gonna be idlin soon!

[malvai]

Some examples:
1. Oswaldsmillaudio for 301, two layers: http://www.oswaldsmillaudio.com/Products/images/productshots/garrardinplinth.jpg

i am lookin at something like the above... but a slightly different implementation... two layers with brass footer for each layer. i'll also be cutting out a rectangular block off the top layer, for the tonearm... this will then be milled down by 2mm from each side. and additional set of footers will be attached to it and then the tone arm would be fixed on this slate arm board... the tonarm/board footers will be standing on the 2nd layer...

In essence this will decouple the tonearm from layer #1!

 

[jls001]

In essence this will decouple the tonearm from layer #1!

Nice idea.

 

[Hiten]

Some examples:
1. Oswaldsmillaudio for 301, two layers: http://www.oswaldsmillaudio.com/Products/images/productshots/garrardinplinth.jpg

2. Multi-layered, with gap between layers: 124 in Slate

3. CLD type with slate: http://hammertoneaudio.com/Default.aspx?Part_Number=Garrard 401 - this was what I mainly meant.

4. Similar to 3 above but must be lighter: Ikeda Sound Labs IT-407CR1 Long Tonearm Review - Equipment Reviews - Dagogo

5. The third picture as you scroll down this page: Turntable Forum • View topic - Garrard 401 + Slate = Always good?. I think this would be one hell of an implementation.

Nice links Joshua. in link #5 read "cats squirrel" measurements on "Slate" and "Chip Board". That was what I was referring to in other thread. Idlers being directly coupled TTs. Mechanical vibrations are important to get rid of. Chipboard being less dense disperses them easily. (May need greater volume.) Some Speakers also have chipboard cabinets.Need to explore this.
Regards

 

[malvai]

i am on the verge of getting a sme 3012 right here in delhi... just hope it works out! dunno its condition, nor its exact series no... but i do hope i get it!

 

[jls001]

Check this out!

Slate Racks, Plinths - Northwest Analogue

Racks too.

 

[jls001]

I took a late evening trip to Santacruz and Vakola marble markets. I saw for myself slate samples. As it was rather late, most shops had closed. Slates are available in 12" x 12" size or 16" x 16" size. 16 inch quite inadequate. They assured that they can arrange larger sizes but it will take time. The slate samples I saw were rather rough with flakes fallen off in some places, and the shopkeeper told me that this is how it will be even in larger samples. That had me rather crestfallen as it was so different from whatever pictures I had seen of slate plinths. One romantic dream shattered today.

I asked to see sandstone and he showed me a large sample, with reddish hue, nicely polished on one surface and the other side being unpolished but still having even surface.

Do go to stone market in Delhi and go and see for yourself.

For my Lenco build, I have sort of finalised on using sandstone as the bottom-most. The other layers will be a wild mix and match, hoping that it will be quite a "dampener".

Bought 2 pieces of 18mm marine grade plywood, 1 piece of 17 mm MDF, 2 pieces of 10 mm clear acrylic, and will buy 1 piece of sandstone on Monday or Tuesday. All the sheets purchased today are 24" x 24". I will probably stick to 23-24 inch in length and tone down depth to 20". I will try to get the cutouts done tomorrow on the plywood, acrylic and MDF. Sandstone will be the lowermost layer and will only need a small hole (say 1 inch dia) to vent the heat.

As of now, the tentative plan is to have:
18 mm ply top layer
10 mm acrylic second layer
17 mm MDF third layer
10 mm acrylic fourth layer
18 mm plywood fifth layer
19 mm sandstone bottom layer

This will be about 4 and half inch.

Any idea if adding aluminium to the above mix will make it even more fun? However, I don't know where to source it, and how costly it will be. The acrylic sheets were sure costly.

 

[malvai]

you've been busy Josh!

man... i still have to get around to doing that! next weekend perhaps!

 

[malvai]

The Denon 103 pro cart and the Denon 308 tonearm have arrived (on the 27th of feb) and since have been languishing at Delhi Customs...


Imagine it took them just 5 days to reach India from the time I hit the 'buy" button... BUT it takes the extremely effiencient postal staff more than the transit time to clear the goods!

looks like i am in for a looooong wait.

 

[malvai]

Indian Post / Customs = bloody f#(k37s!

 

[jls001]

Indian Post / Customs = bloody f#(k37s!

+1, but Dude, calm down. You already know well that both these bodies move in mysterious ways and to a rhythm different than your own impatient pace.

Use the downtime to plan your plinth.

 

[arj]

Indian Post / Customs = bloody f#(k37s!

Did you have to "Lubricate" the system to get it out ?

 

[malvai]

Did you have to "Lubricate" the system to get it out ?

lol! haven't even reached that stage yet... the website says that its in customs... but the customs people seem to be unaware...

was speaking to Joshua in mumbai, and his denon 103 also seems to be in customs there and stuck!

 

[arj]

From my experience at bangalore, you will receive either an intimation for paying Duty OR recieve the package in 2 weeks

 

[malvai]

From my experience at bangalore, you will receive either an intimation for paying Duty OR recieve the package in 2 weeks

true... its always like that.... the package(s) took 3 days to reach India... but it'll take 2 weeks for the extremely 'busy' postal dept. to process it!

 

[malvai]

Finally! The Denon 103 pro & the Denon DA 308 transcription tonearm have arrived!

The tonearm, though industrial looking, looks marvellous. Clearly, it is of a much better build quality than the SME 3012. And a lot more adavnced (in terms of anti-skate, etc).

will share pics with you guys soon. Now I await the missing tonearm parts for the sme. But, I guess I have enough to go on with my plinth build.

I have fashioned a tonearm protractor for the Denon (using the measurement values from the net... I have nothing else to go by on this, as no details are available beyond the numerical values of the effective length, overhang and null points).

for the SME 3012, I have managed to get the JPG images of the tonearm protractor. I intend to retrace the JPG on Corledraw and then. expand or contract the tracing until the get the right pivot to spindle distance. this should bring the proractor to a more or less accurate size.

The Garrad 401 mounting template CAD drawing is also being worked on. (Finyl Vinyl, i'm doing one for yur 301 too. Just hang in there buddy).

Once the drawings are in place, i will create a master template with the protractors in Corel itself. Once this is done, I intend to take a printout of the final mount. This will then be usede on an MDF board for testing.

Once it passes the test, the same board will be used for cutting the sandstone. Incidentally, i found a very excited snadstone vendor, who on hearing why I need the sandstone slabs, is going all out to help!

More later!

 

[issigonis]

>>>

I am glued - this is as good if not better, than a Hitchcock film!
Admire your innovative attitude dude!

I am following the beaten track as I am not a DIY guy - will drive down to Bangalore for the Scheu and his set up audition. Might meet some of the forum members too.

Look forward to this.

Regards

 

[malvai]

Ok guys here are the pics of the stuff as promised! (dont have a great camera, so guys please make do with these!)

Stage 1 of the project on the garrad 401 id almost done!

The 3 tonearms are in place. The Denon DL 103 pro is also here. The sand box is made, only the sand needs to be bought (easily done!).

The SME (missing tonearm parts are also in transit and should be here soon: things like the anti skate weight for both tonearms, a rider weight for the 3012 and a Nagaoka headshell for the 3012)!

Pics:
This is the sand box base... approx 4 inches deep... will fill in sand and affix the top plate. The box is made of commercial ply and a laminate...




This is the top plate for the sand box. The finished Garrad TT will be kept on it later... the top plate is made of MDF and has a matching veneer... the top plate is about 2-3 mm lesser in size from the inside measurements of the box, so it rests on sand, without touching the sides. I have also added handles on the sides to easily extract the top plate (if I need to, in the future).




Here is a pic of the Denon DL 103 Pro cart, with box... you cant see the details or the cart clearly here, will try and do a close up in sunlight later...




Here are the three tonarms... The firstis the SME 3009 (improved) with a fixed headshell, the second is the SME 3012 (S2), and the third is the Denon DA 308 (long type, transcription tonearm)...




Now the next step is to get Ali to send me the brass footers and to complete the CAD drawing for the sandstone plinth.

 

[AMITNOIDA]

@Manav, sorry to ask an Out of Topic question - does a Sandbox help in producing better sound in case of suspended TTs , say for my Michell Gyro?

 

[malvai]

@ Amitnoida: See a suspended TT anyway minimises vibrations... BUT, a lot of people do make a sandbox irrespective of whether the TT is solid or suspended. In theory you wont need it. In practice, it is always better to isolate the turntable from any kind of vibration, as much as possible. since it'll cost you 4-5k, its worth trying out, isn't it?

 

[tek]

Hi Manav

Lemme know how that 103 pro works out for you. I'm currently using the DL 110 and thinking of upgrading to the 103 or 103 -R or even the pro version. How much did it cost you?

Tek