Vinyl Asylum

Posted by Rob Doorack on July 23, 1999 at 06:07:56:

In Reply to: The much maligned Roksan Xerxes posted by Mark P. on July 22, 1999 at 13:20:33:

A bit of explanation is in order so non - Xerxes owners will know what we're talking about. The original Xerxes had a slot routed through the MDF top plinth (Roksan's term for the top deck of the turntable), forming a sort of peninsula seperated from the rest of the top plinth. The platter bearing is at the end of the peninsula where it merges with the rest of the top plinth; the tonearm is mounted at the free end of the peninsula. Roksan's argument for this slot is that it's computer - modeled to break up panel resonances in the top plinth. That may be so but its also a double - edged sword. A very common problem with the Xerxes is that the weight of the arm (and possibly the weight of the platter and bearing as well) causes this peninsula to sag. The problem seems to be worse in more humid climates. Once the peninsula starts to sag several things go wrong. I consider the Xerxes to be fatally flawed because of this problem. It's not "an easily remedied bug".

>>about half of the Xerxeses I have encountered eventually began to sag, but this was solved in about fifteen minutes with the insertion of a Roksan-sourced, brass spacer.<<

If you're referring to a spacer that goes between the top plinth and the main bearing well, I'm sorry but that doesn't cure the Xerxes' design flaw. The spacer raises the platter so it won't scrape against the top plinth (one of the side effects of the sag) but doesn't do anything to stop or reverse the sagging peninsula. Once the peninsula starts to sag the arm and platter no longer move in parallel planes. You now have azimuth that varies as the arm moves across the record, and probably varying VTA as well.

I can't speak for the current situation at Roksan, but in the past those spacers have been completely unavailable in this country. I owned a Xerxes for almost 8 years and it fell victim to the sagging plinth early on. I'd heard about the spacers and tried to get one some years ago. May Audio, the US importer until a few years ago, didn't even know they existed. I even called Roksan in the UK and was told that there were none available from them either (nor any other Xerxes spares, for that matter). I eventually solved my immediate problem by buying a NOS unwarped Xerxes top plinth and replacing the old one. Dumping the Xerxes in favor of a Nottingham Analogue Spacedeck cured it permanently.

>>Anyone considering the purchase of a Roksan 'table or sharing Xerxes lore should feel free to contact me at kg6@post.queensu.ca.<<

I'd also suggest that anyone considering buying an original Xerxes should call Gene Rubin at Gene Rubin Audio in Santa Barbara CA. Gene is probably the USA's leading Xerxes expert. He's had to deal with a lot of sagging peninsulas and developed a fix that uses a brass brace supporting the free end of the peninsula from below.

I agree with Mark P. that the original Xerxes can certainly give owners a lot of pleasure, and I enjoyed listening to mine while I owned it. But once it occurs, the sagging peninsula makes set up a complete nightmare. Anyone considering purchasing a used Xerxes should clarify the spare parts situation first, and absolutely must inspect the top plinth. DO NOT buy a Xerxes if its arm mounting peninsula has sagged any measurable amount below the top plinth.

Follow Ups:

• The "sag-a" continues... BillC 06:14:13 7/23/99 (1)
  • Re: The "sag-a" continues... Rob Doorack 08:13:29 7/23/99 (0)