Fortyfiveor7
New Member
Thank you. Made those shelves. Looking to replace Ikea with same
The Official Kenwood KD 500/550 and 600/650 Owner's Thread
RobRoy
It's just stuff - but fun
My shop and music room share a building. They are both 30' deep. The music room is 16 wide and the shop is 34 wide. I'm thinking of moving the Ikea into the shop to store the "low turnaround" stuff. I then want to build shelves in the music room "record store style", like this guy did:
babadockia
New Member
hi, everybody! please, somebody has the dimensions or the template to the tonearm board for the kenwood kd 600? can't find anywhere. thank you in advance
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
The board is 4" in diameter and I can measure thickness and post if someone hasn't before I get a chance to dig out my original.
I'm making some for my 600 after making one years ago from a nice chunk of walnut. These have different thicknesses and that can lead to needing longer bolts but this has the board sticking up a bit too high. Thinner boards are ok, just sunken a bit in their location. I sanded the boards to be a mm narrower on the bottom vs. the top so the sides have a very slight angle to them. Unseen, makes em easy to use.
There are two locating dimples on the armboards that fit into the shallow round spots on the shelf with the capture nuts for mounting the board. On my original walnut armboard I used a couple screws with large heads to locate the board. Not really necessary as after the board is bolted in place the alignment will make things right.
I'm making some for my 600 after making one years ago from a nice chunk of walnut. These have different thicknesses and that can lead to needing longer bolts but this has the board sticking up a bit too high. Thinner boards are ok, just sunken a bit in their location. I sanded the boards to be a mm narrower on the bottom vs. the top so the sides have a very slight angle to them. Unseen, makes em easy to use.
There are two locating dimples on the armboards that fit into the shallow round spots on the shelf with the capture nuts for mounting the board. On my original walnut armboard I used a couple screws with large heads to locate the board. Not really necessary as after the board is bolted in place the alignment will make things right.
Attachments
babadockia
New Member
thank you for the information. no damping necessary between the plinth and the board? something like bitum or cork?
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Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
The original board is two materials. Top layer, 2mm is a harder plastic and the lower section is a bit softer but by no means soft, just maybe more absorbent of sonics without transferring them. I didn't see a need to use anything other than the walnut. The total thickness is 20mm. The depth of the cutout is 23mm with the ledge about 7mm below the top. You can use an armboard of any depth as long as you can attach it to the turntable. The four mounting screws, M4 with 2 at 25mm and 2 at 35mm for the deeper captured nuts can be changed to longer or shorter as needed to properly mount the armboard.
If the hinges on your 600 work and have not been reinforced, I'd do that sooner than later. There is a 3D print file out there for making a new piece to repair them but not letting them break would be better.
If the hinges on your 600 work and have not been reinforced, I'd do that sooner than later. There is a 3D print file out there for making a new piece to repair them but not letting them break would be better.
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babadockia
New Member
thank you very much, Sir
I have the next few days off, maybe I’ll dig out the 550 and mount an arm to it.
babadockia
New Member
I think I might contribute on this thread. The tonearm is a Denon DA-50 and the cartridge is Audio Technica 750sh
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
the mat is an upside down stock mat for the KD-650/600. Similar to the mat used on a few other Kenwoods of the time but different part numbers. Now that I have a good pic of this mat, my 600 didn't have one but my 650 did but I sold it, can compare it to the mat from one of the other tables. Mine has 10 more holes in the inner band and the air pockets are smaller. Wonder about that engineering project.
The bottom of the mat probably has the Trio logo embossed as it seems visible near the tonearm in the inner area of the mat and the edges of the mat you can see slope to the inside as it sits on the table.
The bottom of the mat probably has the Trio logo embossed as it seems visible near the tonearm in the inner area of the mat and the edges of the mat you can see slope to the inside as it sits on the table.
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babadockia
New Member
if you were asking me it has the original mat, is in quite pristin condition except a crack in the and, up until now I have mixed emotions with it, probably because the arm is a bit on the heavier side for the at cart.the sound is very detailed but, to my ears, a bit dark
soundoc03
Super Member
I just found this thread and thought I would contribute. I bought a 550 on eBay for very little back in the 90s but it arrived trashed due to poor packing. I salvaged the tonearm and resold it back on eBay but there was very little interest so the auction was a bust. A few years later a 500 came up on eBay listed for $1 but with the exorbitant at the time shipping charge of $75. Of course eBay later clamped down on this ruse to avoid their FVFs. It turned out that the seller was the son of the the machinist who runs Espressimo and the arm board was custom fabricated from aluminum and plexiglass. The Grace G-707 was included and the mat was a Hiraoka SE-22. I recently obtained a Dr. Feickert protractor which makes cartridge set up
both simple and precise. The pots needed cleaning and I lubed the bearing base on the Liquid Audio instructions. The turntable now performs flawlessly with the Grace arm and F-9 cartridge.
both simple and precise. The pots needed cleaning and I lubed the bearing base on the Liquid Audio instructions. The turntable now performs flawlessly with the Grace arm and F-9 cartridge.
Hi there, I bought recently a KD-550, please I need you guys opinion about an issue with the tonearm. The tonearm gimbal rotates a bit, it's not fixed, if you take the tonearm and rotates the tube the gimbal rotates too. Its not fixed as the rest of the parts... I made a photo for your better understanding. Please HELP!
I interpret what you are saying to mean that the vertical arm bearings have some slop. They should have a little - a tight bearing will bind on the high points of the balls and the cup. So absolute rigidity shouldn't be expected. But the slop should be fairly minimal - how much is 'a bit'?
Ninjalife27
New Member
Happy 550 owner checking in. I’ve had it for a few years, found it at a small antique store for $60. The hinges were broken & dust cover cracked, but other than that it works perfectly. I upgraded from a Pioneer PL-530 and couldn’t be happier. I’m currently running an LP GEAR At95VL cart.
I do have 2 questions, if anyone can help me:
1. Does anyone know the mass of the stock tonearm?
2. The stock rubber mat is getting a little long in the tooth, I’m planning on replacing it with a Herbies.
I measured the stock mat at about 287mm or 288mm. Herbies only has 285mm or 290mm, so I’m guessing I should go with the 285mm?
Does anyone know what thickness I should get or what would closest match the stock mat thickness/height? 3mm? 4mm?
I do have 2 questions, if anyone can help me:
1. Does anyone know the mass of the stock tonearm?
2. The stock rubber mat is getting a little long in the tooth, I’m planning on replacing it with a Herbies.
I measured the stock mat at about 287mm or 288mm. Herbies only has 285mm or 290mm, so I’m guessing I should go with the 285mm?
Does anyone know what thickness I should get or what would closest match the stock mat thickness/height? 3mm? 4mm?
Sgt Shultz
Addicted Member
If you can locate an OEM mat for the Kenwood KD-770D or it's brethren they are the schitski. My 500 had a pristine mat when purchased 10yrs ago but was damaged about a yr ago and needed to be replaced. I have a 770D so tried the mat and was shocked at the improvement in SQ, found a NOS still sealed 770D mat in Germany on eBay.
Kenwood KD-500 / Grace G707arm
Grace F-8L10' Advanced Luminal Trace 10th anniversary edition cartridge
The synergy of having a cartridge on the arm it was designed for cannot be denied.
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Ninjalife27
New Member
I enjoyed reading through this entire thread, and when I saw your post regarding that 770D mat, I looked through every eBay listing for Kenwood mats I could find, looking for that model number. Unfortunately I could not find one, hence going with a Herbie’s.
Just need to confirm what diameter & thickness I should get.
Your TT is beautiful btw. If it sounds half as good as it looks (and I’m sure it does), I bet it absolutely sings. One day I’ll get to considering upgrading the tonearm, but I’m not there yet. At the moment I’m working on engineering & fabricating a new hinge solution for the dust cover.
Sgt Shultz
Addicted Member
It's actually sitting idle at the moment until I build a shelf in the bedroom, I have....... a few tables lol, currently using two others a bit higher up the ladder.
When I get home I'll give you the numbers off the mat, may not help but who knows.
I'll PM you later after I get off work with a schveet tweak you can do yourself that really elevated the tables SQ, it does get a bit heavier though.
my 500 now weighs about 50lbs, the improvement is invisible so kind of a sleeper heh heh heh.
