• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Empire experiment

Redboy

Redboy

a few good watts
I've been playing around with an old Empire table that I got from another AK member.

Here's a picture of it before it was cleaned up:

attachment.php




I've spent a little time scrubbing the thing. It was encased in a protective layer of nicotine and tar. I took off the base, removed the platter, motor, bearing assembly and all electronics, and gave it a bath in warm water and Simple Green.

It helped. :yes:

Then I pulled my Linn Akito arm off the Basik table I have and mounted it. I had to drill a little in the aluminum top plate and I also fashioned a riser out of a block of wood. If this all works, I'll spend some time later making the riser look better.

Here it is now:

attachment.php


attachment.php


attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8357.jpg
    IMG_8357.jpg
    167.4 KB · Views: 920
  • IMG_8362.jpg
    IMG_8362.jpg
    138.5 KB · Views: 940
  • IMG_8365.jpg
    IMG_8365.jpg
    177.3 KB · Views: 909
Register to hide this ad
I hit the base with some Howard's Restore a Finish, to good effect. Sorry for the crummy pictures - my flash is dead and it's an overcast day today.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8370.jpg
    IMG_8370.jpg
    139.2 KB · Views: 896
NYListens said:
That Howards works well, huh?
Click to expand...
Indeed it does! I really like it, but it's seriously funky stuff. Could knock you out if you weren't careful.

I should mention that I haven't had a chance to listen to this thing yet. I need to swing by the Needle Doctor and pick up a belt for it next week.
 
I like the original Shure tonearm it had on it. These were basic and very functional with the right cartridge. Nothing fancy. Nice bringback of the 208. My 598 has much of the plating worn and though I've resisted stripping it. I suspect a prior owner tried cleaning it and found out the finish is fragile. I suspect one day I'll strip the unit down and just completely remove the finish and go down to the metal as it is rather ugly looking as it sits.
 
Cool project, Nate.

The contrast of new and old, heavy and sleek make for an appealing and creative design.

One thought, if the wood riser is stained the same color as the base, would that integrate the look a bit better. Not sure, just a thought.

Keep up the good work. Mark (aka Snade)
 
Redboy said:
Indeed it does! I really like it, but it's seriously funky stuff. Could knock you out if you weren't careful.

I should mention that I haven't had a chance to listen to this thing yet. I need to swing by the Needle Doctor and pick up a belt for it next week.
Click to expand...

I'll have to try it sometime. I am on the hunt for a table with wood. I can't wait to see how yours turns out.
 
Snade said:
Cool project, Nate.

The contrast of new and old, heavy and sleek make for an appealing and creative design.

One thought, if the wood riser is stained the same color as the base, would that integrate the look a bit better. Not sure, just a thought.

Keep up the good work. Mark (aka Snade)
Click to expand...
Thanks Mark. I think this one stands a good chance of becoming my main table. The riser I have on there is really just a stand in until I figure this whole thing out. There are people out there that have modded this thing to the hilt, and most of the things you can do look fairly simple. I want to listen to it in fairly "stock" form first and somewhere down the line maybe trade in a bunch of stuff for a good modern arm.

I can't wait to actually hear this thing. That platter is a beaut! It spins and spins and spins with just a gentle nudge...
 
Nice work Nate. I am so envious of you guys that can actually do things. I tried to switch some tweeters from one set of speakers to another yesterday and I believe I blew up the amp. :no:
 
Redboy said:
It spins and spins and spins with just a gentle nudge...
Click to expand...

That is the sign of a well built and equally well preserved bearing / spindle.

That is an impressive TT indeed. Very few, if any, Empire and Fairchild TT´s are to be found in Europe, which is a shame. I´d love to get my hands in one of each.

Jorge
 
I do not think it is possible to kill an Empire. One time I forgot to turn it off and where I have the table I do not look at it except when I use it. I have a TD126 and TD160 that for some moths I was using and then I decided to use the Empire. Holy Batmobile, it was spinning when I lifted the lid. It had been spinning 24/7 for months. I figured the motor was shot but I've used it a lot since and no apparent problem with the motor. I am more than confident if I did that with the 160, that I bought new and hence know the history of, the 160 would be shot. Sometimes it just shows that American iron is the way to go, both in cars and turntables.
 
Nice job Redboy! Looks grand, and I believe when you get the whole thing done, it's going to be sweet as shinola. My 598 looks great still in it's post-cleaning state. I don't recall what I used to clean it, but I think it was Simple Green (full strength). I'm considering stripping the finish off mine (as was mentioned earlier), at some later date.

Does your 298 run as quiet, mechanically, as my 598 does? That's one thing I really love about it.

Listening to an old issue of Michael Franks on the Empire as I write this.:music:
 
Man those old EMPIRE`s I wish I had my 598 back from my divorce! I`ve been trying to find one thats not an arm and a leg. Those IMHO are the best TT`s they are quiet and rock solid!!
Thats a great job on the wood and the cleanup I`d love to put my DL-160 in one!
 
Brian said:
My 598 has much of the plating worn and though I've resisted stripping it. I suspect a prior owner tried cleaning it and found out the finish is fragile. I suspect one day I'll strip the unit down and just completely remove the finish and go down to the metal as it is rather ugly looking as it sits.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that finish - lacquer or whatever - comes off very easily. Mine had also been cleaned through in spots, and I figured I'd be better off making it look uniform. I wanted to keep the lettering intact, but it's noticeably grungy in that area where I didn't scrub. I think I'll wipe it off entirely so I can really get this sucker shining. Someday down the line if I get ambitious I may try to reproduce the lettering from some good photos I took of it.

Anyone want to venture out and suggest some good tonearms I might consider for this table? I would eventually like to mount a nice modern arm on it - I like the "old and new" pairing. I've "seen" (online) these paired with a modded RB300, different SMEs, Grace, Black Widow, and a couple others. As far as I know, I'm the first to try the Linn. Where does the Akito stack up as compared to the RB300, say?
 
Nice cleanup job, Red. Looks like you may have lost a bit of the ink from the name in the bath though...?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom