Magna Audio's custom-made counterweight balance and armboard service!

[Magna Audio]

Here's a project of Tonearm board / arm rewire and fettle I've just done.

Replacing a thin piece of aluminium on a Cranfield Rock deck.
I also rewired the Alphason HR100s arm with Litz silver tonearm wire, fitted a Cardas 5 pin plug (to enable future cable upgrades), and fitted a new tonearm cable he'd bought - all providing quite an upgrade I trust.

All mounted up on 6mm thick ebony.



(I decided a block looked a bit boring so put the bevelled edge on to spice it up a bit)

(I'd run out of M5 black domed or caphead bolts to the ones shown are just for test mounting)




Here's the old somewhat abused plate that the ebony replaced.



The arm re-wire
1st to drill the arm base and tapp it to receive the Cardas 5 pin tonearm cable plug.




Silver Litz wire fitted



Cardas plug located



Buzz tested and colour coded, ready to go.



I also had to re-thread the bias weight micro fishing line too



Be interesting to hear what difference all these changes make.

[MartinT]

It's a brave thing to take to an Alphason arm like that. Excellent work, Steve!

Mind you, that looks dangerously like a Jelco Neglex tonearm cable. Avoid!

[Magna Audio]

Yes it is a jelco cable Stop gap I understand! I did warn to read views here first...

I use my own pure silver concoction from arm to SUT that I like.silver

[Magna Audio]

Here's the ebony one I promised myself for my SP-10. It had a somewhat multi-drilled gunmetal armboard before as I had a SME 12" V on it first and then a hole for my FR64s. Still sounded pretty good and lots a Gunmetal to go around
Now is ebony or gunmetal interacts better with this arm and slate is the question.

Had to make one to find out.



Hard to photograph as ever...



After listening - it does sound good!

After yet more listening; It's brought out a subtle bass underpinned rhythm, more solid and driving. Not lost any of the mid range and upper range delight.
I am really happy with - it's a keeper.

Weird this TT lark how things interact.

[loo]

Just goes to show Steve , the customer is always right
Glad your enjoying the fruits of your labour and it looks mighty fine too
That FR 64 Looks mighty , such a pretty thing in silver you don't see so many silver ones
Cheers Paul

[Magna Audio]

Yes indeed

The black ones are FR64x's. They are suitable for medium to high compliance carts. For something like a SPU or IO's etc you want the 64s...
Perhaps the s stands for solid

[Magna Audio]

Here's the latest for Mike (CableMaker1) from NY USA

For the lovely Ortofon AS-212S


Board and fitting kit are on the way.

[Magna Audio]

This time a tonearm board for Jazzbones' Techi but in a different wood than ebony;



Can you guess what it is?

Rough face off and recessed




Dished



Fitted out for Linn arms

(in flash it looks like this - its not that dark)

Still final rubbing down and polishing to go.

As for the wood. It's African Blackwood. Slightly more dense than Ebony and harder. Nice grain to it.

[RobbieGong]

Simply gorgeous Steve !!

[Magna Audio]

Simply gorgeous Steve !!

I think it is even better now its finished and suitably polished.

Beautiful grain and markings to this African Blackwood. Hope Ron (Jazzbones) likes it, and it sounds as good as it looks.