about the rotor, which would be a fixed to the bearing/spindle assembly. Â Thanks. Â My Kewood L07D is built like that as well, perhaps this is common to all coreless motors that more or less copies of the original Dual coreless motor. Â
JP is satisfied that my unit is ready to be returned to me, on Monday.
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Golly; I was really typing fast. Should be "affixed", not "a fixed". Should also be "Kenwood", not Kewood.
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