Turntable Weight

[poppachubby]

I made this on the lathe last night. It weighs 285g.

[poppachubby]

Sounds Great...

[02audionoob]

That's no weight. That's a Gravity-Assisted Record Coupling System (GARCS).

[poppachubby]

That's no weight. That's a Gravity-Assisted Record Coupling System (GARCS).


Hmmm...when I weigh it, it weighs in so it must be a weight. Do tell 10audiooldie...

[JoeE SP9]

That's no weight. That's a Gravity-Assisted Record Coupling System (GARCS).

That would make the clamp I use a FARCS. The F for friction.

PC;
Very nice work as usual. You should make one with complex curves. It would have more "WOW' appeal. As Fernando used to say "You've got to look good".

[poppachubby]

Thanks Joe. Actually, I will probably buy one. It would take alot of labour to mimic some of the really nice, curvy types. I wanted to see the difference from my clamp, and try out a weight. Making my own saved me the heartache of spending alot of bread for nothing.

I love it. Most importantly, I can actually see the benefit to the stylus as it's playing. I would like a heavier one I think. The SL-Q2 can handle it...

[blackraven]

Pop's, you should make one the width of the record label.

[dakatabg]

Poppachubby, make more and start selling them on ebay :)

[poppachubby]

Pop's, you should make one the width of the record label.


Why BR? Please expand. Do you have any opinions on weight?



Poppachubby, make more and start selling them on ebay

I could try. The problem is I have no data to back up the product. God knows, it sounds awesome, but my testimonial wouldn't be enough. I need Vince from the Sham-Wow to help sell my TT weight.

[blackraven]

Pops a larger surface area might help any warping of the records.

[poppachubby]

Pops a larger surface area might help any warping of the records.

Noted. I want it a bit heavier, I could perhaps pancake this design which should result in a bit more weight while being thinner with a larger diameter.

[atomicAdam]

When I was at the last BAAS even on Dec 6 (http://baasnotes.com/blog/2009/12/06/spiral-groove-turntable-impresses-digital-audiophiles/), I believe it was there I heard the best explanation of 'to clamp, or not to clamp'.

Basically, some clamps can reduce the noise of a turntable and help flatten the record. Other turntables that send a lot of vibration up through the spindle and can make a record sound worse when clamped.

I guess it is all just trail and error. but my concern would be increasing resistance on the bearings and the belt which could slow revolutions per minute down.

which on my rega maybe wouldn't be a bad thing, if it just slowed it down. i've had the feeling, especially on the tracks close to the label, that sometimes it speeds up.

there is probably a way to test the speed isn't there??? isn't there???

[jrhymeammo]

Very cool, Poppa,

Like you, I have used Lathe machine to make a LP weight, and CNC for the periphery ring.
One of the thing I had failed to recognize is that I used steel, and had forgotten the material is magnetic..... I now use both to flatten LP when needed. Works pretty well!

What material did you use?

JRA

[poppachubby]

there is probably a way to test the speed isn't there??? isn't there???


http://store.acousticsounds.com/index.cfm?get=detail&title_id=13696

[poppachubby]

Very cool, Poppa,

Like you, I have used Lathe machine to make a LP weight, and CNC for the periphery ring.
One of the thing I had failed to recognize is that I used steel, and had forgotten the material is magnetic..... I now use both to flatten LP when needed. Works pretty well!

What material did you use?

JRA

Stainless steel. I considered brass. I wanted a dense material so i could make it small. It's doing everything it should. I much prefer it to the clamp.

[JoeE SP9]

When I was at the last BAAS even on Dec 6 (http://baasnotes.com/blog/2009/12/06/spiral-groove-turntable-impresses-digital-audiophiles/), I believe it was there I heard the best explanation of 'to clamp, or not to clamp'.

Basically, some clamps can reduce the noise of a turntable and help flatten the record. Other turntables that send a lot of vibration up through the spindle and can make a record sound worse when clamped.

I guess it is all just trail and error. but my concern would be increasing resistance on the bearings and the belt which could slow revolutions per minute down.

which on my rega maybe wouldn't be a bad thing, if it just slowed it down. i've had the feeling, especially on the tracks close to the label, that sometimes it speeds up.

there is probably a way to test the speed isn't there??? isn't there???

Vinyl engine has downloadable and printable strobe disks. At least one fits in the label area of an LP so you can check the speed while playing something.

http://www.vinylengine.com/strobe-discs.shtml

[blackraven]

I would buy a separate speed controller for a TT.

http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/Speed-Controllers

and one of these-

http://www.needledoctor.com/Roksan-Speed-Strobe-Disc?sc=2&category=424

[02audionoob]

I guess it is all just trail and error. but my concern would be increasing resistance on the bearings and the belt which could slow revolutions per minute down.

which on my rega maybe wouldn't be a bad thing, if it just slowed it down. i've had the feeling, especially on the tracks close to the label, that sometimes it speeds up.

there is probably a way to test the speed isn't there??? isn't there???

You wouldn't be able to slow down the Rega motor without changing the frequency of power you feed it. That's where the TT PSU (http://www.needledoctor.com/Rega-TT-PSU-Power-Supply) comes in. If the frequency was off, the turntable would be off. I believe a strobe would also be off at that point, so the Strobe Disc would appear correct even if the speed was incorrect.

Over at AK, I read a post where someone recommended running a strip of tape around the subplatter to increase its diameter and therefore slow it down.

[JohnMichael]

I guess it is all just trail and error. but my concern would be increasing resistance on the bearings and the belt which could slow revolutions per minute down.

which on my rega maybe wouldn't be a bad thing, if it just slowed it down. i've had the feeling, especially on the tracks close to the label, that sometimes it speeds up.

there is probably a way to test the speed isn't there??? isn't there???



aA this will correct the speed of the table as it did for mine. The explanation of how it works is that it is machined slightly larger compared to the stock subplatter. Some sites suggest putting a layer of tape around the subplatter which would also increase it's size to lose that 1% speed increase Rega's have in this country with the 60 hz line frequency.

Oh and like 02audionoob said in the previous post I just read.

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/73371

[JohnMichael]

Sounds Great...



I agree my record weight is a noticeable improvement. Mine was made from aluminum and others use brass. I agree with blackraven that wider would be better. I would not do it for the full width because I have a few records that the leadout groove lets the tonearm get closer to the label area and then the tonearm rubs against the weight.

http://www.ttweights.com/catalog/item/6997332/7020312.htm

The link is for the weight I am using. I am convinced you can make just as good a weight with all your skills.

[jrhymeammo]

I agree my record weight is a noticeable improvement. Mine was made from aluminum and others use brass. I agree with blackraven that wider would be better. I would not do it for the full width because I have a few records that the leadout groove lets the tonearm get closer to the label area and then the tonearm rubs against the weight.

http://www.ttweights.com/catalog/item/6997332/7020312.htm

The link is for the weight I am using. I am convinced you can make just as good a weight with all your skills.

Very nice, John. I got the same one from TTWeights. Good company with high quality stuff. I also got the periphery ring, and I highly recommend it on LP thinner than 180 grams.

JRA

[atomicAdam]

I would buy a separate speed controller for a TT.

http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/Speed-Controllers

and one of these-

http://www.needledoctor.com/Roksan-Speed-Strobe-Disc?sc=2&category=424


Sorry to split the thread PC - didn't mean to get so many responses, but thanks guys.

Actually, the P3/24 has a separate power supply/speed controller already. That is the diff between the $1000 P3/24 and the $1300 P3/24. One comes with the controller, the other doesn't.

A strip of tape...humm..that isn't even a millimeter thick..maybe work. I'll have to try.

Thanks all.

[poppachubby]

After a few days with my weight, I am fully convinced. The clamp has been relegated. Now the fun part, fab'ing a more dynamic weight. Thanks for all the input guys...

[poppachubby]

http://www.aboutus.org/Special/image/full/b402050571623d0732ca8ccbbb55c5c1.jpg

OK, I have made a couple more weights. On everyone's advice, I increased the diameter. Weight "A" is the original, 5cm D, 285g. Weight "B" is the widest at 6cmD, 305g. Finally, I wanted a really heavy one, so "C" is the same 5cmD but 330g.

I have been going back and forth with B and C, listening for differences. To be quite honest, they sound quite alike.

Bottom line, a vast improvement to the tracking and therefore the sound. Everything sounds much more crisp and bright.

[poppachubby]

Wider weight getting a spin...

http://www.aboutus.org/Special/image/full/c4070749f9442df6bba69bdea02d8885.jpg

[usbmusic]

Agreed, clamp works better to just weight.

[poppachubby]

Here's the latest offering, in a cool candy apple red. It weighs just around 2.75 lbs.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4320505543_ef001db415.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2731/4321239850_595f29bb18.jpg

[JohnMichael]

Love the color, love the lava lamp,