System edited: I added a second slate plinth acting as a huge armboard and covering the 3/4 of height of the stacked platters.

jloveys December 31, 2010 09:05

I would love to try Tungsols but so hard to get...I was very satisfied with the Phillips but since a month I replaced them with E.A.T. KT 88 and they are far superior , more dynamics and clean deep bass, a good match with the Quads 57's who are now sounding more "beefy" !

jloveys December 19, 2009 12:39

System edited: Yoda is the name of the Lenco based project. The second slate layer acting as a huge tonearmboard will be soon ready. The VPI Superplatter on top of the Lenco L 70 platter will then half disappearinside the upper plinth and the turntable will have a more conventional look, all switches eliminated and a special motor controller used.

jloveys December 18, 2009 21:34

Thanks Tzh ! The combo Quads 57 + Mc 275 is truly amazing. I transported my whole system to U.K. for the first Lenco meet end november and the sound on a small listening room ( 4x5 meters) was very good. Surprising was the amount and quality of bass those 57's deliver. Next day I mounted the system in the big room ( 100 m2 ). I was surprised to hear that the Quad / Mc 275 combo did handle such an huge room with brio. No distortions, no " sweet spot ", the magic midrange was still present, bass too, not the extremes frequencies but enough to really appreciate any kind of music. Even rock. This was with the Yoda/Lenco turntable with Graham Phantom and Midas/ Denon DL103R Paratrace expert stylus cartridge,witch is a fantastic musical deal. If you are interested, please have a look at Lencoheaven.net / News / Scalford Hall Meet.
Best,
Jean.

jloveys December 18, 2009 21:14

Thank you John, They are all working and in slate plinths now. I play mostly with Lenco/PTP wich is soundin the best of all.

jloveys October 04, 2009 11:08

Kozzmo, this is my next project. Hammergrey grease 301 in 10 cm. thick slate plinth with TD 124 slate armboard and Graham Phantom arm, also with SME 3012. It is in the design Cad phase. Possibly I put two similar 301 in one slate plinth, just a bit scarry with the weight of this monster !
Best,
Jean.

jloveys July 17, 2009 16:25

Thank you Steven. True, the sound here is phenomenal.
Best,
Jean

jloveys June 28, 2009 06:18

System edited: I finished the Lenco PTP3 in slate plinth. Added VPI Superplatter inverted bearing to Lenco platter, 15 Kg high mass. Sound is very BIG, more foundations to the music. A real winner.

jloveys June 20, 2009 10:20

Nagaoka MP 50 is 95% of the sound quality of my Allaerts Finish Gold.
Talk of a good deal !
Jean.

jloveys June 15, 2009 20:41

Thanks Dgob, especialy coming from you !
I would love to stacke my Quads and I have 2 others waiting for that, the big challenge here is the WAF factor. :-)
Best, Jean.

jloveys May 15, 2009 19:08

System edited: System renamed.

jloveys May 15, 2009 10:39

System edited: New pictures added. The sltate Lenco L75 PTP3 in nearly accomplished.

jloveys May 15, 2009 09:53

New "main system" : I mounted the Graham Phantom tonearm on the slate tonearmbase on the Thorens TD 124 on the beautiful slate plinth , on 3 symposium couplers on Symposium Ultra platform. Cartridge : Allaerts Finish.
Speakers : Quad 57 painted all black on stands 57 cm off ground . Tron 7 phonopre direct to Mc 275 amp. Purist Provectus TC / IC .
I much prefer the musicality and soundstage of this "downgraded " system.
My big VPI rim drive is in the closet, jealous !
Martin Logans too.

jloveys April 14, 2009 21:12

No, I am so impressed by the Quad ESL 57 paired with ARC VT 100 or MC 275 amps that any other ultra expensive speaker system seems a waist of money for me, I paid £ 400 for a pair ! I am not joking, they still are in the same league as Magico's ans Avalon's even 50 years later . Peter Walker was a real genious.
If you have an oportunity to try them in yous nice MC 275 based system you will be amazed, specialy with jazz. They deserve the title of " best hifi component of all times" from HiFi news. Stacked pairs is not necessary, a single pair is enough and maybe a third central one for mono . They do not lack of bass contrary to common belief, they are full range speakers very coherent , not like the Logans.
I play them with Logans for more dynamics and imaging (with a sub) but also not necessary . I am hoocked !

jloveys March 20, 2009 10:05

Dear Pedrillo: I posted 2 photos of very bad quality ( i-phone) in the wait of taking better ones. The ESL 57 are sounding very good by themselves, the "Wall of Sound" is just giving better imaging and coherence to the sound picture.
As you see the speaker positioning is far from optimal, but the sound is already awesome like this. A third ESL 57 will fit in the center for mono . A real wall that will be !
The Garrard plinth project is on the way with massive slate and light aluminium in slate decoupled by squash balls. The TD 124 is better without decoupling.
Thanks for your interest.
Jean.

jloveys March 19, 2009 07:53

System edited: I always wanted to test the famous Quad ESL 57 in my system. I found a very nice pair in U.K. and has been refurbished by One Thing Audio , they are as new, I am knocked out by the quality of the sound from those 50 years old electrostatics, I created a " WALL OF SOUND" with the Logans far exterior run with MC 275 amp and ESL 57 in the middle run by ARC VT 100, this gives a synergy speaker system accurate, holographic and addictive.

jloveys March 18, 2009 22:38

System edited: I received the slate plinth and armboard for the TD 124, absolutely gorgeous ! I will upload photos, this is Belgian " shiste ardoisier" hard slate with copper inserts, manifactured with robot computerised machines. Very cost effective and precise work. Highly recommended.

jloveys February 12, 2009 11:40

System edited: I bought 4 Garrards in England, a nice journey full of adventures, this turntable hunting is fantastic, I met so interesting people , now I have to refurbish all those turntables, I left two at Loricraft to share the job, and plinth making is on the way with the slate quary maker.

jloveys February 07, 2009 23:52

System edited: I have been bitten by the vintage idler wheel turntables bug. "Da thread" initiated by Jean Nantais fascinated me to the point that I found for a ridiculous price 3 Lenco's : 75, 78 and 78 SE all mint condition. Also a very cute Perpetuum Ebner 1963 german belt/idler similar to the TD 124 for the drive concept, just much smaller, with heavy platter and strobe, 4 speeds. Now what ? A nice Garrard 301 and I am done. The main concept will be a double slate plinth for all those babies and one arm that fits all of them ( 47 Labs RS A1 ? ), so I will compare all of them and keep the best. What a journey !!!

jloveys January 19, 2009 20:23

Oh thanks for the translation Dgob, so thank you Macdadtexas for your "kind" words ! Still I am not happy enough with the actual plinth and the stonecutter is working on the new slate design.

jloveys November 27, 2008 13:22

Macdadtexas: I am not very good with my english, but if bad-ass means awful,I do think you are right. I am working on a new design for a slate/ aluminium sandwich plinth that will make the whole TT look better and sound even better.

jloveys November 22, 2008 20:44

System edited: I received my father's heritage: a beautiful Thorens TD 124 MK II with SME 3009 II and Shure cart. I listened to my first records on it when I was a kid ! I am 52 now and I don't believe how good this TT is. Sounds very similar to my modded idler VPI TNT. I will put it in slate plinth, than it will beat my monster ! Joy !

jloveys November 17, 2008 12:26

Dear Dgog,
I must be very careful with you because Raul refered me to you and you have a much bigger experience than me on analog domain. I did try couplers without rollerblocks and it did not work well with my setup because this is a rim drive system and needs buffer between platters. Peter of Symposium told me that it realy is the best way to achieve speed stability. I tryed EAR phono and it is a very good phonopre, Tron IS superior, especialy with NOS mullard tubes.I thank you to have interest in my project, 5000 views and few answers ! : )

jloveys October 24, 2008 20:16

System edited: Just added a picture of the turntable without virtual feet... not bad looking...

jloveys September 19, 2008 08:51

I am so happy , Harry(VPI), Peter(Symposium), Jan(Allaerts)
and many of you sended me rave comments after seeing my
humble project.This stimulates me to go on furter.Thank you all for your enthousiam!

jloveys September 07, 2008 20:46

The importance of the Rollerblocks in this application is crucial, they act as horizontal plane buffers that keeps the contact between the two platters smooth and steady, absorbs any vibration transmitted to the main platter. On vertical plane firm contact coupling TT plinth to Ultra Platform.

jloveys August 28, 2008 21:18

Finaly I use the Tron Seven phonopreamp. Indeed I had bad luck with the Allaerts Finish cartridge I bought (new !) on Audiogon and it is still on repair so I decided to use the Tron even with it's very high gain with my Allaerts MC1 MKII and even with wrong load it is a KILLER phonopreamp, surpasses by far the Manley Steelhead I had on my system for demo. And it is not burned in, just out of the box, dynamic, detailled, so musical I am totaly amazed.
I keep you updated when the Finish comes back...

jloveys August 28, 2008 18:21

Full size picture of updated rim drive coupled to Symposium Ultra and thread drive. I still have to low down the first platter to use the peripheric ring.

jloveys August 27, 2008 16:21

I had to use a spare VPI TNT armboard under the rim drive platter bearing support to achieve correct height. It is acrylic and very well machined. Absolutely quiet. Looks and sounds wonderful!

jloveys August 26, 2008 09:50

System edited: the RIM drive platter is now directly coupled to the Symposium Ultra platform, not on the TNT chassis anymore. I use a Michell TT belt around the main superplatter for contact with RIM platter. Thread between motor and RIM platter. Speed is block steady and the TT is sounding better. Pictures to come soon.

jloveys August 25, 2008 10:01

OK Pedrillo, I buy my ticket to Denver for october RMAF, seems like a cool show.

jloveys June 13, 2008 04:26

Oh my ! Is this system sounding good ! For me the main trick is NO PREAMP.
Everytime I use the preamp the sound is dull , when I hook directly the phonopreamp to the amplifier, it is so transparent, makes the whole system disapear, just you and the music. Wonderful. I just did the same thing with my ARC VT 100, the Allaerts Finish is so low output ( < 0.2 mV) that it works even with no volume control. I am waiting for the Tron Phonopreamp with 80 dB gain to use the MC 275 who has vol. control. The Graham Slee has not enough gain, but even so this cartridge is amazing.

jloveys June 08, 2008 01:21

System edited: Winged Logans !
I tryed this since 2 month before editing. I fixed one Magneplanar MGMC1 on each side of Ascent i and stunning results... wider soundstage, less rolled off high frequencies due to ribbon tweeter and very "enveloping" transparent sound.
Overal a nice and cheap tweak. I try now with TWO wings on each Logan, as I have 4 MGMC1 from my ex-surround system. Keep you in with that one!

jloveys June 05, 2008 09:23

System edited: I edited a more complete description of the system, I am sure I omitted things, specialy new tweaks I try for the moment, but I don't edit before beeing sure it is a worthwile objective upgrade.

jloveys June 05, 2008 08:54

Dear Hifibri, switching the rotating direction of the 300 RPM synchroneous Hurst motor is very easy, I had a look at Hurst website and there is a very simple electric shematic drawing , so no risk of error. It takes me 5 minutes to do that with no tools ( only a philips screwdriver for bottom plate ) .

jloveys June 04, 2008 23:10

The purpose of this modification was to try a rim drive with existing VPI parts after upgrading the old platter to new superplatter. Just to experiment, at no expense, to see if this type of upgrade is effective. This turntable (TNT 3) has a round cut, so the HRX twin motor rim drive does not fit. Adding this to the second platter to avoid one step of belts does not make sense to me, because it will not be a cost effective upgrade anymore. But, as you suggest, and for sound experiment I will try this with a borrowed unit from a friend to see if it is worth the expense.This means 3 platters (2 big and 1 small) and still 2 rubber belts, with 2 motors should speed be more stable. I keep you update...
I must also add that i can't compare my rim drive system to the stock VPI because the standalone rim drive is not on the market yet. All I can tell is that it makes a more solid musical presentation than the one platter system. And even more since thread replaced rubber belt.

jloveys June 04, 2008 22:02

System edited: Moved from rubber belt to thread belt with great results on speed stability.

jloveys May 31, 2008 20:15

System edited: Upgraded the Allaerts MKII to Finish Gold, but the Graham Slee phonopreamp is not having enough gain, so I ordered the Tron Seven to replace it. When it is there I will make a review of it.

jloveys May 31, 2008 20:07

The holographic mylar streamer tape used on Galibier TT seems interesting,but the VPI rim platter is aluminium so it might slip. Maybe glueing a vinyl tape around the platter and motor shaft will resolve this? I will try. In meantime I will try thread drive as suggested by Dgarretson.

jloveys March 07, 2008 08:10

Thank you Dgarretson and Pedrillo ! Having nice feedback from the two master
TNT tweakers is very helpful. It's by watching at the evolution of your setup that
I have done this upgrade. The sonic difference is quite important, in fact it is more on the whole foundations of the spectrum like switching from a small turntable to a massive one, from thin to big and thight. Similar as removing the
rubber ball feet to direct couple the table to the Ultra platform.
Sorry for my bad english, I am french speaking nuts !

jloveys March 07, 2008 07:33

Well... the sprung suspention was replaced with the air ball upgrade, but it didn't impprove anything, so with help of Roy Gregory (HI FI +) I completely got rid of VPI feet and coupled the TT direct to the Symposium Ultra platform with a set of three rollreblocks Jr, as you can see on pics. Very big sound improvement.
The O-ring is in fact a piece of rond section plain rubber wire 7 mm diameter
cutted at platter circumference and glued with pattex on alluminium part of it.
The pressure of the O-ring against the main platter can be adjusted because the subplatter is lying on TT with weights only. I check the ideal pressure with a stethoscope(no slipping or belt noise). the rim platter can be also used as an speed controler if you put a strobe record on it(I use the clearaudio one)
Can you explain to me how to make a tape drive? Thank you.

jloveys March 06, 2008 14:38

I must ad that the RIM platter is turnning CCW so you have to reverse the phase of the Hurst 300 RPM synchroneus motor by switching red and black wires on the under part of the heavy motor housing. The VPI SDS is obligatory to have exact speed, I tryed to use peripheric ring clamp in place of the O ring but speed is then too high and so is not good. I am building a new stainless steel bearing base similar to the motor housing to decouple the RIM platter from TT and it will be lower so I can use the peripheric ring clamp on main platter.

jloveys March 06, 2008 12:09