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Model: | RD40 |
Category: | Turntables |
Suggested Retail Price: | unknown |
Description: | All metal, cool looking TT |
Manufacturer URL: | Not Available |
Review by Bassman (A) on January 14, 2003 at 05:20:01 IP Address: 192.36.190.2 | Add Your Review for the RD40 |
Belt driven, AC motor with two-size/speed pulley (33/45).
Round, black, all metal chassis, suspended with 3 adjustable springs (inside the 3 cylindrical feet).
Concave aluminum platter with threaded disc-clamp. Maybe 3 mm thick rubber mat.I think I bought mine in the beginning of the eighties.
The stock arm was nothing special, I have a Rega RB300 with a Goldring Eroica MC pickup on it, and itīs a good combination.
I have put special rubber half-domed shaped feet under mine, which helps a lot to isolate from vibrations.
I have also substituted the arm weight with a small tube/pipe cutter, which is a bit heavier than the original, but most important, is direct coupled against the arm, and not via rubber rings, as the original. It also has it point of gravity below the arm. Much better detail and dynamics with this weight.Well, how does it sound?
Nice balanced tonality, lively and detailed.
Musical.
More natural than my Arcam Alpha 7 CD player (which I like very much).
(When I played Traveling Wilburys, my cat sat wondering and looked for the invisible musicians between the speakers..)
This is not a top of the line player (as you can see I go for rather inexpensive, but good gear). It may not be as holographic as some, or as firm in the bass as others, but it makes my feet tap the floor.
And it looks very cool in black and aluminum with itīs round shape
Product Weakness: | ?? |
Product Strengths: | Musical Looks |
Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
Amplifier: | Audio Innovations Series 500 (all tube) |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | none |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Arcam Alpha 7 |
Speakers: | JPW 910 floorstanders |
Cables/Interconnects: | DIY CAT5 speaker cable, Van den Hul interconnect |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Pop, jazz, classical |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Follow Ups:
Funny, I just impulsively bought this table on ebay a few weeks ago. It has a couple problems, but they seem easily fixable. I am wondering if this table with a nice modded rega arm would beat my MMF 5, and how much better would it be. the rega arm would obviously be better, but what about the table? the table appears to be the strong point of the MMF5. I am not attached to either, i am considering selling both and getting something totally different. whattya guys think? my budget is under $650-1000, im thinking used at least for the arm (modded rega), maybe a lower end vpi or old oracle for the table. Please impart your wisdom.
on eaby- no arm though,It is dynamite- a masive level beyond a rega3 etc
Also try a Garrad401- cheaper than the 301, and basically the same
cheers
Thats easy. Get a deal on a new NottingHam Interspace turntable. Try and get it with the upgraded Hyperspace platter with the Rega VTA collar. All for less and enough left over for your RRB250 arm.
I previously posted a story about my cat and her ability to evaluate sound.
He's earned the right by being the only one who'll listen to Captain Beefheart with me ;-)
Cats seem to like music, even loud.
My cat likes to be in the room when Iīm listening to music or playing bass.
a picture would be useful - it's got me thinking.
regards
malcolm
It looks a bit like this, mine has rounder contours and is grey, but is basically the same construction.
The weight is just a bit more, than original counterweight, so I slide it a bit closer to bearing house.
And I also removed the small cutting disc, no need to make marks in the end stubb, and by this way you can fasten it very tight.
Mine was just laying around, so it cost me nothing.
Sounds/looks like the one I have in my toolbox - not sure I can get it on though due to tightening screw size - must try though - thanks.
regards
malcolm
Hi,
you might consider getting a nice arm for it. I had a Grado arm, and the sound was wonderful, much of the credit going to the arm. I would also fool around with platter mats (perhaps 2 different thin ones); and I always meant to try putting damping material on the underside of the plinth and chassis.
Well, I think I have a nice arm now!
And I forgot about the damping. I have done this with blue tack on the inside of the chassis and plinth.
Cheers
I can concur that the RB300 improves significantly with the removal of the rubber mounts for the counterweight - probably 90% of the OL mod can be done by making your own with a simple grub screw to hold it ridgidly in place ( also hold the armtube in a small vice so there is no load on the bearings and tighten up the steel stub end). As a former Thorens TD150 owner (not a million miles away in design terms) I found the following simpe mods useful;
replace the rubber mat with a felt LP12 mat and ridgidly couple the plinth to the TT stand to 'ground' the motor vibrations. I would also expect to see significant gains to be made from running the motor from transformer along the lines of the 'armageddon'(see my post earlier.)
Sorry - got it confused with the other Ariston - a TD150 is obviously not related!
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