A very odd arm

[Jac Hawk]

Just got my new TT an Aiwa AP-2600, and to start with i must say how well made it is, it looks like a composite stone plinth, with a very chunky platter weighing about 2 to 3kg's, anyway all goo so far, gave it a clean and oiled the bearings, then looked at the arm. To start with i thought it was broken as it jiggles about on the pivot point, but then it always goes back to it's original position when left to rest.

So i cracked on and stuck a headshell and cart on it and gave it a whirl, still can't get over how good it sounds, the best £22 i've spent in ages, anyway here's a few pics:)

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb371/jachawk9000/IMAG0051.jpg

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb371/jachawk9000/IMAG0050.jpg

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb371/jachawk9000/IMAG0049.jpg

[RobbieGong]

Really nice looking deck, the platter looks like this turntable was made with intent ie: to sound pretty good ;)

[shane]

From your description, it sounds like some sort of unipivot. Unusual for that sort of turntable.

[Reid Malenfant]

Nice going Mike :) Ok, so here is a big bunch of co-incidences :eyebrows:

Both our names start with M, we both mod the AV forum, we were born on the same day (different year admittedly) & now we both have an AP2600 :rfl:


The arms do have that movement as standard by the way, there is some kind of damping arrangement going on around the pivot that you can't see unless you strip the thing & I certainly don't intend to do that.

Nice to see you have the original alloy puck for playing 45s to :D


Enjoy fella, I know you're going to as they do sound superb!

[Jac Hawk]

believe it on not i'm suffering from a bad back at the moment too:( even more coincidence:eek: but i'm not too happy about this particular one

[Jac Hawk]

one thing the platter has some blemishes around the edge what's the best way to get rid of them?

[Reid Malenfant]

I thought about polishing mine, I reckon Solvol Autosol, IE alloy polish may well get you crooning :eyebrows:

Maybe best to use some finer stuff to finish the job though Mike. So many suggestions from other AoS contributors that I'm astonished :D

[Jac Hawk]

just had one of those "wish i hadn't done that" moments. the phono and earth leads on the deck were lets say past there best, so i thought replace um, well i decided to go down the route of putting phono connectors on the back of the deck, an easy job on this deck, all i needed to do was make a new mounting plate and a bit of soldering, half an hour job done:)

plugs it in and i'm getting noise when i go anywhere near the arm or headshell or the connectors i soldered on, didn't shield the connectors did i, what a plonker:doh:

[synsei]

I'd be interested to know how the Aiwa compares to your Technics Mike? ;)

[Reid Malenfant]

believe it on not i'm suffering from a bad back at the moment too:( even more coincidence:eek:
That'll be from shifting the AP2600 mate :rolleyes:

Just noticed that your deck is a different colour from mine :scratch: However, mine is that colour internally (that kind of dappled effect) so I have no idea why that is? Maybe someone gave mine some kind of spray job, if they did they did a professional job of it :)

[Jac Hawk]

Some were that stone effect like that composite worktop you can get and some were a solid grey colour, no idea why:scratch:
To answer your question about sound quality, from the brief listen i had pre brain fart, it's an all-round better sound from the AP2600 than the SL1800, tighter and deeper, and much better platter isolation too, and that was with the headshell literally whipped of the tecky and stuck straight on the aiwa without any re alignment only set the balance and tracking force.

By the way the headshell i have seems to be a bit too light for that arm on the aiwa as i can just to say apply 1.9g of weight before i run out of thread, any ideas?

[Jac Hawk]

a few more pics:)

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb371/jachawk9000/IMAG0054.jpg

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb371/jachawk9000/IMAG0053.jpg

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb371/jachawk9000/IMAG0052.jpg

[Reid Malenfant]

Mine is the solid grey Mike, you have done your research chap :)

I'd suggest you look for a Sumiko headshell fella, they are pretty good for just about anything :cool:


Damned if they aren't a beautiful deck! Great to see another other than my own :)

[Jac Hawk]

is the sumiko considerably heavier than the cast tecky that i have at the moment. is the counterweight on yours moveable, by either turning it thus moving the whole assembly in and out and by moving the weight itself along the collar?

[Reid Malenfant]

The Sumiko is 12 grams & I have no idea how much your teckie headshell weighs :eyebrows:

I'm using the original Aiwa headshell as it happens with a Nagoaka MP11 Boron & it does sound rather good. The Sumiko will come into use when I fit a Denon DL103 as these need a massy tonearm. I may well need to source a heavier counterweight, but as of now I just don't know :scratch:

Yes the counterweight is moveable, can't remember if it turns to alter things though - pretty sure it does however :)

[Jac Hawk]

got no scales so haven't the foggiest, think keith may know the answer though, he's got both i think

[Jac Hawk]

ohh and another thing:eyebrows: the PSU is mounted on rubber bushes near the arm, it wouldn't be too much of a job to remove it and mount it in it's own box externally, or replace it all together, but like you say mark the motor seems to be a sealed unit, so not much can be done there, even the bearings seem to be sealed, this isn't a bad thing as the motor seems to be top notch and very quiet indeed ;)

[Reid Malenfant]

Yeah & the motor is huge! :eyebrows: You forgot to mention that one ;)

I'll be modding mine sooner or later, probably later as I have some speakers to build this year :D

[keiths]

got no scales so haven't the foggiest, think keith may know the answer though, he's got both i think

Sold the Sumiko headshell a few weeks back, but know that it weighed 11.4g. I think the Technics 'shell is 7g approx - would need to remove the cartridge from it to weigh it :)

Edited to add: The Techie shell is 7.5g - http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/technics_dj/compare_analog.asp

[Jac Hawk]

cheers keith, thing is i'll me using the AP2600 in my Cheap as chips system, and i fear the sumiko will tip it over the £100 mark, i'll get one, but i think a head weight for the techy will have to do for the purpose of the challenge.

[Reid Malenfant]

Fleabay is your friend Mike :D I picked mine up secondhand & cheap! Keep your eyes open my friend ;)

[Jac Hawk]

you're right there Mark, still can't believe i only paid £22 for the AP2600, to be honest Aiwa gear doesn't seem to fetch all that much on ebay, suppose most people relate Aiwa to those crappy systems they seem to churn out relentlessly, i did, but then i heard the mini compo and quickly learned there's more to Aiwa than cheap tat, long may the ignorance of joe public continue:cool:

[Reid Malenfant]

<snip> long may the ignorance of joe public continue:cool:
Hallelujah brother :D

You know it! I want it :eyebrows:

[Alex_UK]

Lovely looker, Mike - hope you sort the lead problem, and look forward to seeing and hearing it at Scalford. :)