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A black hole went into my Marantz SA-10!

I always use a Herbies black hole II CD disc damper. It somehow got lost inside the transport. The tray is shallow as is, so it didn't take much for it to get knocked, and in it went! So I freaked out. I looked inside behind the tray with a bright LED flashlight. I didn't see it. Everything works. Tray goes in and out without any snagging. No skipping. I'm not not very mechanical and have no idea which screws to loosen and don't want to mess with it. It happened about 30 hours of listening ago. I use the Herbies black hole CD disc damper for 6 years. When I had my Sony 5400 ES it did make a difference and was repeatable. My GF agreed. I never did the AB comparison on the Marantz. Maybe the transport on it is not tweakable since they built it themselves. I know Steve Nugent here is a big believer in some kind of damping. Anyway its playing.
blueranger
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
My primary methods of reducing vibrations are: NOT PLAYING REALLY LOUD MUSIC in the first place.... And keeping the electronics far away from the speakers. My main rack of equipment is eight to ten feet away from the speakers, the turntables eleven to fourteen away.              
I would add the top plate of MY Marantz Sa-10 is a thick aluminum plate. There is no 'ringing'.. rapping on it produces a dull almost silent thud
blueranger's avatar
blueranger OP
575 posts
 
I did call Marantz and I would be voiding the warranty if I put a dampening sheet on the inside top cover. I think it's silly but the rep answered straight up. So I'm thinking just put it on top. It won't be out of the way but it should serve the same purpose. I can add and take away as needed.
flashbazbo's avatar
flashbazbo
6 posts
 
Damping externally for the top is probably an ok idea. I would never consider placing damping material, which is a great thermal insulator, over a transformer which can get hot.  Insulating the case too much may prevent heat disapation required by the designers, and heat is the destroyer of electronic components like capacitors. 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
Bingo! Problem solved!
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
The top of my "left on 24/7/365" Marantz SA-10 is cool to the touch. Only the right side ever gets slightly warmer than ambient. Aside from that no one would even guess it is turned on. And actually when it is playing it is a little cooler on that one warm area than when it is doing nothing... (the only visible sign is a really tiny red dot in the display area (display turned off)And I just cannot figure why anyone needs a dampening material on a 5mm thick aluminum plate?? Maybe on my used bought from eBay for $40 changers, which have plain sheet steel just bent around three sides.  Or perhaps taking the SA-10 OFF THE SUBWOOFER would help?          
My Conrad Johnson ACT2 on the other hand is a total furnace after turned on for a few hours.Though it is cooler now that the ambient is not 83F. 78F is a World of difference apparently..
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