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Ive been reading the r-o-k posts for about a year now, and had gotten interested enough to contemplate one for a summer project this year. Then disappointedly watched ebay prices shoot beyond my reach this spring. So last week I was waiting out some rush hour traffic poking around at a place near work that sells used records and some stray gear, and spotted a couple of very dusty rek-o-kut tables. They wanted 2005 prices for a B-12H, and a B-12 GH. I ended up buying both plus a sack of old 2a3 tubes they didn’t want, and of course went home very excited. Well the 12BH spun more quietly (and also shot the stylus scuttling across an old messed up record when I hooked it up). So I decided what the heck, took the arm off, and pulled the arm + cartridge off a rega table which I haven’t used much since I dragged home an old thorens last year. Took around 5 minutes for the initial swap, I was too impatient to do any set-up. needless to say I’m now sitting here kind of ecstatic, listening to records every spare minute. I’m amazed at how beautiful this table sounds. all I’ve done so far is replace the arm - I had to do some fiddling around to get an okay overhang, and did go through some clean and lube suggestions from the archives. But I haven’t gotten started on a plinth or any other tweaks yet, its just doing its thing in the old hollow box I found it in. and the GH is just sitting here winking at me, haven’t gotten to that one yet. This really feels like it’s the missing link to me; its resolved so many problems in my system.
So I just wanted to thank everyone who has posted the last few years about rek-o-kuts, I never would have found these tables without you all…
Follow Ups:
to read everyone's comments and tips, thanks. I have way too much of a tear into and rebuild stuff kind of mentality to be happy with anything that doesn't have some levels of DIY. plus the funky aesthetics of the rok's are right up my alleymy next move is to build a plinth. I think I'll go the turn the table sideways with a CLD route unless someone talks me out of it. I've got plenty of hardwood kicking around for armboards. and i orderd some Si3N4 balls too.
then I guess I should think about taking on trying to machine that bearing. Can't do that one myself but there still are a few genuine machine shops in my pseudo-industrial neighborhood here (erstwhile manufacturing zone run amok in hi-tech)I'll post an update later on as things proceed...
regards,
Don't make an completely non reversable changes at first.The only machining I have had to do is to remove the wear pattern on the thrust surface. Everything else was simply micro polishing to get things straight and smooth.
If you have any touble just ship the platter to me and I will do it for you. I have micropolished 3 of the 5 Rek O Kuts and will be doing the other two shortly.
thank you for your kind offer, i may take you up on that. The bearing on my GH platter looks very clean, but the bearing on the platter from the b12H has a small center dimple where it makes contact with the ball. I see you had that problem too with one of your rok's.this week I'm trying to quiet down the idler wheels- the older table has a metal idler wheel, thats the table I currrently have the rega arm mounted on. sounds great though there is a barely perceptable 'whump whump' from a small indentation in the rubber; probably the wheel was parked against the motor spindle for a couple decades. honestly, I could live with it, you cannot hear it while music is playing, but would be nice to zap it. the GH table is a little bit noisier while it spins than the older b12H table. (the GH has the papst motor, the H has an ashland motor), some noise on the GH seems to come from what sounds like a whirring air rush from the motor flywheel, but the more offensive noise is from the spinning of the idler wheel itself. the idler wheel on the GH has a plastic core. I've got it soaking in simple green right now, but I guess the best thing to do is get both these wheels retreaded and see how they sound. maybe the rubber is just too old/hardended
I don't yet know what the GH table sounds like as I haven't mounted an arm and listened to it yet. My plan is to build out the better sounding of the two for lp's and use the other one for 78's. but just by running the B12H in its junky old stock rok plinth, already my td126 and rega tables are retired with no hesitation... I'm still surprised how completely different (and better to my ears) this arm/cartridge sounds on the rok compared to the rega table. its not a subtle difference.
I have bought 5 Rek O Kuts and the rubber is in different states on all five. The quietest one I owned I sold to a friend. It had very supple rubber tires and the isolation pieces were nicely pliable.This table just blew me away. Every album sounded so much better than I had ever heard it play before.
The one I am working on now has great isolation pieces and aweful tires....I will be playing this one for some fellow inmates this coming weekend. Hope they like it even if it is imperfect.
The sound on these tables is simply stunning when you get all the particulars worked out. Think 10k for a modern table and these Rek O Kuts might still play better music.
The prat and emotion of these tables is really incredible. Getting them quiet is cheap and easy.
Although I have not found new replacements for the isolation pieces. I will find some eventually.
yeah, i know rim drives are all the rage, but it was ratty looking (turned smoothly though). just the deck and motor, no plinth, arm, etc.it would just sit in the garage. same reason i sold my SP10MK2. i like my ScottRT Super Tweako Technics SL-1600MK2/Denon DL-103 just fine.
i decide to stop buying stuff and just listen to music.
we'll see how long that lasts ;-)
I think you will have more fun with what you found than any number of SP Technics, and that is my own table. The ROK's are great, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There is no fun dealing with SP series mechanically, whilst the ROK's are, as you noted, like dealing with the last generation of enjoyable mechanical "things."Post on your progress is getting your stuff set up right.
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I am just a new comer to this game.But if you are willing to put in some elbow grease the Rek O Kuts will bring the music home.
Here is what you can do with a B 12GH. I am reconfiguring this plinth to work with an LP-34. It looks even better than the table you see in the picture.
Seriously, seems the world goes round and round.
AfterThorens and Rega TTs, I bought and restored a Rek-o-Kut (sitting in the basement), then went on to a super nice Technics SP15.
All in all, the RoK sounds better than both belt driven TTs. But the Technics is clearly superior to the RoK.
The SP15 is currently installed in a custom plinth with an old (and mint) Audio Technica 12 in. arm, with, on the other side an equally mint SME3009.
I think that the high torque offered by the idlers and DDs adds something very important to the restitution of sound.
The main bearing is plenty noisy. It rides on a chrome ball. The machining is first rate but there is no polish on the main bearing.The stock plinths are a joke. You can simply toss them. Build a decent medium mass plinth and you are in for some real action.
With a polished main bearing and a silicone nitride ball I have outperformed many turntables.
I think the Technics direct drives are simply fantastic. They will have a completely different take on the music.
I am a direct drive believer....so I intend no flames or contriversy.
However, if you take the time to modify the Rek O Kut properly you will hear things in the music you never knew existed with a direct drive turntable.
yeah, I heard an sp-10 set-up last year that sounded really good. not sure I'll find an old dusty one sitting around for forty bucks, but you never know. One thing about these old idlers, they're fun to work on. it reminds me of working on an old TR-4 sports car I had back when I was in high school. come to think of it, smells a bit the same too
i just sold it though. I'm never going to build it up, so it went to a good home.i think my scottrt super tweako modded Technics SL-1600MK2 is just fine and dandy. cardas tonearm rewire, new power supply caps, audioquest headshell wire, petra locap IC, tonearm dampener and a 10 coat Lexus metallic gold mist paint job ;-)
oh yea, for anybody that says the SL/denon DL-103 doesn't sound good (Theresa?), it goes from crappy to incredible just by going from 40 ohm loading to 3 ohm. push that cartridge so it hangs past the headshell AND raise the VTA to close to 5mm (or was it 4mm - can't remember, i'll take a look tonight). SOUNDS NICE!
Congratulations!! I was lucky enought to get an L34, all set up by Tubesforever. I did a lot of tweeking with the armboard, and the platter mat and some dynamat. Incredible sound, dead silent background. I have 4 tables, this one never ceases to amaze me.Good luck with yours!!
But your hot rodded LP 34 is in a completely different class. You would need to pay 5k or more for a current turntable alone to get this kind of performance and then the Rek O Kut might still sound better!I will be up in Portland on the third week of July. I will send you dates when I have approval from the scheduling dept.
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