unknown arm

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Does anybody have information on the brand or model of this turn table arm?
-how about the quality?
 

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Pitty those Decca are so expensive. I tried the DL160 and was a little disappointed at first. Bass shy and some nasty squeaking sounds. Looking at the arm board it came clear the former owner had screwed the metal arm plate on to a plastic holder, which was screwed to the metal subframe of the Thorens 160. Made a nice walnut plate instead. Never liked a Thorens before this one :p

The Hadcock 228 has a black arm, a different lift mechanism and a smaller foot compared to the actual version.
 

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The difference to the previous situation is not subtle. The squeaks vanished and the bass is in proportion but most important it's a delight to listen to. Individual instruments appear where they once were part of a 'background sound'. Just tested with an album I'm familiar with and I was perplexed.

Formerly the bottom plate was fixed -a piece of hardboard with four rubber feet- now it's standing on its own. A new, solid base might improve LF extension and quality. Also I noticed the pivot is mounted in a pan filled with grease, or what it formerly was :) Do you know what to do with this dirt?
 

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diyAudio Chief Moderator
Joined 2002
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It most probably has to do with passing energy from cart - tube - pivot to base. Its the coupling quality of arm's base to subchassis tuning for you. Maybe it is worth to investigate even an Alu plate. No resilience there as it proves for you. The grease I would not take out, must be damping the area too.
 
frugal-phile™
Joined 2001
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New they were fitted with silicon damping material. Capable of creating a sticky mess. But always clear.

If what is in there is thick enuff that it doesn't easily come out, it needs to be replaced. Silicon damping is kindahard to get a hold of. A hi viscosity synthetic oil might be a good thing to play with (i know people that have used Olive oil, but it gets kinda high after a while)

dave
 
Thanks for the warning, I'll leave it there. Had the counterweight upside down I noticed :)
With fresh oil on the spindle and some fooling around with the adjustments (especially VFA) the DL-160 sounds very good. The DL-110 is not so bad either but misses the finesse of the 160, although it produces less surface noise. Maybe it's time for a new cartridge (a DL-103r perhaps) and get the best out of the Simplistic phono stage.
 
No, bad mismatch with the 103 range!

Thanks for the warning, I'll leave it there. Had the counterweight upside down I noticed :)
With fresh oil on the spindle and some fooling around with the adjustments (especially VFA) the DL-160 sounds very good. The DL-110 is not so bad either but misses the finesse of the 160, although it produces less surface noise. Maybe it's time for a new cartridge (a DL-103r perhaps) and get the best out of the Simplistic phono stage.

Not possible...the Denon 103 range work best in heavier arms! Other than high compliance MC cartridges your arm will work best sounding with MM (or Decca) cartridges! It will be too low mass for a low compliance MC like the 103 range!!:mad:
 
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