Spindle upgrade.

[Andre Garcia]

hi to all!
Today I execute a nice short project, that was sleeping for a while. (One of many)
This project upgrade two aspects.
One, the platter was resting one the bearing but not 100% tight on it.
Two the spindle itself.
So we add an O’ring and O’ring holder that make the plater fit perfect and gently tight.

And then the spindle.
The original one was reduced and the new one made from Aluminum and isolated with a inner rubber sleeve.

IMO sound a lot better than before, but to be honest, sometimes we get confuse between real life and our perception.
Was a nice few hours project that work!

On the lathe.

Next a heaviest counterweight to put it closer to the tonearm pivot point.

AG.

 

[Andre Garcia]

Test result.
after several records and few cart the result is not bad.
the sound improve a lot with good controlled HF, but something extremely curious happened.
My Pickering XV-15 was not playing so clean, the HF distort a lot giving bad sound compared to my Empire and AT.
after alignment and VTF adjustment the issue remain, so I removed the brush (original) after that, wow, the sound back to normal.
I heard a lot of people that complaint about that, and I was one of the one defend the brush use, because doesn't bother the sound, yesterday I proof the opposite. so if your system is more refined, the brush could be an issue.
AG.

 

[gadget73]

OEM brush or no? I've had problems with non-OE brushes before. They tend to chatter.

 

[Andre Garcia]

This is an OEM brush on an aftermarket stylus.
Material or how thight is the brush with the stylus chunk?
I will keep testing.
AG.