[BC] Turntables (WAS:Achieving good S/N)

[Dennis Cope]

>They sent me a CD of records being played. I was very
>UNimpressed with it. Bass response was very lacking
>and did not sound clean. NOT with my money....IF I had
>it to spend.

Given that you probably don't own the same records that they used to make
the demo, you would know that bass response was lacking exactly how?

I have not observed any bass problems with my laser TT. There are a lot of
vinylphiles whose turntables are not perfectly vibration-isolated. These
turntables can exhibit a plummy, overripe bass because they are actually
getting some feedback from the loudspeakers, although not enough to sustain
actual oscillation. There is also the issue of what frequency to place the
arm resonance, which is a function of the arm/cartridge mechanical system.
Place it too high and you get the same sort of overripe, romantic-sounding
bass. There is no getting around the fact that all mechanical systems will
have this LF resonance. About the best you can do is to place it around 10
Hz and try to minimize its "Q".

The laser TT pickup system does not have any LF resonances at all. Of
course, there is still the possibility of mechanical feedback if it is not
well isolated mechanically. But this is a solvable problem. Indeed, if one
is making archival recordings, it is wise to use headphones and let the TT
operate in a silent environment.

As for your observation that the sound is not "clean," this probably refers
to the laser TT greater sensitivity to groove noise. This is indeed an
issue, and probably the most important one with the laser TT.

Bob Orban



When I am recording archival recordings, I have been using a Garrard Zero
100 (Ok it's a rim drive), but it's the best I have.
I use headphones and a silent environment.  Depending on the condition of
the vinyl, I sometimes wash the disk (warm water and a mild soap).
You should see some of the dirt that comes off the record.
Sometimes I even play them wet.
For the 78's I have to use an even older Garrard (with the proper stylus of
course).

Is this good, bad or is their something else I can do to improve the
process..?

I can not afford or justify the laser TT.

Dennis
WCTG, WESR