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Ammonite Audio
20-07-2014, 11:14
Hello from Hugo at Ammonite Acoustics, formerly posting here on AoS as Shuggie.

Many members here are already familiar with my improved mounting collars for Jelco Tonearms, which are now in 'even more improved' Mk2 form and accompanied by a matching spacer ring which raises the collar by 10mm (or multiples of 10mm). You can read all about them at http://ammonite-acoustics.co.uk/home/ammonite-audio/ and buy them directly from the webshop at http://ammonite-acoustics.co.uk/home/shop/

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s301/hugocass/Jelco%20Collar/Jelco_Collar_Grey_zps1b9f8e38.jpg http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s301/hugocass/Jelco%20Collar/Jelco_Collar-Black_zpse0615a60.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s301/hugocass/Jelco%20Collar/Jelco_Collar_2Spacer_Grey_zps5a948570.jpg http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s301/hugocass/Jelco%20Collar/Jelco_Collar_2Spacer_Black_zps4c95843b.jpg

synsei
20-07-2014, 11:21
Looking very good Hugo, good luck with the venture ;)

Marco
20-07-2014, 11:46
Nice one Hugo, those look great! I wish you all the very best with your new venture.

Btw, just a thought, would it be a lot of hassle/expense to become a dealer for Jelco tonearms? The reason being, the more tonearms around, the more collars that will be required to go with them, plus you also profit from sales of the arms themselves... Just a thought! :)

Marco.

P.S Don't forget to add your webshop and website URL to your forum signature.

Ammonite Audio
20-07-2014, 15:01
This review of a Feickert Woodpecker (http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/dr-feickert-analogue-woodpecker-turntable/) made me smile. That deck with the Jelco arm fitted is screaming out for one of my improved collar/spacer bundles. When you have to raise a Jelco tonearm by that amount to achieve correct VTA, the poor support provided by the standard collar becomes even more obvious and I'd bet that the arm pillar is canted over noticeably. I wonder if the reviewer actually achieved optimum azimuth alignment of the cartridges used in the review? Maybe it was carelessly set up just for the photo shoot?

http://media.tas.zeitpress.com/articles/images/feickert%20table%202.png

Anyway, if anyone has a Jelco arm installed really high like that one, they really need to give it better support!

YNWaN
20-07-2014, 18:14
That looks very nicely made :)

Ammonite Audio
20-07-2014, 20:33
That looks very nicely made :)

Thanks - I've been very lucky in that my CNC fabricator and the people who do the anodising are both very quality conscious.

Ammonite Audio
31-07-2014, 14:55
Septermber's HiFi Choice, out today, contains a review of the Analogue Works Turntable One. The deck was supplied fitted with a Jelco 250ST tonearm and one of my Mk2 improved mounting collars. The review is very positive and remarks on the ease of tonearm adjustment, but does not mention Ammonite Acoustics as the maker of the collar!

I am pleased to supply Analogue Works with tonearm collars for their excellent value turntables. For information on them, go to http://www.analogueworks.co.uk/ or http://www.divineaudio.co.uk/brands/analogue-works

Here's the front page of HiFi Choice. Sorry but there's no link to the review - you'll have to go to Smiths to read it.

http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/sites/17/images/article_images_month/2014-07/hfc_388_twittercover.jpg

MCRU
02-08-2014, 19:25
Well done Hugo, onwards and upwards mate :)

Ammonite Audio
15-09-2014, 14:11
I will be at the National Audio Show this weekend, assisting MCRU in the Brooklands Suite, so please drop by to say hello. My Jelco collars and spacers will be on offer at special "VAT Free" prices for personal visitors at the show (the offer is not available on-line or after the show).

YNWaN
15-09-2014, 16:38
Good offer! A shame I don't actually need one :(.

Berni217
09-10-2014, 12:30
Hugo,

What are the differences between the Mk1 and the Mk2 version of the collar. I believe I have your Mk1 version. Can I use the "new" spacer with it?

Thanks,
Bernard

Ammonite Audio
09-10-2014, 14:22
Hi Bernard

The new spacer can be used with the old collar, but there will be a visible 'step' around the periphery since the new collars and spacers are slightly smaller in radius, by 1mm. That little design change was done to eliminate any compatibility issues with certain armboards, eg the Sound Supports one for the Technics SL-1200/1210; also it means that the spacer can also be used with the original Jelco collar.

That aside, the main change in the Mk2 collar is the sharp side-cutout in the pillar hole, which provides two sharply defined vertical knife-edges against which the arm pillar is held gently but totally securely, without having to tighten the grub screw by any more than a slight 'nip'. In other words, there is now no possibility at all of any vertical rocking of the arm pillar in the collar - if the platter and armboard are level and true to each other, then the arm pillar will be correctly vertical to that level plane. The grub screw is also now nylon-tipped, replacing the separate screw and small nylon stub that I used to supply - this change was done simply for users' convenience and ease of use, even though the screw itself is actually rather expensive.

If you are considering a new collar with a spacer, give me a shout and I can do you a better deal, as an existing customer.

Berni217
09-10-2014, 22:39
Hi Bernard

The new spacer can be used with the old collar, but there will be a visible 'step' around the periphery since the new collars and spacers are slightly smaller in radius, by 1mm. That little design change was done to eliminate any compatibility issues with certain armboards, eg the Sound Supports one for the Technics SL-1200/1210; also it means that the spacer can also be used with the original Jelco collar.

That aside, the main change in the Mk2 collar is the sharp side-cutout in the pillar hole, which provides two sharply defined vertical knife-edges against which the arm pillar is held gently but totally securely, without having to tighten the grub screw by any more than a slight 'nip'. In other words, there is now no possibility at all of any vertical rocking of the arm pillar in the collar - if the platter and armboard are level and true to each other, then the arm pillar will be correctly vertical to that level plane. The grub screw is also now nylon-tipped, replacing the separate screw and small nylon stub that I used to supply - this change was done simply for users' convenience and ease of use, even though the screw itself is actually rather expensive.

If you are considering a new collar with a spacer, give me a shout and I can do you a better deal, as an existing customer.

PM sent.

Ammonite Audio
06-11-2014, 12:08
Special Offer until 31 December 2014

Ammonite Audio's improved Jelco tonearm collars and spacers are discounted by 20% until the end of the year. Spacer and collar bundles are subject to an additional 5% discount.

So, treat yourselves for Christmas and head for the shop now!

Ammonite Audio
28-11-2014, 12:21
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s301/hugocass/IMGP1448_zps32f4af28.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s301/hugocass/IMGP1449_zps1e9da477.jpg

Here is my old Ittok, fitted with a one-piece custom CNC machined alloy armtube, on the venerable TD-124. The theory behind this project was to eliminate the three different materials in the clanky old Ittok's armtube, eg headshell, tinny tube and end-stub, and replace those with a single piece of acoustically homogenous material. There are a couple of little wrinkles to iron out, but it does sound rather glorious - meaty yet refined, with a far-reaching bass quality that the old Ittok never seemed to manage.

I'd love to pitch it against an Ekos SE! If others agree with me that it's a good product, it may go into limited production, as a cheap way of resurrecting a knackered Ittok, or turning one into a new top-flight tonearm at a sensible price. The Ittok has its flaws, but it has to be one of the easiest arms in the world to handle and use, so in my view it's worthy of an upgrade like this.

Canetoad
29-11-2014, 01:35
That's rather nice Hugo! What sort of cost would be involved if you went into limited production? :)

Ammonite Audio
29-11-2014, 08:47
That really depends on how much more it costs me to develop (prototype CAD work and CNC engineering is expensive), but hopefully sensibly priced and "affordable"

YNWaN
29-11-2014, 09:32
That is a really lovely bit of machining!

Andrei
29-11-2014, 09:57
Ammonite Audio's improved Jelco tonearm collars and spacers are discounted by 20% until the end of the year. Spacer and collar bundles are subject to an additional 5% discount.

So, treat yourselves for Christmas and head for the shop now!

Do you recommend the spacer on the Technics SL1200?

struth
29-11-2014, 11:57
top work Hugo. sure it would be a success

Ammonite Audio
29-11-2014, 13:03
top work Hugo. sure it would be a success

Thanks - I hope so.


That is a really lovely bit of machining!

Thanks - your acrylic work isn't too shabby either!


Do you recommend the spacer on the Technics SL1200?

Almost certainly not. The Technics platter is so low that a sunken armboard is required to make the Jelco arms fit, so there's not usually 10mm available to accommodate a spacer. The situation might be different with a taller Mike New or Funk platter, but I still think a spacer would be unnecessary.

Ammonite Audio
23-12-2014, 13:22
JSA Headphone Conditioners are available to buy from my webshop (http://ammonite-acoustics.co.uk/home/shop/)now. JSA are an offshoot of VertexAQ and you can read about them here (http://vertexaq.com/about-jsa/). In short, these are passive acoustic and RFI absorption boxes that sit between your headphones and the headphone amplifier. They perform the normal VertexAQ trick of reducing interference that interferes with music timing, cues etc.

Paul Rigby has just reviewed the Type 2 Headphone Conditioner very favourable on his Audiophile Man (http://www.theaudiophileman.com/#!vertex-aq-jsa/c1v4g) website. Have a read of the review, but his conclusion sum his feeling up quite nicely:


No doubt using the same technology to its respected Vertex AQ distortion removing cables, filters and power blocks, the JSA clears a lot of the rubbish from a packed soundstage, giving it room to perform and relaxing all of the artists. Instead of a heightened tension, singers and players now seemed to be enjoying themselves. Listening to the JSA, you will too.

http://vertexaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/two-JSA-boxes.png

Ammonite Audio
31-12-2014, 13:11
My 20% discount offer on Jelco collars and spacers ends at midnight today!

Grey spacers are now almost sold out, so grey collar/spacer bundle deals are no longer available. Grey collars, black collars, black spacers and black collar/spacer bundles are all in stock and ready to go.

Andrei
02-03-2015, 07:46
I have recently installed Speedy Steve's Ebony armboard and thought I may as well get the Improved Jelco Collar while I was at it. It works a treat and is blindingly easy to set up. As Hugo says, all you have got to do is make sure your TT is level. Then with his collar you can't help but install the tonearm column vertically ie it is actually impossible to get it wrong.

Ammonite Audio
02-03-2015, 09:13
I have recently installed Speedy Steve's Ebony armboard and thought I may as well get the Improved Jelco Collar while I was at it. It works a treat and is blindingly easy to set up. As Hugo says, all you have got to do is make sure your TT is level. Then with his collar you can't help but install the tonearm column vertically ie it is actually impossible to get it wrong.

Thanks for the kind words Andrei! I'm glad that you're pleased with the collar.

killie99
13-08-2016, 10:42
Just wanted to say a big thanks to Hugo. I ordered a headshell yesterday at 4pm and I received it this morning, fantastic service.

Ammonite Audio
13-08-2016, 13:13
My pleasure. I know that it's hard waiting for any new toy so I do my best to ensure quick delivery.