MPP

That seems like good news.

Kean has several buffers, but this one is called: Kuartlotron
For some or no reason, it took me about 6 months before successfully memorizing how to spell it.

Just a note. If the Kuartlotron happens to lose the contest on account of focus, you can switch the outputs to BC556C, BC546C or BC550C, BC560C to slightly increase the focus at some slight cost to tone function, quite proportionately too. A very minor change indeed. But, more "focus" really is available by exchanging the medium signal outputs for small signal outputs instead.

Also, both trimmers, R1 and R5, can change the "focus" and tone a little bit, so if you're highly sensitive to those functions then you might want to have the trimmers installed for adjustment.

I probably don't know anything else about this circuit. Yeah, that was it. :)
 
HAving never heard of a Supex arm, I googled and found that the reference applies only to a lift/lower device. The arm shown is some hybrid I guess loosely based on the WTA, but its damped lift/lower device is very similar to that on the FR arm which is shown in the last picture. It is that part alone which is 'Supex' from what I can find.

Fidelity Research ceased production many years ago. The same man then designed an updated version which is the Ikeda arm. I had a few FR64S arms over the years and they were excellent with low compliance MCs. Indeed the FR 700/701 MCs were brilliant in my view and so musical. I converted one by removing it from it's FR headshell/casing and fixed it in a solid Audio Tekne style head-shell. That one was the best. All of this I obtained from the old UK importer when FR stopped production and it was their entire review stock. ...but the 66S had already gone elsewhere!!
 
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Just finished work on the new Calvin buffer for Paradise (see over there), and I was wondering if the sound is actually different (better?) if there is no DC across the RIAA components? In the Paradise design, the output buffer is enclosed in the servo loop (as it should be), but any DC offset of the output buffer means there is a corresponding DC value across the RIAA components..... no more with the new Calvin buffer, as this one can be adjusted for zero offset, and it sounds better IMHO :D

ideas anybody?
 
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Joined 2006
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Diamond tips fell off of three MCs ...I had used some special 'oil'[ I think you know what happened!] - An ART (Italy) prototype AT style, a FR 700E, and my beloved 70s Io!! (That went back to Japan for rebuild by Kondo and was returned like new. Of course that was a number of years ago!)

Been there... done that... I learned to glue diamonds in cantilevers after trying some (magical) cleaning fluids :)
 
Member
Joined 2006
Paid Member
Just finished work on the new Calvin buffer for Paradise (see over there), and I was wondering if the sound is actually different (better?) if there is no DC across the RIAA components? In the Paradise design, the output buffer is enclosed in the servo loop (as it should be), but any DC offset of the output buffer means there is a corresponding DC value across the RIAA components..... no more with the new Calvin buffer, as this one can be adjusted for zero offset, and it sounds better IMHO :D

ideas anybody?

Can you post a link to the correct schematic... I am finishing a new paradise build so I am open to new ventures :)
 
Member
Joined 2006
Paid Member
HAving never heard of a Supex arm, I googled and found that the reference applies only to a lift/lower device. The arm shown is some hybrid I guess loosely based on the WTA, but its damped lift/lower device is very similar to that on the FR arm which is shown in the last picture. It is that part alone which is 'Supex' from what I can find.

Fidelity Research ceased production many years ago. The same man then designed an updated version which is the Ikeda arm. I had a few FR64S arms over the years and they were excellent with low compliance MCs. Indeed the FR 700/701 MCs were brilliant in my view and so musical. I converted one by removing it from it's FR headshell/casing and fixed it in a solid Audio Tekne style head-shell. That one was the best. All of this I obtained from the old UK importer when FR stopped production and it was their entire review stock. ...but the 66S had already gone elsewhere!!

Hi Bianco

In fact it is a Micro Seiki MAX 237 modified arm with a Supex AL-2 arm lifter.
 
I only compared the Piglets Dad to the Kean. Have not tried the Calvin against it.
The Kean has a particular smoothness and a really nice tone. It sounds like very low distortion.
The Piglets Dad is a smidgen "harder" but has slightly better focus and snap.
Maybe i "open" the square wave on the Kean a bit.
As is it is already very good and extremely simple. I like it a lot.