Micro (Seiki) BL-91 restoration

[krellmk]

Gonna give it a try this week

 

[J!m]

Lemme know what you think. I like them…

 

[krellmk]

Gonna try and get the VPI or the Michell turntable going this week i have a bunch of Japanese pressing jazz vinyl that i never played

 

[George S.]

It's nice to just sit and chill to a good album now and then.

 

[grapplesaw]

Just the stylus. And it’s nearly 100 after VAT and shipping.

.

Jim why did you have to pay VAT? I have bought several things from Europe and got VAT exemption. Just curious

 

[62vauxhall]

I'd be interested in knowing that too. Particularly since I bought that exact same VN-35 stylus a year ago and paid no VAT.

 

[J!m]

Cuz they can? No idea. It was added. Maybe it'll be removed, but more likely it is going into someone's pocket.

 

[J!m]

Stick a fork in it.

I put in the new stylus with the original guard on it. I asked around on VE and this apparently is a decent cartridge Shure V15 III and also is quite flat responding if properly loaded. Since I can adjust R and C values easily I should be able to dial it in.

How do I physically measure the capacitance of the cables?

 

[Gepetto]

View attachment 65009View attachment 65010View attachment 65011
Stick a fork in it.

I put in the new stylus with the original guard on it. I asked around on VE and this apparently is a decent cartridge Shure V15 III and also is quite flat responding if properly loaded. Since I can adjust R and C values easily I should be able to dial it in.

How do I physically measure the capacitance of the cables?

A good quality LCR meter will. You will be well down in the pF range so it will need to be a 4 wire measurement.

 

[George S.]

DER EE LCR meter with the 4 wire Kelvin clamp modification.

 

[J!m]

I’ll see if I can find one. Hopefully it has an instruction manual.

 

[Bob Boyer]

Nice job, Jim. Really nice. Congratulations and thanks for the progress thread; it's been great to follow along.

 

[J!m]

Glad you enjoyed it!

now to find a spot for this thing and see how it sounds…

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/ele/d/savage-micro-seiki-bl91-arms-and-high/7471809834.html

 

[J!m]

Go get it Perry!

 

[George S.]

I’ll see if I can find one. Hopefully it has an instruction manual.

Jim, I'll test some interconnects with the DER EE this coming Monday and post the results. Never tried doing so before, it may be worthwhile. I never thought cables made a difference until Joe and Lee helped me upgrade my preamps. The difference in cables is now readily apparent. I'll test some Radio Shack, Walmart RCA, Monoprice Monolith, and homemade Switchcraft/mil-spec coax jumpers.
First have to put a water pump on the wife's Buick Encore 1.4 Turbo and a storm door on the neighbors house on Sunday. Will have time on Monday. There are good reviews and instructions on that meter and how to's on the Kelvin clips.

 

[J!m]

That would be awesome.

I think it may make more sense for me to send the cable to someone to test for me. Besides the equipment investment, there is the whole lack of skill thing to overcome as well... I don't expect to be testing hundreds of cables, but sending someone a box of cables and a 20 to cover beer, seems far more reasonable from my point of view.

I very much look forward to the test results!

 

[8991XJ]

That does look fork worthy, it looks done, very nice.

The Shure, I've seen capacitance specs and maybe that one has it in the literature. As far as cable is concerned don't forget the run from the cartridge to the main cables. It all adds up.

Or just get a nice moving coil cartridge and not worry about the capacitance. But impedance loading can be more important.

I keep seeing these tables, yours, the way overpriced one in the link provided, a Sansui XR-Q7 and others with all that wood look. Had a Marantz 6320/Magnepan Unitrac that was wood but I wanted a better table and that one is gone. But I have enough in the way of tables right now.

Yours will be well worth the work and should sound great. Enjoy.

 

[WOPL Sniffer]

Go get it Perry!

Wish I could but I spent several thousand on my TT and it took me what, 2 years to build it as i could afford it. Maybe when I get my hands on this Rek o Kut and flip it I may build another one. But I want to build another Rega clone and I will have a wrap made and clone the Rega Union Jack RP6 or I'll get ahold of Rega and try to buy the RP8 Plinth. Love THAT one.

 

[J!m]

Cool. I’m about to have stupid money into my Rega but it’s basically a ground-up Re-engineering.

I heard today that the VTA tightening disc is done and just the two plates for the constrained layer sub plinth to go. I have all the other parts ready to go.

And that BL-91 from the original owner is a fair price.