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My new to me vintage turntable - Kenwood KD-550

It only gives me the first 5 pages of the manual which is just the basics. None of the adjustments for tracking or anti skate are there.....ARRRG.....:mad:
 
I think the 650 manual will tell you all you need to know. The arm may not be exactly the same, but its pretty close, I suspect.
I have the 45 adaptor which was the alignment/overhang tool, but a protractor will do the same thing.
 
Nat said:
I think the 650 manual will tell you all you need to know. The arm may not be exactly the same, but its pretty close, I suspect.
I have the 45 adaptor which was the alignment/overhang tool, but a protractor will do the same thing.
Click to expand...

I will see if I can get that one in english.....:dunno:
 
Get the manual from hifi-manuals.com It is 4 languages, none of them English.

If you need a new cartridge for that turntable save up a couple years and get something good. A couple/few hundred. Putting a 100 buck nail on that fine machine is downgrading its performance. It will perform all the way up to a $2000 cartridge but you don't have to go there. Just don't bolt a cheap nail to it. Your other gear is much better than that and so is this tt.

Did you mount the 5070 dust cover on that 550? Not the same size or a perfect fit but if you made it work that is great. Nice that it was part of the deal, too.
 
Maybe you should start a thread about yours, I am not that up on blog ethics but it seems like you are stepping on the OP's thread.
 
If the hinges are on the side then it's the correct cover. Just googled the 5070 and it's cover hinged at the back.
 
Nat said:
I think the 650 manual will tell you all you need to know. The arm may not be exactly the same, but its pretty close, I suspect.
I have the 45 adaptor which was the alignment/overhang tool, but a protractor will do the same thing.
Click to expand...

That worked, Thanks. You want to let me borrow the 45 Adaptor? ;)

Blue Shadow said:
Get the manual from hifi-manuals.com It is 4 languages, none of them English.

If you need a new cartridge for that turntable save up a couple years and get something good. A couple/few hundred. Putting a 100 buck nail on that fine machine is downgrading its performance. It will perform all the way up to a $2000 cartridge but you don't have to go there. Just don't bolt a cheap nail to it. Your other gear is much better than that and so is this tt.

Did you mount the 5070 dust cover on that 550? Not the same size or a perfect fit but if you made it work that is great. Nice that it was part of the deal, too.
Click to expand...

I am going with the cart/styl I have now. It sounds fine so I just need to be happy for awhile. As far as the dust cover it seems to fit perfectly so I think it is the same even though it came from the other table. :)
 
Ken Boyd said:
Maybe you should start a thread about yours, I am not that up on blog ethics but it seems like you are stepping on the OP's thread.
Click to expand...
Your right. No one posted here since August if I'm not mistaken so I thought it would be OK. But I will start my own thread if I need to ask anymore questions. Thanks too all that helped me out.....:beerchug:
 
cartop said:
As far as the dust cover it seems to fit perfectly so I think it is the same even though it came from the other table. :)
Click to expand...

I think you made a major score with the cover, I believe the seller didn't realize he actually had the correct one. If you Google the 5070 it's cover is completely different. I have no personal experience with the 5070 other than images on the net so I might be mistaken but I don't think so.
.
 
Vinyl Engine has the 650 manuals -- I assume you found it there.
The 45 adaptor/overhang gauge actually consists of two dots, one at 9.5 mm from the center of the spindle, the other at 15 mm. I suspect that the hassles of sending the thing back and forth would be more difficult than simply marking a 45 adaptor (or a piece of paper with a 1/4 inch hole punched out) with whichever distance is specified for the arm. Or you could use a protractor, which might be more accurate.
 
I'd just get a Baerwald alignment protractor printed to scale from VE and set up the cartridge for that. The heck with whatever any manufacturer decides on alignment which may be Baerwald or one of the other well known set up points. If you look for the discussion of alignment on VE you will probably see the Tracking Error graph showing the error across a record surface for each of 4 alignments. Pick one you like and get the protractor.
 
This turntable is very high on my want list of classics. It is that excellent. And that base offers the isolation I need. And that motor is silent, accurate, and well built. This is one of the best Japanese audio achievements in turntables that actually got sold here in the USA, too many of Japan's best outside Technics SP lines didn't get sold here. A classic and a superb performer, worthy of my living room. Built like a brick outhouse.
 
With this 550 with the ADC XLM MKII cart what would be a nice stylus to pair with it? Right now it has the ADC QLM 30 MKIII which tracks at 3-5g so I was thiking of getting something that would track lighter.
 
While high compliance carts do ok on my KD550, it shines with medium compliance cartridges. My Ortofon VMS20e MK2 was a bi high compliance, opened up with lower compliance a VMS15 stylus.

Shire M75 is also really nice and is I believe a medium compliance stylus.
 
I'm so excited to read all comments about the 550. A buddy of mine dropped off a KD 550 he dug up out of storage. It will need refurbished but all intact with hinged cover. Lot of dust to clean, but can't beat a free TT project like this! Thanks for the thread!
 
David Lyons said:
I'm so excited to read all comments about the 550. A buddy of mine dropped off a KD 550 he dug up out of storage. It will need refurbished but all intact with hinged cover. Lot of dust to clean, but can't beat a free TT project like this! Thanks for the thread!
Click to expand...

Welcome to the AK turn table forum. :)
 
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