Home build turntables

[Gordon Steadman]

I thought I might have a go at one of these. Its a bit windy round here so the breeze protectors rather appeal. Not sure what the syringe does though.

[Firebottle]

Auto lube?

The wife says she wouldn't like to clean it though :eyebrows:

:cool:Alan

[Audio Al]

Looks like a perspex version of " Mousetrap " the game :D

[walpurgis]

But does it sound any good?

It looks like complexity just for its own sake!

[Kember]

I thought I might have a go at one of these. Its a bit windy round here so the breeze protectors rather appeal. Not sure what the syringe does though.

Gordon

Wow! A bit steampunk! It looks more like a dialysis machine than a deck. Or perhaps the syringe suggests that it performs enemas as well?:lol:

Peter

[Oldpinkman]

And I thought my plans for pimping the PT were complicated! Clearly a stroll in the park after seeing that :)

[Gordon Steadman]

Aghhhh....complexity!! Must be better.

I was looking at various ideas before I started to make my own tone arm in wood. It is suggested that one of the best sounding arms was just a stick of balsa with the cartridge bolted to one end and using a knitting needle as a unipivot!!! I strongly suspect that a somewhat false path has opened up somewhere.

Alan, as far as cleaning is concerned it seems likely that Ronnie would just pass the duster.:(

I used to know a good joke about enemas, fortunately, I can't remember it.

[Oldpinkman]

Aghhhh....complexity!! Must be better.

I was looking at various ideas before I started to make my own tone arm in wood. It is suggested that one of the best sounding arms was just a stick of balsa with the cartridge bolted to one end and using a knitting needle as a unipivot!!! I strongly suspect that a somewhat false path has opened up somewhere.

Alan, as far as cleaning is concerned it seems likely that Ronnie would just pass the duster.:(

I used to know a good joke about enemas, fortunately, I can't remember it.

OK - I'll let you into a little secret. 30 years ago, Arthur, Owen and I concluded the perfect tonearm would be a balsa wood tube with a high mass headshell. I think the knitting needle bearing is maybe stretching a point, but for 30 years I've wondered about that arm. Now that the boy AK is doing arms, having heard the F5, been amazed by it compared with the 774, and discussed some of the design ideas, I asked him to help me build a balsa wood one - my idea being to have a wooden bearing block (caged ball bearings rather than a knitting needle) and a lead filled wood counterweight. The sneaky little herbert had already tried it (the balsa tube - not the other gimmicks). Amazing uncoloured detailed sound - all the qualities we were looking for - but about 50db down - almost inaudible with any phono stage. Not just excessive damping, but complex bending modes. So - nice try - right idea - but a non-runner

[Kember]

OK - I'll let you into a little secret. 30 years ago, Arthur, Owen and I concluded the perfect tonearm would be a balsa wood tube with a high mass headshell. I think the knitting needle bearing is maybe stretching a point, but for 30 years I've wondered about that arm. Now that the boy AK is doing arms, having heard the F5, been amazed by it compared with the 774, and discussed some of the design ideas, I asked him to help me build a balsa wood one - my idea being to have a wooden bearing block (caged ball bearings rather than a knitting needle) and a lead filled wood counterweight. The sneaky little herbert had already tried it (the balsa tube - not the other gimmicks). Amazing uncoloured detailed sound - all the qualities we were looking for - but about 50db down - almost inaudible with any phono stage. Not just excessive damping, but complex bending modes. So - nice try - right idea - but a non-runner

Have you gentlemen seen this one - http://www.audioenz.co.nz/entry.php/25-Yet-Another-Tonearm-Digression ?

[Oldpinkman]

Have you gentlemen seen this one - http://www.audioenz.co.nz/entry.php/25-Yet-Another-Tonearm-Digression ?

Interesting. As i say the principal makes sense - but I am told had fatal compromises. Reminds me of this though - http://www.schuchtronic.de/ - another interesting idea

[Kember]

Interesting. As i say the principal makes sense - but I am told had fatal compromises. Reminds me of this though - http://www.schuchtronic.de/ - another interesting idea

At the risk of sounding like an old fart, I was sitting here fondly imagining getting out sheets of balsa, a sharp knife and a cutting board again.:wheniwasaboy:

Then I remembered that there is a division of Dynavector that still does aircraft kits. Off to eBay!

Seriously, can you still buy balsa sheets?

[The Grand Wazoo]

Oh yes:
http://www.slecuk.com/catalogue/Balsa-Wood.html

[Kember]

Oh yes:
http://www.slecuk.com/catalogue/Balsa-Wood.html

Oh, Chris. Thanks.

Now I'm tempted to stop doing my paid work, stop weaving my own cables and get cracking on a tonearm instead. Or I could just buy an aeroplane kit and boast about my new Dynavector that way instead!

Peter

[Oldpinkman]

Aeroplanes fine. Watch out for helicopters. I spend my life fixing my 450 rc heli. I managed to spend more than the cost of the original unit in repairs before I managed my first successful hover and land. Stick to building tonearms - much safer.

(Of course - even more fun just to borrow some somebody else has made. If only I could do that with heli's :))

[The Grand Wazoo]

Dynavector De Havilland Hornet

http://www.dynavector.co.jp/airmodel/vacuum/images/f3_600w.jpg

[Kember]

Dynavector De Havilland Hornet

http://www.dynavector.co.jp/airmodel/vacuum/images/f3_600w.jpg

:drool:

But is the VTA easily adjustable?

[The Grand Wazoo]

VTA is a function of height?
I don't think they do a Harrier though!

[Kember]

VTA is a function of height?
I don't think they do a Harrier though!
:lol:

[datawireless]

Now, now gentlemen,

Back to the subject under original discussion. I suspect that Gordon Steadman was not really serious but has nevertheless succeeded in getting a lively discussion going.
We all know (don't we?) that the thumbnail photo was not that of any analogue transcription device known to man or beast.

And not a single bit of balsa wood in sight, I checked.:scratch:

Regards,
Mike

[walpurgis]

Dynavector De Havilland Hornet

Now there's a plane! Those Rolls Royce Griffon engines were amazing. The Hornet was one of the fastest piston engined aircraft ever made. Never actually seen one in the flesh though. Are there any left? Did see a Mossie flying years ago, what a plane (and a Grumman Tiger and Lockheed Lightning. Wow!).

[Gordon Steadman]

Now, now gentlemen,

Back to the subject under original discussion. I suspect that Gordon Steadman was not really serious but has nevertheless succeeded in getting a lively discussion going.
We all know (don't we?) that the thumbnail photo was not that of any analogue transcription device known to man or beast.

And not a single bit of balsa wood in sight, I checked.:scratch:

Regards,
Mike

'ere you,

I'll have you know I am a serious personage. Everything I say, do or think has a deadly serious intent. I have never done or said anything that wasn't carefully designed to................