New toy - a 'Source' turntable
Thought I should post some analogue to balance out the 3000 Young posts (only kidding !)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57930567@N05/5512162205/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57930567@N05/5512162321/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57930567@N05/5512758738/
Here is a MRM Audio ‘Source’ turntable I acquired merely with a view to keeping the Alphason HR100S tonearm ( for my 401 project) and selling on the deck. It is a belt drive t/t from the early 80’s designed to compete head on with the LP12. From doing a bit of googling the designer Mike Moore was a bit of character determined to outdo Linn and originally built these in his house. Many parts were sourced from Ariston hence the similarity but he used a 5 spring design with a solid milled phosphor bronze platter – it weighs over a stone ! (or over 6 kilos in new money). It uses 24v dc and has a Papst motor.
Just to play with it I stuck on a Shure M3D and bingo – what a big bold musical sounding deck. intrigued I got a new £3 Thorens belt off ebay and changed the bearing oil with a spare bottle of J Origami’s best and I have not stopped playing it since. It shows it’s Ariston/LP12 inheritance with its sheer musicality but with a bass that just shakes the house. Stereo is very good and the arm definitely adds detail and finesse – in fact it seems a very good partner to the deck tempering the boldness somewhat.
Now with a decent power supply and better suited cartridge – Jim’s your uncle !! (sorry Jim)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57930567@N05/5512162205/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57930567@N05/5512162321/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57930567@N05/5512758738/
Here is a MRM Audio ‘Source’ turntable I acquired merely with a view to keeping the Alphason HR100S tonearm ( for my 401 project) and selling on the deck. It is a belt drive t/t from the early 80’s designed to compete head on with the LP12. From doing a bit of googling the designer Mike Moore was a bit of character determined to outdo Linn and originally built these in his house. Many parts were sourced from Ariston hence the similarity but he used a 5 spring design with a solid milled phosphor bronze platter – it weighs over a stone ! (or over 6 kilos in new money). It uses 24v dc and has a Papst motor.
Just to play with it I stuck on a Shure M3D and bingo – what a big bold musical sounding deck. intrigued I got a new £3 Thorens belt off ebay and changed the bearing oil with a spare bottle of J Origami’s best and I have not stopped playing it since. It shows it’s Ariston/LP12 inheritance with its sheer musicality but with a bass that just shakes the house. Stereo is very good and the arm definitely adds detail and finesse – in fact it seems a very good partner to the deck tempering the boldness somewhat.
Now with a decent power supply and better suited cartridge – Jim’s your uncle !! (sorry Jim)
Comments
Yes the arm is a work of art made in his garage by another 80's hi-fi maverick apparently ! The arm tube is made from titanium ( don't ask me how you bend titanium in your garage ) and the gimbal uses ceramic bearings. Way ahead of its time and of course subsequently copied by larger manufacturers squeezing him out of the market. He also made a seriously good deck that got rave reviews but was never really sold by the retailers who preferred LP12's of course !!
B-)