View Full Version : which way round if it matters?
my pioneer tt uses a converter to run on uk mains,the lead from the tt is just 2 prongs into the converter,i always unplug it when not in use,does it matter or make any difference which way round i plug it in?
I'd say no. I use one to plug in my phonostage power supply which gets unplugged after each use and it has never occurred to me it would make a difference. I don't think the electricity cares or would even notice ;)
cheers,i just wondered :)
Well it's only my take on it. There are folk who swear that swapping round the connection on one of those figure of eight power leads is audible and sounds better one way round over t'other. I'm always a sceptic until I've heard it for myself.
brian2957
22-08-2016, 17:21
Why don't you listen with it plugged in one way and then the other Jamie . Then decide for yourself . Or better still get a family member or a friend who knows nothing about hifi to have a listen :)
On a double insulated unit then no. That is why there is no key
walpurgis
22-08-2016, 17:28
You do realise that having the plug in the wrong way round will totally reverse the phase and polarity of the mains. This means that your amplifier will be working backwards and the music will come out of the speakers in reverse:eek:!
You do realise that having the plug in the wrong way round will totally reverse the phase and polarity of the mains. This means that your amplifier will be working backwards and the music will come out of the speakers in reverse:eek:!
Great for listening to Beatles or Judas Priest albums
Arkless Electronics
22-08-2016, 17:42
Great for listening to Beatles or Judas Priest albums
If you cut through the cable altogether it's great for listening to Justin Bieber albums!
walpurgis
22-08-2016, 17:46
If you cut through the cable altogether it's great for listening to Justin Bieber albums!
I cut those up and use them as filler when plastic welding. :D
You do realise that having the plug in the wrong way round will totally reverse the phase and polarity of the mains. This means that your amplifier will be working backwards and the music will come out of the speakers in reverse:eek:!
No, not quite - what will happen is that anything you say will be picked up by the speakers and end up being cut onto the record you are listening to! :lol:
Great for listening to Beatles or Judas Priest albums
So what are the words spoken on the run-out groove of 'Sgt. Pepper'?
If you cut through the cable altogether it's great for listening to Justin Bieber albums!
As well as Adele and Céline Dion albums!
walpurgis
22-08-2016, 18:29
So what are the words spoken on the run-out groove of 'Sgt. Pepper'?
Dunno. I could dig out the BD1 and see. That can be persuaded to run backwards. :)
So what are the words spoken on the run-out groove of 'Sgt. Pepper'?
Don't Bogart the Stogie;)
Dunno. I could dig out the BD1 and see. That can be persuaded to run backwards. :)
What were those Scottish turntables that were prone to running backwards new out of the box? Some sort of Government funded job creation exercise IIRC. Like DeLorean and about as successful.
What were those Scottish turntables that were prone to running backwards new out of the box? Some sort of Government funded job creation exercise IIRC. Like DeLorean and about as successful.
Strathearn?
prestonchipfryer
22-08-2016, 18:51
Wasn't that the Strathearn turntable produced in Northern Ireland in the 1970s?
Don't Bogart the Stogie;)
Not heard of that before - is it official? To my ears it sounds like "She doesn't get any" (?).
Strathearn. They were so bad my iPhone would hardly let me type the word.
Wasn't that the Strathearn turntable produced in Northern Ireland in the 1970s?
as with delorean, the went Backwards to the future :doh:
Arkless Electronics
22-08-2016, 19:03
Strathearn.... Only ever nationalised hi fi company I know of! There ribbon drivers were actually very good!
If you cut through the cable altogether it's great for listening to Justin Bieber albums!
I though the rules of this forum state that any mention of Justin Bieber and his evil works would result in immediate suspension :bog:
walpurgis
22-08-2016, 20:50
Yes. Suspended by the knackers with barbed wire! :eek:
Beobloke
23-08-2016, 11:49
Strathearn.... Only ever nationalised hi fi company I know of! There ribbon drivers were actually very good!
I didn't think the turntables were quite as abominable as everyone made out either. Certainly the one I had would never run backwards no matter how much I tried to make it to. Frankly, I'd take one over a BD1 any day of the week, especially as the BD1 I owned spent more time trying to run backwards than forwards!
I didn't think the turntables were quite as abominable as everyone made out either. Certainly the one I had would never run backwards no matter how much I tried to make it to.!
That must have been a crushing disappointment.
Arkless Electronics
23-08-2016, 12:13
I didn't think the turntables were quite as abominable as everyone made out either. Certainly the one I had would never run backwards no matter how much I tried to make it to. Frankly, I'd take one over a BD1 any day of the week, especially as the BD1 I owned spent more time trying to run backwards than forwards!
Anythings better than a BD1! Well almost... not so sure in the case of the Strathearn TT's which were truly awful! As I said I do remember being quite impressed with the speakers which IIRC were some sort of ribbon or magneplanar type affair... not full range though, again IIRC. They needed a separate woofer.
StanleyB
23-08-2016, 14:17
Anythings better than a BD1! Well almost... not so sure in the case of the Strathearn TT's which were truly awful!
That's the spin the Linn salesmen put on it.
I didn't think the turntables were quite as abominable as everyone made out either. Certainly the one I had would never run backwards no matter how much I tried to make it to. Frankly, I'd take one over a BD1 any day of the week, especially as the BD1 I owned spent more time trying to run backwards than forwards!
I thought the BD1 had a rubber-tipped arm on the on-off switch lever, which engaged with the rim of the platter and 'kicked' it in the right (clockwise) direction of revolution?
walpurgis
23-08-2016, 15:44
It does. Well, originally a rubber tipper plastic 'peg', later a rubber button.
I've never had one work in reverse during normal use, but they can be encouraged to do so if you spin the platter backwards and use a switch without a rubber bump on.
PaulStewart
23-08-2016, 20:02
I didn't think the turntables were quite as abominable as everyone made out either. Certainly the one I had would never run backwards no matter how much I tried to make it to. Frankly, I'd take one over a BD1 any day of the week, especially as the BD1 I owned spent more time trying to run backwards than forwards!
Sorry Adam, but they were crap, the plan was for a linear motor as they where the buzz word back then. The problem was that the government would not let them have development money as they already had a circular linear motor. Troble is it had been developed for Palitoy to power a model of the Magic Roundabout, I kid you not. The ribbon drivers however were very good, the patents were sold to infinity and became the EMIT units.
It does. Well, originally a rubber tipper plastic 'peg', later a rubber button.
I've never had one work in reverse during normal use, but they can be encouraged to do so if you spin the platter backwards and use a switch without a rubber bump on.
In the later models of BD2 at least there was also a special "anchor" installed inside the motor, which prevented the motor from running backwards. The rubber button alone is enough to keep it starting the right way 100% of the time if it's correctly adjusted to give enough of a bump in the right direction though. Without the rubber button it's truly 50/50 which way it will begin to spin :) Not sure why people dislike the BD1 & BD2 so much, I find them quite endearing in their quirkiness and at least they manage to spin the platter without making any extra noise and keep a decent enough speed. The main bearing is pretty good actually. The motor suspension is a bit fiddly though, I haven't got the original rubber part and made mine out of rubber bands, was a pain to find the right setup to make the suspension loose enough to completely isolate all vibration but not loose enough to start oscillating with it - that resulted in some horrible flutter... actually yeah, the more I think of it the more I can see people loosing their minds fiddling with the decks trying to sort them out :D
walpurgis
24-08-2016, 09:48
In the later models of BD2 at least there was also a special "anchor" installed inside the motor, which prevented the motor from running backwards. The rubber button alone is enough to keep it starting the right way 100% of the time if it's correctly adjusted to give enough of a bump in the right direction though. Without the rubber button it's truly 50/50 which way it will begin to spin :) Not sure why people dislike the BD1 & BD2 so much, I find them quite endearing in their quirkiness and at least they manage to spin the platter without making any extra noise and keep a decent enough speed. The main bearing is pretty good actually. The motor suspension is a bit fiddly though, I haven't got the original rubber part and made mine out of rubber bands, was a pain to find the right setup to make the suspension loose enough to completely isolate all vibration but not loose enough to start oscillating with it - that resulted in some horrible flutter... actually yeah, the more I think of it the more I can see people loosing their minds fiddling with the decks trying to sort them out :D
The anti reverse mechanism was a floating plastic dog that would catch if the motor tried to rotate the wrong way. It was used on the BD1 and BD2.
I'm not sure the BD1 is unpopular, some seem quite fond of them, I am. I know Adam likes to say rude things about them (;)), but at least they offered spectacular value for money at the time. Having owned about a dozen of these, I know they can be persuaded to sound remarkably good.
The elastic band motor suspension is a weakness, but easy enough to rebuild every couple of years. I use thin neoprene bands, they last longer and posess a good degree of self damping.
I still own a BD1. Not mounted in a plinth at the moment though. I really must get around to using it. I also have a box of spares, enough to keep one going indefinitely.
I'm tempted to make an alloy motor pulley like the early version that had no 'notch' to assist speed changes. The 'notch' gives that faint chirping sound that most people associate with Connoisseurs. The plain pulley does not do this.
walpurgis
24-08-2016, 10:11
Here we are. I knew I had one tucked away.
http://i66.tinypic.com/k00t4p.jpg
By sheer chance, I notice it is an early one with the plain motor pulley. That's handy.
Beobloke
24-08-2016, 12:02
Sorry Adam, but they were crap, the plan was for a linear motor as they where the buzz word back then. The problem was that the government would not let them have development money as they already had a circular linear motor. Troble is it had been developed for Palitoy to power a model of the Magic Roundabout, I kid you not. The ribbon drivers however were very good, the patents were sold to infinity and became the EMIT units.
Actually, the basic motor design used on the Strathearns was originally developed for Mettoy for use on their battery operated record players such as the Music Maker, Music Master Stereo, Friscodisco and the Corgi Discosound Roadshow. The basic version used on these units had an single motor element and was regulated by a reed relay, which made an amusing noise as the platter rotated! The Strathearn designs used a three element motor without the relay which was supposed to eliminate the "turning the wrong way" problem and, despite me never seeing evidence of this, it apparently didn't.
About 10-12 years ago I bought an STM4 just to try out, being well aware of its reputation. As mentioned, mine ran smoothly, silently and in the right direction. In fact, I can honestly say that it is one of the quietest turntables I have owned in terms of vinyl surface noise. The only issue with it that I had was it was a variant where the headshell was attached to the armtube via a lossy rubber coupling. This was a spectacularly daft idea that ruined the bass but the rest of the frequency range really wasn't bad at all.
I did briefly ponder modifying it to cure this design flaw but a visiting friend took a shine to its black finish and compact dimensions and so I sold it to him. I last heard from him about 18 months ago and it was still going strong!
PaulStewart
24-08-2016, 18:10
Actually, the basic motor design used on the Strathearns was originally developed for Mettoy for use on their battery operated record players such as the Music Maker, Music Master Stereo, Friscodisco and the Corgi Discosound Roadshow.
Quite right my mistake, it was Mettoy, who also made Corgi cars. The motor was used in their Magic roundabout model. My niece still, (I hope) has the one I gave her.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.