[SET Man]

I just measured one of my spare VPI belts and it is about 35" long. Maybe it is too long for your application but it is an "o-ring" type of belt. My spare belt for my Harmon kardon is 25" but it is a flat belt x .25" high (about .020" thick). I bought it from a guy on *bay for about 10 dollars with shipping. It is a PRB belt. If a flat belt will work for you, I have a spare for the HK that you can have. It's old but still in good condition and should last a long time.

W

Hey!

  Thanks Wayner. But I could only use round 1.78mm o-ring type here

Take care,
Buddy

[Wayner]

Just one more belt idea. How about an O-ring from Mcmaster-carr? 1.78mm is about .07 inches and they do offer many sizes.

On another topic. I would try re-gluing your current belt with superglue, but do not make a diagonal slice. make the joint a " butt joint"  ya, that's funny, but that's what they call it. Slice the belt so that the joint is square to each other. The reason for this is that superglue doesn't have any ripping strength. You could glue your 2 index finger together and easily get them apart, not by pulling them in total opposition but by peeling them apart. When you diagonally cut the belt and glued the ends together, you invited the "peel" effect into the equation because as the belt went around the inner platter it had a natural peel effect.  ========//======= (bad), ========|======== (good).

I know this shit because I've been to many Loc-Tite seminars.

W

[SET Man]

Hey!

   It had bee a while. Well, I couldn't find a suitable belt for job and since I can't and won't go back to the original way with motor dangling on the plinth of my old Rega Planar 2.

   I came to the conclusion that I will need to come up with a new plinth so I could use the old original belt but still have the motor totally outside the table.

   What to use for new plinth? I did considered 2 options. First is acrylic and second wood. But since I'm a bit skeptical of acrylic sound and my tendency to choose more of the natural material over synthetic one I decided to go for wood. And the easiest way is to find a good cutting board.

   So, I went for a walk around NYC to look for cutting board. There are two stores that I know have these for sure. Dean & Deluca and Crate & Barrel. The D&D got lots of seletion. There was one that I really want.. an "end grain cherry board" but at about $200 a piece it was way to much. They do have a maple board but they are not end grain type. But I went to C&B and I found these http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=660&f=9294 It is made from acacia wood, a hard wood. And since end grain type it is less likely to wrap. After checking for flatness by putting it on a glass, moving it around, and look from the bottom and etc... yeah those sale persons look at me and think that I'm crazy And with end grain type I think it is better at controlling resonant.

Okay... let's get started.



Getting ready to drill.



Using the old Rega plinth as a template for holes.

   And now guys! Here is my new totally pimped out TT!





  Oh! yeah!   Well, I happy to report that the new plinth sound great! Doesn't look or sound like the old Rega for sure The first thing I notice is the bass. I have no idea that a TT could have bass like this! I guess now my cart really show what it could do also. Very solid sound.

   The down side? Although I feel that right now the new pimped out TT sound more natural than before. I wish there is a bit more extension... or maybe it is because I'm getting better bass and this make the high seem less? And the other down side.... with this now my CD play back system sound less enjoyable compared to the sound of my new pimped TT

  Have to find time to make a better motor pod now

  Yup, I'm happy But is this the end of the story? Well, I don't know. I might get all itchy again and get a acrylic sheet to make a new plinth just to see how it sound since it won't cost that much and if the acrylic is better I could always use the cutting board in my kitchen!

Take care,
Buddy
   

[lonewolfny42]

Nice job Buddy......

After checking for flatness by putting it on a glass, moving it around, and look from the bottom and etc... yeah those sale persons look at me and think that I'm crazy

...I can imagine....thats funny !!!

[SteveRB]

i am fairly new to mods and hi-end gear.  that being said, after reading this thread i flipped my planar3 over to look at the motor mount and got to thinking...

...so, my questions are about off-board motors in general:

are the problems associated with vibration because the motor is attached to the plinth?
does the motor have to be outside the perimeter of the plinth?
...
could the motor be mounted below the original plinth and extend upward through the existing hole, thus using the factory belt and not permanently altering the turntable ?

[Wayner]

I suspect you may have changed the systems "Q" by using a different plinth material. I would also advise to check your VTF as you may have accidently changed it moving the tonearm from one plinth to another. Remember, the tonearm should be parallel to the record with the stylus on the record. If your high end has suffered, this makes me think your tonearm's backend toward the pivot is too low. Try to raise it a little to see if the bass calms down a bit and the highs brighten-up. 

W

[SET Man]

I suspect you may have changed the systems "Q" by using a different plinth material. I would also advise to check your VTF as you may have accidently changed it moving the tonearm from one plinth to another. Remember, the tonearm should be parallel to the record with the stylus on the record. If your high end has suffered, this makes me think your tonearm's backend toward the pivot is too low. Try to raise it a little to see if the bass calms down a bit and the highs brighten-up. 

W

Hey!

   Yes, I did take that VTF in to consideration with the new plinth. And since the new plinth is very flat.... better than I expected actually. The VTF is the same.

    Well, it sounds great now. But of cause the Rega arms don't allow you to adjust VTF. So, my next step could be buying V-TAF

Take care,
Buddy

Nice job Buddy......

After checking for flatness by putting it on a glass, moving it around, and look from the bottom and etc... yeah those sale persons look at me and think that I'm crazy

...I can imagine....thats funny !!!

    Chris, those sale persons really look at me like I'm crazy. But if there asked me I would just say that I want it to perfectly flat so I could make a perfect cubes of carrot.... well I do take my cooking seriously! 

Take care,
Buddy

[SET Man]

i am fairly new to mods and hi-end gear.  that being said, after reading this thread i flipped my planar3 over to look at the motor mount and got to thinking...

...so, my questions are about off-board motors in general:

are the problems associated with vibration because the motor is attached to the plinth?
does the motor have to be outside the perimeter of the plinth?
...
could the motor be mounted below the original plinth and extend upward through the existing hole, thus using the factory belt and not permanently altering the turntable ?

Hey!

   Well, to  answer your questions....

If you have the older Planar 3 than your motor is really dangling on the plinth with just a rubber band like the one in the photo on the first page. Since the motor could move a bit this cause speed instability, and this effect the sound.

And the motor itself vibrate. It is amazing of how much you could feel the vibration when you hold it in your holding it while it spinning

Yes, I did considered having the motor mounted below as you mentioned so it would not change look of the TT. With motor mounted on solid heavy platform below the plinth it would still be a big improvement. If the clearence between the new motor pod and the plinth above is not enough you could always raise the hold TT up.

But of cause I'm DIYer and on a nutty side I just have to go all out  on it. The best way and result would be having the motor totally outside on it own. This way the vibration can't get to the TT or least much harder and much less

Anyway, if you are careful you could take the Planar 3's motor apart and make a heavy motor pod below the plinth without changing anything. Maybe putting a good thick cork pad under motor housing to  absorb the vibration.

If you are careful you could always put it back together the way it was.  And believe me when you hear how much better with the motor mounted solidly and not on the plinth you won't go back to the motor dangling on your Rega again.

Well, have fun.

Take care,
Buddy


 

[slbender]

Hey Buddy!

Neat-o job on that Rega Plinth.  Great project as it evolved, I was really getting into it SET Man.

About six or seven years ago, I yanked and replaced the arm on my late 1960's AR-XA.  Now with a precision Japanese Carbon Fiber Straight Arm (with a removable headshell) well its an arm not too unlike the arm found on your Rega 2.

I had to cut into the AR's upper steel plate, and then drill into the lower "T" sub-structure, and finally crank up the springs, perhaps some would say it turned out coyote ugly looking, but man it sounds totally wonderful.  I think I'd put it up against some of those megabuck turntables and win.

I have about six or seven older mid to high-end MM Cartridges mounted in matching lightweight headshells, but the cartridge I really love is a B&O SP-12a that has such a wonderful sonic.  It is also totally massive, it weighs almost 12 g while most other MM cartridges weigh 4 g to 9 g.  I have to add a ceramic magnet and its steel keeper to the arm's normal counterweight to get the light weight CF Arm to balance at zero with this massively heavy cartridge on the other end. 

Yet this B&O from the early 1970's dispite its weight has a rather thin and light cantilever, made of Beryllium as I recall, with a nude ellliptical diamond, so it plays like the angels are singing.  I usually track it at 1.25 gram ( my digital scale says that it is 1.3, but the scale simply can't resolve the .05 g ).  When set the arm at the 1 gram line, the digital scale does say 1.0 g, so I know the arm is properly balanced.

I just bought another used TT from the 1970's - a Thorens TD-145c, but I haven't had a chance to compare it and the modded AR yet.  The Thorens also came with 12 cartridges, about five or six that I always lusted after, which look to be in good to great condition, some others were downright destroyed.

Keep up the good work!  Me, I'm working on a New SET Amp, but I'm not sure I can best my old one, that I made back in 1997, but I'm still gonna try.


-Steven L. Bender, Designer of Vintage Audio Equipment

Hey!

   It had bee a while. Well, I couldn't find a suitable belt for job and since I can't and won't go back to the original way with motor dangling on the plinth of my old Rega Planar 2.

   I came to the conclusion that I will need to come up with a new plinth so I could use the old original belt but still have the motor totally outside the table.

   What to use for new plinth? I did considered 2 options. First is acrylic and second wood. But since I'm a bit skeptical of acrylic sound and my tendency to choose more of the natural material over synthetic one I decided to go for wood. And the easiest way is to find a good cutting board.

Take care,
Buddy
   

[SET Man]

Hey Buddy!

...I had to cut into the AR's upper steel plate, and then drill into the lower "T" sub-structure, and finally crank up the springs, perhaps some would say it turned out coyote ugly looking, but man it sounds totally wonderful.  I think I'd put it up against some of those megabuck turntables and win...


-Steven L. Bender, Designer of Vintage Audio Equipment

Hey!

   Steven, I know exactly what you mean! If you check out my stuff on in my gallery you'll see why

    But than I built my stuff for one thing only.... sound quality aa As for the look of it I don't really care much about it. So, when I design and build my stuff it is pretty much of "form follows function" Of cause if I were to build these stuff for sale than it would be difference... look  will come in to play but it still won't be my first priority anyway.

     Anyway, my new TT turn out fine. Compared to the old Rega this thing is a bass monster! Well, other thing improved too! It is not done yet. I'm thinking of raising the VTA up a bit... or maybe get the V-TAF. But that would have to wait.

    Right now I'm trying to figure out how to solve the hum problem on my phono stage in my pre... it is quiet when the tonearm cable is not connected

   BTW... I like your collection of Akai R2Rs. I do have a M8 but I used it mostly as headphone amp driving my Grado SR60

Take care,
Buddy