In praise of idlers

[iaxel]

Awesome looking machinery. Never seen such a thing before. Can you tell us a bit about it?

Its base is a Lenco L75.
Highly customized, with a larger and heavier plinth and platter (a 14 inch platter).
Chassis is made from metal.
Combined it weighs roughly 90lbs.
It’s also built from aged wood.

 

[jespera]

nothing caries the beat like a lenco ...

 

[Ed.P]

Received my Jean Nantais The Ultimate in beautiful California Burl.
Still fine tuning and learning it.
Very different from my CSPort!




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Nice cartridge! Here’s mine on my Woodsong 401.

 

[jeff1225]

We love categories. And idler is a killer category.

Maybe LGBTTY...XYZZZZZZZ can be mutated for audiophiles too.

Ked, idlers are at a natural disadvantage on classical. Their rumble characteristics mean that absolute cleanliness of reproduction is hampered compared to the best, zero noise belt drives or DDs, esp those w air bearings like Vyger or AS.

They are rhythm monsters. The trick is to minimise rumble, isolate from outside vibn, and mate w sympathetic/balancing tonearms, carts and phonos.

Get an idler w high torque and good speed stability, put it in an uber plinth, reduce rumble to the stylus, isolate from the world, mate w fast and accurate arm/cart/phono, and for outlay way below many so-called cutting edge belt drives, you will have a tt that nails music, both drive, and the delicate stuff too.

My rim drive cost me £1700 in 2013. To date, I've spent another £9-10k on it, and classical lps are the first thing I reach for. Knowing that only top eschelon belt drives costing multiples more might take me further, but not across the board.

Nothing can match the price/performance sweet spot for well sorted idlers.

I found that my Garrard 401 was much better than my ok Ascona on classical. A proper damped plinth, with new idler and bearing makes the difference. Add an external power supply for speed precision and you’re in heaven.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

Received my Jean Nantais The Ultimate in beautiful California Burl.
Still fine tuning and learning it.
Very different from my CSPort!
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nice setup
in case you didn´t know the Bookrand fits in The Groovemaster VTA lifter and I have my The Peak in a B-60 VTA base with adapter from Stefano

 

[chet atkins]

Jean
nantais reference lenco

 

[gleeds]

Received my Jean Nantais The Ultimate in beautiful California Burl.
Still fine tuning and learning it.
Very different from my CSPort!
View attachment 106506

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View attachment 106508? I absolutely love your system! Those Boenicke speakers must sound amazing with your front-end and partnering electronics. Congratulations on your JN table.

 

[iaxel]

Nice cartridge! Here’s mine on my Woodsong 401.

Hey! What are you using to amplify your DMT25? Which SUT+phono?

 

[iaxel]

I absolutely love your system! Those Boenicke speakers must sound amazing with your front-end and partnering electronics. Congratulations on your JN table.

Thank you!
I love the Boenickes, they are certainly one of the hidden gems in high end audio.

 

[iaxel]

nice setup
in case you didn´t know the Bookrand fits in The Groovemaster VTA lifter and I have my The Peak in a B-60 VTA base with adapter from Stefano

Thanks Leif!
The Peak will probably replace the Bookrand, when it arrives.

 

[dcc]

Mines... fully overhauled and upgraded by Hanze Hifi and with external power supplies from HAT. One with an Artisan Fidelity plinth and the other with a Swissonor plinth:

 

[audioblazer]

Bought a audiograil Garrard 301 more than a decade ago . Like it enough that when a friend offered to sell a beautiful AF Garrard 301 , I grabbed it . Working perfectly well . Platrer spinning for 90s When it in Off position Super smooth & quiet enough . However , when I connect it through a psu , it hummed so loudly . Puzzling . Didnt have that issue with my earlier Garrard

 

[bonzo75]

Bought a audiograil Garrard 301 more than a decade ago . Like it enough that when a friend offered to sell a beautiful AF Garrard 301 , I grabbed it . Working perfectly well . Platrer spinning for 90s When it in Off position Super smooth & quiet enough . However , when I connect it through a psu , it hummed so loudly . Puzzling . Didnt have that issue with my earlier Garrard

apart from psu issue would like to know if you had a sonic preference between the two

 

[audioblazer]

Of course AF is superior . Much quieter , smooth & a lot more details. However not exact comparison. Maybe time to get rid of my AFO for the new flavor of the month , Esoteric TT

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

Thanks Leif!
The Peak will probably replace the Bookrand, when it arrives.

why?...you think it´s better?

 

[jeff1225]

Just got my new top platter from Retrotone UK.
Fantastic fit and finish. Highly recommended.

 

[Ed.P]

Hey! What are you using to amplify your DMT25? Which SUT+phono?

I haven't settled on one yet, but mostly I run it into my Zanden phono with a 1:16 sut, but occassionally I'll use the Neumann BV33 I usually have connected to my Tzar cartridge (at Kim's suggestion). I have some 1:10 cobalt amorphous core transformers from Tribute that are supposed to be a good match but I haven't taken the time to hook them up yet.

 

[jespera]

Here’s my garrard playing some dean martin:

 

[jespera]

Top tip:

Those who are in the know, know that the Lenco L70 is a cracking performer that punches way above its weight. The L70/denon 103 is a particular righteous combination. Cheap too. The L70 goes for around 250-300 usd around here.

One gentleman said to me: “im sure that theres a better turntable out there — i just dont know what it is …”.

Another said: “… better than the td 124 …“

Im not sure it is. But i personally do prefer it to the td124. Better boogaloo. Quieter too. And very easy to maintain. You can pull them out of a chicken shed and they still run fine.

I use two of them. This one is pimped with a stronger bearing and home made bearing support, and metal/cork sandwich platter. But otherwise original.

 

[Adnick]

Have a healthy collection of idlers, here’s my main ivory rimless GB

After general maintenance was completed, the new CTC custom bearing was installed and power is provided by one of Nigel’s power supplies…

Bokrand BA 309 Banana arm, new design, 103M, Altec Peerless 4629 SUT
ATP 16 arm with an upgraded 103R into a RCA MI 12399 SUT
Also use a Karmadon 108 with a VAS basic 103