In praise of idlers

[Robert Young]

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

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Look at that loverly Dynaco!! Beautiful set-up.

 

[Adnick]

Look at that loverly Dynaco!! Beautiful set-up.

Thanks very much, rebuilt all of the Dynaco’s myself with premium parts from Tubes 4 Hifi (VTA), ST 70 & MKIIIs

Andy

 

[kodomo]

My Garrard 401 has arrived. I am now waiting for my two tonearms. I won't be using the SME.

 

[Adnick]

My Garrard 401 has arrived. I am now waiting for my two tonearms. I won't be using the SME.

Looks fantastic, what arms are you going to moun?

VR
Andy

 

[kodomo]

Looks fantastic, what arms are you going to moun?

VR
Andy

Bokrand Ortofon Dava for 12"
I am seriously considering the Supatrac Blackbird for the 9" slot

 

[Robert Young]

Bokrand Ortofon Dava for 12"
I am seriously considering the Supatrac Blackbird for the 9" slot

Supatrac looks amazing. I've ordered a 9"...and since I have a Bokrand already (and a Schroeder Reference) it should be a good shoot-out across a very wide price delta.

 

[kodomo]

Supatrac looks amazing. I've ordered a 9"...and since I have a Bokrand already (and a Schroeder Reference) it should be a good shoot-out across a very wide price delta.

Great, I will be waiting to hear from you about the Supatrac 9". What are the cartridges you plan to mount?

 

[Robert Young]

As a “collector” of vintage MM and MI cartridges (my wife calls it “hoarding”), and the beginnings of a classic MC collection, I have a few old-timers i’d like to try out, including a Stanton 881s, a Pickering XSV-3000, a B&O MMC2 and SP-12 (w/ sapphire cantilever and Fritz Geiger stylus), and a Sonus Blue Gold(or is it Gold Blue?). I’m going to try the Allaerts (MC-1b) that homesteads the Schroeder Reference (a remarkable synergy there) just to compare, but i have a feeling that it will really like a Monster Sigma Genesis 2000 that i’m having rebuilt.

Thanks to Erik (Solypsa), i’ve had the chance over the last few weeks to listen to the Tedeska, which very well might be the best cartridge i’ve ever heard. If i can stop buying (hoarding) batches of upper-mid-fi vintage carts, i may purchase one, though i also really want to try the DaVa field coil too….
The arm will be the “daily driver” on a new Lenco L75 build, but i will design a mount that lets me easily transfer it to my TD 124.

One day I’ll just stop fiddling and listen.

 

[saberger0311]

Don't come around these parts very often, but found this thread and wanted to show off my new to me Sparta TC-12. My idler history has been mostly Dual's, Miracords, and Garrard Lab 80's. Also have a Thorens TD 124. But this one is on a different level. Absolutely pounds the music home. Having a blast going through my collection.

 

[Argonaut]

Idlers with Gear Shifts

A little more information for those who may be interested .

https://www.steampoweredradio.com/pdf/sparta/1967%20sparta%20audio%20equipment.pdf

 

[jespera]

Don't come around these parts very often, but found this thread and wanted to show off my new to me Sparta TC-12. My idler history has been mostly Dual's, Miracords, and Garrard Lab 80's. Also have a Thorens TD 124. But this one is on a different level. Absolutely pounds the music home. Having a blast going through my collection.

Yes, stick shift is the way to travel

 

[saberger0311]

For the record, add me to the folks who's idler table is beautifully silent. No rumble here.

 

[saberger0311]

Might as well admit that I also got this L75/S from the same seller. My first Lenco.

 

[Robert Young]

Might as well admit that I also got this L75/S from the same seller. My first Lenco.

Beautiful! Very underrated tables against the big boyz, but when tweaked up they can be great. I assume you’ve been to the Lenco Heaven site…lots of tips and some amazing one-offs by members of one of the generally better behaved groups of audio lovers on the ‘net. My best table for PRaT and powerful drive is an L75 with the PTP 6 mod on a slate base…a touch better all around than my near perfect TD 124 (which i really love). And i’ve heard fully restored Lencos without any tweaks at all outperform many 4-figure belt drives!

 

[saberger0311]

Beautiful! Very underrated tables against the big boyz, but when tweaked up they can be great. I assume you’ve been to the Lenco Heaven site…lots of tips and some amazing one-offs by members of one of the generally better behaved groups of audio lovers on the ‘net. My best table for PRaT and powerful drive is an L75 with the PTP 6 mod on a slate base…a touch better all around than my near perfect TD 124 (which i really love). And i’ve heard fully restored Lencos without any tweaks at all outperform many 4-figure belt drives!

This one was restored very nicely by the seller. I'm a member at the Lenco forums and very much aware of the various mods available, but for now I'm very happy with the table as is. The seller completely disassembled, cleaned, polished, and reassembled with appropriate lubricants. The top plate was resprayed in blue automotive paint and clear coat. The motor was serviced, re lubricated. An Audiosilente idler wheel was installed and speed adjusted. The stock plinth was modified by adding additional height and several layers of mdf were added internally to add weight. RCA and grounding jacks were also installed and the table was bolted down to the plinth. This table sounds amazing, and I could not be more satisfied.

​

 

[chet atkins]

 

[Robert Young]

This one was restored very nicely by the seller. I'm a member at the Lenco forums and very much aware of the various mods available, but for now I'm very happy with the table as is. The seller completely disassembled, cleaned, polished, and reassembled with appropriate lubricants. The top plate was resprayed in blue automotive paint and clear coat. The motor was serviced, re lubricated. An Audiosilente idler wheel was installed and speed adjusted. The stock plinth was modified by adding additional height and several layers of mdf were added internally to add weight. RCA and grounding jacks were also installed and the table was bolted down to the plinth. This table sounds amazing, and I could not be more satisfied.

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Fantastic! What name do you use on LH?

 

[Robert Young]

View attachment 119007

Love those arms! (and the Lenco, of course!)

 

[saberger0311]

Fantastic! What name do you use on LH?

sberger. I used to be on there a lot more, mostly discussing Pickering/Stanton carts. Not as much anymore but I suspect that's going to change.

 

[BillWojo]

Love the Sparta, looks like a Russco CueMaster.
Adnick and I have Russco Studio Pro Model B tables that have been gone through top to bottom and sit in custom plinths made by master woodworker Adnick.
There is a huge post on AudioKarma about our builds in the Turntable subforum. I was looking for a more affordable approach to a high end idler than the Garrards and Thorens route, the massive build quality of the Russco tables really grabbed me and the stick shift sealed the deal. Plus the low cost of entry ensured that others could and have followed our path.
For anyone interested in an affordable DIY idler drive that rocks, check out our builds.

BillWojo