Now I prefer to use simple system: Pioneer PD-10AE+DENON DP-7F and Onkyo
A-9150 with Fostex FF165WK (6.5inch) plus drone-cone because my main object is
hearing more than 1000 LP records and around 100pcs of CD. I will not inrease
them any more.
| Equipment |
Model |
Remarks |
| CD Player |
PIONEER PD-10AE |
bought in 2019 |
| Cassette Tape Deck |
PIONEER CT-970 |
manufactured in 1981 |
| Record Player |
BSR/SANYO Rim Drive Motor Kit for 16/33/45/78rpm |
for playing SP/LP with turn-over ceramic/X'tal cartridges |
| Full Automatic Linear Tracking
Systems |
TECHNICS SL-5(1981-84) & SL-J2(1984/1985)
with T4P cartridges and without cables. These have different characters and
earth connect pin is not interchangeable so that I arranged to make earth
pins and phono cables. I picked up other brands from junk too, but after some
time of use, all went ill-functioning so I threw them away. Around 1980 many
full-automatic linear-tracking models were produced in Japan and now they
are available cheaply from recycle shops. Technics SL-10 jacket-size
linear-tracker and a few Yamaha linear-tracking models are still highly
appreciated by audio-maniacs as monuments. IMO: There is no essential merit
of low lateral tracking angle error +/- 0.15 degree while the demerit of
linear-tracker is uncountable in practice: unstable mechanically. Another
demerit of jacket size turntable: it cannot use record weight/stabilizer for warped
record because of space. Hence SL-7/10/15 had record
stabilizer incorporated with cover.
TECHNICS SL-5 without quartz-lock :
Record sensor/switch is on turntable platter with pop-up adaptor for EP
(Turntable does not rotate without record). Simple function of
stop/start/cueing/repeat.
TECHNICS SL-J2 with quartz-lock has rather
complicated system with band detective sensor beside plug-in cartridge P-30.
These arms are mounted on cover so that it is easy to clean stylus.
Personally I doubt floppy arms of linear trackers.
Linear-trackers require regular maintenance generally for arm system：
①change of drive belt for inching arm
②change of grease
around worm/pinion gear
③cleaning of rail
In fact, the slide friction of linear tracking arm on rail is higher than
the rotational friction of pivotted swing arm. To keep slide friction low and steady
is difficult: not maintenance-free. |
All models from 1980s: recycled from junk during
2003-2006 when Japanese recylce shop "HARD-OFF" had many outlets in my
area. The number of shops reduced very much by 2014.
In high time many
Chinese and Japanese salvaged second-hand audio gears & analog records at Yen
105 or one dollar. Only famous and rare items had higher prices. Unpopular
and common items had lower prices even though they worked fine without any
problem. |
| Full Automatic Turntable |
Now my favorite DENON DP-7F
(1987) Quartz-Lock Direct Drive Motor with T4P MM cartridge on swing arm
(Not Linear Tracking Arm). This arm is designed for T4P cartridge VTF1.25g
while the nominal tracking force of cartridge DL-7 is 1.5g+/-0.25g. There is
a small piece on arm wand so that VTF can be adjusted between
1.25-1.5g in effect. Early instruction manual in English mentioned
subweights (3 pieces: 0.1g, 0.2g and 0.25g) mountable on the end of wand
near cartridge. English
manuals say "US and Canadian models do not have cartridge." DP-7F equipped
with DL-7 seems to omit subweight. This arm is controlled
electro-dynamically with coils and magnets. A horizontal motor system (coils
& magnet) incorporated into the bottom of arm is working for arm swing &
auto return & anti-skating control. The right picture shows another system
around the pivots functioning VTF & Arm Lift/Down. After some years of use,
unexpected lifting occurred very often and I could not place manually stylus
on the expected music band. Reading service manual I replaced deteriorated
VR3 (tracking force adjustment) 10 kΩ trimmer with a new one and this
malfunction was solved. I find many cases of troubles after many years are
caused mainly by carbon-coated variable resistor. I would change stylus
every 2 years after around 1000 hours of use. I have no preference among
makes of stylus: Denon genuine/Jico/Nagaoka. Hence I have reasonable
plan for the stock of spare stylus.
In 2022 after 15 years use, another
malfunction occured due to switch for size 17/30 (by touching repeatedly on
size selection switch it starts working: similar trouble seems common
for
this model). Now I am using DP-7F as manual player with auto-return
function. I prefer DP-7F because ①record weight can be used ②prompt manual play is
possible. Its sound is not great but
solid with tight bass while some linear trackers sound
boomy.
Now I use Denon DP-7F and
Technics SL-5 & SL-J2 by turns.
DP-7F required re-adjustment of trimmers for motor driving
circuit when turntable did not turn normally. |
recycled from junk in 2005.
This compact arrangement for vertical motor system may
be related to Japanese Patent publication S57-37702(not
patented)
Auto-start is controlled by the coupling of 2 LED/3 CDS/Shutter plus
sub-shutter. Shutter position for lead-in for 30cm record can be adjusted by
flat-head driver through lead-in adjustment hole.
|
| Turntable |
DENON DP-2000 (around 1977) Quartz-Lock Direct Drive AC Motor -
Nude without case and arm. Running more than 10000 hours: I was
used to hear average 2 or 3 records almost everyday during 1978-2000 with
this turntable. It works still fine but I play other
automatic turntable systems for easiness now. |
Turntable & Arms are placed on
Dupont "Corian" board |
| Tone Arms (standing alone) |
Micro MA-505 (1976) |
Dynamic balance arm with detachable shell |
|
CEC HA-937 modified to integral arm |
silicone oil damper |
|
SME 3009 Series II improved (early model) |
integral arm without fluid bath |
|
Infinity Black Widow |
with fluid bath |
|
Keith Monks Laboratory Arm M9BA Mark III, which
I assume as most advanced uni-pivoted arm with magnetic
anti-skating device & silicone oil damping similar to Decca
International Arm |
Mercury contacts are dangerous but free from
wire friction around pivot. |
| Cartridges |
ADC XLM II improved, Audio-Technica AT33PTG
& AT-MONO3/LP(Monaural) |
|
|
Denon DL-102(Monaural), DL-103, DL-110 |
|
|
Dianix Sigma-1000MC by TECDIA |
= Clearaudio Sigma (early model) |
|
Dynavector DV-19A |
|
|
Excel SS-20, ES-70S, ES-70E, ES-70EX |
|
|
FR-6SE, Ikeda 9cV |
|
|
Ortofon SPU Classic G[1987] with tip R17micron,
SPU Mono G[1989]with tip R25micron & sticker on the box
indicating SPU Mono GM , SPU Classic GTE[1994] and MC20S2[1997] |
|
|
Pickering 625E-S2, NP-AT plus stylus(D1527) for SP |
|
|
Shure M44-7, Me97HE |
|
|
Sony XL-55(Monaural) etc |
|
| Plug-in T4P cartridges |
Denon DL-7(MM equivalent to Nagaoka C-502M/P
because replacement stylus is common) & Technics P-30 with EPS-30ES(elliptic)
etc |
T4P cartridges are
interchangeable: VTF 1-1.5g (average 1.25g), weight 6g, 2cm from connector
to stylus. |
| Head Amp for MC |
Kaneta-type DC Series No.40 battery amp 26db |
built up in 2002 |
| Step-up Transformers for MC |
DENON AU-300LC |
Input impedance (3-40 Ohm） |
|
PEERLESS SLC-1 |
Impedance (3 Ohm) |
| Phono Equalisers (RIAA) |
Home-built NF type 34db (1995) |
Yasui type Otec NFEQ |
|
Home-built LCR type 41db (1996) |
LCR: TANGO EQ-600P |
|
Home-built NF-CR type (1998) 37.5/50db |
gain (MM/MC)/load CR switches |
| Pri Amp |
San-ei kit PR-300 (tube) 26.5+20.5db |
Ampex-Dynaco circuit |
| Attenuator |
Home-built T type attenuator： input
stage with 0dB buffer and output impedance 600Ω constant (Year
2000) |
use after Phono Equaliser/CD and connect to
power amp directly |
| Pad Amp/Controller |
Cleverish 4 Pad Amp Kit by Trillion |
built up in 1989 |
| Integrated
Amplifiers |
Creek 6060 (65W x 2) |
1991 |
|
Onkyo A-9150 (30W x 2) |
2018 |
| Power Amplifiers |
Home-built FET amp (50W x 2) |
1995-2001 |
|
Home-built Single Triode Tube Amp (2W x 2) |
NEC 6C-A10(50C-A10) 1980 |
| Line Amp (20dB) for Headphones |
Home-built All-FET amp (2002) |
Headphone: Sony MDR-CD900ST |
| Speaker Systems |
KEF Q10 (only one channel for use of
SP
playback) |
Uni-Q unit (1998) |
|
Full-range LC-12S (5 inch) for listening music
of old sources.
IMO: Wide frequency equipment is unsuitable
for old music which sounds unfocused or strange with wide frequency
speakers. Frequency range is limited to 80Hz-13kHz, but it sounds
real and focused for old monophonic source and vocal. |
Box from Hino Audio in Akihabara who produced copy models of
Goodmans Maxim system. |
|
Two-ways bass reflex type speaker system.
Unused for the moment. |
Hino Audio in the same box as above. |
|
Fostex FF165WK (6.5inch) plus drone-cone
(8inch Fostex Woofer FW20 as dummy cone) to enhance bass range. General
use including symphonic music. |
Drone cone is boxed inside cabinet with narrow
slit according to the invention by Koyama : see drawing |
