PL-550 ...on the bench...

[jleon92f]

Recable it. The stock cables sound terrible.

OK thanks. Will do, any suggestion about what to replace them with?

Thanks,
John.

 

[Sleep]

Hmm, mine had black cable, are we sure someone hasn't already recabled it? Yours looks grey.

 

[jleon92f]

Hmm, mine had black cable, are we sure someone hasn't already recabled it? Yours looks grey.

I have to check and see if they have been replaced already!

Thanks,
John.

 

[jleon92f]

I started to take it apart...

I am looking into the new vinyl covering.

Thanks,
John.

 

[jleon92f]

Vinyl covering...:scratch2:

Thanks,
John.

 

[boreas]

I've been thinking about that vinyl Parts Express sells for recovering speakers. It's wide enough that it'll cover the entire base on a PL-530/550/570 in a single piece. The method I would use would be to remove the top layer of vinyl and leave the bottom toffee colored layer as a substrate for the new vinyl, even leaving the surface tackiness from the old top layer since it actually helps the new material to adhere.

John

I started to take it apart...

I am looking into the new vinyl covering.

Thanks,
John.

Well, I got some of the PE vinyl and replaced the Contact Paper I'd used on the PL-514. Because it's much thicker it's more durable. The adhesive is also much more aggressive. These characteristics make it harder to work with, especially when wrapping it around edges, but the end result is really very good.

John

 

[jleon92f]

Nice job! looks great! I have a lighter color PE vinyl, shown in picture. I have plenty left so I am going to use that. I can make decals too.

Thanks,
John.

 

[boreas]

Nice job! looks great! I have a lighter color PE vinyl, shown in picture.

Thanks,
John.

Is that the oak? That should look great!

John

 

[boreas]

I cam make decals too.

Thanks,
John.

There's a freeware font called Ben-Pioneer. You can use it for your decal. (The tuning fork isn't included but you can get that with a Google image search.)

John

 

[jleon92f]

Is that the oak? That should look great!

John

It is lighter than the Oak, It was discontinued and marked down last year, so I bought a roll.:scratch2:

It is the same color as I used on the STA-2000D receiver side panels.

Thanks for the decal drawing. I am soaking the platter for removal.

John.

 

[Sleep]

I commented earlier that your cables were different from mine, but it looks like the platter mat is different too, so maybe it's a different year/version altogether?

 

[jleon92f]

I commented earlier that your cables were different from mine, but it looks like the platter mat is different too, so maybe it's a different year/version altogether?

That might be a mat I just put on it? I have some many items here hard to find anything. I put new RCA ends on the cables that came with it.

Thanks,
John.

 

[Lwrs10]

That might be a mat I just put on it? I have some many items here hard to find anything. I put new RCA ends on the cables that came with it.

Thanks,
John.

Change the whole cable. The stock one is a crappy steel center conductor and sounds like complete crap! All I used was some component video cables and cut off one end and soldered them in. The difference was like AM vs FM radio.

 

[jleon92f]

Change the whole cable. The stock one is a crappy steel center conductor and sounds like complete crap! All I used was some component video cables and cut off one end and soldered them in. The difference was like AM vs FM radio.

Hi, someone already replaced the cables with heavier ones.:thmbsp:


100_0437 by jleon92f, on Flickr

I have to unsolder the tonearm to remove it.:scratch2:

Thanks,
John.

 

[jleon92f]

Moving along...

Thanks,
John.

 

[jleon92f]

Disconnecting motor and tonearm...

I will need to remove the motor and tonearm for new Vinyl install.

Having fun...

Thanks,
John.

 

[jleon92f]

This vinyl looks better...:thmbsp:

Thanks,
John.

 

[jleon92f]

What a PITA this has turned out to be...The way they mounted the motor bezel is stupid! You have to take everything out to get to the last screw! Imagine if this was a semi-auto deck!

Oh well, I am into it now, no turning back!


100_0476 by jleon92f, on Flickr

Thanks,
John.

 

[Brett a]

What a PITA this has turned out to be...The way they mounted the motor bezel is stupid! You have to take everything out to get to the last screw!

Oh well, I am into it now, no turning back!

Thanks,
John.

Well, look at it this way, you're doing many people a service. I had one of these 'tables (and wish i still did) and would have loved to veneer it, but was intimidated by what would have been involved.

I might have done it if this thread were around a few years ago.

And if I may offer an unsolicited suggestion, consider reinforcing or damping (or both) the plinth box as you put it back together. The 550 seems like a good candidate for that; it's made out of pretty thin chipboard.

 

[jleon92f]

Well, look at it this way, you're doing many people a service. I had one of these 'tables (and wish i still did) and would have loved to veneer it, but was intimidated by what would have been involved.

I might have done it if this thread were around a few years ago.

And if I may offer an unsolicited suggestion, consider reinforcing or damping (or both) the plinth box as you put it back together. The 550 seems like a good candidate for that; it's made out of pretty thin chipboard.

Sounds like a good idea or will sound better...LOL.:thmbsp:
Thanks,
John.