Fitting and testing the SME DS200 Fluid damping kit for the SME 3009 Mk2 Improved (fixed head) . Final test with Kate Bush: Running up that hill vinyl (45rpm) Sound quality is now perfect with no arm resonance.
I realise this video was posted over 6 years ago now, but just in case you've still got it set up like this, or for the benefit of anyone else watching now who has a similar problem and setup, here are some tips that should help. You'll be introducing a huge amount of noise vibration into your turntable, by having it in that corner, on such a solid shelf and next to a huge powerful speaker. The more you increase the volume, the more sound vibrations will reverberate around between the speaker, wall, shelf and turntable. There will also be a lot of vibration transmitted from the speakers, into the floor and into the wall. The more you can isolate vibrations from reaching your turntable, the better, as every tiny vibration will get picked up through the stylus and cause distortion to some degree. At the very least, you need to place the turntable somewhere in the centre, between the speakers, so not right next to either of them and on a vibration dampened platform of some kind.. It doesn't have to be exotic. Even just a bit of cheap rubber foam tile will help to a degree and will be better than nothing. The bigger and more powerful the speakers and the higher the volume you listen to them at, the more and more important it is to reduce vibration reaching your turntable, because as those factors increase, so does the vibration. Hope that helps someone at least.
Not only this, but his arm is fitted to a trampoline made of springs, sheet metal and wood. He could have bought a Garrard 401 and a Shure V15 new and probably would have saved some money and time. I have a Thorens 160B with the same arm, they take forever to get up to speed, if you try and clean the record whilst spinning, it slows to a stop. Also picks up footfall and other noise. I then got a Lenco to try out idler, then invested in a Garrard with a 12 inch arm. Just pick up a Lenco to try (cheap enough) and you will never look at another bouncy bouncy rubber band type again.
Thanks for the video Nick. I have wondered what the optional damping device for the SME 3009 Mk2 looked like, and about the various opinions regarding the viscosity of the fluid. This was very informative. And, we all love Kate. Thinking of buying her new remasters, as my original vinyl of her work was lost several years ago. Cheers.
Hi. Yes, love Kate. Luckily this video is still up, as RU-vid has been pulling some of my videos if they have even a snippet of a song in them. Keep spinning, Nick
Hi Nick, your deck looks in very nice condition considering its age. Please don't be offended but you could improve the performance of your system very easily by getting your turntable out of that recess and onto a proper support. Most of the wall mounted turntable shelves on the market are a waste of time, given that a wall becomes a vertical trampoline at anything like reasonable volume levels, you however have a relatively solid place to mount it as your fireplace area is relatively stiff. If you mount it dead centre just above tweeter level on a well designed shelf, (I built my own) you will hear a huge improvement. Having removed the turntable from its existing position you will then be able to move your speakers in about 0.3-0.5m getting them away from the wall on the left and the TV on the right, this should also make a big difference, experiment with toe angles until you get the best sound. Unless your broke try and get yourself a rack for your CD and amplifier, apart from getting them away from the land of the dust bunny you will find them easier to clean and far easier on the eye. Some golden eared ones will tell you you will hear a further improvement by providing better isolation for them, certainly I would expect the error correction circuitry on the CD player to have a more relaxed life on a proper rack. Hope I have caused no offence.
Hi Very good information. I did realise the shortcomings of the installation, but i am a bit of a good enough sort of person. However I like the advice and will take on board. Rock and roll nick
sounds like you've got main bearing issue or motor bearing problem will cause this rumble at high volume. You can get an app for your phone DB metre lay it on the plinth see what reading you get. Placing some thick o-rings on the arm shaft is a good idea 2 against the bearing in the front 2 behind the bearing gimbal in front of the weight 2 against the headshell. Try isolating your speakers some sorbothane feet, It's important to isolate speakers not using spikes this is no good. And I would raise the speakers higher on some bricks and paving slab tilt the speakers forward slightly by about 5° You could try a sheet of rockwool underneath your turntable. The shelf isn't that good it's sitting on I put a couple of strips of one inch batons across the bottom and get a piece of half an inch MDF the same size as the turntable isolate this with some rockwool or sorbothane feet
