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Sounds great compared to the Pro-ject. More detailed, but more musical at the same time. I'm stoked.

 

Definitely will service all the things you mentioned. Will add some new feet, some dampening rings and ultimately would like rewire the arm with Cardas wiring. Was tempted to get a new arm entirely, but I'd like to keep the auto off/lift function. A lot of the typical upgrade/mods have been done in these Super versions, so I don't have to do those.

 

I also just ordered an AT150MLX for it.  :)

 

Good to hear, yes do all the basics first and that arm is the weak point of that table but a Cardas rewire will definately help though. I've always tended to replace them completely as it's so easy to make or buy new armboards for them and in the UK we are spoilt for choice for good arms.

 

Polishing the platter does make them look very nice as well. The last one I had ended up with a polished platter, electronically controlled DC motor, Helius Scorpio Mk2 arm with Cardas wire and an acrylic base and platter mat.

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Good to hear, yes do all the basics first and that arm is the weak point of that table but a Cardas rewire will definately help though. I've always tended to replace them completely as it's so easy to make or buy new armboards for them and in the UK we are spoilt for choice for good arms.

Polishing the platter does make them look very nice as well. The last one I had ended up with a polished platter, electronically controlled DC motor, Helius Scorpio Mk2 arm with Cardas wire and an acrylic base and platter mat.

That sounds amazing! Id love to do it all at once, but I really shouldn't ($) so we'll see how it goes. You ever rewire one of these arms or have you always just replaced the entire arm? That and the suspension are the only parts that I'm nervous to screw up....

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That sounds amazing! Id love to do it all at once, but I really shouldn't ($) so we'll see how it goes. You ever rewire one of these arms or have you always just replaced the entire arm? That and the suspension are the only parts that I'm nervous to screw up....

 

The beauty of these decks is that they are good from the start so you can take as long as you like to do it, I've not rewired that particular Thorens arm but rewiring any arm is the same in principle in that you use the old cable to pull the new through, you do it slowly and methodically and employ as much patience as you can muster, oh and be careful of the black ground cable as you are not replacing that and it's easy to break it's connection inside the arm.

 

The suspension is easy to set up and is identical in principle to a Linn, Ariston, AR etc etc. so find the early Linn set up manual on line and follow that but you shouldn't need to change it if it's sitting level or you change the arm. You can do the bounce test in that if you push down on the spindle then let go it should come back up as flat as it went down, if it wobbles about as it comes back up or you feel more resistance in one area as it goes down then you might need to look at the isolators at the top or bottom of the springs but all that's pretty obvious when you get the base plate off.

 

In terms of musicality to my ears with everything else equal a good suspended sub-chassis turntable wipes the floor with any un-suspended turntable no matter how expensive or how good it's supposed to be and yours can be a very very good suspended table, I also find it funny how many people I've spoken to who buy a brand new Project or similar and replace it with a good vintage table and say how much better it is, there's nothing new in hifi and I've never understood how they sell so many of these new tables when there are so many much better old tables out there for less money. Each to their own I suppose.

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I came across a cheap Technics SL-5, so I picked it up. Linear tonearms have always interested me. The only problem is it plays slightly too slow, and the thing reeks of stale cigarettes. Anyone know how to get the smell out? I also believe there is a way to adjust the speed on the bottom, will have to grab the manual off vinylengine to see.

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I bought a turntable in a thrift store in the US that stank of cigarettes and was pretty yellow, I used a cleaner that was called something like "mean green" or similar and that certainly got rid of the stinkyness and the yellow sheen.

 

It was an Optonica one with the fake marble plinth that weighed a ton and caused a few problems convincing the nice man at Continental to let it on the plane.

 

+1 on the belt but from memory changing the belt on a lot of those linear arm decks can be a bit fiddly

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It is a direct drive table, not a belt driven one.

 

I'll give Windex a go. Thanks.

 

That will make life a bit easier if it's just running slow then you're right it should just be an adjustment but if it's fluctuating that could be a bit worse.

 

Did you manage to fine the service manual on vinyl engine?

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After 7 long years of dreaming, saving up, setbacks, and grad school, I've finally decided it was the right to invest in my first turntable (roommate had a basic turntable back then in college.) My eyes were first set on the P3-24, followed by the RP3 when it was subsequently released.
 

 

After recently finding a deal for $1,000, I'm now the happy new owner of the RP40!

 

XvqCwuW.jpg

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That will make life a bit easier if it's just running slow then you're right it should just be an adjustment but if it's fluctuating that could be a bit worse.

 

Did you manage to fine the service manual on vinyl engine?

 

Yeah, it looks like there is something on the bottom you turn to change the speeds. I'll give it a go once I clean it up. I'll have to download one of the speed apps too.

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You can download a strobe disc from vinyl engine as well, it will probably be more accurate than the app and free

 

Oh, nice, didn't know they had those on there. Thanks for the tip!

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Weird, I see people selling belts for them.  Maybe some were DD and others belt driven.  Good luck.

 

Edit: Those might be for the tone arm movement.

 

It does have a belt for the tonearm.

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...rewiring any arm is the same in principle...

 

The suspension is easy to set up...

 

In terms of musicality to my ears with everything else equal a good suspended sub-chassis turntable wipes the floor with any un-suspended turntable no matter how expensive or how good it's supposed to be and yours can be a very very good suspended table, I also find it funny how many people I've spoken to who buy a brand new Project or similar and replace it with a good vintage table and say how much better it is, there's nothing new in hifi and I've never understood how they sell so many of these new tables when there are so many much better old tables out there for less money. Each to their own I suppose.

 

I think rewiring will be one of the last things I do. Still a bit scary to me :)

 

I set the suspension this morning after your encouragement (thanks). It went really well - tighter more present low end and more clarity overall. 

 

I'm coming around to your opinion of the vintage tables, in the past I've definitely encouraged friends to get new pro-ject tables, but my experience with this Thorens will at least make me rethink that advice. I still think for a novice a plug and play Pro-ject might be the way to go, since this Thorens definitely takes some know-how to get to a good place. I'm really happy I took the plunge. Between this and my Clearaudio Concept I feel like a have a nice pairing of TT's.

 

Thanks again @allenh.

 

Edit: I polished up the platter this morning too.

 

Before/After

Photo%20Jul%2020.jpeg

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One of my mates just picked up a turntable for his setup on my recommendation and insistence! A Kuzma Stabi XL4...my dream table and one I hope to get after I achieve some of the goals I had mentally set for myself.  I want to hit certain financial goals I set for myself before I put in an order for my own!  Anyhow, I am going over to his house tomorrow to get the shipment unpacked and make sure all the bits and pieces are in the 7 boxes this thing got shipped in.  I get to completely enjoy setting up this turntable at my leisure over the next few days, whenever I have time.

 

Here is a picture (not taken by me, just a random one online), of the Kuzma Stabi XL4 with the Kuzma Airline Linear Tracking tonearm and a SECOND Kuzma 4point tonearm:

 

937.0900x0600.jpg?rev=1323903977

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On a side note, I got a custom tonearm base made for one of my tonearms.  You have GOT to see this thing...It is still in India (where I got it made) and it will get shipped out to me on July 29th (awkwardly, the same day as my mothers b'day!).  Custom wood and brass tonearm base:

 

19704553848_fd7c2704f5_b.jpg

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Can you tell a difference? Might spring for one someday.

 

I've only listened to one record so far. I honestly don't think I'll be able to tell the difference, only because I haven't listened to my RP3 a whole log. I finally just got some chairs in the basement where it's set up so I'll be able to listen to it more. I wasn't really in the market for the platter but I found one used so I decided to get it.

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One of my mates just picked up a turntable for his setup on my recommendation and insistence! A Kuzma Stabi XL4...my dream table and one I hope to get after I achieve some of the goals I had mentally set for myself.  I want to hit certain financial goals I set for myself before I put in an order for my own!  Anyhow, I am going over to his house tomorrow to get the shipment unpacked and make sure all the bits and pieces are in the 7 boxes this thing got shipped in.  I get to completely enjoy setting up this turntable at my leisure over the next few days, whenever I have time.

 

Here is a picture (not taken by me, just a random one online), of the Kuzma Stabi XL4 with the Kuzma Airline Linear Tracking tonearm and a SECOND Kuzma 4point tonearm:

 

937.0900x0600.jpg?rev=1323903977

 

I love Kuzma as a company because they make some way out there stuff just because they can.

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Just received my Wharfedale 10.2s from Music Direct as well as my cheap Sanus stands :D These are a huge upgrade from my Powered JBL Studio Monitors and I will be running them through a ~$500 Denon Receiver I took from my parents' garage until I can afford an amp. Can't wait to pick up some speaker wire after work and set it all up.

 

Turntable: Technics SL-1210 MK2

Cartridge: Ortofon Blue PNP

Amplifier: Denon something or another

Speakers: Wharfedale 10.2

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