Maybe it is the start of getting tables set up
- Thread starter 8991XJ
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Had a chance to work on one of the tables, not going outside.
Quick repeat of a story, I guess. I commented on ak that the KD-500 that TomBig58 posted the Chicago area cl ad for was a very nice deal. Hose53 said he would get it from Tom for me if I wanted it. I kinda didn't respond much. Hose53 is in Columbus and has been here near Phila, after delivering some Cornwalls to DE and got some small speakers to transport to near Pittsburgh. He was willing to roll again, before gas got expensive. The start of the PM conversation was in Sept 2020.
Anyway, Hose53 got the table from Tom, I paid for it and then a recent local who had moved to Dayton a few years ago was coming this way to clear out a storage locker. Pony Express, Hose was going to St Louis right past Steve's in Dayton and dropped off the table, Steve hauled it to me. I put it on top of a stack of gear that could not get higher since I don't put things on tt dustcovers.
This one was a deal because it came with an SME armboard unused, a DIN phono cable, an intact and working dustcover and looked good. Needed a platter mat and tonearm. You guys know I have tonearms. I also have platter mats and have done listening sessions comparing them. They can but don't always make a big difference. This listening session will be repeated with this table.
I bought a Magnepan Unitrac I from the factory when I was selling stereo. It came complete and one thing included is a couple large washers to span and SME cutout. I decided to go this route and now have the KD-500/Magnepan/Ortofon MC-30 Super getting hooked up. In the third pic you can see the gap in front of and behind the arm post from the SME cutout. I have the KD-550 armboard with a center cut hole, one cut for a Mayware Formula IV and the SME. Just thought I'd use the SME since the Magnepan is designed to work with that cutout and neither of the other two were correctly drilled for this arm. The armboards I have cut, probably shown above, are for the KD-600 and are 4" in diameter. The KD-500 uses 4.25" diameters armboards and I'll make a few of those, too. If not shown above that is coming.
2 tables completed and 2 more to go. Here are the pics of the Kenwood, sitting on the Synergy Salamander to the right and above the Thorens 126 discussed above.
That silver knob on an allen wrench is used to adjust the VTA on-the-fly or when just setting up the table. There is a hole in the center of the arm post that goes down to an allen socket that is threaded inside the arm. You can see the flat face of the silver inner tube that raises and lowers and has numbers to allow repeat settings. Each album might be different. I haven't gotten that critical. I set it for some of my better records and generally leave it.
Quick repeat of a story, I guess. I commented on ak that the KD-500 that TomBig58 posted the Chicago area cl ad for was a very nice deal. Hose53 said he would get it from Tom for me if I wanted it. I kinda didn't respond much. Hose53 is in Columbus and has been here near Phila, after delivering some Cornwalls to DE and got some small speakers to transport to near Pittsburgh. He was willing to roll again, before gas got expensive. The start of the PM conversation was in Sept 2020.
Anyway, Hose53 got the table from Tom, I paid for it and then a recent local who had moved to Dayton a few years ago was coming this way to clear out a storage locker. Pony Express, Hose was going to St Louis right past Steve's in Dayton and dropped off the table, Steve hauled it to me. I put it on top of a stack of gear that could not get higher since I don't put things on tt dustcovers.
This one was a deal because it came with an SME armboard unused, a DIN phono cable, an intact and working dustcover and looked good. Needed a platter mat and tonearm. You guys know I have tonearms. I also have platter mats and have done listening sessions comparing them. They can but don't always make a big difference. This listening session will be repeated with this table.
I bought a Magnepan Unitrac I from the factory when I was selling stereo. It came complete and one thing included is a couple large washers to span and SME cutout. I decided to go this route and now have the KD-500/Magnepan/Ortofon MC-30 Super getting hooked up. In the third pic you can see the gap in front of and behind the arm post from the SME cutout. I have the KD-550 armboard with a center cut hole, one cut for a Mayware Formula IV and the SME. Just thought I'd use the SME since the Magnepan is designed to work with that cutout and neither of the other two were correctly drilled for this arm. The armboards I have cut, probably shown above, are for the KD-600 and are 4" in diameter. The KD-500 uses 4.25" diameters armboards and I'll make a few of those, too. If not shown above that is coming.
2 tables completed and 2 more to go. Here are the pics of the Kenwood, sitting on the Synergy Salamander to the right and above the Thorens 126 discussed above.
That silver knob on an allen wrench is used to adjust the VTA on-the-fly or when just setting up the table. There is a hole in the center of the arm post that goes down to an allen socket that is threaded inside the arm. You can see the flat face of the silver inner tube that raises and lowers and has numbers to allow repeat settings. Each album might be different. I haven't gotten that critical. I set it for some of my better records and generally leave it.
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Come differences, this tonearm has the anti-theft small torx headshell attaching screw instead of the thumbscrew used on the one in the post above. Yes, it is a second MC 30 Super. Both tables now set up and ready.
With the dining room table empty post diner with family, I was able to start and get these tables done. The 500 needed to be put in service and the 600, shown in this post, needed to have the armboards massaged to fit properly, have its phono cable techflexed and the unit dusted and cleaned up a bit. It was the table in use and since the 500 took its place I had it on the table. I made the armboard a few years ago as the original was attacked by beavers modifying it to fit a Fidelity Research tonearm. It was a mess with a big hole in the middle. I like the looks of this walnut board just fine.
Now to get the last one ready to go. Here are today's pics of the KD-600/Magnepan Unitrac I and Ortofon MC 30 Super
Yes,
I bought one while selling them in 1979/80 and another one in 86 that came on a tt consignment sale.
I got Jim to try one he used for a few years and of course, Tom Clone dove in pretty heavy into vinyl and had 4½ of them (broken end that holds the headshell), then he got out of the physical possessions game and sent me the arms and cartridges.
I'm thinking about learning if the headshell could be 3D printed. I don't want to let go of the ones I have but would like to sell or swap a couple of the arms.
10 years ago a well respected phono guy on audio asylum thought the Magnepan Unitrac was the best arm available for under a grand. What are you going to do with yours?
I bought one while selling them in 1979/80 and another one in 86 that came on a tt consignment sale.
I got Jim to try one he used for a few years and of course, Tom Clone dove in pretty heavy into vinyl and had 4½ of them (broken end that holds the headshell), then he got out of the physical possessions game and sent me the arms and cartridges.
I'm thinking about learning if the headshell could be 3D printed. I don't want to let go of the ones I have but would like to sell or swap a couple of the arms.
10 years ago a well respected phono guy on audio asylum thought the Magnepan Unitrac was the best arm available for under a grand. What are you going to do with yours?
That's quite the story, and nice to know someone that has some knowledge of them.
By all accounts it's possibly the perfect tonearm, I understand it's a little longer than a traditional 9 inch, but doesn't have some of the problems of the 12 inch arms. I think I read where it was 10 or 10.5 inches in length.
I'm running an SME 3009 S2 arm right now, and I have that coupled with a nice moving magnet cartridge, and it sounds so good on my Thorens TD-124 table that I'm probably not going to change the tone arm.
The one Magnepan that I bought came in the original box, with all of the original packaging and templates to install. The guy thought that it might've even been unused, but I could tell it's been mounted before.
I'll probably keep it and put it on a different deck, the other one is complete but not in the original box, and the fishing line/string on the side has been hot glued back on I believe. I'm sure it's still functional.
By all accounts it's possibly the perfect tonearm, I understand it's a little longer than a traditional 9 inch, but doesn't have some of the problems of the 12 inch arms. I think I read where it was 10 or 10.5 inches in length.
I'm running an SME 3009 S2 arm right now, and I have that coupled with a nice moving magnet cartridge, and it sounds so good on my Thorens TD-124 table that I'm probably not going to change the tone arm.
The one Magnepan that I bought came in the original box, with all of the original packaging and templates to install. The guy thought that it might've even been unused, but I could tell it's been mounted before.
I'll probably keep it and put it on a different deck, the other one is complete but not in the original box, and the fishing line/string on the side has been hot glued back on I believe. I'm sure it's still functional.
It isn't fragile. I change cartridges in a minute regularly when the boys drop by and we are comparing. The arm must have been abused or caught to have broken the piece
The headshell wires, I have a few with bad wires and I'll get around to replacing them eventually as I'm looking for a deal on great wire, Cardas or similar. The block has solder wells and I have a small iron to do the work.
I think the. Nylon line is just held in place with a plug the fits right in the hole in the side of the arm. Haven't had an issue with that but did have on of the metal bearing used to for the pivot of the a/s weight get stiff and make noise as the arm was moved into position. I don't know if the noise was heard while playing, noise of the nylon rubbing on the bearing which wasn't turning. I lubricated, cleaned and exercised that bearing until it freed up. I think I could go with a small enough rod to use for the turning point as on some arms but like the arm to work as designed. I haven't found an exact bearing yet and glad I was able to restore the operation of the original.
The headshell wires, I have a few with bad wires and I'll get around to replacing them eventually as I'm looking for a deal on great wire, Cardas or similar. The block has solder wells and I have a small iron to do the work.
I think the. Nylon line is just held in place with a plug the fits right in the hole in the side of the arm. Haven't had an issue with that but did have on of the metal bearing used to for the pivot of the a/s weight get stiff and make noise as the arm was moved into position. I don't know if the noise was heard while playing, noise of the nylon rubbing on the bearing which wasn't turning. I lubricated, cleaned and exercised that bearing until it freed up. I think I could go with a small enough rod to use for the turning point as on some arms but like the arm to work as designed. I haven't found an exact bearing yet and glad I was able to restore the operation of the original.
Sounds like you definitely know more about them than I do.
I don't know what happened to the fishing line on the side that holds the little bucket, but I'm assuming somehow it got snagged on some thing, anyway that one could be used for parts, or could very easily be put back in working order.
I understand people that want to do the tonearm rewiring upgrade thing, and if they're broken that would be the only reason for me to replace. I have a nice Denon DP67L deck that I might add the Magnepan to using a base/platform, I definitely want to hear it working. I understand they may be hard to beat at any price, and I think Magnepan had the right idea with the low resonance and soft cable leading to the bottom of the tonearm. I believe a lot more residents comes in through our cabling then we might want to think. I know someone that did testing on that, and a softer more flexible cable had better measurements than a hard stiff cable.
I don't know what happened to the fishing line on the side that holds the little bucket, but I'm assuming somehow it got snagged on some thing, anyway that one could be used for parts, or could very easily be put back in working order.
I understand people that want to do the tonearm rewiring upgrade thing, and if they're broken that would be the only reason for me to replace. I have a nice Denon DP67L deck that I might add the Magnepan to using a base/platform, I definitely want to hear it working. I understand they may be hard to beat at any price, and I think Magnepan had the right idea with the low resonance and soft cable leading to the bottom of the tonearm. I believe a lot more residents comes in through our cabling then we might want to think. I know someone that did testing on that, and a softer more flexible cable had better measurements than a hard stiff cable.
I have replaced a tonearm connector with a DIN plug and converted the associated phono cable.
I like the jumper on that cable allowing the arm to be used on a suspended deck and not have a stiff wire preventing the suspension from working properly. The rest of the cable provides 125pF capacitance so folks can calculate proper loading for those MM cartridges that are sensitive to it. I use mostly LOMC on my tables so capacitance isn't as much of a concern.
Yes, the Magnepan Unitrac-1 is a well thought out machine for holding a cartridge to extract the most information from a record groove.
There is lots of very positive discussion on vinyl asylum back in the 05-06 time frame and again in the mid-teens.
Even though 10,000 were made they don't trade often anymore. Either they are keepers or folks have damaged them and given up.
I like the jumper on that cable allowing the arm to be used on a suspended deck and not have a stiff wire preventing the suspension from working properly. The rest of the cable provides 125pF capacitance so folks can calculate proper loading for those MM cartridges that are sensitive to it. I use mostly LOMC on my tables so capacitance isn't as much of a concern.
Yes, the Magnepan Unitrac-1 is a well thought out machine for holding a cartridge to extract the most information from a record groove.
There is lots of very positive discussion on vinyl asylum back in the 05-06 time frame and again in the mid-teens.
Even though 10,000 were made they don't trade often anymore. Either they are keepers or folks have damaged them and given up.
yes and I probably read most of those threads leading up to my purchase of the Magnepan. I think a lot of them were keepers, and there were also a lot of them damaged.
Definitely a well thought out design with the capacitance of the cable and everything, and I actually took measurements of my cable and of course they were right on the money. I'll have to get it up and running, it's just a piece of art also.
Glad to hear you're riding the LOMC carts, I picked up a Dynavector Karat 17DX at a really great price, and I was pretty blown away by what I heard. If the tip ever goes bad, I would consider getting one of the Fritz Geiger tips on there, but I think that cartridge is the end of the rainbow for me.
Definitely a well thought out design with the capacitance of the cable and everything, and I actually took measurements of my cable and of course they were right on the money. I'll have to get it up and running, it's just a piece of art also.
Glad to hear you're riding the LOMC carts, I picked up a Dynavector Karat 17DX at a really great price, and I was pretty blown away by what I heard. If the tip ever goes bad, I would consider getting one of the Fritz Geiger tips on there, but I think that cartridge is the end of the rainbow for me.