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"New" Thorens 124 sounds great, but...

I have a "new" (completely refurbished by STS classic turntables). I know that there is a very heavy lower platter, and it looks like it is made of iron. There is a top platter that seems like it is made of aluminum. On top of that, I have a turntable mat that is made from carbon fiber and cork. I use a Funk Firm FX-R tonearm, and a Benz Ruby Z low output moving coil cartridge.

My tonearm is acting weird. When I lift up the cueing mechanism at the end of the record, it wants to quickly run back to the armrest. Scary fast - as if the table wasn't level, or the armboard wasn't level. But both are perfectly level. I took this tonearm and cartridge combo off of my Linn LP 12, where it acted perfectly normal. Again, it sounds great - no break up on any channel. And the down force is consistent at all points of the record.

Is there any chance that there is a magnetic force at play here? No amount of playing with the anti skate seems to matter. Curious what you folks who have this table, or others like it may think.

David
torc

Showing 2 responses by torc

torc OP
2 posts
 
So, I used a grooveless record to see what was going on. With no grooves, the cartridge flew to the middle - until I lifted it off the record, and it flew to the outside. And I can feel the attraction of the cartridge to the platter.

That combo seems like it won't work...
torc OP
2 posts
 
Thank you all for thinking with me. In terms of leveling and anti skate, I am confident that those are not the issues. When I replaced my Benz with a Hana SL, and none of those problems were present. In fact, it was utterly predictable. Likewise with a good quality MM. But when I put the Benz back on, the quirkiness returned. And so did the glorious sound.

BUT, I have compensated for the added downforce, and am careful when using the cue lever. And this is by far the best analog has ever sounded in my life. I am using the same tonearm/cartridge that I had on my last good turntable, so, I am comparing apples to apples. And to my ears, this is simply wonderful. So, I guess I will learn to live with the way that the Benz interacts with the platter (I do use a cabon fiber/cork platter mat to try to get some distance, and it doesn't do much - at least with the Benz). 

I'm actually very pleased, and I just hope this increased magnetism doesn't hurt the Benz Ruby Z long term.
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