Which Direct Drive Turntable?

[pure sound]

Yes, different profile on the top surface.

[i_should_coco]

Looks fantastic!

[sonyboy0444]

Ah, the old 'Gunmetal': isn't that just a fancy name for common-or-garden/cheap-as-chips 60/40 Brass (ie.Copper/Zinc)?

Or even Gunmetal

[i_should_coco]

Ah, the old 'Gunmetal': isn't that just a fancy name for comman-or-garden/cheap-as-chips 60/40 Brass (ie.Copper/Zinc)?

No, it's closer to Bronze except it does contain Zinc as well. Some variants have Lead, too. The exact composition varies.

[enbee23]

No, it's closer to Bronze except it does contain Zinc as well. Some variants have Lead, too. The exact composition varies.

That sounds a bit vague. Why the change from copper anyway?

[i_should_coco]

That sounds a bit vague. Why the change from copper anyway?

You'll have to ask Guy.

But also, why not?

[enbee23]

Maybe for the same reasons that Micro Seiki chose copper in the first place?

"Gunmetal" does seem to be a bit of loose term then for an engineering type such as yourself

[sonyboy0444]

Hi coco, perhaps I should have said 'in this day and age', as very little true Gunmetal is commercially available these days. The nearest you can get is 70/30 (red) brass containing a low percentage of lead, which is there solely to provide fee-cutting properties, ie. gentle to cutting tools to extend their cutting life).

[pure sound]

I'm not stopping doing the copper ones, I'm trying this aswell. Quite a few Japanese TT manufacturers have used gunmetal for mats, record weights, arm bases, platters etc. As a material, it seems to be slightly more expensive than copper.

[BobC]

very nice, can't beat a bit of admiralty gunmetal

[enbee23]

I'm not stopping doing the copper ones, I'm trying this aswell. Quite a few Japanese TT manufacturers have used gunmetal for mats, record weights, arm bases, platters etc. As a material, it seems to be slightly more expensive than copper.

Eeeeeeeenteresting Have you had enough listening time yet to determine any sonic differences?

[i_should_coco]

Hi coco, perhaps I should have said 'in this day and age', as very little true Gunmetal is commercially available these days. The nearest you can get is 70/30 (red) brass containing a low percentage of lead, which is there solely to provide fee-cutting properties, ie. gentle to cutting tools to extend their cutting life).

I managed to get some a while back for a project, but yes, it was hard to source and expensive.

[pure sound]

Eeeeeeeenteresting Have you had enough listening time yet to determine any sonic differences?

Not really and it wouldn't be a fair comparison anyway. The top surface of this mat is dished and the label recess marginally less deep. Records sit on it in a much more satisfactory way with or without a clamp. I need to get a copper one that has been made to the same profile.

[speedysteve]

On the SP-10 I use a PL-71 mat (US version - sort of hard and little bit softer composite).
I found it to be a dead heat with the Cu mat.
The whole PL-71 was about the same price as a Cu mat. So left over, I have an Acos arm I converted to 12" SME pattern, and a deck that Coco says I should make into a RCM, lol.

I still have the gunmetal arm board.

[pure sound]

and a deck that Coco says I should make into a RCM, lol.

Not torquey enough if the Okki Nokki is anything to go by.

[Dik Dolan]

Just overclock yer okki and bolt a cart onto the vacuum tube. job jobbed=)

[Tune]

You mean like this one that was on eBay

That's the boy Bob. Heard one utterly destroy a tweaked Garrard in a jazz club in Tokyo some years ago and have fancied one ever since. Pioneer still service them. Sadly supply has rather dried up.

[It Cost How Much!?!]

That's the boy Bob. Heard one utterly destroy a tweaked Garrard in a jazz club in Tokyo some years ago and have fancied one ever since. Pioneer still service them. Sadly supply has rather dried up.

It seems to tweek it, you basically remove everything bar the platter, motor and arm board.

[speedysteve]

Oh it would be fine for a Keith Monks alike - I use a mini JVC belt drive at the moment. The motor drive only does the wetting / spreading and sucking off part (can't believe I've written that - but that's how it works). The wishy washy is done with good scrubbing action, back and forth using a grippy record clamp...
The Keith Monks idea, suck each groove clean gives excellent results.

Not torquey enough if the Okki Nokki is anything to go by.

[jaspert]

A few vintage Japanese spinners. SP10mk2 with a slate plinth on the left.
The big Pioneer and the Micro Seiki RX-5000 had my modern German belt drive licked.