VTAF for Jelco SA-750D on SL-1210

**Ammonite Audio** · 03-03-2010, 10:33

Originally Posted by Dave Cawley

.......... Shuggie has never been overly happy with his 750, but he seems to be the only one using a 2M black?

Regards

Dave

Please don't make statements like that on my behalf. The 2M Black does work very nicely with the 750, thank you; however I have found that the correct vertical alignment of the arm pillar and the tightness of the grub screw are critical to getting good results.

**Dave Cawley** · 03-03-2010, 10:49

Hi Shuggie, it was only an observation based on what you have said over the last few months. No offence meant at all!

Dave

**Marco** · 03-03-2010, 11:19

Hi Dave,

Yup, however having heard Shuggie's Ortofon 2M Black on his deck in my system, I can say quite categorically that it works perfectly well on the SA-750.

I don't like it as much as I do my DL-103SA (as of course you'd expect) but it certainly plays music rather nicely indeed

However, the jury is still out for me on the efficacy of the Riggle VTAF, primarily due to what Blake wrote earlier:

The Riggle also "decouples" the arm from the rest of the table and this is an area in which some disagreement surfaces on what it, in fact, does to the sound.

I'm not sure if that's going to be a good thing, however no doubt Shuggs will inform us whether or not it is in due course, and if he likes it, I'm sure that I'll get a listen myself in due course

Marco.

**Ammonite Audio** · 03-03-2010, 11:32

Originally Posted by Dave Cawley

Hi Shuggie, it was only an observation based on what you have said over the last few months. No offence meant at all!

Dave

Thanks - perhaps I pounced onto the keyboard rather too readily, and I apologise for that!

Originally Posted by Marco

However, the jury is still out for me on the efficacy of the Riggle VTAF, primarily due to what Blake wrote earlier:

The Riggle also "decouples" the arm from the rest of the table and this is an area in which some disagreement surfaces on what it, in fact, does to the sound.

I'm not sure if that's going to be a good thing, however no doubt Shuggs will inform us whether or not it is in due course, and if he likes it, I'm sure that I'll get a listen myself in due course

Marco.

I do hope that it is a Good Thing! But, we shall see (or rather, hear). One key feature with the VTAF is that it will be very easy to swap arms between the Technics and the old Kenwood, which I must get up and running again as Marco did express an interest in hearing it.

**Dave Cawley** · 03-03-2010, 11:41

I share the views of Avid, SME, Clearaudio and others. And that is why I stick my neck out and modified the Gyrodec to be perfectly hard without a trace of decoupling!

Regards

Dave

**Marco** · 03-03-2010, 12:48

One key feature with the VTAF is that it will be very easy to swap arms between the Technics and the old Kenwood, which I must get up and running again as Marco did express an interest in hearing it.

Indeed. I would love to hear the Kenwood in its various 'guises', so we'll need to do it sometime

Marco.

**Ammonite Audio** · 04-03-2010, 14:58

The US postal service is obviously on the ball, as the VTAF arrived this afternoon. So, an evening on my knees in front of the rack is in order

**Marco** · 04-03-2010, 15:01

Oooh... We can't wait to hear the verdict!

Marco.

**Ammonite Audio** · 04-03-2010, 19:14

I'm sorry Marco, you'll have to wait a bit for the verdict! There is a bit of an "Arthur Scargill"* in that the VTAF adjuster wheel is too big, and fouls the Jelco's lift/lower device. I've sent photos to Pete Riggle, and I'm sure he'll sort something out. I did set it up without the lift/lower device, and the sound is notably full in the lower registers, but that's as far as I can comment at this point. Anyway, here are a few phots:

The VTAF bushing in the custom armboard, showing the vertical guides that stop the arm from rotating:

The Jelco/VTAF on the deck, minus the lift/lower device:

I'm sure it will all come good eventually!

* Minor problem.

**Ammonite Audio** · 04-03-2010, 20:31

I'm pleased to report that Pete Riggle has already replied to me, and is making up a smaller adjuster wheel. That's good, reassuring service. Having replaced the other armboard with the Jelco mounting collar onto the Technics, I sense that the deck is sounding less 'free' than with the VTAF; indeed it sounds relatively 'matter-of-fact'. Far too little time to make conclusive comments, of course, but encouraging for the VTAF nevertheless.

So, for those interested in following this little experiment, please be patient for another week or so.

Thread: VTAF for Jelco SA-750D on SL-1210

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