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Turntables & Tonearms Where Analog still Rules |
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#1
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A classic revisited! Kenwood KD500/Mayware Formula 4 MkII
I picked up this KD500, and after sorting out the 45 RPM drift issue installed my Mayware Formula 4 arm on it using the armboard supplied by Blue Shadow (Thanks!). I'm running a A/T AT14Sa cartridge on it, but have a Sonus Blue Gold on the way for it. So far I'm impressed with the combo, and have yet to dial it in. The compliance of the Sonus is a dead on match with it's slightly stiffened compliance and should make this a great vintage table. I still need to finish the cleanup and refurb of the table, but the combo is a true classic of the era and the addition of the Sonus will make it complete. I have spun a few Van Cliburn discs, as well as the Dave Grusin Discovered Again Sheffield Labs LP, and noticed no cogging or wow and flutter. My other 5 Thorens tables are all belt drive, so this is a new TT adventure for me. FWIW
Regards, Jim
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It's all about the Music, but I sure like the way my gear makes it come alive! Last edited by ehoove; 08-13-2012 at 11:30 AM. |
#2
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Over the years I've had 3 KD500's and regretted selling every one of them.
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System: ML:5206,5302 Serafino's Nordost Lumin U1 RM15 |
#3
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Jim.......Now that's a turntable that was built to stand the test of time. I remember it well, and that very heavy concrete composit base. Yours is a very clean looking example of a fine KD500 turntable.
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Dan STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113 VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A |
#4
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Dayum. I vaguely remember these: wasn't the 'plinth' some corian (pre-corian) type material? And the Mayware- wasn't that back in the day of really low mass arms? What was the other one that had a name like 'Black Widow' or something?
Pretty cool. Got the receiver going, too. Can we guess at the speakers that would have matched this back in the day? |
#5
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Quote:
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. |
#6
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The Black Widow was a low-mass arm made by Infinity that had a carbon-fibre shaft, the first of it's kind. A good friend of mine back then had a Kenwood KD-500 with a Black Widow arm on it...until I brought my Rega Planar 3 over, that is. The Rega absolutely blew it into the weeds. My friend went out and bought a Linn Sondek the next week which he owns to this day.
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Lumin P1 streamer/DAC/preamp, Constellation Inspiration integrated TT: Michell Gyro SE MkII, SME V, Koetsu Urushi Vermilion, EAR324. Harbeth 30.2s, REL R-305, Shunyata Alpha V2 ICs, Alpha V2 SPs, Sigma XC, Sigma NRv2, Omega QR-s & Alpha NRv2 PCs, segmented Altaira SG stack w/ Alpha & Omega CGCs, Everest 8000 PD. Remote Server Room: Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark Master Clock & LPS, Alita, Battle Angel, (Akasa NUC Roon Core), iFi DC Purifiers (for SMPS used for Alita & router), Shunyata Gemini combo power distributor & Altaira-type CG GP-NR hub, Venom & Alpha CGCs, Shunyata NRv14 power cords for digital components. |
#7
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Back then, mid 70's- I was running a Panny Sp-10 with an Audio-Technica arm and an At-20? cartridge, i experimented with an old Ortofon MC and with an early version of the Win strain gauge cartridge. Still have that table, unfortunately a Mk1, not one of the more desirable the later version(s). PS I guess I'm a retro guy at heart- still using a 'tad' of mass on the TT side. Last edited by Whart; 08-09-2012 at 10:49 AM. |
#8
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The Sonus Gold Blue will be here in a few days, then the Vintage table will be complete with a correct super high compliance cartridge mounted. The Yamaha CR840 receiver is the one used in my #2 Vintage system in the computer room upstairs. I'll get the Kenwood running in the main rig through a M/S Phonomena preamp once it is dialed in to see how it really performs.
Regards, Jim
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It's all about the Music, but I sure like the way my gear makes it come alive! |
#9
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The ADC XLM and the Sonus Blue were used frequently with the Black Widow, Mayware Formula 4, ADC tonearm (similar to the Black Widow). I also had a SME III. Now in addition to my Basis I have a KD-500 with a Sumiko Premier MMT.
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Jim Perry |
#10
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I always thought the Sonus Blue Gold bested the ADC XLM in the Blackwidow arm, so it should be interesting to see how it performs in the Mayware. The NOS Sonus Blue Golds that I have sourced in the past have a bit stiffer compliance (35x10-6cm/Dyne instead of 50x10-6cm/Dyne using the Shure resonance test record mounted in a Signet AK50 arm) so it should still be a good match for the Mayware arm.
Regards, Jim Regards, Jim
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It's all about the Music, but I sure like the way my gear makes it come alive! |
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