Grace 707

[ingvar ahlberg]

A minor problem:
I use a Grace 707 on one tt, works well but lost counterweigt and cable during a move (20 years ago).The counterweight i made a new, changed decoupling for a bit tighter set up, better than original (i think). Cable has a male 5 way din type (far thinner pins) plug while most arms with detachable cable has the male in the arm. This male plug i cant find, made one from a standard din plug and filed the pins down to fit and chemicaly silvered them. Precision in my handiwork seems to be inadequate as there is the occasional dropout or hum in one channel. Do anyone know where to find a plug of this kind.

[sreten]

Suggest you try stripping the socket and try crimping the pin
receptacles together, otherwise suggest replacing both plug
and socket with quality DIN types.
Sounds like you'd need to strip out the socket receptacle from
its shroud and use the arm shroud.

sreten.

[ingvar ahlberg]

Thank´s for Your suggestions.
I´ve tried simillar solutions, the pillar tube is to narrow to fit the body of a quality din. Made a male by replacing original pins with spring loaded pins for needle bed test equipment ( use at work all the time ) didn´t find the right dimension, to thick- spring to weak, to thin- obvious problems as in the filed down contraption.
If i used this arm in a permanent setup ( it spends most of its time on a marble player in the guestroom) i would solder it together but as it is more of a test arm ( biulding tt´s in marble/birch for friends and their friends) i like the detachable cable so a few of those male notstandard din´s would be nice

[sreten]

I'm lost - if you remove the shroud (ouside metal earth)
of a quality DIN socket how can it not fit if the plug does ?

sreten.

[ingvar ahlberg]

Sorry, it´s me being uncoherent - problem is: The Din style socket in the arm pillar has the same pin spacing as a din standard 5 pole c type. The sockets are tighter than din standard and do not allow entry with standard din male pins ( this is getting dirty ).
The arm pillar tube is to narrow to fit a standard din type male,
so i took a bit of plastic off the "contact pin deck" to make it go into the pillar tube and, as mentioned- filed the pins down to go into the female socket in the arm. This works but feels far from good

[sreten]

OK try mini DIN connectors AKA
S-VHS connectors.

sreten.

[ingvar ahlberg]

That´s getting close as the pins on a mini-din are nearly correct for the socket in the arm, spacing all wrong. This is the same connector as in Stax and AT arms, but those have the male in the arm, the female on the cable is easily obtainable.

[sreten]

so replace the socket as well.

sreten.

[lohk]

I have one of these male plugs, detached from an Linn tonearm base.
The details are (approx.):
5 pin 270 deg
gold plated
teflon base
pin1 to pin5 ca. 5mm, whole diameter ca.6mm

It is used but in good condition (shiny gold...).
If it is the one you are searching for, you can have it. Contact me via email.

I have also a Grace tonearm with no parts missing, it is dejustated but in good condition. You can have it too, for spares, or whatever. Just let me know.

Klaus

[fantasia]

hi ingvar, monday 22nd march 2004

well i know exactly what you are talking about with the grace 707 arm pillar. very narrow.

i would not give up on the grace i used to have one can produce stunning sound!!!!!

I had one with a grace F-8 retipped with a garrott micro scanner
sounded like a high end moving coil and tracked like a leech!!!!

If your into drool goodies there is if it is still there a grace F-8 ruby yes with a ruby cantillever at ebay for auction and isn't going for much people dont know it value.


as to parts try WWW.takefiveaudio.com there are in Canada

and sell some of those specialised plugs


Best whishes and good luck

Fantasia

Glenn Stewart