Dealings with slate

Love it or hate it, it just won't stop
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andrew Ivimey
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#31

Post by andrew Ivimey »

Well, Anthony and Philip, Garrard platters are notorious for 'ringing' or at least to be 'resonant' (they chime if you hit them) and I thought most people thought that it is a design fault that needs a cure.

I have quite a few spare Japanese platter mats. I find it difficult to believe that they are actually inferior to one with Garrard on them but there you go ;-)

I was impressed that the old felt one (that I acquired on another vintage turntable) actually made a sonic improvement as, as Will and Greg say, blu-tack on the inside top of the platter helps a great deal too.

As I have a length of that eBay rubber stuff I will make up a couple of bands which may help improve things more.

Anyway, I think all the slate cutting is done now - finger crossed - Just four little holes to hold the mdf and then finally, slate, arm board in place.
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shane
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#32

Post by shane »

Not sure about this ringing platter business. Any well-made metal platter will ring like a bell. Lencos do it, Heybrook TT2s do it, Linns do it, Dual 701s do it, Jap DDs do it. I can't think of a turnatble that doesn't do it. It's true that the divided platter brigade (Linn, Heybrook, Thorens etc) don't ring when they're sitting on their sub-platters, but otherwise they all do. Does it really matter?
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andrew Ivimey
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#33

Post by andrew Ivimey »

... only in so far as resonances from the platter will modulate what the tone arm is picking up ...

this is what I have picked up from people who have 'sperimented. I haven't ... yet.
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#34

Post by cressy »

the thing i found with the slate lenco was that that everything that was coupled to anything was better rigidly mounted. it seemed that decoupling just didnt work for me. i used light machine oil on the plinth cos i was too tight to get some teak oil to treat it with, although it needed redoing every few weeks. looked fine though and i use the same oil on the bottom plate for the garrard.

re the garrard ive found the same with the perspex top plate. the arm mounting was a million times better rigidly mounted that it was decoupled.
i just couldnt face hacking slate around again for the garrard, but it is by far the best material ive come across for turntables. the platter mat ive found to be a whole lot better than the garrard one, but its a personal choice rather than any sort of be all and end all, i tried a cork one with a felt one on top and that was good but seemed a bit hazy compare to the technics one. so that one stayed and the garrard one went in the drawer out of the way.

however, even though the system sound a million times better than its ever done, ive got bored with it, i dont have the time to apreciate it any more...........................

need to make something else (another deck would be lovely, where did i put those papst motors i had?) to rekindle the interest.....................but if i do i will be killed by swmbo :lol:
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andrew Ivimey
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#35

Post by andrew Ivimey »

well here's what it will look like as Mk1. Just add a cartridge and its ready to roll.
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Dave the bass
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#36

Post by Dave the bass »

Blimey! You've been a busy boy.

Good work there MrI.

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andrew Ivimey
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#37

Post by andrew Ivimey »

proof of the pudding (and I'm puddinged out) ... dear lord of the four, three being too few and sometimes five, but six is too many, strings!

I'll put a 103 on and set it up, give it a few turns of Shostakovich or Thomas Dolby (;-)) and see if it yields up a promising character!
Last edited by andrew Ivimey on Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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#38

Post by Dave the bass »

Dolby on yer Turntable Grandad? :lol:

0.58

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#39

Post by Toppsy »

Nice fettling there MrI.
Now if you want a set of spikes, the ones that Darren used on his slatedecks then these are the ones.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-Speaker-Spike-I ... 286.c0.m14
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andrew Ivimey
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#40

Post by andrew Ivimey »

Weeeeeeeeeeeeellll they look very posh Colin; I like that. But, you know, I wonder how dusty things get when they are all exposed and naked like.

I am thinking of covering things down under with some sort of plinth.
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#41

Post by Graeme »

andrew Ivimey wrote:Thomas Dolby
My mates uncle :)

Never heard his music though, any good?
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andrew Ivimey
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#42

Post by andrew Ivimey »

'Good' is far too subjective a term. I know many people really don't like some of the music I like; music I consider to be 'good'. So, if I said yes to your question, you still may not like it, it may still be good, though not to you.

I found his music intelligent and interesting pop music; gave me a few ideas.
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#43

Post by Mike H »

Nah "exposed and nakid" is best. More like art innit? 'Specially with gold spikes on as well, well sexy in an engineering sort of way. Just have to use the vacuum cleaner more often. Or chuck a plastic sheet over it when you're not using it. :D

Or, make a cover

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#44

Post by Greg »

Hi Andrew,

I think a plinth would be a bad idea unless it was constructed simply as a curtain and dust protector. Whatever, don't let it become part of the coupling. I use the spikes as shown by Colin and use pillars under them onto the support platform. I doubt your Mahogany plinth which is also open allowed much dust etc around the motor. Your slate should be about the same. I don't see the point unless it is for you an aesthetic thing.

Don't forget you can get a cover made here and I understand he can now engrave the Garrard emblem onto the underside of the top panel which looks cool.

http://www.plasticonline.co.uk/ (Red Display)

Regards,

Greg
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andrew Ivimey
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#45

Post by andrew Ivimey »

phroooaaarrrrr a posh perspex cover! Yes I'd like a new one.

It is to do with aesthetics here and the whole bloody deck looks enormous and unecessary. It needs wrapping up. I will try spikes. I will try plinth coupled (and rely on sheer mass). I will try just a covering up of nether parts (little curtains?)

It has to be done!
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