Your Opinions Of The Mag Lev Turntable?

[ReggieB]

I've been looking at the Tiger-Paw Tranquility as an upgrade option for my LP12. It uses magnetic force to reduce the load on the bearing without totally removing it. The design seems to me a good compromise of still keeping the mechanical bearing, but minimising the force going through it. I've read a couple of online opinions on the Tranquility and it seems to be positive. Anyone any thoughts on the Tranquility, or experience of using it?

[YNWaN]

I did the primary design work and concept modelling for the Tranquility. Roger did the production engineering (a lot more work than often appreciated) and marketing. It’s based on work on magnetically supported bearings I started many years ago and is a variety of the design I personally use in my own deck.

[YNWaN]

There are quiet running turntables made fifty years ago that still have perfectly good bearings, so I don't see maglev being a significant benefit.

It depends on what you consider ‘quiet’ to be. Quiet in the sense that you can’t directly hear any bearing rumble but that doesn’t mean that rumble doesn’t exist, or that the low level noise isn’t interfering with the music. However, if you are thinking of idler drive decks then the motor is likely to be producing much more noise than the main bearing and swamping any bearing rumble that may exist.

[Columbo]

Pickering had a magnetic bearing deck as far back as the late 50s.

In the 70s there was the Gyropoise which was sold under both Pickering and Stanton brands. It's a really neat little deck.

[YNWaN]

Indeed. The primary difference in modern implementations is the use of neodymium magnets which allow much more control over the magnetic field.

[ReggieB]

I did the primary design work and concept modelling for the Tranquility. Roger did the production engineering (a lot more work than often appreciated) and marketing. It’s based on work on magnetically supported bearings I started many years ago and is a variety of the design I personally use in my own deck.

That'll be a positive vote then

Good stuff. Nice to know Mark!

[Columbo]

Pickering had a magnetic bearing deck as far back as the late 50s.

In the 70s there was the Gyropoise which was sold under both Pickering and Stanton brands. It's a really neat little deck.

I don't understand why manufacturers don't employ a magnetic bearing. Seems an easy way of removing a noise source.

[YNWaN]

That'll be a positive vote then

Good stuff. Nice to know Mark!

Well, a positive vote from me at least .

Joking aside, before Linn deleted the entire forum there was a massive thread on there about the Tranquility and people’s experience. Apart from a couple of people with industry axes to grind the feedback was pretty much universally positive. Quite strikingly so given it is an aftermarket mod and few audio enthusiasts seem to agree on anything.

[moggi1964]

Magnets play a part in my turntable, the TEAC TN-400. It uses a Magnet Float system to support (but not suspend) a 2.4kg platter. Stats are below:

Drive system : Direct drive system
Motor: 20 pole 60 slot super low speed DC servo motor
Platter: 30 cm Diameter Aluminum Die Cast Weight 2.4 kg Inertial mass 325 kg · cm 2
Rotation speed: 33 1/3 and 45 rpm
Speed switching method: Electronic switching method by electrotouch
Speed adjustment range: ± 4%
Starting characteristic: Within 3/4 rotation (33 1/3 rms)
Wow flutter: 0.03% (wrms)
S / N ratio: 60 dB
Power supply: 100 V AC, 50/60 Hz, 15 W
Bottom dimension of board: 73 mm
External dimensions: 324 W × 121 H × 370 D mm
Weight (without plinth or arm): 8.5 kg

You needed to provide your own plinth and arm on the early models as they were sold as a competitor to the Technics and for use in broadcast situations.

I have a Plyboo plinth made by a friend of mine and I have a spare TN-400 just in case something goes wrong with this one. The one in the picture was bought by me 'new in box' so only has a few hundred hours on it since it was made in the early 70's.

[Primalsea]

There is/was a company, Clearaudio maybe, who used a sub-platter with magnets that floated the main platter and also spun to create the drive to main platter as well. Still had a vertical bearing. It was about 10 years ago, so I might have remembered it wrong.