Plinth for Ruben's L 75 and 401

[reubensm]

Its Goatham branded Mic cable. FM Sann has used Sommer mic cable, but that was not as good as GAC2.
Gotham GAC-2 | Redco Audio

Regards,
Sachin

Thanks, I've got Jelco stock connectors and cables for both my Jelco Tonearms but was looking to try different options. I'll give mic cable a try.

 

[jls001]

sorry but what is Gac2 cable?

Do pay a visit to the "Snakeskin Oil and Consequent Religious Wars" section of our forum sometimes

Gotham GAC-2, balanced microphone cable with two layer copper braid shields ("Reussen shielding" in Gotham-speak), 24 AWG copper multistrand core. Very fine audio cable, IMHO. Cable naysayers may now kindly pretend they didn't hear a word, look away and say walawalawala....

There is an AES version of the same model with purple jacket. That has inferior shielding compared to the regular GAC-2. Also, the jacket is is much less flexible.

 

[Record Player]

Thanks, I've got Jelco stock connectors and cables for both my Jelco Tonearms but was looking to try different options. I'll give mic cable a try.

Sourcing a Gotham GAC-2 cable may not be very difficult. I would strongly recommend Neutrix Rean connectors as they pair really well and VFM (100 a piece).

Sourcing a cable like Mogami 2803/2549 may be very difficult here in India.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

The dust covers ordered for the L 75 and 401 were collected. The plinths will be ready for pick up from tomorrow evening. I will post pictures after the arms are fixed tomorrow.

 

[dheerajin]

Hi kuruvilajacob..where did you get the dust covers from...all TT lovers are expecting good dust covers for there beloved TTs...so pls guide us for the source

 

[reubensm]

The dust covers ordered for the L 75 and 401 were collected. The plinths will be ready for pick up from tomorrow evening. I will post pictures after the arms are fixed tomorrow.

Wow, can't wait to see the pics and also, to collect the TTs.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

Hi kuruvilajacob..where did you get the dust covers from...all TT lovers are expecting good dust covers for there beloved TTs...so pls guide us for the source

There is a guy making dust covers in Kochi. He is an old chap. Has only a land line and will not take orders on phone and the dimensions have to be given to him. I also understand there are people who make them in Bangalore. May contact Record Player. He may guide you.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

The plinth work for the 401 and L 75 are over. The dust covers have also come out beautifully. Now I am waiting for Rueben to come and pick it up on a mutually convenient day.

 

[jls001]

Looking very good. I'm sure they'll sound as good as they look. Exciting times for Reuben. Too many good toys coming your way.

 

[reubensm]

OMG!! Can't wait to get hold of them. Surely, this weekend.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

These massive plinths are very very heavy. I am also waiting for Reuben to complete the rest the work and get it to work. I am really eager to know how the Lenco will perform. I am also doing two more exciting plinth projects. (Already underway). One is a new plinth for Technics SP 25 with Direct coupling with a massive plinth. The other is an even heavier plinth for my Garrard 301 with SME 3012 which is now housed in original SME plinth suspended on four squash balls. After getting my Lenco with PTP and Thomas Shick arm, I thought my Garrard 301 needs a heavier plinth to keep pace with the rest of my Turntables .Especially Linn Sondek , Thorens 125 long base with SME 3012 and Micro Seikie DDX 1000 also with SME 3012.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

Rueben, I am free this weekend. So.please come .

 

[kuruvilajacob]

Delivered the modified Lenco L 75 and 401 to Rueben today. I faced several challenges in completing the plinth build but the final results was very satisfying as the plinths looked very nice . I am sure when it finds it's rightful place in Rueben's house, it will be looked after well. Just waiting for Rueben to complete the connection of RCA chords and hook it to his system. We had a wonderful time listening to few of my different Turntables which included Dual 1019 connected to Hafler 110 pre and Quad 303 Power through AR 925 speakers in my bedroom and 3 of the TTs in my listening room which were Lenco L75, Linn Sondek LP 12 and Thorens 125 Long base.

 

[reubensm]

Thanks Mr. Kuruvila, really enjoyed listening to your equipment as always. I have not looked up the TTs yet as I got back by 7pm and then went straignt into domestic activity and then, some office work.

All, these builds for me were very important. I am still doubtful whether old idler turntables will fulfil my requirements (as I am a direct drive believer) so this venture is experimental. Unlike what most audiophiles do, I have taken the financial aspects into consideration for the very first time, with these builds (except the plinth builds which was a blind bet). Both these turntables are investments, that's why I was very careful about buying show-piece quality equipment (after a lot of searching and consultation with my very close friends on and off the forum) and brand new tonearms. Even a tonearm upgrade for me could mean that "I could sell off the tonearms as almost brand-new" and use the money for the next upgrade.

I think we should all take this approach.

Breaking News!!

Last night a friend of mine dropped his Technics SP25 deck at our place, with plinth but without tonearm. He imported the deck from Canada from a Radio station auction. He valued it inclusive of freight and customs duty and he's come up with a price. I am holding back on this as I would want to retain it for myself until I decide on whether I like the idlers or not and whether the plinth builds have turned out as per my expectation.

Some have enquired the cost of the plinth builds and review which I shall post during the week with pictures.

A hearbreaking moment was when I connected up my Akai GX630D (serviced by Mr. Kuruvila's technician) after months of eager anticipation and found that it was not even turning. Earlier it used to play with slow speed and heavy drag. The machine does not seem to have the torque to pull the tape across. I have decided to fix this myself and I have requested help from my friends on audiokarma who are familiar with reel 2 reel technology.

From my recent endeavours in house construction, audio and with my car, I have realized that in the modern context, with such expensive but poor quality inexperienced workmanship availabe around, DIY is the best way forward (and with DIY, you get exactly what you want, with the satisfaction of doing it yourself). I am working on my carpentry and painting skills, next is masonary

 

[kuruvilajacob]

Thanks Mr. Kuruvila, really enjoyed listening to your equipment as always. I have not looked up the TTs yet as I got back by 7pm and then went straignt into domestic activity and then, some office work.

These builds for me were very important. I am still doubtful whether old idler turntables will fulfil my requirements so these are experimental as well. Unlike what most audiophiles do, I have taken the financial aspects into consideration as well. Both these turntables are investments, that's why I was very careful about buying show-piece quality equipment and brand new tonearms. Even a tonearm upgrade could mean that "I could sell off the tonearms as almost brand-new". I think we should all take this approach. We can use the extra money for more projects. This is the first time I've tried this approach as audiophile grade equipment is usually very expensive and loss due to upgrade are huge.

My philosophy is different. Whatever good Turntables I buy, i will do all mods with never any intention of parting with them. I part with them only when i feel I am not using them as often as I hope to. Like the AR XA box packing I showed Rueben yesterday. I hardly use it not because it's not good sounding but they do not find a place in my listening room and someone else looking for a quality equipment can enjoy it. Anyway, building these plinths away from home was a new experience and it was a learning curve.

 

[reubensm]

My philosophy is different. Whatever good Turntables I buy, i will do all mods with never any intention of parting with them. I part with them only when i feel I am not using them as often as I hope to. Like the AR XA box packing I showed Rueben yesterday. I hardly use it not because it's not good sounding but they do not find a place in my listening room and someone else looking for a quality equipment can enjoy it. Anyway, building these plinths away from home was a new experience and it was a learning curve.

Well, for most of us, we are neither collectors or sellers. We are only interested in getting to a point where with one rig, (1) we enjoy the music, (2) achieve a dream of having something we'd always wanted and (3) have something which we can brag about and show case (on some sites unlike our forum, one gets counted only if one has some serious stuff, here what I have noticed is that everyone is welcome, even if one has very basic stuff, that's the beauty of our forum)

Not sure I will be able to create an audio stock pile because it is only a matter of time before I will be off (maybe in a year or two) on international assignments and there would be nobody to care for them. Currently my TT stock pile reads, Technics SL3200, Garrard 401, Lenco L75, Garrard RC210, Technics SP25. Honestly, for enjoying the music my way, all I would need is the SL3200. Rest is all for experimentation so if they can't cause any significant improvement, they will all be up for other takers

The Technics SP25 is down to my brother's place for servicing. The owner had sourced the original Technics lubs from ebay.com.

Pictures to follow over the weekend. The build quality of the Technics is fantastic, I would say even better than the Garrard and definitely better than the Lenco.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

Eagerly looking forward to seeing the SP 25 Reuben. I am making a massive plinth for mine with direct coupling with a AT 1501 tone arm. Last evening another friend of mine dropped in to listen. He was so fascinated by the modified Lenco L 75 that he did not feel like leaving.

 

[reubensm]

Eagerly looking forward to seeing the SP 25 Reuben. I am making a massive plinth for mine with direct coupling with a AT 1501 tone arm. Last evening another friend of mine dropped in to listen. He was so fascinated by the modified Lenco L 75 that he did not feel like leaving.

Yes, this guy had been talking about the SP25 for some time but his family is known to my wife and they visited yesterday. Was pleasantly surprised to see him and the turntable. He is going to US for a onsite assignment with plans to continue living there and hence is letting it go. It looked in pristine condition. The walls of the plinth are about 2.5 inches thick, made of teak and the surface is about the size of the top of a 220litre refrigerator. God knows who could have designed it but I haven't seen anything that thick. There are no holes for the tonearm mount which suggests that the plinth had been hand-built and was not factory manufactured. He has also left his NAD C375, CA cd player, BA speakers and Home theatre receiver with me which was purchased yesterday, by our neighbour for installation at his new home.

 

[reubensm]

Lots of enthu from friends at HFV, shall post a good review over the holidays on Oct 2nd / 3rd. I haven't had the time to sit down with it after bringing them home. I am holding back on the spend aspect for now but shall share the details later.

Will start with the decks. They were both in pristine condition and dead silent when I handed them to Mr. Kuruvila. Need to run my usual checks on the internals and externals and then the functionality. At casual glance, the internals seem in good nick but I need to ascertain (in person and in detail), the servicing aspects done on the deck (assume it was purely cleaning and lubes). Need to run a proper check on functionality, all levers functioning, etc before kick starting (this is repetitive as I had already done this before handing the decks over). Need to also completely check the deck cosmetically. Just with the 401 in its almost NOS avataar and brand new Jelco tonearm, that itself is Rs.1 Lakh worth of gear by current market standards.

These plinth builds have not exactly turned out the way I envisaged them (from my discussions with my friends on AK and HFV and my online research), so I've got to ascertain whether the revised logic used is in line from a performance perspective and ergonomic perspective. If the revised logic works, then I'll be prooved wrong and will be even more thrilled to be prooved wrong.

Only after complete examination physically, will I be starting with the tonearm wiring so those who have enquired about it playing, please give me time to complete the initial checks. I will start with photographs on 1st October.

 

[hemantwaghe]

Hi KVJ we were awaiting your side of story

http://www.hifivision.com/phono-tur...75-builds-learning-experience-all-fronts.html
unfortunately this thread was closed
any comments?