Kenwood KD-2055 nudies/build thread. If you have one, read this!!

Hey guys, I got a kenwood KD-2055 from a good friend of mine. Same guy who hooked me up with the Dynaco's in the other build thread I have going.

I attached pictures. There are a few neat features of this table. The lever that you pull to start the table has a very smooth travel back to home position. I found that there is actually a paddle in viscous fluid in the table that makes that "fluid" motion.

You can see the damping fluid and black contacts for the tonearm wires in one of the photos.

The motor in this table has oil holes. I am sure many people don't really know that it has oil holes.

Another thing. The bearing in this table is, IMO, not good. Very sloppy. I am contemplating selling my oracle because the bearing is not perfect enough for me, and its much better than this one. The platter also rings like a bell!


I am taking this table apart gently, so don't worry its not destroyed. I am keeping all the spare parts to restore it to stock if I so desire.

I am going to build an armboard and mount my Well Tempered Tonearm and Grado cartridge to this thing within the next couple days. Honestly, I am not 100% sure why I am doing this. It must be curiosity.

Ill keep everyone updated!

Evan

Building a nice table out of that chunk of resin will be a nice project. Looking forward to the competed unit.

Great! Keep documenting and taking pictures. :thmbsp:

Looks like an intersting project. Keep us updated on your progress. I'm quite interested since I have the same table also.

UPDATE!

I made my armboard today for my turntable. Its .5" black acrylic that I had lying around. I made this with a jigsaw, some files and sandpaper.

Well tempered arm is mounted, as are the terminals.

The power switch is still the lever.

I have not gotten it back together enough to try and use. It needs a serious cleaning. Anyone have any ideas? this thing is pretty discolored. I tried metal polish and comet with no luck.

Whaddya think?

Evan

That's a fine looking job you've accomplished so far. The straight arm really changes the looks of that table doesn't it. As far as cleaning goes I've used straight superclean with great success on some very nasty stains. It's the only stuff I've found that will take the black streaks off my white trailer.

I have heard of superclean, . Ill go ahead and give that a shot.

I agree, the arm does look "petite" compared to the stock S shaped unit. Maybe its the monster black arm board.

Thanks - Evan

UPDATE!!

Gutted the entire table. Bare plinth.

I was going to put my oracle alexandria back together to sell. Problem being, its not in good enough shape mechanically for me to sell without any remorse.

I decided to implant the oracle bearing/drive motor/platter to the KD2055.

Its pretty much done. I have not done cart/arm alignment yet so I have not listened.

I am going to pull the bearing and have it refurbed by a very competent machinist.

I came to the conclusion that this table will never be stock again, so I am sending all the parts I took off to one of our members for gratis (He will be making a donation to AK).

Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the underside.

I wired up micro switches to the 33/45 buttons. Same with cut and play. The oracle in stock form has a 33/45/off buttons. I also wired up the play lever to cut off the main power to the table (the power supply is outboard). This table used to start itself whenever we had a power blip. Table ran for almost a full week one time. Nice insurance.

I mounted the drive motor to the lower board on standoffs so its seperate from the plinth (although they are bolted together.)

Master plan involves removing the black chipboard base and mounting this all to a 3" maple chopping block. I will then isolate the motor totally from the table.

Here are the pictures! Ill let you know how it sounds!!

Evan

BTW, table cleaned up pretty well with Greased Lightning.

Well I got the arm dialed in tonight (well close, it still needs tweaking).

Sounds better then it did when mounted to the oracle suspension (which was definitely worn out). I did not have the cash/desire to fix the oracle.

First major note is motor rumble. I am surprised but I guess I should not be. The oracle motor in the stock oracle turntable is not part of the suspension so it is effectively isolated.

When I get around to doing the maple base I will likely figure out some way to isolate the motor completely from the table. Shouldn't be too big of a deal. I did not think it would be so important.

Bass is good, treble is nice and extended. I am still amused by the low bass present on vinyl. The best sounding vinyl rig I had ever heard besides mine was my uncles. His system was a little lean sounding for me, but very clean and worlds above everyone elses stuff.

Absolutely walks all over my DCD-3000 cd player.

I am pretty happy, and after a few hundred more bucks worth of mods/repairs I think I have built a table that I will be keeping.

Thanks for the encouragement Audiokarma!

Evan

Wow, thats an interesting project. Congrats on the success, very nice work!

Thanks! I basically just used what I had since budget was an issue.

As an update thats not in the posts. I put a piece of sorbothane between the lower black plinth and the resin part and the rumble is gone. I just have to remember to be careful since its not bolted together.

Evan