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Post by jayman67 on Dec 16, 2017 10:09:46 GMT
here's some photo's after setting it up properly yesterday. there's no 'night and day' difference over the hr100 but then i new there wouldn't be,both highly regarded arms. the zeta feels and looks like its been very well engineered,solid looking stance and up for a fight! the bias setting is like a breath of fresh air compared to the hr100's string and weight method,the zeta uses a small dial to adjust bias,balancing the arm in the centre of the platter small increments anti or clockwise has the arm moving to the left or to the right,try doing that with the alphason! both arms handle the decca c4e,i have a gut feeling the zeta is better suited though being 5g heavier than the hr100. once the longer cartridge bolts arrive i'll stick the rock paddle back on,the extra weight moves the counter weight further outwards,i might make up some heavier counter weight plates in brass to bring it closer in. all in all im very happy with my purchase
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Post by julesd68 on Dec 16, 2017 10:15:47 GMT
The arm looks to be in fantastic condition, congrats! Love the knurled dial ...
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Post by jayman67 on Dec 16, 2017 10:22:39 GMT
cheers jules, i bought it from a lovely guy in the states called steve,i think he runs the analogue planet website.
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 16, 2017 10:31:22 GMT
Very nice.
I thought something looked a little different and I have just worked out what it is. Your cueing lever is different to both of mine.
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Post by jayman67 on Dec 16, 2017 10:59:37 GMT
thats interesting,can you post a pic please?
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Post by dsjr on Dec 16, 2017 11:10:28 GMT
My main experience of the Zeta was when Jimmy Hughes had his, mainly on his LP12's - EEK!!!!! he was able to get the suspension to work and where I initially thought the bass excess would go to pieces it genuinely didn't, the sound being 'beefy' with a mid 80's LP12, but not stodgy or 'fat' in timbres and absolutely no LP12/Ittok 'BOING' - the Ittok didn't 'boing' on other decks either in fairness
I'm wondering if there isn't a touch of 'SPU Precise Stable Control' with the Zeta. The SPU seems to have this aspect when armed right and it's highly addictive. I believe Moth Marketing took on servicing these tonearms as the bearing races were changed in production to improve consistency in friction levels...
Not sure they all sounded this way but at the time I was captivated by a particular sample of a Goldbug Mr Brier (deliberate mis-spelling) that Jimmy lent me before I alerted the importer I had it and he claimed it back This one had loads of hours on it, took a bit of setting up for VTA but my Gawd it was wonderful once it all snapped into focus. Jimmmy had used it in his Zeta and it was excellent in a proper musical sense - another hard to source vintage cartridge...
Sorry for the thread drift - again... The Decca should benefit from the damper on the Rock - and maybe non-magnetic fixing bolts too?
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Post by jayman67 on Dec 16, 2017 11:21:19 GMT
dont worry dave,all new fixing bolts,nuts and washes are stainless steel.
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 16, 2017 11:54:30 GMT
It's just the shape of the black tip. Yours is a kind of stretched out oval shape and mine is more pointed. Here's a picture of the black one. The one on the gold arm is the same.
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 16, 2017 12:18:33 GMT
...mainly on his LP12's - EEK!!!!! he was able to get the suspension to work...
My worst suspension adjustment experience ever was trying to get my first Zeta to work on an AR Legend. It took bloody hours but it was worth it in the end.
I believe Moth Marketing took on servicing these tonearms as the bearing races were changed in production to improve consistency in friction levels...
They did...sort of. I sent mine to have an internal rewire done and Moth handled it. However, they sent it to Mick Gray, the designer, to do the work. It was from him that I found out my gold tubed one was one of the first 20 that he made. He was, apparently glad to see one of his original babies coming back to him, if only briefly.
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Post by dsjr on Dec 16, 2017 15:03:00 GMT
I regret selling the TD125 I had and loved a few years ago, but needs must, my pal Dave bought it from me to go into his collection some years ago and I declined buying it back a year ago (bloody idiot I was). I get the feeling that both the Alphason AND possibly the Zeta would have worked well with a sub-2g tracking cartridge (the Thorens belt is very elastic, easily stretched out of shape and can cause dynamic wow if allowed to age too much) and I believe LP12 springs work well in this model as the solid sub-chassis plus platters is about the same as the LP12 platters. The 125 was great with the R200 I still have and I had thought of fitting a Jelco to it, which I think the new owner did earlier this year. Maybe I should have tried the recently told trick of doubling up the belts, one on top of the other? Still cheaper than a Linn belt...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2017 19:00:45 GMT
Funny you should say the Anti-skate is a breath of fresh air because i would not buy an arm unless it has string/Weight.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2017 19:03:41 GMT
Very nice. I thought something looked a little different and I have just worked out what it is. Your cueing lever is different to both of mine. Looks like a SME lever to me Lever
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Post by jayman67 on Dec 16, 2017 19:22:58 GMT
really? it looks nothing like your photo in your link.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2017 19:25:12 GMT
Im on about the lever not the lift lower mech
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Post by jayman67 on Dec 16, 2017 19:32:34 GMT
oh that,well yes i suppose it could be the same,mine goes up and down thats good enough for me.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2017 19:50:05 GMT
Where Chris is the same lever as they used on the Mission '774SM' GB also made.
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Post by Mr Whippy on Dec 16, 2017 21:16:09 GMT
But isn't it a bit of an expensive sidegrade?
You'll be keeping it though and selling the what'sitallabout...alpha?
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Post by jayman67 on Dec 17, 2017 7:16:22 GMT
lol i see what you did there, yes to be fair it is some what of a sideways move.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2017 10:56:39 GMT
It certainly is. Dont you prefer the finish of the Alphason?
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Post by jayman67 on Dec 17, 2017 11:21:23 GMT
no the zeta goes better with the rock.
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