Getting the world's finest console turntable back up and running...

[JohnVF]

I got the TD-124 back together with the Stax tonearm and its just...underwhelming . Some of that could be the difference in cartridge presentations, I'll have to get the OC-9 up on the 124 maybe. I'm currently running the Nagaoka MP-500. But its the difference between what was perfection and... well... something very obviously not.

 

[JohnVF]

This is really one of those moment where I just want to walk away from the hobby. I wish you all could have heard how it sounded. And for it to then break a few days after figuring it out. It was so much better than any other deck I've heard that I'm now sitting here listening to my fully restored TD-124, with the OC-9ml2 on it now, just depressed about the whole thing and all I can hear is how much worse it sounds than what was playing before.

 

[S0und Dragon]

Can it be repaired? What happened exactly?

 

[JohnVF]

Can it be repaired? What happened exactly?

I don't know. It's a rare Japanese market unit, so there aren't spare parts floating around and I know some of the electronic parts for the speed lock circuit are not obtainable anymore. If this were an SP-10mkII, I'd say yeah it could probably be repaired. Which makes me think maybe I should get an SP-10mkII (can't afford a III).

I was just listening and the lights flickered twice, I think caused by something in it shorting out after a cap or something fried. This all happened around the end of a record side... I walked over to flip the record and see if the light was plugged in loosely and smelled that horrible and unmistakable electronic burning smell, and saw that the speed was off. I turned off the speed lock and couldn't adjust it manually, the strobe was not showing any sort of speed consistency. Turned the lock back on, it wouldn't lock..and then realized yeah, the burning smell was coming from the deck and nothing else so I turned it off.

 

[JohnVF]

I just checked it again, without going through the voltage converter (its a 100v unit but I've heard of people running them off wall current...and it seems to be holding speed). Its not hooked up to anything, its just sitting out of the cabinet...I'm just looking at the strobe. Weird. The electronics smell is from the unit, not the converter..this at least gives me hope.

all fingers toes and eyes crossed.

 

[JohnVF]

In the meantime I'm listening to the TD-124 with a Stax UA-7cf arm with a Supex SC-900super on the end of it. Which is not exactly slumming it, but its a different cup of tea than what I've grown to like. There's not a lot of focus, but it sounds nice and in the room, though I wouldn't say its neutral. What I had before sounded like a master tape, or digital if digital were analog (figure that one out, best I can do). This sounds like a warm analog blanket.

 

[JP]

Hmm. Have always wanted to play with a TTS-8000. Never wanted to buy one. I also know which part of a soldering iron to hold. Most of the time.

 

[JohnVF]

Hmm. Have always wanted to play with a TTS-8000. Never wanted to buy one. I also know which part of a soldering iron to hold. Most of the time.

Well... something could be arranged. There is a local tech that I think could look at it to see if its something not that major. But if it is? Or if you really want to play with it...

Its so odd that it seemed to be holding speed fine last night. But I didn't dare run it more, I just crossed my fingers and unplugged it until somebody who knows what they're doing can look at it. It was definitely the player and not the step down transformer, as there was still a residual burn electronics smell about the Sony.

 

[JP]

Do what's best for you, of course. What I take on these days is for my curiosity/ more doing a favor. I have a career so I can be a little slow, can only work on weekends, and never touch anything other people have tried to fix unsuccessfully.

If your local person can get you up and running quick, def sounds like the easiest route.

 

[Thermionics]

I hope so, and thank you for your help behind the scenes. I know we've been on a bit of of a parallel path here. It's filled with things that look very unobtainable but fingers crossed. And it had that smell of electronic death about it.

Does it use ICs?

 

[Ds2000]

While I certainly feel badly for the 8000 issues you’re having, that fitting out of the console is really cherry. A+ all the way.

 

[JohnVF]

While I certainly feel badly for the 8000 issues you’re having, that fitting out of the console is really cherry. A+ all the way.

Thank you. And the Sony is being taken care of, and apparently not dead by any means. So it will all live again! It was just so frustrating to finally get to the top of the hill only to have it collapse on me. But I think in the end it will all work out for the better as its being rebuilt to a better and healthier state than it was.

 

[Wntrmute2]

Very cool. What is the box on the top do? The one with the blue numbers next to the lamp.

 

[JohnVF]

Very cool. What is the box on the top do? The one with the blue numbers next to the lamp.

That’s my preamp. Or rather “Transformer Volume Control”. It’s a Redboy creation using Slagleforner remote controlled transformer volume control modules. I’ve tried I don’t know how many preamps through the years and it’s handily beaten all of them and any others I’ve auditioned.