Anyone know how to fix a chipped pulley on a Rek-O-Kut Rondine?
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Thought I'd update on the progress of this thing.
Installed and wired up the new motor and everything spinning well. Then, last night I was able to get some work into the tonearm. The arm I had was pretty demolished. The pivot points were completely smashed and no way was that going to work. But, I was able to find just an arm tube that was in good shape to swap out. So, with a new arm tube and some fresh wiring, I got to work.
I decided to just remove the rubber plug/connector from the arm tube, and remove the Bakelite plug/connector from the headshell to create a hollow tube all the way through the headshell. Then, I ran the wires all the way through the whole shebang. At this point, I should just need to solder on the connectors at the headshell end and solder to RCA jacks on the back-end and I'll be able to give this thing a spin and see how she sounds.
I plan on making a new plinth for it as well as the next step, but have this hollow one to get started.
Installed and wired up the new motor and everything spinning well. Then, last night I was able to get some work into the tonearm. The arm I had was pretty demolished. The pivot points were completely smashed and no way was that going to work. But, I was able to find just an arm tube that was in good shape to swap out. So, with a new arm tube and some fresh wiring, I got to work.
I decided to just remove the rubber plug/connector from the arm tube, and remove the Bakelite plug/connector from the headshell to create a hollow tube all the way through the headshell. Then, I ran the wires all the way through the whole shebang. At this point, I should just need to solder on the connectors at the headshell end and solder to RCA jacks on the back-end and I'll be able to give this thing a spin and see how she sounds.
I plan on making a new plinth for it as well as the next step, but have this hollow one to get started.
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I didn't. I just considered that arm tube a loss and was able to find a cheap arm tube to replace it. Complete arms and head-shells seem pretty expensive, but I was able to pay just a few bucks for a mono arm tube only. I was coming up empty with figuring out a good way to replace them when I cam across the tube and figured it was best to toss the old tube and move forward. Using all the other parts from the original arm, just replaced the tube.
Didn't want to endanger anything particularly dear to me for the trial. So, a Peter Frampton 45 it is.
And, it sounds pretty damn decent. I with going to put on a Shure SC35C, but the mounting system on this is a bit odd and I didn't have screws that would hold it. So, threw on a Stanton 680 with a generic heavy tracking conical stylus.
Really nice, solid sound, great bass. Overall really great musical sound. One big issue though, bit of a hum, especially at higher volumes. I assume it is because I haven't connected a ground wire to the tonearm. So, next time I have some time to play, I'm guessing that's the next step although I'll do a bit of research first in case I'm missing something else.
Then, it will be on to making a plinth. I hear about all the rumble of these tables, but I'm getting nothing so don't know if I will mess with the heavy mass loaded plinth, but I want something a bit nicer looking and more compact if I want to bring it up out of the basement.
And, it sounds pretty damn decent. I with going to put on a Shure SC35C, but the mounting system on this is a bit odd and I didn't have screws that would hold it. So, threw on a Stanton 680 with a generic heavy tracking conical stylus.
Really nice, solid sound, great bass. Overall really great musical sound. One big issue though, bit of a hum, especially at higher volumes. I assume it is because I haven't connected a ground wire to the tonearm. So, next time I have some time to play, I'm guessing that's the next step although I'll do a bit of research first in case I'm missing something else.
Then, it will be on to making a plinth. I hear about all the rumble of these tables, but I'm getting nothing so don't know if I will mess with the heavy mass loaded plinth, but I want something a bit nicer looking and more compact if I want to bring it up out of the basement.
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By the way, this table with the heavy tracking Shure is a bass monster that destroys surface noise. It's pretty much the perfect thing for making the most of crappy records while still sounding dynamic and fun with better vinyl from what I'm hearing so far. I'm curious how it would sound with a fancier cartridge, but with virtually no alignment possible in the headshell on these, I think sticking to a conical sounds like the right thing to do. Once I eventually get this thing situated in a better plinth and feel like its a completed project I hope to see how it plays with a Denon DL 103.
Been fiddling a bit more. Tried the Stanton cart on another table where it didn't hum at all. So, I wanted to make sure I could remove any hum with it on the Rek O Kut. I made the mistake of making multiple changes at once so I'm not sure exactly which one fixed things, but I swapped out the wiring for some better shielded wire, ran a new, heavier ground wire from the base of the tonearm and connected another ground wire onto that from the motor mount. Now, it's all hum free with either cartridge, although I did reinstall the Shure as I prefer it.
I was also getting a bit of rumble after all this which was bothersome as it was running smoothly before. So I was trying to decide which kind of massive plinth I would build to try to quell it, but instead discovered through messing with bits and pieces that the rumble is at least partly related to the interface between the idler wheel and the pulley and the platter. Removing the speed control, loosening the nut there and adjusting this tension showed some fairly dramatic changes in the amount of rumble. I started with quite a lot and after tightening things up a bit, found a sweet spot where I can only hear it if I hold my ear up to thing and don't get any rumble sound through the speakers or even with headphones. So, next job is to make a plinth, but I am less worried about making something massive and may just keep it simple for now to get this thing close to complete. I can always consider a more substantial plinth down the road if I decide it is necessary.
I can really see why a radio station would love these things. Throw any record on there and you're gonna get some good sound. Records that were virtually unplayable on other tables are coming to life on this one. Spinning some Dennis Alcapone on it last night and it really makes the most of these old reggae records:
I was also getting a bit of rumble after all this which was bothersome as it was running smoothly before. So I was trying to decide which kind of massive plinth I would build to try to quell it, but instead discovered through messing with bits and pieces that the rumble is at least partly related to the interface between the idler wheel and the pulley and the platter. Removing the speed control, loosening the nut there and adjusting this tension showed some fairly dramatic changes in the amount of rumble. I started with quite a lot and after tightening things up a bit, found a sweet spot where I can only hear it if I hold my ear up to thing and don't get any rumble sound through the speakers or even with headphones. So, next job is to make a plinth, but I am less worried about making something massive and may just keep it simple for now to get this thing close to complete. I can always consider a more substantial plinth down the road if I decide it is necessary.
I can really see why a radio station would love these things. Throw any record on there and you're gonna get some good sound. Records that were virtually unplayable on other tables are coming to life on this one. Spinning some Dennis Alcapone on it last night and it really makes the most of these old reggae records:
Well, time to make it look a little better if I am going to consider bringing this thing up from the basement and plopping down somewhere. I was considering one of those super massive plinths, but honestly I found that adjusting the tension of the idler and cranking the top plat down tightly gets things quite quiet alone so I just started in on something compact that would look decent and be solid.
Started with a couple planks of decent oak and built a box:
Had to shave some off the corner supports to make sure the tonearm wire was accessible and the speed changer had space to move:
Stuck some spikes in the legs:
Now, everything's glued and nailed together:
Still need to cut a hole and install the rca jacks, cut a hole for the power wire and install a ground post. Also need to finish the wood. I actually like the natural wood and was strongly considering leaving it mostly as is with some oil and/or poly coating, but I will likely stain it to match the furniture where I eventually plan on settling it. Hoping to finish this thing up for good over the next few days.
Started with a couple planks of decent oak and built a box:
Had to shave some off the corner supports to make sure the tonearm wire was accessible and the speed changer had space to move:
Stuck some spikes in the legs:
Now, everything's glued and nailed together:
Still need to cut a hole and install the rca jacks, cut a hole for the power wire and install a ground post. Also need to finish the wood. I actually like the natural wood and was strongly considering leaving it mostly as is with some oil and/or poly coating, but I will likely stain it to match the furniture where I eventually plan on settling it. Hoping to finish this thing up for good over the next few days.
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