Empire 598II project

[Fitero]

A couple of years ago I sold off my last turntable, a Lenco L78, expecting to move back overseas soon after. Yep, I'm still here waiting for my wife to say "now we can go".

I've been playing with several Dac's since then but have been wanting to get another turntable for awhile. So...I started poking my nose around the junk equipment rack at work and look what I found, just about to get thrown out I might add!

My new project!
The woodwork isn't too bad, and the hinges still work perfectly, holding the lid up when moved.
I disassembled and cleaned the bearing and lubed it with the same synthetic oil that I had bought for my other turntable projects. The old belt still turns the newly lubed platter without trouble. Even the light works!

It came with a Shure M97 but the stylus was broken. I bought a Denon DL-103 from work for the Lenco and sold it at the same time that I sold the turntable foolishly thinking that I would never use it. Right.

I'm torn between getting a Jisco stylus for the M97 or getting another Denon.

Anyway, I thought I'd share my enthusiasm.

 

[Jeffery]

Looks right at home!

 

[Grbluen]

I don't know much about that table, other than I'd love to own it! The two cartridges that your considering differ in compliance. I'm not sure which, but one should be a better match for that arm.

 

[WaynerN]

Probably time to flip or get a new thrust washer.........

 

[Dadbar]

When I got my Empire 598 I mounted a Shure M91ED on it because I happened to have it. It sounded fine but you could see that the arm was a little too massive to handle the high compliance of that Shure. I replaced it with an Audio Technical AT150MLX which is lower in compliance and is a much better fit for this arm.

The Shure M97 with a brush might work OK...not sure if the Jico has one, though.

 

[Fitero]

Thanks for the kind comments.
I didn't realize my photos were so horrible. I was in a hurry to post something! I'll try to post better photos as I proceed.

I did indeed flip the thrust washer while cleaning the platter bearing. I also disassembled the motor as much as possible, vacuumed the dust and put a few drops of oil on the shaft nearest the bearing. I'll order new motor mounts and belt in a day or so. The original lead is bad as well

There is a wealth of experience about this turntable from empirelvr and others on this forum that I am slowly absorbing. I gather from my reading that both the DL-103 and the M97 are favored cartridges, though the Denon might require some additional weight on the tonearm. I don't know which one I will end up with yet.

 

[Fitero]

I ended up doing most of the things that other new Empire owners do to their tables;
New motor mounts, new belt, new cartridge, new RCA cables, new acrylic sheets for the cover and spruced up the wood work.
I don't think I am going to do anything else other than change the cartridge. I find the Shure M97xe sort of "meh".
Of course, I've only tried one phono preamp with it; a NAD PP2e. I am finishing up another one that I should be able to try this weekend.
I have some damping grease on the way too as the silicon grease that I used on the cueing mechanism was too slick.
What a nice stable table this is.

 

[malden]

When I got my Empire 598 I mounted a Shure M91ED on it because I happened to have it. It sounded fine but you could see that the arm was a little too massive to handle the high compliance of that Shure. I replaced it with an Audio Technical AT150MLX which is lower in compliance and is a much better fit for this arm.

The Shure M97 with a brush might work OK...not sure if the Jico has one, though.

You're right, the M91ED with stock stylus is not a great match for the Empire tonearm. The N93E (green grip) stylus is a better fit. It tracks between 1.5 and 3 grams.

NOS original Shure N93E styli are available on ebay and elswhere.

 

[scoville]

Fitero, Your table is looking very nice! Your motivating me to do some refinishing this weekend. High fives to you for finding this sweetie! Damn, we are on a roll, lucky we are on opposite coasts...

 

[Fitero]

Haha. Thanks for the kind words Scoville.

Another interesting characteristic of the Empire that I have learned to admire is it's relative immunity to footfalls. The Lenco and Linn that I had before were much more "nervous". Of course, that could all have been my ham-fisted adjustment of them, but still....

 

[empirelvr]

I'm glad you are enjoying my, and everyone else's posts, on the Empire. That table is looking good there!

 

[Fitero]

Thanks empirelvr. Yours were the first words that I absorbed after I acquired the turntable. They were a great help.
Even though the table is a little dog-eared around the edges I am happy with it. It works and sounds great.

Tomorrow I will receive a Shure SC35C and a N35X stylus. I look forward to comparing it to the M97xe and swapping the stylus back and forth to find my favorite.

 

[Fitero]

Yesterday I received the new Shure, so I modified and epoxied it to the Paradise Pulse aluminum body. I've been swapping stylus back and forth to get an idea of the sound and choose my favorite.
The M97xe stylus on the SC35C is much as it is in it's own body; e.g. smooth overall. The N35X stylus has more accentuated treble and slightly punchier bass. I have decided to keep the N35X in it for the moment. I just finished making a phono preamp, (Isotope MM) so there are several things to get used to at once.

I plopped the Empire on top of a bathroom floor mat which reduces some of the reflected motor hum noise. I have some deflex which I am going to stick all over the plinth inside to see if that helps further.