Celebrating a new arrival ... Townshend Rock Reference

[JPG]

It Cost How Much!?! wrote:

AmDismal wrote:

There is no middle fixing; the screw on the right is the hinge position, and the middle it just rests in place, unless you have one of the posh ones that locks (pointlessly, according to Max)

The trough lock is for piece-of-mind, as anybody splashing this sort of cash on a TT is likely to have a nice arm/cartridge, so when the trough is locked, it lessens the chance of damage occuring to the cart and bearings of the arm. I used to use it as then you know it won't move.

Thanks chaps :^

 

[rockmeister]

rocktastic:^ :rofl:

 

[beckypumps]

I have sent both my townshend arms to j7 for sme type plugs to be fitted . One arm has Kondo cable the other has copper. I have been informed that kondo cable is less than ideal as the coating can wear of and make the arm buzzy. I also have had Max make me a sme arm board for the ref as I have a smev to try when I get around to it.

 

[Tel]

beckypumps wrote:

I have sent both my townshend arms to j7 for sme type plugs to be fitted . One arm has Kondo cable the other has copper. I have been informed that kondo cable is less than ideal as the coating can wear of and make the arm buzzy. I also have had Max make me a sme arm board for the ref as I have a smev to try when I get around to it.

Who informed you and how does that work then?

Is the Townshend arm fundamentally different to SME?

There are a hell of a lot od Kondo wired SME arms out there and I have never heard of this problem

 

[beckypumps]

Tel wrote:

beckypumps wrote:

I have sent both my townshend arms to j7 for sme type plugs to be fitted . One arm has Kondo cable the other has copper. I have been informed that kondo cable is less than ideal as the coating can wear of and make the arm buzzy. I also have had Max make me a sme arm board for the ref as I have a smev to try when I get around to it.

Who informed you and how does that work then?

Is the Townshend arm fundamentally different to SME?

There are a hell of a lot od Kondo wired SME arms out there and I have never heard of this problem

How it was explained to me was that the routing of the internal cable within a Excalibur can have tight bends when passing from the tube down through the bearing, Through time the wires can rub. I have striped the arm down and can see what they are on about. I have never striped an sme down so can only assume that the wire path is easyer. Also I always wondered why one of my Excalibur's seemed to give of more background hum than the other and this would seem a reasonable explanation. I think I will just stick to my copper wired Excalibur.

I think the trick is to trust your ears and not the marketing hype some products/company's enjoy. I should also say that the Excalibur's I am referring to are the older ones and not the rega based one.

 

[Tel]

beckypumps wrote:

Tel wrote:

beckypumps wrote:

I have sent both my townshend arms to j7 for sme type plugs to be fitted . One arm has Kondo cable the other has copper. I have been informed that kondo cable is less than ideal as the coating can wear of and make the arm buzzy. I also have had Max make me a sme arm board for the ref as I have a smev to try when I get around to it.

Who informed you and how does that work then?

Is the Townshend arm fundamentally different to SME?

There are a hell of a lot od Kondo wired SME arms out there and I have never heard of this problem

How it was explained to me was that the routing of the internal cable within a Excalibur can have tight bends when passing from the tube down through the bearing, Through time the wires can rub. I have striped the arm down and can see what they are on about. I have never striped an sme down so can only assume that the wire path is easyer. Also I always wondered why one of my Excalibur's seemed to give of more background hum than the other and this would seem a reasonable explanation. I think I will just stick to my copper wired Excalibur.

I think the trick is to trust your ears and not the marketing hype some products/company's enjoy. I should also say that the Excalibur's I am referring to are the older ones and not the rega based one.

Thank you

 

[Birdbrain]

montesquieu-

'Even so, top dollar price. I went for it anyway.'

I just want to make you feel better about this. They don't come up for sale very often. The last one I saw was on a well-known auction site, it sold for £2018, and the buyer had to pay shipping from UK to Canada!

Does the Rock Ref have just one motor? I seem to recall that there was a damping trough under the platter to smooth the rotation - have I been dreaming?

 

[uktel]

The Townsend Rock Reference is a turntable that can, and will show the vast majority of todays high end exotica a clean set of heels.

The turntable in question used to be owned by me,A good friend of mine purchased it about a year ago just out of curiosity to see how it would stack up against his Avid acutus/SMEV combo.The end result was the Avid ended up on eBay.

At that time I was using the Rock V/Graham Phantom/AllaertsFinish Gold combinationwhich IMHOis the best turntable I have ever heard.

Sadly though,then as now,my financial situation put me in a position where I had to part company with my Rock V and I took the Reference in as a part of the deal.

If anybody knows of an original Cranfield Rock that is up for grabs please let me know:^

Terry

 

[beckypumps]

If its the original John Bogie rock they are as rare as the rock ref , I have only see one on eBay.

 

[uktel]

I had one pass through my hands a couple of years ago at £600.I picked it up on behalf of Tom Evans,he still has it now and uses it to design his own gear with,as well as a couple of elite mk11s.

 

[mighty ant]

uktel wrote:

If anybody knows of an original Cranfield Rock that is up for grabs please let me know:^

Terry

Try http://www.unique-audio.co.uk click used and then turntables. Original link wouldn't work. He is a Rock specialist , not cheap, and has one on his site for £1k. May still be up for sale, been there for a long time, offers maybe?

Anthony

 

[rockmeister]

anyone got a decent snap of the original cranfield (not the prototype, but the production model?)

 

[uktel]

Thanks for the link Mighty Ant:^

I have put an offer in:run:

 

[uktel]

Rock V/Excalibur11 up for 5k as well

Just wish I had 5k

 

[uktel]

:grrr:Cranfield Rock SOLD!!!!!

 

[beckypumps]

I am getting a touch mixed up here. What is the diffrence between the rock v and the new rock ref?

 

[mighty ant]

beckypumps wrote:

I am getting a touch mixed up here. What is the diffrence between the rock v and the new rock ref?

None, as far as I know. The Rock V replaces the Rock Ref. It is, if you believe the blurb "better in every way to the old Reference". The Rock V is often referred to as the new Reference.

The Rock 7 is the new affordable offering from uncle Max.

I am led to believe that uncle Max is working on an upgrade to the V at over double the price! That is a rumour, though. :zip:

 

[mighty ant]

uktel wrote:

:grrr:Cranfield Rock SOLD!!!!!

I'd keep in touch with him as he tells me that uncle Max is his Godfather, or at least attended his Christenning. Probably one of the best sources of anything Townshend, not the cheapest though.

 

[uktel]

He did offer to sell me a Rock Reference though!!!!

 

[uktel]

Beckypumps

The V is the latest top flight Rock and the main difference is the new platter material and the air bellow suspension.

The V doesn't sound as dark as the Reference and is even quieter on record imperfections and has an even lower noise floor.

I was devastated to see my one go