KRONOS Pro ... finally

[redandgold]

My friend drilled holes in the metal inner boards. So I can use small screws which i can counter block at differend levels to level the whole stone board, which comes the on top.



Depending on the individual case of electronics I put then foam or slices of wood between rack board and electronics.

 

[redandgold]

Because I needed another level of rack for the turntable system I had to think to add a level. I want to avoid to make the large rack to unstable because of height and decouple this upper level. But without risk pushing the whole upgrade to ground. To fix the upgrade level I drilled on top of the rack small holes. When my friend had finished the rack upgrade, he added small pins in the center of the T-construction. So putting this rack on top, there is no movement horizontally.

I was thinking hardly which material is usefull is separation layer between both levels. Not too soft because of the heavy rack+turntable, but soft enough to have another resonance frequency. By coincidence I found some kind of medium to hard rubber in a shop which is normally used in tube installations of water pipes.



Unfortunately I had to make it in the form I needed....

 

[redandgold]

As Aristomenis proposed there should be no stone grounding, wood is preferable.

I found these foam pads from a loudspeaker which seemed to keep the pressure of the weight, but as a different material I suppose it is good as a vibration suppressor.



As I decided to go the complicate way I use a double layer board with different materials.

 

[redandgold]

By good luck I had a nice board with african hardwood Amazakoué remaining from another project. Using only one layer of wood, I feared I could get a strong wooden signature into the sound. With a second layer of wood + air between I hoped to get even better isolation to ground bourne vibrations. After all done I never heard a special signature of wood or aluminium. Seems by good luck I have done my job not too wrong.

After the using the foam pads the next layer is a board of oak, which I colored in black to get a neutral appearance in aesthetics.



Before applying the lacquer I drilled a whole into each corner of the board. Deep and wide enough to sink the screws into the board. Target is to stabilize the sandwich horizontally.

As a former work I painted some rings and end caps in black color too.

 

[redandgold]

Here you can see these rings in their function to keep distance between both boards. Important is, that nothing has to be fixed too tighten in perpendicular direction. The rings don't have direct contact to the screw. Object is too cut as much vibration from the ground and let the upper board float as much as is possible despite of the turntable weight.

 

[redandgold]

Finally, the hardwood board is applied to the rest of the system and the end caps are screwed in softly.



Here you can the see the final board.

 

[Argonaut]

Great work there @redandgold

 

[Salectric]

Very nice project! Thanks for the detailed description.

 

[redandgold]

Great work there @redandgold

Nice to hear you like it!

 

[redandgold]

Very nice project! Thanks for the detailed description.

I hope it helps by your turntable stand project!

 

[redandgold]

I watched him setting up the system step by step, to learn most of his work. I learned not only the assembly is the important thing. Setting up the KRONOS Pro, there is a video at the internet, which is well done. Following the steps in the video, afterwards you have the turntable system playing well. But to be honest, you have missed the most important: You want a high-end turntable system and you get a good playing record player.

 

[redandgold]

I have heard different opinions about the KRONOS. In some statements (also in the WBF) the KRONOS is O.K., some are outstanding. Why is this? I always wondered about the variating opinions. Why is it that professional reviewers give to the system this positive reviews?

Here some examples by short www-search:

https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/impressions-kronos-pro-le-turntable/

https://www.monoandstereo.com/?p=1459

https://www.hifi2die4.de/images/presse/pdf_artikel/2015/Kronos Pro.pdf

Different rooms, different electronics, marketing budgets? No. I don’t think so. For KRONOS as a turntable in the top league (and like everything in this level) counts the statement of David Wilson EVERYTHING MATTERS.

 

[redandgold]

Everything matters? I don't want to repeat the basics of turntable set-up like VTF, VTA, SRA, azimuth, ... You find so many good videos in the internet e.g. from Wally Tools or Michael Fremer. I am sure you know this clips and many of you are more experienced and better skilled installers as I will ever be. But even here you can mess up easily.



But there are so many tiny things where you can mess up without knowing it. Have you ever tried to variate the quantity of oil in the cup of the tonearm bearing (the arm is a unipivot)?



Or do you bend the tonearm cable in a different way? The tonearme and the whole system is so transparent that it shows a different character.

 

[Zeotrope]

Enjoy your new turntable!
Indeed, everything does matter, especially when you get to this level.
Fine tuning anti-skate and VTA and VTF by ear is critical. Tools will only get you part of the way there - maybe - and can do more harm than good. Nothing beats our ears and some patience. Also, tools don’t have the precision to discern between small changes - it sounds counter-intuitive, but I’ve heard first hand how even small changes in tonearm height make a noticeable difference (at least with my Nagra FGS stylus). The theory and the tool will suggest that a small change in height will be inaudible because it’s a < 100th of a degree change in SRA. But that’s incorrect—at least on a very revealing system.

 

[redandgold]

Measuring several basis parameters like VTF or Azimuth are essential as a starting point. If you don't do this it doesn't make sense you go into fine tuning. And you would be a fool if you don't do this by scales, balances, squares,... , the way there are so many excellent tools in the market.
In my opinion, after doing basis set up, you should try to variate a bit and confide in your ears. And you should know there are other parameters which matter.

 

[redandgold]

Every turntable is a high sensitivity vibration measuring tool. Only, at KRONOS level to get all available performance out of the system you have to be much more sensible about every detail, as I had written. What you normally do not know if you do the set up by yourself is, where the traps are. In this morning I learned more clearly than before that managing vibration is what matters. The general performance is done with the turntable development itself. But you have to know where you have to tight the whole framework by screws and where you have to loose the screws. Often something between. Before, by advice through Aristomenis, I purchased a highly sensitive torque screwdriver from a good german company. Using the nominal correct torque was good, but not good enough. Evaluated by hearing we could clearly hear if the torque was correct or better a bit e.g. looser. Simplified, most time you unlock the screw and turn carefully until the very first resistance in your hand. But not too loose. Crazy.

 

[redandgold]

My learning no. 1 was obviously built the Pro and you get a good turntable system. If you have an expert like Louis Desjardins or Aristomenis Georgiadis, you get a crazy amount of more performance. Not simply better, really much, much better. Thus learning no. 2 is engage an experts, and you get more relative performance as percentage of set up costs are.

It makes me crazy how good vinyl is playing now.

Disadvantages?

Only funny ones:

I play seldom digital now.

I didn’t like to hear with my Transrotor Massimo anymore. I sold it.

Once in a month I exchange oil of tonearm cup and fresh Vaseline to my belt roll. Costs 1,5 minutes. Crazy, but even this you can hear.

I spend more time in my music room.

So over all, I can really live with this “disadvantages”.

 

[Laurence]

I do have to sympathise with the issues experienced on the Simon Yorke S9. I have had an S7 set up for years but it developed speed instability. I was told by SY nothing could be done. I addressed the issue by purchasing a KCC Scientific Chronos which allows one via a vernier knob to alter cycles +/-4. Why has this happened. The answer according to KCC is the SY device is a more common, lower cost, 6 VA laminated core transformer (E-I core or similar)...not a toroid, but who knows what the tradeoffs were back 30 years! Why you had to wait 6 months for your S9 to be fixed one can only surmise.

 

[Zeotrope]

Every turntable is a high sensitivity vibration measuring tool. Only, at KRONOS level to get all available performance out of the system you have to be much more sensible about every detail, as I had written. What you normally do not know if you do the set up by yourself is, where the traps are. In this morning I learned more clearly than before that managing vibration is what matters. The general performance is done with the turntable development itself. But you have to know where you have to tight the whole framework by screws and where you have to loose the screws. Often something between. Before, by advice through Aristomenis, I purchased a highly sensitive torque screwdriver from a good german company. Using the nominal correct torque was good, but not good enough. Evaluated by hearing we could clearly hear if the torque was correct or better a bit e.g. looser. Simplified, most time you unlock the screw and turn carefully until the very first resistance in your hand. But not too loose. Crazy.

View attachment 114016

Adding Vaseline to the belt? Really?? Wouldn’t the belt slip with lubricant?

 

[No Regrets]

I have heard different opinions about the KRONOS. In some statements (also in the WBF) the KRONOS is O.K., some are outstanding. Why is this? I always wondered about the variating opinions. Why is it that professional reviewers give to the system this positive reviews?

Here some examples by short www-search:

https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/impressions-kronos-pro-le-turntable/

https://www.monoandstereo.com/?p=1459

https://www.hifi2die4.de/images/presse/pdf_artikel/2015/Kronos Pro.pdf

Different rooms, different electronics, marketing budgets? No. I don’t think so. For KRONOS as a turntable in the top league (and like everything in this level) counts the statement of David Wilson EVERYTHING MATTERS.

Congrats on the new table/arm! It certainly looks like an impressive piece of machinery. I heard the Kronos several years back at the AXPONA Show near Chicago and I thought it did an excellent job, even in unfavorable show room conditions. I believe it rightly deserves a seat at the round table along with several other top tier tables.

I've really been appreciating reading your detailed description of your unboxing and setting up of this table and allowing us all to share in the joy and happiness for you and your new analog front end! Great job and hope to hear your continued thoughts and experiences as you move along this journey.

Best wishes to all,
Don