I like the "Space Age" look of the Sl-10.
The perfect TT for a space ship.
It is pretty cool that it can play vertically, or even upside down.
If anyone is looking for a solution to the "bump-thump" problem in the SL-10 (from the tracking bar lube drying out) I can report that one application of rendered bear fat cured the issue on mine and has been working perfectly for 9 years since.
It is pretty cool that it can play vertically, or even upside down.
If anyone is looking for a solution to the "bump-thump" problem in the SL-10 (from the tracking bar lube drying out) I can report that one application of rendered bear fat cured the issue on mine and has been working perfectly for 9 years since.
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My one O-scope has a frequency counter built in, accurate to 0.0001%, which I think is plenty for the job.
It was years ago that I performed the testing, so specific details are foggy to remember.
As for the spindle bearing observation, it's simply to describe how silent the platter rotates at high spun speeds - surely at the much slower 33RPM it would be even more silent. This then proves how well the spindle and it's bearing is machined on such a "budget" machine.
The bottom line, before you go off with more critiquing is - the turntable does an excellent job for its intended purpose.
I'm no amateur in this area, trust me.
After decades of servicing audio equipment, I've been through many lubricants, and prefer to use Super Lube grease with PTFE in things like tape decks, CD mechs, VCR's, and turntables.
It's lightweight, stays where you put it, also low viscosity, plastic safe, and synthetic, which eliminates any aging issues such as drying out or attracting dirt.
Equipment that I serviced with it as far back as 1992 still runs like a fine clock, with no signs of deterioration of the lubrication.
And that includes the slide rails of CD and linear tracking turntable mechs.
Others on various other websites have taken my advice, as well as colleagues/friends in the service industry with the same excellent results.
And, of course, along the way, I've had critics about using it, which eventually subsided when they found out the benefits for themselves.
Ray K, thanks for the B&K linear arm wow and flutter stuff. I'd never seen that before.
Over the weekend I was recording a 4 record set of mono recordings circa 1957, so probably cut with a mono lathe. Watching phase on an X-Y scope it was easy to see that outside grooves had some left-right phase shift. Thru the middle of the LP, the X-Y line was nicely flat, only getting out of phase again on the tight inside grooves. That's not FM (I suppose) but that phase shift shouldn't happen with a linear arm, right?
Over the weekend I was recording a 4 record set of mono recordings circa 1957, so probably cut with a mono lathe. Watching phase on an X-Y scope it was easy to see that outside grooves had some left-right phase shift. Thru the middle of the LP, the X-Y line was nicely flat, only getting out of phase again on the tight inside grooves. That's not FM (I suppose) but that phase shift shouldn't happen with a linear arm, right?
After watching right through I felt that he was too absolute in his assertions.
Most of the variables have some effect, the question is at what level - how many dB down, but he is probably not a philosopher.
How many consider for example that an ordinary speaker wire pair actually act as a transducer, a speaker, when carrying current, but probably at -400dB.
Most of the variables have some effect, the question is at what level - how many dB down, but he is probably not a philosopher.
How many consider for example that an ordinary speaker wire pair actually act as a transducer, a speaker, when carrying current, but probably at -400dB.
Pano, It may be hard to compare a pivot vs linear arms (as far as FM) unless both are static or dynamically balanced arms. The better "consumer" tables had dynamically balanced arms which greatly increased tracking ability in both axis and reduced FM. My Technics slql-1 is a absolute champ at tracking Decca, Command test records as well as any 1812 overture recording.
I have KD750 and its automatic version KD850. They are second in Kenwood hierarchy. I much prefer the 750 for its simplicity (fully manual) and exceptional build quality. The thing is quite heavy. The arm is precision-machined and somewhat resembles the Micro Seiki arms, but it is not any one from their MA series.
The sound of the 750 is nothing short of amazing.
The plate of the Teac TN400 rotated suspended by magnetic levitation .... It was not well known, but I think I am not wrong if I say that it exceeded the SP 10 .....
Giant Killer Turntable - Page 2- Vinyl Engine
Teac TN-400 turntable cool rare vintage ToTL direct drive table (custom base available) - Audio Asylum Trader
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While I like the Technics brand, and their turntables, the one thing that bugs me is their idea of putting the linear tracking arm assembly inside the dust cover/lid of those things.
To me, that may be a convenience feature, but having the arm on a seperately hinged lid would infuence integrity as to the platter being on "the bottom" of the housing.
For instance, we all know loud bass vibrations of music can cause dust covers to shake, and an arm "up there" would do the same, with a lesser effect on the platter/base housing.
It would tend to cause some interference with those two housing parts moving differently.
My Kenwood keeps the arm assembly on the same "base" as the platter, like traditional pivoted arms all do.
To me, that may be a convenience feature, but having the arm on a seperately hinged lid would infuence integrity as to the platter being on "the bottom" of the housing.
For instance, we all know loud bass vibrations of music can cause dust covers to shake, and an arm "up there" would do the same, with a lesser effect on the platter/base housing.
It would tend to cause some interference with those two housing parts moving differently.
My Kenwood keeps the arm assembly on the same "base" as the platter, like traditional pivoted arms all do.
Depending on how low the bass frequencies we reproduce, without the cover it could be worse ....... imagine 30 hz with a considerable SPL, if you feel the vibration in your chair, that same vibration can cause resonances in the tonearm , even if the TT has great mass. And there comes the acoustic coupling, so well known and feared.
The Lenco L75 tonearm performed the best in my case, when my system was in a small room. Any other arm went into resonance. The weight was cleverly decoupled from the rest of the arm frame. Many other manufacturers later imitated the system, but never so effectively, in my understanding and experience.
The Lenco L75 tonearm performed the best in my case, when my system was in a small room. Any other arm went into resonance. The weight was cleverly decoupled from the rest of the arm frame. Many other manufacturers later imitated the system, but never so effectively, in my understanding and experience.
I really regretted having sold my Lenco L-75 ...... it was a solid and high performance TT .......
Lenco L75 Idler-Drive Turntable - Audio Classic
Lenco L75 Idler-Drive Turntable - Audio Classic
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The lid on the SL-10 is so sturdy and heavy that it has integrated springs to assist lifting it and holding it in the up position. I estimate the lid itself accounts for at least 1/3 of the total weight of the unit - perhaps more. Also, it firmly "locks" closed, such that the entire unit feels like one solid (14 pound) block when it is closed. Zero integrity issues. It is an engineering marvel that enjoys its reputation for very good reason.
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I guess if the only tool you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail.
Personally I'd rather measure the instantaneous FM of a tone as that tells you a lot about what is actually going on rather than an average which tells you little of use. Used to require a mortgage of B&K gear in the 70s. Now just a laptop.
Perhaps someone can explain why records are cut with a linear lathe when 99% (I'm guessing) of turntables use radial tone arms.
By the way, I serviced a Garrard 301 table a while back, I've never heard of one being mentioned on here (not elite enough?) but it performed very well afterwards!
That's a great question. complexity? I have a couple of Garrard Zero 100 I bought a few years ago as a project. One to discover 'how' to take apart the tonearm assembly just in case I destroy it in the process, and the other to convert to jeweled bearings. I think it may result in a pleasant surprise.