Vinyl - Record Spinning

[MicroMara]

Listening Room is finished , those speakers driving me crazy ,again & again & again 😁 hard to beat if driven with the Dynaco PAS4 Tube Pre and the Cayin Mono Tubes. The Micro Seiki DQX 1000 TT is connected as well , last sunday a friend of mine was here and we listened to vinyl only. Used the Shelter 501 III MC , we had tears in our eyes and endlessly listening pleasure . The room acoustic is outstanding , the new apartment is a brand new experience. All other rooms are in work as well . The view through the windows is fantastique , I can see miles into the depth from the landscape ..WOW 

 

 

 

[Dave1291]

Wellllllll, look at George go!  Looks great and prolly sounds just as sweet as it looks!  

 

Cranked out a late breakfast here now it's time for @JohnJ to serenade me.  😂

Hadn't heard this one in YEARS!  From 1982 and soooo very minty!  It's a cookin!  Pulled the old lemme see that jacket number on him just to check it out.  😂  Now he tells me I've got two copies over there.  😂  😂  💪  "Why do you need one?"   Nope ,I've got the half-speed master.  😂

 

 

Been a minute for sure.  Now he's got another one that's pretty minty too he says.  Like he's messin with me now.  hahahaha

 

Well that one didn't work.  Jerry Garcia's first solo lp from 1972.  Nice try though.  Whew, thought he'd get me the second time.  Can't have that happening.  😂

 

 

 

[Full Range]

2 hours ago, MicroMara said:

Listening Room is finished , those speakers driving me crazy ,again & again & again 😁 hard to beat if driven with the Dynaco PAS4 Tube Pre and the Cayin Mono Tubes. The Micro Seiki DQX 1000 TT is connected as well , last sunday a friend of mine was here and we listened to vinyl only. Used the Shelter 501 III MC , we had tears in our eyes and endlessly listening pleasure . The room acoustic is outstanding , the new apartment is a brand new experience. All other rooms are in work as well . The view through the windows is fantastique , I can see miles into the depth from the landscape ..WOW 

 

 

 

 

Looking great 

I’m also getting teary by proxy 

Just a thought to consider- you need more art on the walls 🤘

[Full Range]

Now 54 years since this album was unleashed to the public 

 

This release is the 50th anniversary remix by Steve Wilson 

Artist - King Crimson 

Title - In The Court Of The Crimson King 

 

Album ID - https://www.discogs.com/release/14338110-King-Crimson-In-The-Court-Of-The-Crimson-King-An-Observation-By-King-Crimson

 

 

[KROCK]

More Mono's;

 

[Dave1291]

@KROCK the aura looks nice!  😂

[KROCK]

Another Mono;

 

 

[KROCK]

Change it up;

 

[KROCK]

Got to love it.

[billybob]

Roll em' out @KROCK...yes man!

[AndreG.]

 

https://www.discogs.com/release/10510198-The-Alan-Parsons-Project-Stereotomy

 

[AndreG.]

 

https://www.discogs.com/release/5345560-Steve-Hackett-Bay-Of-Kings

 

[Tim Sr.]

Awwww

My TT is out of commission...

[Tim Sr.]

LOL Don't be sad @KROCK

Sitting in storage for 16 years, she was due for a total overhaul.alignment and calibration.This is just day 1 of many for this baby, noting the pivot points seats will have to be restored. Among other things

It's a good thing here, she finally gets a tune up

[Tim Sr.]

I must apologize to everyone.

I posted the photo in a humorous way, so I thought (intention), and realize now this would be sad to see by the forum participants.

I will clarify what is happening, the love and attention that is being invested here, to see this AR XA gleam once again as it was when I bought this (1969 or 68). The TT is a heavily used with only minimal maintenance so suffers from time and neglect.

Currently I have only completed the inspection and assessment of the wear and damage.I make a list and then address each item individually to insure the proper restoration is completed for each item. I am estimating a month minimum to finish this project.

My findings are that the big issue will be the brass pivot cylinder and sleeve and the pivot screws in the tonearm. Electrically everything is in great shape so great care has to be taken not to compromise the tone arm wiring. That is a bugger to re-do, but in the back of my mind doing an upgrade of the tonearm wiring is mulling about. I have the litz wire for replacing the wiring (I forget what brand "Expensive stuff") and the time to do this is now. Focus is to put the brass cylinder in my lathe and remove the pivot cup burs that have developed over the years. The tone arm will not float at zero g balance due to the burs  and the pivot points ride too deep the cylinder. I do not remember having even disassembled the tone arm so may be the pivots were too tight from the factory, but I will assume that they were improperly adjusted at sometime thus distorting the cups and damaging the cylinder. I might have to do a modification to be able to revive this cylinder, by installing pivot jewels for the points to ride in. Following that it is mostly cleaning, adjust and align everything. The suspension springs are still good and stiff, but the foam has deteriorated as well as the rubber washers are hardened for age. Those will be replaced, and the final assessment of the springs made once the floating system is adjusted with everything in place.

I will post an occasional picture as I go along if anyone is interested.

The Goal, restore to original factory condition, and original specifications mechanically. Then enjoy my first ever high end piece of gear.

........

 

oh the work ahead....

 

 

[Full Range]

4 hours ago, Tim Sr. said:

I will post an occasional picture as I go along if anyone is interested.

The Goal, restore to original factory condition, and original specifications mechanically. Then enjoy my first ever high end piece of gear.

........

 

oh the work ahead....

That would be great and will be looking forward to see updates 

You could also fit a different arm if you can’t restore it 

[Tim Sr.]

1 hour ago, Full Range said:

That would be great and will be looking forward to see updates 

You could also fit a different arm if you can’t restore it 

Yes I could and have a spare Thorens but, the real goal is to get original. like a purist thing, but more of a very old emotional attachment

I would consider grabbing an ebay arm to steal the cylinder out of but figure it would be in the same condition. I have also considered chucking up brass bar in the lathe and just cut a new one. Sleeping on this the installation of jewels is getting the most votes so far, ease of the repair, plenty on hand and would be a small improvement of the design.  Goal today is to play with jewels to see if I have perfect match or something close enough. Just something durable that allows the balance motion to be able to swing at or near zero g, not up around .5 grams where it is now. It is not supposed to be sticking like this per the design of Edgar Villchur.

I still have 4 other TT's to spin with and allows me the time however long it takes to see this project through. One small issue I have not worked out yet is the felt washer that goes around the arm post on the top of the T frame. It is an oil keeper felt prevents oil from migrating out of the shaft and holds the oil for the shaft to remain lubricated. I am sure that the original was a compressed foam that deteriorates converting into a sticky mush that is NOT helpful and a chore to get cleaned up once it goes goo.

I have looked at and studied several available kits replacing the whole T Frame and bearings, with the new springs, foam and rubbers washers, but then it is not really the AR XA TT anymore, neat idea and a very helpful solution for users and! wonderful idea on finding ways to improve a device and the continued search for the perfect TT.

So much fun

[Full Range]

7 minutes ago, Tim Sr. said:

I have not worked out yet is the felt washer that goes around the arm post on the top of the T frame. It is an oil keeper felt prevents oil from migrating out of the shaft and holds the oil for the shaft to remain lubricated.

 

My Garrard 401 has a felt oil ring washer and it’s still good as new 

It is original fitted 1965/1966 

[Tim Sr.]

47 minutes ago, Full Range said:

 

My Garrard 401 has a felt oil ring washer and it’s still good as new 

It is original fitted 1965/1966 

Yeah, felt!

I have never had to replace felt oil washers unless they were missing, the foam ones are just a PITA and replacing with felt I always consider an improvement. I just noted that the Delrin discs are missing as well so they are now on order. I also found an original, decent dust cover to replace the one that did it's job when a speaker vibrated off a shelf down onto the turntable. Only the dust cover suffered which is what it was for.  Happened the day I moved the AR to a new location, not realizing the danger I was putting it in. I got lucky is all I can say and even luckier finding an original for less than half the price of the new replacements being offered today. I have found what I believe to be the perfect jewels for the cylinder (Barrel) and I think these will press fit in nicely without having to bore out the cups of the barrel, I have both Sapphire and Ruby in this size, and am leaning towards the Ruby though the sapphire would be just as good. One set will get allocated to the spares box for this TT.

[MicroMara]

On 10/10/2023 at 10:56 PM, Full Range said:

 

Looking great 

I’m also getting teary by proxy 

Just a thought to consider- you need more art on the walls 🤘

My name is Art 🤣..not Garfunkel 😂 , what you don´t see that the listening room is full of art , but not at the frontwall between the gear, gonna show more pics in my profile soon . 

 

Btw , my doughter is in Melbourne right now, she´ll arrive in Brisbane on first of November , so what you gonna do with her ? What shall I tell her to get in touch with you ? Is your doughter there as well ? She has your phonenumber !