+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 25

Thread: New arrival - Permali (Panzerholz) plinth for TD124

  1. #1
    montesquieu Guest

    Default New arrival - Permali (Panzerholz) plinth for TD124

    For a while, I’ve been pondering a change of plinth to put my 12in arm on the right, rather than at the back as was before, with the 9in arm at the back.

    To further this, I got chatting to Russ Collinson (Layers of Beauty, well known to many here) and we discussed doing one with a Panzerholz core, wrapped in sold wood (rather than veneer). This is similar to the Artisan Fidelity approach, but with exactly my preferred wood choices: I wanted the external solid wood to to be sapele, finished to match my big Tannoys, the RFC Canterbury cabinets designed by Paul Coupe but built for me by Russ, to get the consistency of look.

    For the core, we settled on Permali, which is almost identical density to Panzerholz, but UK made and therefore easier to get hold of.

    So here’s the picture journey:

    Spot on 40kg worth of Panzerholz as raw material (not cheap!)



    Panzerholz core completed



    Plinth completed. The cover over the 12in recess enables a 9in arm to be used in the normal TD124 position should that be required.





    I managed to source some tonearm stabilisers, an evolution of the Fidelity Research N60 used on the FR64, for the Ikeda arms. These are 500g each and their heft really surprised me. See here pictured with one of the existing Ikeda tonearm nuts, to get a sense of scale.




  2. #2
    montesquieu Guest

    Default

    Time to start putting it together - fitting here the 9in Ikeda IT-345 CR1 at the rear, Ikeda IT-407 at the side. The IT-407 is a non-standard alignment, so I’ve been working with a guy in Ukraine, Andiii Gadzevych, who produces custom calculators for different tonearm geometries, to see if we could optimise the spindle to pivot distance, based on SPU arm collar to stylus pitch. A bit of trial and error with several attempts, but we settled at 296mm and it comes in in a perfect curve and abolished any feeling of inner groove distortion. I also got one done for the IT-345 too but that’s perfect for SPU at the standard 230mm - handy thing to check setup though.






  3. #3
    montesquieu Guest

    Default

    And finally the finished result. The armboards are Permali, veneered in walnut and stained black - I think they look ace. There was enough Permali for two spare sets of armboards so I have future options for arms.

    All up the completed plinth was 35kg without motor unit, platter, arms etc, so my guess is all up weight is between 45 ad 50kg, it’s certainly a bugger to lift! I was very impressed with the Townshend Seismic Pods which seem to work even better with the extra weight (max 64kg specification).

    I’ve had it up and running now for a week and a half. It’s hard to tell from just the plinth, as at the same time I fitted the Hanze Hifi motor spring modification, but the overall sense is that everything just got notably quieter, blacker, more focused, with a greater feeling of acoustic space. This TD124 has the Schopper platter and bearing, a Longdog PSU and a Rubato mat, Townshend Seismic Pods for feet so it’s a long way from standard .. overall I think it’s probably about as far as you can take a TD124 in terms of performance.

    Anyway I’m over the moon with both the plinth's looks and the sound.











    Last edited by montesquieu; 31-10-2019 at 16:27.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    All looking smashin' Tom.. lucky guy
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  5. #5
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: London

    Posts: 685
    I'm James.

    Default

    Those ikeda arms look like they fell off a Soyuz space capsule, proper character!
    Lovely set up you've got there Tom, but how do you reach the records behind those Canterburys?

    Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    montesquieu Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jazid View Post
    Those ikeda arms look like they fell off a Soyuz space capsule, proper character!
    Lovely set up you've got there Tom, but how do you reach the records behind those Canterburys?

    Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk
    There's more space than it looks in the pic, you can stand behind the speaker no problem.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: West Sūţsēaxe

    Posts: 2,015
    I'm Edward.

    Default

    Wonderful looking new plinth Tom. Like the way Russ has placed the grain on the front of the plinth. Good choice!

    In addition to the setup looking out of this world it is good to hear that the sound has improved in a way you want.
    Current: [P20] Roon/Tidal > Custom PC> Chevron Paradox NDF16 > Phast Pre > Neuro. 686 > Tannoy Berkley (RFC tweaks)


  8. #8
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Beautiful work. Love the look of it.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Barnet, london UK

    Posts: 2,146
    I'm Adam.

    Default

    Going off piste and rocking an already very high performing set up takes great thought, deliberation, worry and commitment.

    Really pleased it has worked out Tom.
    It certainly looks a wonderfully classy bit of work .
    Well done Russ!

    Can’t wait to hear it!

    Great write up as per usual, showing the care and thought behind it.
    "lack of passion is fatal"


    Vinyl: Thorens TD-124mk2 / SME-312 Aluminium 'special' / SME M2-9R / STEREO: Etsuro Urushi Cobalt / Shure M3D / Ortofon SPU A95 / Cartridge Man Music Master / Shure - SC35C (US) / SAEC C3 MC MONO: Miyajima Zero B 0.7mil mono / Miyajima Premium 1.0 / Amps & SUTs: Radford STA25 mk3 / AD Audio 'Satchmo2' pre & LCR phono / Hashimoto HM-7 SUT / ETR-MONO SUT Digital: Audio Note 4.1 (with DAC5 upgrades) DAC / Roon / Tidal Speakers: Tannoy 12" MGs' in RFC custom 'Rutland' Cabinets with RFC crossovers / Tannoy ST-100 Super Tweeters Cables: LFD Grainless phono / RFC Mercury / Duelund DCA16GA tinned copper / Kimber 12TC / SW1X Audio Design USB-SPdif / Duelund DCA20GA interconnects / SW1X Audio SPDIF Aero 6 / Mains Power Conditioner / Box Furniture rack / Audiodesk Systeme Vinyl Cleaner / a very beautiful & understanding Wife!

  10. #10
    Join Date: May 2011

    Location: Glasgow

    Posts: 7,718
    I'm Brian.

    Default

    Craftsmanship in spades there Tom , absolutely beautiful work
    Regards
    Brian

    Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment . (Rumi )


    Korus Computer Audio music server
    JustBoom DAC . HRT Musicstreamer 2
    Amplifier : Sony TA FB740R
    Speakers : Tannoy 637
    Interconnects : MS Audio / Klotz MC5000 .
    Speaker cables : Western Electric 16AG

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •