Thorens TD-125 on a yacht?

ddarch

ddarch

Super Member
A first here...customer asking how a TD-125 might fare on his pretty large sized yacht...big enough for Klipsch Fortes...

I know that I would never recommend a suspended turntable for a bouncy old floor (unless a wall shelf is possible) but what would the effect of waves on a sizable yacht be for a TD-125 (where obviously a wall shelf would yield no advantage) ?

Dave
 
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They need an idler with an ESL 1000 or later model (that tonearm will play upside down) and an idler would probably fare better in that climate/environment?

VR
Andy
 
The to and fro could be problematic, depending of course on the harbor, hence my recommendation and should have pointed out that a heavy platter would almost be required. There’s a few belt drives with heavy platters, Fairchild comes to mind, and of course many DD, but exposing them to that might not be good?

Still think the idler recommendation is a top choice, but hey, he probably wants to use what he has?

VR
Andy
 
Dual? Don't their arms have a spring to keep the arm in contact, thus making them an excellent trackers?
 
ddarch said:
I know that I would never recommend a suspended turntable for a bouncy old floor (unless a wall shelf is possible)
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Have you seen these clips of a Sota?

Anyway, a fairly light tonearm (so that the resonance frequency is more like 12Hz) and with dynamic VTF (so with spring) are the first things that come to mind. And preferably a high tracking force.
Usualy high tracking force means low compliance, so a very light tonearm is not necessairy. Lots of DJ carts need at least 16-18 grams to even get 12Hz.
The ship migth be docked, but there might be other boats on the water, and a ship (certainly a large one) can have all kinds of devices (like compressors, generators, large pumps etc) that can send vibrations through the hull. These vibrations are probably low in frequency.
 
The reason I mentioned the ESL 1000, it’s a medium to heavy arm, however it responds to well to effective mass manipulations, and it will track to 1g and once set it will maintain VTF no matter the position.

There are other designs that effectively do the same but the ESL was made by Ortofon and is very well made…

VR
Andy
 
The nature of a bouncy floor is different from rapping on the surround/plinth of the unit. The floor moving means the shelf is moving, which means the surround/plinth AND the springs are moving. I've had an XA on a bouncy floor and it would skip right out of the groove, yet at the same time, if standing beside it, I could hit the surround/plinth with a small hammer with no issue. D

mr_petit said:
Have you seen these clips of a Sota?

Anyway, a fairly light tonearm (so that the resonance frequency is more like 12Hz) and with dynamic VTF (so with spring) are the first things that come to mind. And preferably a high tracking force.
Usualy high tracking force means low compliance, so a very light tonearm is not necessairy. Lots of DJ carts need at least 16-18 grams to even get 12Hz.
The ship migth be docked, but there might be other boats on the water, and a ship (certainly a large one) can have all kinds of devices (like compressors, generators, large pumps etc) that can send vibrations through the hull. These vibrations are probably low in frequency.
Click to expand...
 
ddarch said:
The nature of a bouncy floor is different from rapping on the surround/plinth of the unit. The floor moving means the shelf is moving, which means the surround/plinth AND the springs are moving. I've had an XA on a bouncy floor and it would skip right out of the groove, yet at the same time, if standing beside it, I could hit the surround/plinth with a small hammer with no issue. D
Click to expand...
The only difference is probably the frequency.
If you hit the plinth with a certain frequency and impulse, it's the same as that a shelf or floor does that with the same frequency or impulse.
It's a mass-spring system. Whether the bump comes from a fist or the shelf, it's all the same if frequency and impulse are the same. (so speed, force and direction of the hit)
 
Makes me wonder what pirate radio ships used? Sure they were anchored but the waves and generators could still play havoc with the TT. The ships were also probably much bigger than a large yacht.
 
RDW said:
Makes me wonder what pirate radio ships used? Sure they were anchored but the waves and generators could still play havoc with the TT. The ships were also probably much bigger than a large yacht.
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Garrard 301/401. Thorens TD-124.
But really without in depth measurements there's no telling what system will be best. Waves (wavelength) in a harbour are totally different than at sea, and again totally different on an ocean.
And I think a lot is to be resolved by arm and cartridge.
 
RDW said:
Makes me wonder what pirate radio ships used? Sure they were anchored but the waves and generators could still play havoc with the TT. The ships were also probably much bigger than a large yacht.
Click to expand...

Probably playing 45s with conical styli at 5 gr tracking force! :-)
 
Those Dual idlers like the 1009, 1019, 1218/1228, and 1219/1229 all can be played at a 45 degree angle. I would use one of those, personally.
 
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Bang and Olufsen RX-2 or similar, I can literally move it around 1 inch and it does not skip. You can see the tonearm post moving opposite of the plinth movement, tied to the sub-chassis and platter and continuing to minimize total displacement. Ingenious combination of suspended chassis design and ultra light tonearm in a small package. Also immune on wood floors, foot falls, etc. I can tap on the plinth while playing, does not go through. I've never seen anything like it (picked it up on the flea market, had no idea at the time it can do this).
 
Wurlitzer juke box. Those use spring loaded downforce at the tonearm and play the record in the vertical. Might be optimal for use on a platform that is in continuous motion such as aboard ship.
Otherwise----rtr and digital, of course.
Imagine trying to play records in a house boat. The water always in motion, even when calm.
I don't think any suspended subchassis turntable will function well aboard the yacht, unless the yacht is extremely large. Then, again, I've never tried it.
-Steve
 
Yup, a Dual with dynamically spring loaded vtf would be my choice. But I think a big yacht rolls pretty slowly with the waves so unless you're in a storm or have some serious vibrations from the engines any quality turntable/tonearm should work, like that Thorens 125.
 
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