[Galibier_Numero_Un]

This may be OT, but what are the advantages of upgrading a motor controller vs upgrading a motor?

Think of it as you would any component upgrade.  In addition to the possibility of better pitch stability (you may have no problems here), the smaller or micro-time domain is where the mother lode lies.  In this micro-domain, you get extended bandwidth, less top end distortion, more harmonically rich (and yet quicker) bass.  I could go on and on. Rather than expound further, check this post on my forum, which links to a review of the Rockport Sirius turntable:

http://www.galibierdesign.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=137

As far as new stock motors are concerned, fuggedaboudit.  There's just nothing worthwhile in the AC synchronous world  (2-phase or 3-phase) fractional horsepower (10-40 watts) motors until you start working with suppliers to the military at $500 to $1,000 per unit.  If someone can correct me on this, I'd be delighted to know. 

The industry has moved to digitally controlled drive systems employing hall sensors and/or encoders (depending on the resolution level you're after).

Universality is a problem Jim faces in coming up with a workable design: does he go at upgrading existing stock (Linn's, Regas, Oracles, VPIs, etc.) or does he wipe the slate clean and go at a completely new solution?  The two solutions are completely different due to the shifting architecture of these fractional horsepower motors.  If he goes with new motor technologies, he helps you to future-proof your design, as well as to improve on your current motor.  The downside to this is the physical implementation - adapting the motor mount and the pulley.  There are a lot of considerations.

If 500 of you got together, agreed on an approach, and wrote him big checks, you'd have a world-beating solution.  Somehow, I don't think that's about to happen 

Jim - my take is that anything worthwhile coming from you (and everything you do is worthwhile) will be priced out of reach of most owners.  Maybe I'm wrong about what a Rega owner is willing to pay.  The VPI owner looking to improve on an SDS power supply however ($1K when I last checked) is another story, as is the Linn owner. 

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

[Galibier_Numero_Un]

As far as new stock motors are concerned, fuggedaboudit.

I was a bit unclear in this comment.  Of course, a top notch controller will improve your Rega, and you'd be a very happy camper.  If you're starting a design with a clean slate however, a better motor would be .... well, ... better.

Sorry for any confusion.

Cheers,
Thom

[PET-240]

G'day Thom,

Appreciate you dropping by, quick question, what motor would you recommend looking at?

And your thoughts regard a Garrard 301?

Thanks,

Drew

[Galibier_Numero_Un]

G'day Thom,

Appreciate you dropping by, quick question, what motor would you recommend looking at?

And your thoughts regard a Garrard 301?

Thanks,
Drew

Tough call, Drew.  I haven't researched the idler drive units, so I can't really comment intelligently.  If I were in your position (since this is a one-off and not something that requires new production stock quantities), I'd start by researching motors by Papst.  Many of them are quite large however, so fitting them inboard will be a challenge. 

In new stock, about your only choice is the Airpax (Phillips/Premotec) used in the various Brittish belt-drive rigs.  This would be a fall-back scenario.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

[roscoeiii]

Tough call, Drew.  I haven't researched the idler drive units, so I can't really comment intelligently.  If I were in your position (since this is a one-off and not something that requires new production stock quantities), I'd start by researching motors by Papst.  Many of them are quite large however, so fitting them inboard will be a challenge. 

In new stock, about your only choice is the Airpax (Phillips/Premotec) used in the various Brittish belt-drive rigs.  This would be a fall-back scenario.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

And for those of us with stand-alone motors, any other motor recommendations in addition to the Pabst?

[Berndt]

Jim I'd kick 500 $ into a pabst motor controller kickstarter.

[brian.goodman]

Jim,

I have an extra 3 phase Papst Ausenlaufer motor from an idler wheel turntable, which will give you an extra motor to experiment on. 

If that is a bit of kickstarter for the project, I am happy to ship it to you at my own expense.

Brian
(happy Bugle owner)

[hagtech]

Thanks, but I have a bit of a backlog at the moment.  Gotta finish up the remotes for the TRUMPET REFERENCE, then do the UFO kit.  Also thinking about a possible C3 kit for next year, a CONCERTO linestage to go with the REFERENCE, and a few other projects.  But yeah, I'll be pondering the TT controller in the meantime...

jh

[BobM]

Jim, any chance you might be offering "upgrades" to the original Trumpet, or possibly sharing some things with orignal Trumpet owners so they can bring their units up to current spec?

Thanks

[hagtech]

Off topic!  And no, I probably won't.  The work would be too extensive.  Unless you want to pay the $1355 difference?  Then I'd do it.

jh

[Berndt]

Still interested in the 3ph motor controller...
Thanks!