@primesuspect said:
We have an in-house MC cartridge, not MM, for example.
That's a bold move. I semi-expected an in-house cartridge just due to the nature of Shinola assembling precision products, but stepping into moving coil territory is a surprise and makes a ton of sense. I'm sure it'll come pre-aligned and the onboard preamp will take all the guesswork out of having to shop for an additional unit that supports MC carts, so people can have "audiophile" stuff without having to deal with the mind-numbing minutia and quack science that surrounds it. UX win.
So, some additional info to the cartridge thing: Our initial launch comes with an Ortofon 2M Blue MM cartridge, but we have designed and are building our own in-house MC cartridge called the Runwell 1. As soon as they are ready they will be shipping with the Runwell 1.
Mt_GoatHead Cheezy KnobPflugerville (north of Austin)Icrontian
My Denon DP2000 bit the dust a couple weeks ago. So I just replaced it with a vintage factory sealed NIB Denon DP62L I found on fleabay. I will be moving the MC104 to it today. I also want to dive into a new TT. So far I want a VPI Classic but they are a little more than I am willing to pay. I am biting my nails on pulling the trigger on a used VPI Scout 1.1 that is a steal at 1500. That would give me a vintage decent DD and a modern high end belt drive as my JVC is getting tired.
1
Mt_GoatHead Cheezy KnobPflugerville (north of Austin)Icrontian
edited November 2016
I got the Scout 1.1 and was bad as I ordered a ZYX R-50 Bloom 2 MC to be set up on it upon arrival. Even i am saying ouch on this one. But I feel it will be worth it. All though I spent more than I wanted, this combination still comes in at less than the Classic I really wanted. And it will no doubt be a jump higher than what I have been listening to. Now to find out if my aging ears can tell the difference.
In one of those "pearls before swine" sorts of scenarios, I have a surplus radio station Technics SP10 Mk2, tone arm of some sort, and Crown IC-150 preamp. Big thing that's missing is a plinth and a full overhaul. Getting a plinth has not been real fun; the only people I've found that make one are Oswalds Mill and theirs is hellaciously expensive. I've been thinking about getting the local granite shop to waterjet a slab trying to find someone that works with slate.
1
Mt_GoatHead Cheezy KnobPflugerville (north of Austin)Icrontian
edited November 2016
@drasnor, Talk to some local machine shops. They could machine one out of most materials of your choice on a Bridgeport. You could save some cost by getting the dimensions and draw it up yourself. If you really feel inclined you could write a CNC program for it.
@Mt_Goat said: @drasnor, Talk to some local machine shops. They could machine one out of most materials of your choice on a Bridgeport. You could save some cost by getting the dimensions and draw it up yourself. If you really feel inclined you could write a CNC program for it.
I don't know, you think they could do slate or granite? I'd imagine the quartz and silicates would chew the hell out of their cutters. I've only ever seen these cut on diamond saws and waterjets.
0
Mt_GoatHead Cheezy KnobPflugerville (north of Austin)Icrontian
@Mt_Goat said: @drasnor, Talk to some local machine shops. They could machine one out of most materials of your choice on a Bridgeport. You could save some cost by getting the dimensions and draw it up yourself. If you really feel inclined you could write a CNC program for it.
I don't know, you think they could do slate or granite? I'd imagine the quartz and silicates would chew the hell out of their cutters. I've only ever seen these cut on diamond saws and waterjets.
They do make milling tools of the diamond type as well as super grade carbide just for stone materials. The cost of such tool bits and the fact that you only need one single unit will no doubt raise the cost to out of budget.
I think the local granite shop can fix me up; they make industrial and laboratory equipment isolation slabs and I think they can build to spec for about $300 or so ($200 for a NIST B-grade slab and $100 or so for jetting and drilling). I might be able to negotiate a discount for not needing traceability but I need to study up on tonearm mounting though.
Here's my first-pass effort: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/fc8577069dbfce0d3e1c8c8d/w/0e2d541078c1b5ab1d6a505b/e/42f60e27cac2102fd9ae73c0
The turntable mounts to the slab with 4x 8mm bolts. The armboard mount is 5" x 8" and recessed 1" to allow for a big plank of whatever I want to be installed. Uses #10 fasteners to mount the armboard and feet. The only thing I think it's missing is maybe a couple of inserts on the bottom to retain P-clamps for the power cord and signal cord.
I'm thinking Vibrapod isolator pucks for the feet. The nice thing about the Vibrapods is they make them in varying stiffness ranges so that I can balance the center of isolation near the assembly center of mass. This would start from a standard 18"x24"x3" slab and is showing ~83 lb all-up weight right now.
OT (sorta): I think it's pretty legit that you're basically like "well fuck it, way to expensive to buy it I'll just have someone make it for me. Here take these instructions and create this for me please. Thanks."
@NiGHTS said:
OT (sorta): I think it's pretty legit that you're basically like "well fuck it, way to expensive to buy it I'll just have someone make it for me. Here take these instructions and create this for me please. Thanks."
With the amount of cash I'm saving by doing it myself, I'm willing to take the chance that the problem is not outside my engineering expertise. I'm having a hard time believing that this is a more challenging problem than mounting any other sensitive piece of lab equipment. Throwing lots of low-Q bulk mass at the problem is a fairly conservative approach and was the same one Technics used for the original factory plinth.
Comments
Those specs that VPI published are wrong, BTW. We have an in-house MC cartridge, not MM, for example.
That's a bold move. I semi-expected an in-house cartridge just due to the nature of Shinola assembling precision products, but stepping into moving coil territory is a surprise and makes a ton of sense. I'm sure it'll come pre-aligned and the onboard preamp will take all the guesswork out of having to shop for an additional unit that supports MC carts, so people can have "audiophile" stuff without having to deal with the mind-numbing minutia and quack science that surrounds it. UX win.
Exactly
Someone gets it!
So, some additional info to the cartridge thing: Our initial launch comes with an Ortofon 2M Blue MM cartridge, but we have designed and are building our own in-house MC cartridge called the Runwell 1. As soon as they are ready they will be shipping with the Runwell 1.
This must be what it feels like when I try and explain computers to my mom
...except I can google...
So @primesuspect what'd you go with?
I promise if a record player had showed up here y'all'd know about it. I've got at least a dozen new vinyls waiting for their first spin.
Just waiting on approvals and money stuff
My Denon DP2000 bit the dust a couple weeks ago. So I just replaced it with a vintage factory sealed NIB Denon DP62L I found on fleabay. I will be moving the MC104 to it today. I also want to dive into a new TT. So far I want a VPI Classic but they are a little more than I am willing to pay. I am biting my nails on pulling the trigger on a used VPI Scout 1.1 that is a steal at 1500. That would give me a vintage decent DD and a modern high end belt drive as my JVC is getting tired.
I got the Scout 1.1 and was bad as I ordered a ZYX R-50 Bloom 2 MC to be set up on it upon arrival. Even i am saying ouch on this one. But I feel it will be worth it. All though I spent more than I wanted, this combination still comes in at less than the Classic I really wanted. And it will no doubt be a jump higher than what I have been listening to. Now to find out if my aging ears can tell the difference.
That is so cool, @Mt_Goat. Should sound fantastic!
In one of those "pearls before swine" sorts of scenarios, I have a surplus radio station Technics SP10 Mk2, tone arm of some sort, and Crown IC-150 preamp. Big thing that's missing is a plinth and a full overhaul. Getting a plinth has not been real fun; the only people I've found that make one are Oswalds Mill and theirs is hellaciously expensive. I've been thinking about getting the local granite shop to waterjet a slab trying to find someone that works with slate.
@drasnor, Talk to some local machine shops. They could machine one out of most materials of your choice on a Bridgeport. You could save some cost by getting the dimensions and draw it up yourself. If you really feel inclined you could write a CNC program for it.
I don't know, you think they could do slate or granite? I'd imagine the quartz and silicates would chew the hell out of their cutters. I've only ever seen these cut on diamond saws and waterjets.
They do make milling tools of the diamond type as well as super grade carbide just for stone materials. The cost of such tool bits and the fact that you only need one single unit will no doubt raise the cost to out of budget.
@drasnor I just found Acoustand makes a plinth for your table that's pretty affordable (£179.99) . Not sure what shipping from the UK would run.
http://www.acoustand.co.uk/collections/acoustand-technics-sp10-series-plinths/products/acoustand-new-slimline-plinth-system-for-technics-sp-series-turntables-15-25-10
I think the local granite shop can fix me up; they make industrial and laboratory equipment isolation slabs and I think they can build to spec for about $300 or so ($200 for a NIST B-grade slab and $100 or so for jetting and drilling). I might be able to negotiate a discount for not needing traceability but I need to study up on tonearm mounting though.
Here's my first-pass effort:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/fc8577069dbfce0d3e1c8c8d/w/0e2d541078c1b5ab1d6a505b/e/42f60e27cac2102fd9ae73c0
The turntable mounts to the slab with 4x 8mm bolts. The armboard mount is 5" x 8" and recessed 1" to allow for a big plank of whatever I want to be installed. Uses #10 fasteners to mount the armboard and feet. The only thing I think it's missing is maybe a couple of inserts on the bottom to retain P-clamps for the power cord and signal cord.
I'm thinking Vibrapod isolator pucks for the feet. The nice thing about the Vibrapods is they make them in varying stiffness ranges so that I can balance the center of isolation near the assembly center of mass. This would start from a standard 18"x24"x3" slab and is showing ~83 lb all-up weight right now.
Your feedback is welcome!
OT (sorta): I think it's pretty legit that you're basically like "well fuck it, way to expensive to buy it I'll just have someone make it for me. Here take these instructions and create this for me please. Thanks."
With the amount of cash I'm saving by doing it myself, I'm willing to take the chance that the problem is not outside my engineering expertise. I'm having a hard time believing that this is a more challenging problem than mounting any other sensitive piece of lab equipment. Throwing lots of low-Q bulk mass at the problem is a fairly conservative approach and was the same one Technics used for the original factory plinth.
http://cyberclean.net/products/productsvinyl-phono-care/
Looks like a good solution to an old problem.