Legendary Supex 900 Super: Koetsu before Koetsu

[audiobomber]

the Supex compliance seems to better match with the lighter DV-505

In the 70's, the tonearm most frequently recommended with the Supex SD-900 was a Grace 707, with an effective mass of 7g.I used various Supex 900's with a Grace 707 and later an Alphason Xenon (medium effective mass of 13g).

Tonearm resonance with the 707 is 14hZ, higher than ideal, and 12Hz with the Xenon, an ideal result.

 

[godofwealth]

Indeed. I’m trying another golden oldie right now, the Stanton 881 Mk2 moving magnet with the stereohedron stylus. It also needs a low mass tonearm. I’m using a Technics EPA 100 on a Technics SP-10 Mk2. The Technics arm is another fabulous olden Goldie with Ruby bearings and a variable damping adjustment to match cartridge compliance. This setup can see off most modern turntable systems made today.

 

[Lynnot]

EPA-100 is not exactly low mass. (have one myself, it's quite good actually)
Nevertheless it will support a Stanton 881s - when the counterweight damping mechanism is still fully functional.
Use flat records only to protect the cartridge's suspension.

Best regards, Tony

 

[AudioHR]

W

update on my Supex SD900 mkIV I got from @audiobomber :
got same job done as with my Kiseki Blue longbody; retipped with boron cant and Namiki Microridge needle by Aidas....fantastic result and intact tone as original, but much better resolution
after some time in Ikeda IT407 I moved it over in my Dynavector DV-505 on the DD MicroSeiki DDX-1500.....the arm cart match was obviously better from the start
however I missed the middle cw for the subarm and used the heaviest one and felt it was not optimal
yesterday I got a new middle 22g cw from Dynavector and the improvement in clarity and bass was very substantial
the Supex compliance seems to better match with the lighter DV-505
I´m not sure people are aware of how well some of theese vintage mc´s from the golden era holds up against today's overpriced carts.....

Wish I hadn't lost track of mine when I replaced it. It probably still had a few miles left on it and with the modern upgrades available it would be a great value. Many years ago now but it was a fine cartridge

 

[mtemur]

The Technics arm is another fabulous olden Goldie with Ruby bearings and a variable damping adjustment to match cartridge compliance. This setup can see off most modern turntable systems made today.

EPA-100 is not exactly low mass. (have one myself, it's quite good actually)
Nevertheless it will support a Stanton 881s - when the counterweight damping mechanism is still fully functional.

I also have Technics EPA 100 in extremely good condition. More importantly it’s ruby bearings are intact and working fine. You can feel how smooth and stiction free when operating it but after all it’s a Technics arm nothing special. BTW I think it’s effective mass is 22g and can support 9g cartridges with standard headshell.

 

[Argonaut]

I also have Technics EPA 100 in extremely good condition. More importantly it’s ruby bearings are intact and working fine. You can feel how smooth and stiction free when operating it but after all it’s a Technics arm nothing special. BTW I think it’s effective mass is 22g and can support 9g cartridges with standard headshell.

I have an NOS in box EPA 100 which came as part of the SL-1000 MKII set ( also NOS ) , would one not be looking at costing out a fair amount of £$£$ for a new production tonearm manufactured from the same materials and design features ?

 

[mtemur]

I have an NOS in box EPA 100 which came as part of the SL-1000 MKII set ( also NOS ) , would one not be looking at costing out a fair amount of £$£$ for a new production tonearm manufactured from the same materials and design features ?

I agree. EPA 100 would sell for five figures in today’s market considering it’s build quality, materials and effort put in making.

 

[bonzo75]

I have an NOS in box EPA 100 which came as part of the SL-1000 MKII set ( also NOS ) , would one not be looking at costing out a fair amount of £$£$ for a new production tonearm manufactured from the same materials and design features ?

This is one of vdh’s favourite arms for his cart

 

[Argonaut]

This is one of vdh’s favourite arms for his cart

A good while back whilst rotating the vintage gear mountain at one point I was running another used EPA-100 mounted on a Thorens TD 124 MKII sporting a Vdh Grasshopper Condor Gold , pretty sure that it was an XGP-MO , Integrated Sansui AU-111 mit A-603 transformers into either a pair of Quad 57’s or Tannoy Canterbury 12” Red as mood dictated … A disparate collation somewhat thrown together , however played rather well !

 

[Lynnot]

This is one of vdh’s favourite arms for his cart

Somewhere in the WWW is a picture of Aalt Jouk's listening room, showing that EPA-100.

 

[Lynnot]

Few old pictures of mine (from about 15 yeas ago):

With Kiseki Blue Goldspot

And the back end of the EPA-100.

Best regards, Tony

 

[mtemur]

Here is my EPA-100:

 

[godofwealth]

Listening to a lovely EMI LP of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings conducted by Sir John Barbirolli 60 years ago on my EPA 100 arm with the Stanton 881 Mk2 on the Technics SP-10 Mk2 played back through the Mola Mola MAKUA preamp with built-in phonostage into the Kaluga mono blocks driving a pair of Quad 2805 stats. Lush creamy sound of the orchestral strings that’s just so hard to get with even top quality digital.

 

[godofwealth]

The table+arm used in the playback of the above LP.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

just a small update on the vintage cart track
got a Kiseki NS Purpleheart a few weeks ago and despite it´s not supposed to be up to the NOS I quite like it
so when I spotted a NOS Purpleheart Saphire in Denmark, I just couldn´t resist and I installed as fast as possible, when it arrived yesterday...
All the Kisekis are installed in original Ikeda headshells in the IT-407 silver on the B60 base on Melco, so very easy to compare the different models
temporary conclusion is that the Saphire is great: fullbodied, fast and with fantastic harmonics and extension in both ends
makes me wonder about the Kiseki Agaat....ha-ha

 

[Lynnot]

Then you will want to try the Agaat Ruby:



Best regards,
Tony

 

[DasguteOhr]

I also have Technics EPA 100 in extremely good condition. More importantly it’s ruby bearings are intact and working fine. You can feel how smooth and stiction free when operating it but after all it’s a Technics arm nothing special. BTW I think it’s effective mass is 22g and can support 9g cartridges with standard headshell.

In an old German HiFi magazine, the breakaway torque (bearings) of tonearms was tested. The titanium tonearm Technics EPA 100 performed best. Simply balance it and then blow from above and under the headshell. If it moves up and down without staying in one place, the bearings are OK.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

Then you will want to try the Agaat Ruby:

View attachment 138368

Best regards,
Tony

you have one for sale?

 

[Lynnot]

No, but I'll send you a message.