The Heybrook TT2 info thread.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Hope so!

is that the one that just sold on eBay?

Probably but several have been put up for sale. I should get it next week.

[shane]

Did you get it?

[Wakefield Turntables]

Yes, Shane, No - 455. Not done a great deal with it. I managed to score a NOS belt. I've an Alphason HR100S waiting to be bolted on the tonearm board. I need to find the relevant bolts, or maybe even make a new tonearm board. I've started looking for a external PSU as well, this will hopefully be switchable bewteen my TD160 super and the TT2. Am I correct in thinking the TT2 platter speed varies according to voltage variations?

[shane]

No, not significantly. It uses the same Impex/Premotec/Airpax 24 pole synchronous motor as used by Linn, Rega et al, which is also very similar to the Thorens. As such, speed is dictated by supply frequency rather than voltage. Like all synchronous motors, it will vibrate slightly if fed with a less than pure mains waveform, hence the benefit of a regenerative PSU. I’ll be interested to hear your opinion of the difference that makes.

Nice arm choice. I always liked the Alphason titanium arms.

IIRC s/no 455 should be a steel chassis version. Nice.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Shane, hope your viewing! I've found some time to mess around with the TT2. Firstly I need to make a new baseboard. I intend using thick birch plywood, would this be ok or would you suggest something different? Is there a specific thickness to the baseboard, or would thicker and heavier be better for damping the plinth? I got the isokinetik external PSU so I'll give you some feedback when I've got the thing fully setup.

[shane]

The original baseboard was just bog-standard hardboard. Due to the way the plinth was constructed it didn’t make a huge amount of difference as I remember, but it might be worth some experimentation. 6mm birch ply maybe?

I don’t know if yours is one of the very early ones which had four M6x10 bolts for feet? If so, junk them! Changing to simple rubber bung feet tidied things up to a surprising extent.

[Wakefield Turntables]

OK 6mm birch ply or whatever I find @ Wickes tomorrow! What oil do you recommend for the bearing, and finally is it worth using anything else other than a felt mat? The Alphason is now properly mounted, I messed around last night and fitted it. I'll probably lightly polish the spindle and inner platter, maybe polish the outer platter as well. Aseathetically the black base could do with a fresh lick of black paint and I may lightly sand and varnish the veneer, I may lightly wax it, I'm not decided yet.

[shane]

For oil, I’d avoid anything meant for use in any part of a car as these are full of additives which are vital for their intended function but no good for turntables. Any decent quality light machine oil such as sewing machine oil will do. There are all sorts of people with exotic recipes for turntable bearing oil which will probably be fine, but I doubt if they make a significant difference.

I wouldn’t worry about polishing the bearing shaft. As long as it’s clean the ground surface of the shaft helps the oil to adhere. Do check the end of the shaft for any sign of an indentation where it sits on the ball though. If there’s any wear there that won’t polish out, a local machine shop should be able to lap the end flat. If you then lift the ball out with a magnet and let it settle back in, the shaft will the sit on a new point on the ball.

Mats are a good area for experimentation. I’ve always stuck with the original felt mat the we bought in from Linn, but people have given good reports of cork, leather, hard rubber and even copper. From what I gather, you have plenty of alternatives available!

Really looking forward to hearing what you think of it!

[Wakefield Turntables]

Thanks for all the help so far shane. Very good of you.

[shane]

Always happy to help keep a TT2 going!