back to The TD124 Dept
5/20/2010
Notes on the TD124, part 1
Some general observations
While moving beyond the obvious choices involving arms, cartridges and phono
stages,I have noticed that the TT's ability to produce clear clean upper
frequency is directly related to drive train health. This is no surprise for
most owners I'm sure.
Install new main platter bearing bushings. Replace the brg thrust pad. Replace
the idler wheel/tire. Replace the belt. Lube all bushings and shafts. These
items will restore that sense of flow and timing. Very important.
However, when it comes to the motor, a whole new level of improved sound awaits
your maintenance effort. Disassemble, clean, replace motor bushings with new
ones, replace motor brg thrust pad, replace the wicker felts, give it some lube,
install a Mk II motor mount grommet kit, assemble, adjust bushing and shaft
alignments for quietest operation, let it run in for a week, then readjust
bushing/shaft alignments once more. Now you can listen critically.
Do this much and the TT becomes very much more capable of producing the total
sonic goods. Upper frequency extension is enhanced quite noticeably. Now there
is much more clarity and definition. Now you hear what the TT can do.
After having done this much it is time to chose which arm and cartridge to use:
For myself I want an arm and cart that will allow the TT to deliver musical
energy into the room. Not all arms and carts get this right. You want wide
sudden dynamics. You want drum hits to leap out into the room suddenly. With
Pop! But there should also be tone. Textures. Fine details, inner details, air
and space between it all. Clarity. It can do it.
In my own experience, I'm still tweaking. I haven't yet satisfied myself that I
have discovered the ultimate, optimal, holy grail of setups. But I might be on
the right path.
Arms I've tried and notes thereabout.
Rega RB250 ** (Expressimo mods) with Uwe bodied DL103R. I've done some mass
tuning with this setup and liked it best when I could get the arm/cart to
resonate at around 9 - 10 hz using the hfnrr test record.
Observations: good overall musicality. Good musical energy output. Percussive
sounds have good "pop" and tend to leap forward into space.
I've heard this arm using two different armboards. A 'painted black' chipboard
style of armboard and with a solid ebony board. The chipboard armboard produced
a faster, more energetic presentation. The ebony board seemed to enhance tones
and textures but seemed somewhat 'slower'.
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Graham 2.2 (round base) with Ortofon MC Jubilee. I used this setup early on in
my tweakings and did so before having added the mkII bushing mount kit. Hence I
can't say that I've fully evaluated the setup. What I did notice is that the
Graham/Jubilee produced much more detail, tone and texture than did the
Expressimo RB250. However the sound was overall slower, less energetic. Less
pop. Perhaps this could have been influenced by the choice of armboard material,
which was solid ebony. However, this did sound quite nice. Will I bother to do
further trials using the Graham on the TD124? Probably not. I have another TT
which seems a better match to the traits of the Graham. But that is another
story.
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Zeta tonearm with either a Uwe bodied/ SS retipped DL-103R and/or a Shelter
501-II on solid ebony armboard. Ah, now I seem to be getting closer to the
grail. Fast, sudden dynamics, good energy output, combined with the ability to
reproduce fine details. At first I tried the Zeta on an armboard cut from Baltic
Birch plywood. There was a pronounced harshness to its tone. Replaced the
armboard with Ebony. Tone now seemed natural and free of any harshness. I
haven't tried chipboard, but plan to.
I think I prefer the much modified DL-103R to the Shelter 501-II in this setup.
With the SS retip its sense of clarity and upper end extension was improved. And
it does so with a sense of ease that I can listen to all day. With the Shelter
mounted in the Zeta sound is also very, very good. The Shelter seems a bit more
intense sounding but with a liquid mid-range and very well defined low
frequency. Upper frequency definition is better with the Shelter. Yet, I prefer
the modified DL-103R for its overall performance. Go figure.
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Arms I haven't tried but might want to:
Jelco SA750D. I can't believe that I had Henry's SA370H over here and didn't cut
an armboard for the TD124 to try it there. I suspect it would be very good. It
sure sounded lively in the TD150.
SME 3009 S2 (non imp) I have one of these waiting for me to refurbish. I'll get
around to this sometime. Maybe it will surprise me, but I suspect that it will
not surpass the Expressimo RB250. On the other hand, its replaceable headshell
allows more versatility and the ability to adjust for azimuth, which the Rega
arm can't do.
Fidelity Research FR64s/FR66s:
Prices for these vintage arms are getting out of hand. If I had one I'd
certainly try it. However, unless I happen to discover one in the wild, the
costs will be too high for me.
Ikeda: dream on.
Limitations:
Even though the TD124 is considered a "motor unit" it does have a
frame mounted armboard. This presents a limitation on arm lengths that can be
used. One can mount just about any 9 inch tonearm. One can mount just about any
12 inch tonearm. However 10 inch arms, if they need to mount 'through' the
armboard, will have 'interference of fit' issues with the frame of the Thorens.
End
** Expressimo RB250. NLA. Was produced by Express Machining Inc. by replacing
the standard Rega wires with Cardas. Replaced the plastic cw stub with stainless
steel stub. Replaced the cw with an off-set -low rider- style solid stainless
steel cw.
*** All MC carts used with 1:10 sut (Sowters) feeding into a Wright WPP100C
tubed phono pre.
**** Downstream components: Classe' CAP151 integrated amp sends signal to NHT
2.9 floor standing 4-way speakers.