Build your own turntable

ohbythebay

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Joined
Apr 11, 2013
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Seattle Area
Sounds daunting, right ? It isn't really. All you need is a good idea, a donor motor, platter, spindle and power and choose the high end arm you want.

I took the motorized parts from a Dual turntable that has a Dual EDS 500 motor. why ? Because the motor and board is self contained (no separate boards, etc.) so it was easy. Took the following:

  1. Motor
  2. power supply
  3. strobe
  4. speed pot
  5. Platter and spindle


Added
Power on off switch
Tonearm
self made wood case

Steps with pictures
First laid out how I wanted the platter strobe and speed control on a board

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Next, the underside wiring..I hard wired for 33 speed eliminating the manual switch for 33 and 45. You can see why I chose the Dual TT donor..Very minimal parts to work with and dead steady DD motor

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Used cork to sandwich the material and deaden the plinth

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Made a base out of poplar. You can do any base design you want. The top plinth will just fit inside

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This was the original design with a Sanyo arm...Nice but not what I finished up with

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Continued next post
 
Now after that first design, I decided to make a better table by using a better arm. I choose a very low mass AT1100 (6 gram mass) with fluid damping...very cool...and changed the top plinth wood

Original design
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New top and armboard to measure out for the new arm...

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the Arm

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Mounted

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Final result including an AT popup that lifts the arm when it reaches the end of an LP

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Wow!!!! That's some beautiful work! How's it sound??
Great job !!
 
Fantastically cool! Being a Digital Junkie I generally avoid the vinyl threads... and glancing around I didn't really thing "make your own turntable" meant, "make your own turntable" well, silly me.

fantastic job, fantastic DIY project! Thanks !!
 
We have got some seriously talented people here. Wow. I love the classic look.
 
Thanks all...how does she sound? High end audiophile quality. It may not be suspended or damped like modern tables BUT I took that into account I needed two things

1) Rock solid speed...so solid I adjust the strobe once per several months (amazing)
2) A tonearm that was designed to be a perfect compliment to the table - 6 grams mass, fluid damped and designed by AT to eliminate the 10hz sweet spot...

You can read about the arm here --> Google
I also replaced the original tonearm wires with Litz wires and special connectors..

I have used high end MM and pretty decent MC carts...beautiful...compared to my Concept table ? Tied...I kid you not...
 
We are so lucky to have you around Rob. I had an old Dual that I gave to my son. Apparently it has a channel out. After reading all of your DIY threads I'm planning on taking a look under the hood. I figure it can't be any worse than it already is.
 
We are so lucky to have you around Rob. I had an old Dual that I gave to my son. Apparently it has a channel out. After reading all of your DIY threads I'm planning on taking a look under the hood. I figure it can't be any worse than it already is.

Doug, 90% of the time, the channel OUT issue is the DUAL SLED if yours has that. The contacts are horrible. What model do you have? I eventually rewired my arm and eliminated the sled contacts scheme ..worked wonders !!!
 
Looking at this site at work (shhh, don;t tell my boss) using IE8

Your browser default is set to not show pictures.

Go to TOOLS/INTERNET OPTIONS/Click the ADVANCED TAB (far right)

Scroll down to Multimedia and make sure SHOW PICTURES is clicked.

:woot:

Tell the boss it is research :scholar:
 
Doug, 90% of the time, the channel OUT issue is the DUAL SLED if yours has that. The contacts are horrible. What model do you have? I eventually rewired my arm and eliminated the sled contacts scheme ..worked wonders !!!

Rob, mine is the CS627Q. I think I bought it back around 1980 and it was in my basement for a lot of years. I'll have to bring it to where I am and take a look at it. I think it had an Ortofon OM20 on it. The fingerlift was a lever that went to and fro which would release the cart. mech for easy changing. Ha! I can't tell you how many times the whole works fell right off onto the album. :reallymad:

Not my pic but this is what it looks like:

cs627q.jpg
 
Well, I can see most others, but unfortunately I can't adjust my internet options (function is locked). I see the typical little box with a red X in it. It is entirely possible that the site that is originally hosting those pictures is blocked here at work. Bummer, I love DIY stuff.
 
Question the 2nd to the last photo you said "an AT popup" to lift up the arm what is it? can you post a photo of it. Other then that this look cool I have a few old TT that I always want to fix I might try something like this.
 
Question the 2nd to the last photo you said "an AT popup" to lift up the arm what is it? can you post a photo of it. Other then that this look cool I have a few old TT that I always want to fix I might try something like this.

REALLY hard to find Audio Technica Safety Riser

621346-profile_tonearm_lift_same_as_audio_technica_safety_riser.jpg
 
Is there a set of standards or specs that one has to follow for tonearm placement, etc.. ?
 
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