Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

Lew.

There were several reasons for the new platter...

- I had just sold my Goldmund Studio and admired the design of its platter, which is acrylic and lead. Although not the lead plug inserts it used. My design uses a lead disc insert.

- The SP platter audibly rings a little without a mat.

- Cosmetically the SP platter looked weird on my newly build triangular plinth.

- It was a fun challenge making a completely new one.

This was some 25 years ago and I cannot recall the performance differences between the two designs, but I did stay with the new assembly. I still have the original platter and it would be possible to try it again. Have heard the original perform exceptionally well with some of the more exotic mats available.

The magnetic teeth are there on the standard platter, so the electronic architecture is original.  Check out the small diameter central ring on the underside, be careful you don't get bitten.

cheers.  

Lew.

I think that we slow a little as we age, less youthful bravado.

I have built/rebuilt  virtually all of my system but, like you, I would not have the energy to start again.

I spend most of my time listening, which is after all what the system is for.

cheers.   

Had an interesting conversation with my Tech yesterday. He's been fixing all kinds of stereo equipment for a long time. He's one guy I know who is actually older than me and wise in the ways of keeping equipment functional. He essentially said, if it's not broken don't fix it.

I told him my TT81 was fully functional, but I wanted all the electrolytics replaced and the board(s) gone over for cracks, old solder etc. He said he could do that but electrolytic caps don't automatically go bad after 20 or 40 years. They might last 80 years, and could very well last longer than I. 

After discussing a couple of pieces I have waiting in the wings, so to speak, I've decided to take my tube amp to him. I can't get the bias adjusted on the left channel input board, although it sounds good. This amp was built by Dan Fanny and is 50/wpc, class A/B.  It was originally my tweeter amp and can pass a perfect square wave at 1KHz. Rise time is about 2usec and it sounds like nothing at all. 

I'll start experimenting with anti-resonant material and let you know.