Description

This virtual system is in serious need of an update...
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Components Toggle details

    • Technics RS1506
    Plays 1/2 track and 1/4 track up to 15ips and records 1/4 track.  That large diameter capstan is part of a huge, heavy flywheel that's about 6 or 8 inches in diameter. This makes for a super smooth and extremely stable tape transport.
    • Oracle Audio Delphi MKII
    I bought this table from the original owner along with the ET2 arm that he also purchased new. The table has silver Audio Note tonearm wire and cartridge clips, a WISA pump, Airtech surge tank, and a Mod Squad power supply.

    The suspension had been previously upgraded to the current system and just rebuilt by me (9/2006).

    While speaking with Oracle Audio, we came to the conclusion that my table would benefit from an oil of a different viscosity. While changing the oil I noticed a slightly worn thrust bearing which prompted me to resurface it. The thrust was polished it to a mirror-like finish which is now many times smoother than the factory finish. Pierre at Oracle seemed impressed with the effort! The work to the bearing resulted in amazingly smooth platter rotation which seems to take forever to stop if nudged.
    • Oracle Delphi motor bearing
    The Oracle Delphi's motor armature rides on a nylon thrust bearing which is housed in a machined aluminum bearing well. On the left are two pictures of the armature, shown upside down. On the right are two pictures of the aluminum bearing well and nylon thrust. I suspect the nylon thrust began as a nylon bolt that was cut to fit and subsequenty thread into the bearing well. Inspection revealed that the armature and nylon bearing were slightly worn and not of optimal finish even when new. I resurfaced and polished both the armature and nylon thrust to a mirror-like finish. Oil was added to the bearing well and the unit was reassembled. The resurfacing resulted in noticeably smoother motor operation. Due to the fact that the nylon thrust threads into the bearing well, experiments with other thrust materials can be easily conducted. Bolts are available in various materials, but nearly anything can be used as long as it can be threaded.
    • Eminent Technology ET2
    Wisa pump, Airtech surge tank, VDH tonearm wire.
    • Eminent Technology ET2.5
    ET2.5 with heavy magnesium wand and lightweight aluminum wand.  This may be used on a second table at some point in the future.
    • Denon DL103r
    .29 mV output MC. Boron cantilever, micro ridge stylus, potted with bees wax in an ebony wood body, Audio Note cartridge clips, silver Audio Note wire, KLEI Absolute Harmony RCAs.
    • Accuphase T-100
    Nice.
    • Jolida JD100
    Pretty nice and a definite necessity as 75% of my music is on CD. There are two in the photo because I replaced my silver one with a black one and owned two for a few weeks.
    • Classe CA200
    Used on the bass panels of the Magnepan 3.6Rs.
    • Magnepan MG-3.6r
    With fully adjustable, custom made stands. Horizontally biamped with a Marchand XM-44 line-level crossover.
    • Goertz MI3
    7 ft Goertz MI3 Divinity. Used on the bass panels of the Maggies.
    • Garrard 301
    Oil bearing 301 that I'm in the process of refurbishing. The plan is to use it with a slate plinth and my ET2.5.
    • Rack Part 1
    I'm finally building a rack for my gear. There will be four rock maple shelves measuring 24" x 48" x 1 3/4". This photo shows my brother radiusing the edges after we cut the slabs to size at his place.
    • Ingersoll-Rand T-30
    Air compressor for Eminent Technology tonearms.
    • Rack Part 2
    At my place milling one of the 18 stainless steel tubes which are to be the legs of the rack.
    • Rack Part 3
    Tubes are done and awaiting a cleaning.
    • Rack Part 4
    Tubes.
    • Rack Part 5
    This is a setup jig I made to place the holes for the uprights.
    • Rack Part 6
    Setup jig in position. The idea is to place the maple slab on the mill, put a 3/8" rod or tool bit in the mill, and align the slab until the 3/8" rod fits in the small hole on the jig which is exactly 3/8" in diameter.
    • Rack Part 7
    Experimenting with tube positions.
    • Rack Part 8
    It took 2.5 hours to machine 18 holes in slab #3 of 4. I started machining the slabs from the bottom, so this slab will be the second from the top of my four shelf rack. Holes are placed to approximately +/- 0.005". The stainless steel tubes were machined to approximately +/- 0.002". Not many racks (if any) are machined to these tolerances.
    • Rack Part 9
    Here I'm testing the fit of the first two completed slabs. Without even bolting them together, the assembly was unbelievably solid and stable.
    • Rack Part 10
    Here's one shelf after 13 sanding steps (60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 220, 320, 320 hand, 400, 400 hand, 600, 600 hand, white Schoth Brite pad) and the first coat of polymerized tung oil.
    • Rack Part 11
    Homebuilt adjustable brass footers for rack.
    • Rack Part 12
    All six brass footers.
    • Rack Part 13
    One of the six custom machined washers and countersunk, allen headed, 1/2-13 bolts that will clamp the top shelf to the rest of the rack.
    • Rogue Audio M-180
    Used on the mids/tweeters of the Maggies.
    • Eminent Technology tonearm air flow tests
    Air flow tests for various Eminent Technology tonearm and pump setups.
    • Marchand Electronics XM-44
    Line level crossover used to horizontally biamp the Maggies.
    • Hubbell HBL8200HR
    NOS, slim body, hospital grade outlets with unplated brass parts and non-magnetic, brass back strap. These are no longer made. Current versions have plated interior parts and steel back strap.
    • Aurender N100SC
    With 2TB Samsung 870 EVO SSD.  Connected directly to a Verizon Fios router with a 6m long DH Labs Reunion Cat8 cable.
    • Hubbell HBL8200HR
    These are supposed to have all brass parts, but the screw terminals on the sides sure look like unplated copper to me.
    • DH Labs Reunion Cat 8 Ethernet Cable
    Between Verizon Fios Router and Aurender N100SC.
    • AudioQuest NRG-Y3
    On Aurender N100SC.
    • VH Audio Flavor 4
    Power cord for Classe amplifier. Nine feet long with Furutech FI-25G connectors.
    • Rogue Audio Athena
    Preamp
    • HiFi-Tuning Fuse
    Used in the midrange and tweeter circuits of the Magnepan 3.6Rs.
    • European Audio Team E-Glo Petit
    Phonostage
    • Border Patrol SPDIF DAC SE
    Using with my Bluesound Node 2 and connected with an Oyaide DR-510 SPDIF cable.
    • Rogue Audio M-180
    On the mids/tweeters of the Maggies
    • Air Filtration System
    For Eminent Technology ET-2 tonearm.  60 Gallon tank at ~100 psi>several strategically placed drops for gross moisture removal>water separator for next level of condensed moisture removal>0.01 micron Motor Guard coalescing filter for everything else>pressure regulator>second 0.01 micron Motor Guard filter ("Final Filter") as last stage of filtration.
    • Oyaide custom built Black Mamba power cord
    6' long for my crossover.  Built with Oyaide Black Mamba V2 cable and pure copper Viborg connectors. All of the connectors were disassembled and every surface of the conductors were polished.
    • Oyaide Black Mamba Sigma V2 Power Cord
    I have these on my power strip, streamer, DAC, and preamp.  I also have one custom made cord on my crossover built with Black Mambe Sigma V2 cable and pure copper Viborg connectors.

Comments 43

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That rack!  Wow.  One of the coolest DIYs on this board.  Happy listening to you, @ketchup .

cymbop

Hey Ketchup,

What's your favorite Phish recording, live or studio, strictly from a sound quality standpoint?

cymbop