FrankenRega goes ceramic

[JohnMichael]

What started out as Rega Planar 2 has been upgraded by enough aftermarket parts to be called the FrankenRega. Today I ordered a new ceramic bearing for it. I am currently using a ruby bearing in place of the original stainless steel bearing. I am not expecting much from this tweak but I will have fun trying it out. Oh and it will be a good time to change the bearing oil.

What remains of the Rega is the plinth, bearing well, one foot, most of the tonearm from the bearings and mount to the headshell and the original motor. I am seriously thinking about either the new Rega solid mount motor or one of the Origin Live's dc motor as a replacement. I have read good things about going from ac to dc. Replacing the stock subplatter with the heavier, slightly larger machined subplatter has reduced that 1% faster speed that Regas at 60hz exhibit. I am not sure that with the subplatter I will notice any difference. The real advantage to me will be having a backup motor for my ten year old table. I would appreciate input from anyone who has exchanged ttable motors.

[poppachubby]

Why ceramic JM?

[JohnMichael]

Ceramics have some properties that make it good for bearings. They are very hard, very smooth and do not seize like stainless steel. In some instances ceramic has less drag so better rotational speed. Oh and it was under $20 so I was curious. I like to buy the table new presents every now and again.

[poppachubby]

Ceramics have some properties that make it good for bearings. They are very hard, very smooth and do not seize like stainless steel. In some instances ceramic has less drag so better rotational speed. Oh and it was under $20 so I was curious. I like to buy the table new presents every now and again.

Interesting, seems like a strange material to use with everything thats available nowadays.

What do you use for your bearing oil? I can send you some fantastic industrial oil OR even better, some fantastic industrial, clear "grease". The grease is used for heavy duty loads, a turntable would present no challenge. I would imagine it would reduce your need to re-oil considerably. If you would like, I can put some into a small vial and mail it to you. Being a member of the SoundMind cult, I'm sure you're familiar with mailing small vials of foreign substances.

Oh I have your address, right next door to Harpo Studios right?

Boy, I'm on a roll tonight...

[JohnMichael]

Interesting, seems like a strange material to use with everything thats available nowadays.

I can send you some fantastic industrial oil OR even better, some fantastic industrial, clear "grease". Being a member of the SoundMind cult, I'm sure you're familiar with mailing small vials of foreign substances.

Oh I have your address, right next door to Harpo Studios right?

Boy, I'm on a roll tonight...

No I am in front of Nate's house. I am the guy with the binoculars.

I wonder if the grease's thickness would make the motor work harder than if the bearing was in oil. I usually buy a vial of ttable oil offered by Music Direct. Thanks for your concerns about my lubrication needs.

Speaking of shipping small vials some time I will have to tell you how I shipped tattoo ink into a prison.

[poppachubby]

No JM, it wouldn't work harder. It's a wonderful synthetic designed as a "long term" solution for lubrication over any oil.

[atomicAdam]

on the plus side if the grease doesn't do it for you it shouldn't be a total pain in the ass to clean and start again....not!

[JohnMichael]

The bearing arrived today and the oil will be here tomorrow. As I have said I do not think I will hear a difference in bearing materials but I will have a choice between stainless steel, ruby and ceramic. The instructions say to cut a clean straw to use like tweezers to remove the bearing. I can picture me now trying to remove an oily ruby bearing using a straw. Now I wish I had played Operation as a child.

[JohnMichael]

Well the bearing did seem to improve the sound. Listening to a Telarc recording of the Cleveland Orchestra performing "The Rite of Spring" I noticed greater definition between the bass drum and the tympani. More power in the strike to the skin of the drum and still hearing the decay when it is struck again. Less congestion in complex passages was another plus. Well worth the $18 and gave me a chance to change the bearing oil.

I have also been working on the anti-skate settings and think I am happy with how it is set. I had been using the method of adjusting it slowly until the right channel becomes as dynamic and same volume output as the left. Today I decided to use a mono record and that was much easier. I know that with a mono record the sound should be clustered in between the two speakers. Today I adjusted the anti-skating until the music which was more from center to left speaker moved to the center. Once the sound was centered between the two speakers I knew I had it.

[squidboyw]

In my own limited experience, I have found that often the small things that we think will have little or no impact, quite often do much more than we ever expected.

An example in my own life would be when I purchased my first record cleaning machine. All I wanted was to remove the crud from the surface, to diminish the noise and save some wear on the needle.

So there I am, working my way through the latest stack of LPs to come home with me when the Old Man comes down to see what his demented son has dragged home now. The Old Man was a pro musician for many years. He was more notable as being the person who did most of the arrangements for the big bands in the Green bay / Northeast Wisc area in the late 40s and 50s. Knowing the Old Man, he could not care less about my stereo or any of that. When I looked at him while he listened, I envisioned the charts flowing through his head as the music played.

I had just received a new copy of an album of one of the bands he liked so as he settled into the sweet spot chair, I slit the wrap, flung the LP on the VPI 19 and dropped the needle. When the side was done, I thought I would give the LP a quick wash before we heard the next side. Half a dozen turns on the Nitty Gritty 1.5Fi, flip, do the same on the other side, and back on the turntable. Not being alert, I placed the same side face up on the table, and dropped the needle again. Hhhmmmmm... that sounds very familiar thinks I. I was about to lift the arm and flip the LP when I see the Old Man half standing, half crouched, eyes closed and pointing to just left of center and saying, "Where was that guy before? He wasn't there the first time you played this!" Right then, I knew I was going to wash all my records, even if they were new. I never even considered that washing an LP would change the sound staging, imaging, or the like.

Like JM has seen, even the little things make a difference.

[poppachubby]

I never even considered that washing an LP would change the sound staging, imaging, or the like.

Like JM has seen, even the little things make a difference.

Nothing hits my tables without a cleaning. Always wet with some elbow action, I scrub those babies into perfection...

[poppachubby]

Today I adjusted the anti-skating until the music which was more from center to left speaker moved to the center. Once the sound was centered between the two speakers I knew I had it.

I use no anti skate on all 3 of my tables. Are you adjusting by ear John, or with the help or some meter or gauge? Glad the bearing was a success...

[JohnMichael]

I use no anti skate on all 3 of my tables. Are you adjusting by ear John, or with the help or some meter or gauge? Glad the bearing was a success...

By ear. I wish I had a test record and should buy one. In my sytem without anti-skating the images are stronger from the left speaker to the center. Sounds almost like the balance control needs adjusted. Using the mono record I started at 0 and moved a little at a time until the sound was centered between the speakers. I am at about half of the tracking force according to the scale. VTF is 2 grams and ASF is 1 on the scale of the Rega.

[poppachubby]

So you're saying this is a problem that's actually a trait of your table? Sounds like bad alignment...

[JohnMichael]

So you're saying this is a problem that's actually a trait of your table? Sounds like bad alignment...

Excuse me but there is nothing out of alignment with my turntable. As always there is a difference in opinion about how anti-skating should be set. If I follow the scale on the tonearm base I find I am applying too much anti-skate force to the cartridge. If I use the blank disc method I apply too little force. Using the mono record and centering the performance by slowly increasing the anti-skating force gave me a setting in between the blank disc setting and the a-s scale.

[poppachubby]

Excuse me but there is nothing out of alignment with my turntable. As always there is a difference in opinion about how anti-skating should be set. If I follow the scale on the tonearm base I find I am applying too much anti-skate force to the cartridge. If I use the blank disc method I apply too little force. Using the mono record and centering the performance by slowly increasing the anti-skating force gave me a setting in between the blank disc setting and the a-s scale.

Hahaha, know what's truly funny. I began my last post with.."John, don't take this the wrong way..." I ersaed it because I thought, "Oh no, not my little Johnny cakes".

My gut said your back would be up at the slightest hint that your cart is mis-aligned. Well, I'm getting to know you John. Obviously, I am being sarcastic.

I had a conversation about anti skate not too long ago. I never use it. When I installed my newest cart, the OMB, I actually decided to try some. The immediate result was the stylus travelling well left of center, having a direct effect on the sound. I turned it off right away. I would think the instructions from Rega would be close to accurate.

[JohnMichael]

Hahaha, know what's truly funny. I began my last post with.."John, don't take this the wrong way..." I ersaed it because I thought, "Oh no, not my little Johnny cakes".

My gut said your back would be up at the slightest hint that your cart is mis-aligned. Well, I'm getting to know you John. Obviously, I am being sarcastic.

I had a conversation about anti skate not too long ago. I never use it. When I installed my newest cart, the OMB, I actually decided to try some. The immediate result was the stylus travelling well left of center, having a direct effect on the sound. I turned it off right away. I would think the instructions from Rega would be close to accurate.

Pc I was being humorous and that is why I used the smilie. Get a mono record and try to set your anti-skate by sound and not by the manufacture's dial. Dual ttables used to have three scales the first for a conical stylus then one for an elliptical and lastly a fineline or microridge. The brochure for my Sumiko BluePoint 2 said that cartridge required half as much anti-skating force as tracking force. So it is a variable depending on stylus type and cartridge design. So ignore the dial and gradually increas the anti-skating until both channels sound equally dynamic with stereo records or the music is centered between the speakers with a mono record.

[poppachubby]

I imagine the mono record would make for an easier task. Since all 3 of my tables are mid-fi, their manuals are brief and elusive about any specific area. Even my HK only has a short quip regarding anti-skate, and that is to set the value to the arms counter weight value. Anyhow, I can't say I've had any problems that require anti skate. I don't have a mono record but my Citizen amp will output mono for A or B or both together.

How's the table sounding anyhow? Still happy? I replaced the connects on my Pioneer with super hefty, shielded cables that have nice gold termination. To be honest, I'm not sure how much better it sounds, I think they allow for a little more bass reponse. Overall I'm not thrilled with the end result but they do look and function better.

I am planning to paint an old table I have, the Chubby Debut 2.1. It's an old Sears model LXI. All plastic chassis and weighs about 1 pound, just awful design. No amount of putty or damping will make this thing sound good, so I might as well have some fun with it. 02audionoob suggested all orange, for that easily identifiable look. You know so when little Timmy is in the store with his parents "Mom! Dad! Look! A Chubby Debut 2.1!! Can I have one?"