Audio Origami

JimJim
edited May 2012 in Analogue
I recently sent a Rega RB250 pickup arm up to J7 at Audio Origami.

I had the following done:

internal and external rewiring - with correct earthing
foam damping in the arm tube
new bearing sets for both planes

Johnnie is great to deal with - a true gent.

The arm is back and back on the Voyd and carrying the Denon 103. 

It is dramatically better in every respect.  The tracking and tracing are both much improved.  The "old nail" sound like a more expensive model with a posh tip.  It's as clean as a whistle now and LPs that previously sounded like they might break up are now more than fine.

The next step is to see if either of my Decca Londons will work hum free.

I'd recommend anyone with any arm to get it 'Origamid'

Comments

  • Sounds good Jim. I have One of Johnnies PU7 tonearms which I keep meaning to send to him to service. I see he has brought out his own rb251 version the RB7 which I suspect is seriously good.
    Have you looked at the Midas 103 headshells on Lencoheaven. You can get copy versions on eBay for £35. Supposed to transform the sound. Will look out the eBay link later.u
  • He seems like one of the good guys, does Johnnie. I have seen him discussed many times on the forums and every time for all the right reasons, his customer service, his quality of work and how great his work sounds.
  • @Mervyn

    I have seen the ally replacement bodies.  Not too happy about adding metal into the equation but many have and it gets good write ups.  If either of my Londons work well then they'll be off for a posh retip.  If I still get hum then they'll be Ebayed.  Then I'll either buy a very fancy MC or get the 103 retipped - not sure yet.

    @Alan

    He is def one of the better blokes in the game.  Honest and reasonably priced IMV.
  • You can get hardwood bodies too. 103 with ruby cantilever and paratracer stylus seems to current flavour of month.
    Does your rb250 have 2 earth wires one for amp and one for deck ? If the Londons don't perform Jim let me know before eBay !!
  • Jim I love the Decca London, Tom Fletcher from NLE rebuilt them for fun but did they sound great.
    But driving them in Balance mode worked best for hum rejection, try it.
    If you need cct PM me.
  • JimJim
    edited May 2012
    @Mervyn

    Yup, two earth wires.  Connected up and working fine.  The 103 has never sounded better.  I've heard a wooden body with paratrace stylus - wasn't impressed but the system was so poor it was hard to tell anything TBH!

    @Col

    done!
  • Decca Export Grey in the AO250 and sounding better than ever. Small amount of hum which I can hunt down and get shot of.

    Very pleased indeed.
  • Nice one jim.
    My decca sg has always hummed a bit. Not really obtrusive or even audible when music is playing, so it's not hugely concerning.
    The hum level changes as the arm swings across the deck. It's been suggested that it's probably picking up the transformer underneath. Would that be your opinion...?
  • I would say so Ben, yes.  I've never got the Decca to work hum free in the 401 for the same reason you cite.  The designers of the Voyd went to great lengths to source two very quiet motors.  That's never been the problem, it was the primitive earthing of the stock Rega arm that was the problem.

    My biggest problem is using Lowthers at 100 dB sensitivity, whereas your speakers are about 88dB I'd reckon.  Therefore I hear it at least 10dB more noise than you everything else being equal.
  • edited May 2012
    Thanks. Good to get your sagely confirmation...
    I think the cubes may have even less sensitivity than you guess. They replaced some dynaudio audience 82 floorstanders rated at 86dB, and the cubes were noticeably quieter (still plenty loud enough). Or need the comparison be more complicated than that?
    And - genuine question - how does sensitivity effect perceived cartridge hum? Wouldn't I just have my amp turned up louder than yours to achieve the same dB level? (all other things not being equal).
  • Thanks Ben. I was just wondering the same thing about noise levels.
  • If only it were that simple.  It's about how much of a percentage the noise is of the signal. And much more importantly whether the noise increases with volume level. Some noise is at a fixed level, others not.

    We need Colin to chime in here with his electronics knowledge. I'm getting out of my depth.  But I do know that hooking up some less sensitive speakers to my gear gives less heard hum.


  • If only it were that simple.  It's about how much of a percentage the noise is of the signal. And much more importantly whether the noise increases with volume level. Some noise is at a fixed level, others not.

    We need Colin to chime in here with his electronics knowledge. I'm getting out of my depth.  But I do know that hooking up some less sensitive speakers to my gear gives less heard hum.


    Righto.
    As is so often the case the low ceiling of my technical knowledge becomes apparent...
    @-)
  • Had a bit of a shift around today; cables and boxes.  Noise from the Decca is now non-existent.
  • You gloater you.

  • :-))
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