Togehter with the Technics technology, one of the most powerful and precise Quartz controlled motor ever available in the 80’s. Impressive torque, immediate start & stop The tonearm recalls the EMT, easy adjustable on VTA and still perfect to fit a wide range of cartdridges. Completely authomatic with separate motors or manual use.
Swiss Made in the Sixties, heavy platter sturdy and reliable mechanic also for a broadcast use. The tonearm is a 9 inch version, with the same geometry of the SME 3009, the counterweight is dinamically controlled by 2 springs. BBC mounted the Arm on the Thorens TD 124 The speed can be continuosly varied thanks to a clever conical axis. On the picture the same arm on a famous abum from the Status Quo (probabilly branded Goldring for certain Countries).
The Micro Seiky direct drive DD 40 turntable was fitted with an arm based on the model MA 505, a S shaped high precision, low tolerances, tonearm totally hand made in Japan. The unique design of the arm made it possible to adjust the tracking weight and the antiskating whilst on playing. A tungsten wire connected to a spring is working as tensioner, moreover a simple and stable mechanism is controlling the VTA. The motor is held in a aluminium die cast structure encasted in a amazing Rosewood frame.
Claiming the Swiss Precision, the TD 150 followed the most popular idler wheel / belt TD 124. Very compact in dimensions but elegant with a real european walnut veneer frame, heavy 30 cm platter and freedom to install different tonearms, makes this gear a fantastic and simple combination. SME 3009 I and a classical Stanton 681 EEE fits very well in my unit , updated with a new motor and an external AC 16 Volts power supply. An High Gloss black Arcylic top finishes is completing the picture.
This is one of the most classical Vinyl set up from the very best British Hi Fi age. My 401, arrived safely with an original Garrard Box directly from the place where it was built and I’ve been told that the first owner was a passionate engineer working at BBC. This late versions has a 16 watt motor and it runs very smoothly. For a living room set up it stinks, but for an hi fi freak this smell is better than a Chanel #5. Technlogywise is more close to a tractor rather than a Quartz driven machine, it takes almost 20 minutes to reach the speed stability but this are the “core” ff the appeal of such professional and iconic tool of the best Era in the Audio World. Doing the plint by myself I have opted for the Skeleton Concept: 2 layers of Black MDF, coped with a Sorbothane mat in order to add mass avoiding internal vibration and eventual external feedback; easy and effective. This method allows also easy and painfree …
