Armboard choices

[BB Wan]

So then, my first post (after saying my official hellos) and as you can see from my sig, I am in need of a rega-mount armboard for my techie, so I can put my Illustrious (mk1 so old style threaded spindle) and Kontrapunkt on it. I've seen quite a few are available and I am wondering how much they differ in both build and sound quality (and ease of fitting).

So far seen these:
Sound HiFi £90
Origin Live £58
Sound Supports £35
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rega-RB250-RB300-Armboard-Plate-Technics-SL-1200-1210-MK2-MK3-MK4-MK5-M5G-MK6-/151236121321 ~£37

Any/all advice would be most welcome! :)

[RobbieGong]

More than consider Speedy Steves (member here) ebony armboard, IF you intend to upgrade your techie in a serious sense, looking to get the best out of it sonically ;)

[BB Wan]

Ah yes. I recall seeing someone had one of those in their signature, but had forgotten about it. Is it considered the Ultimate? If so I suspect it comes at a pretty penny?

[twotone]

I paid £100 posted or thereabouts for one recently, this was the armboard, five holes, three fixing holes & one large hole for a Mirco Seiki arm and one small hole for the arm rest and the three captive nuts!

Steve does a fantastic job BTW with a very quick turnaround.

[RobbieGong]

Ah yes. I recall seeing someone had one of those in their signature, but had forgotten about it. Is it considered the Ultimate? If so I suspect it comes at a pretty penny?

In my own experience I would say it is the one to have. Everything in hifi as you know has a signature from small to great. The ebony armboard not only looks the business but by nature lays a natural sonic rightness as a foundation for the arm, and ultimately what you hear right through to the other end / cart. If by ultimate you mean rightness then yes ! - Ebony armboard, Paul Hynes PSU, Mike New bearing and Mike New ETP platter all fall into that category without question :)

[Marco]

+1 for Steve's ebony armboard. Perhaps it was my signature where you seen it mentioned, Neil? :)

In any case, as others have said, Steve's armboards are superb, and notably improve the performance of any tonearm I've heard used on the Technics. Full details here: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?6216-Speedy-Steve-s-custom-made-counterweight-balance-and-armboard-service!

Here's a pic of mine:


http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/856/gwrk.jpg


Marco.

[BB Wan]

It looks beautiful (:drool:), it appears to be very reasonably priced and I'm sure it does indeed sound excellent. I guess I just have to decide whether I think the extra outlay (over one of the cheaper options) is money that is best spent here or put towards a platter mat (I currently appear to have a 5mm rubber mat....ssshhh....I know!) or some better feet or a record clamp or or or or lol!
Fact is, if I eventually end up going 'full-bore' on upgrades, I wouldn't feel too bad about having spent £30/40 quid on something now, that I would no longer be using because I'd be buying a Speedy Steve Ebony, if you see what I mean (think that makes sense.....and I've re-written it twice so it'll have to do! Hahaha)

[Marco]

Lol - I see where you're coming from, Neil... Are you just using the stock Technics mat and feet at the moment?

If so, your money would definitely be better spent on improving those, as they are unquestionably the two things that hold back the performance of the stock Techy the most - they are shocking things that simply don't belong on a hi-fi turntable... :nono:

However, if you've already upgraded them with something better (i.e. that's 'good enough', but not necessarily the best), then you'll get a bigger improvement from fitting an ebony armboard, which in turn will also provide more of a fundamental upgrade than using a record weight/clamp! ;)

Marco.

[CageyH]

If you want something cheaper, have a look at soundsupports.com
They do a reasonably priced arm board. Other options are origin live and F1sport on eBay, to name but a few.

[twotone]

There's a Greek guy on ebay who does aluminium ones too I think or maybe it's stainless steel however they look nice IMO.

Think this is the guy

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SME-Aluminum-Armboard-Plate-for-THORENS-TD-145-146-147-160-165-166-turntables-/161212369829?pt=Turntable_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2589018ba5

[BB Wan]

Lol - I see where you're coming from, Neil... Are you just using the stock Technics mat and feet at the moment?

Marco.

Well the mat is the stock 5mm rubber one (which I have heard is about as bad as it gets - the felt slipmat that came with the deck when I bought it sounds better) so that needs sorting.

I had some Foculpods (branded sorbothane hemispheres) already, which I have replaced the stock feet with for now at least. I do intend to get some Isonoe feet (mainly because they're supposed to be excellent but also because I love the look of them!)

I have also robbed my Michell record clamp off my Gyro SE and fitted the Kontrapunkt B to the stock arm as I had them both already too!

So, without spending LOADS of money my next purchases will be mat (we'll come to that another time) and armboard so I can fit the OL Illustrious I also already own. I am hoping that will give the SQ a nice improvement. Hence the armboards thread.

Cut a long story short (sorry I'm going on a bit now....wife rolls eyes stage left ;) ) given that for the forseeable, I will have the above, I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that the ebony armboard will have to wait and that a cheaper option PLUS a decent mat is the best way to progress at this stage. If so, doubt there's much between each of the sub £40 designs?

[BB Wan]

Thanks CageyH and twotone. I've seen them and they do look nice I have to say! Black option too by the looks of it!

[BB Wan]

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/856/gwrk.jpg

Marco.

:wow: Sexy looking arm Marco!