| High End Tonearms/ Moerch Tonearms [message #12203] |
Thu, 02 June 2005 09:22  |
Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (13th Degree) |
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I think the most difficult choice to make regarding analog systems is which Tonearm to purchase. Whether to go knife bearing or Uni-pivot or even Linear track arms. I think the uni-pivot has recieved a bad rep from poorly constructed examples from yrs past. Assembling a system today I see there are quite a few great looking uni's out there. Moerch builds a great arm that allows you to swap wands at will with just a simple set-screw method. You can use a longer wand for better tracking or have several cartridges on hand as comparisons. They are beautiful to see also and very well made for the price.
However I feel they work best on a non-suspended table such as the Nottingham Spacedeck.
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| Re: High End Tonearms/ Moerch Tonearms [message #12209 is a reply to message #12203] |
Thu, 02 June 2005 17:56  |
Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (1st Degree) |
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I know you are an experienced listener with vinyle, but that arm can work well in a suspended table also. That is precisely the arm that George Merrill sold with his Merrill modded AR of the day. Having said that, I have only heard a Merrill table before I ever owned an AR or any decent table for that matter by high end standards, so don't have much reference point to speak from concerning the morch arm. it sounded good at the time, and subsequent full blown Merrill run ins were good sounding as well. BTW, I just received my acrylic platter, and now have my AR set up with various "Merrill cloned" mods including Delrin arm board, (mounting the black widow tonearm w/Shure V15Vxmr) delrin inner platter with improved spindel and bearing w/threaded stud, acrylic outer platter, and lead mats for both the top of the delrin inner platter as well as the acrylic outer platter. The Merrill lead mat is an impressive mod by itself and is highly recommended, easily besting both Herbies mat and the ring mat as well. I would love a morch arm, but still need to buy the clamp for my threaded spindel, and (if it ever gets ready) the replacement motor and power supply. Have you been lucky enough to have owned a Morch arm? It sure is a cool looking piece, and its adjustibility via arm tubes is a killer feature. Regards,
Russellc
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| Re: High End Tonearms/ Moerch Tonearms [message #12210 is a reply to message #12209] |
Thu, 02 June 2005 18:46 |
Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (13th Degree) |
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The Moerch(I can't make that little line thing through the O) was demonstrated at one of the Audio Society meetings and I took a trip to audition it at Audio Advancements, but that is my sum total of experience and yes I agree it works with the sprung suspension; But hearing it both ways( and that is not really a comparison to speak of), I preffered the solid base. Your table sounds great; it has been a while since I have heard a black widow and I am always a fan of the Shure, what a combination for that table. I always appreciated that nice full, round, detailed sound with that black background that the modified AR's always had. I have one in the basement that I did some of the Merrill mods to; for anyone not exposed to a modded AR they have a real sweet fat tone that is unique to that table; issat so Russell? I guess thats why Linn copied the AR. When I hear some of the big end stuff that resolves like crazy, I still don't think they can do music as well as the AR/Linn/ Thorens TD 160 super, tables.
Did you do the springs and sub-platter? What motor are you using or looking to get? And power supply; have you considered making one for the table? And is your stock motor the A.W. Haydon?
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| Re: High End Tonearms/ Moerch Tonearms [message #12211 is a reply to message #12210] |
Thu, 02 June 2005 19:59 |
Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (1st Degree) |
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I do have the Linn springs and extra long studs. They feature a replacement nut that is a "wingnut" but has the locking feature like aircraft nuts, the little rubber ring that makes adjustment a snap. The AR, or for that matter all the "sprungies" you mentioned do indeed have the sound you describe. Anthony has as of yet not decided to do the subplatter, and really thought that it didn't make that huge of a difference. I always felt that the subplatter would have been the heart of the mod, but with the big delrin inner platter, a lot of vibration is killed anyway that would have been dealt with by Merrils sub chassis. although I don't have the motor/ power supply that Anthony is supposed to eventually clone, the table sounds fine. My table still has the stock motor. the early versions had a small motor, this one has the larger one. ( still not the best by far) I think it is hayden, and the older smaller was Hurst maybe? I'd have to look under that table to be sure. Whatever, for all the cash I've dumped in it, I could have bought an armless scout or other similar, BIX, wwhatever, but decided to just mod this one and leave it in the system. I was finally convinced before to buy a VPI mark 3, but that is right when they discontinued them. I just always had a sprung table, I'm sure there are numerous unsprung besides the ones I mentioned ( like the nottingham you mentioned)that are killer tables. Regards,
Russellc
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| Re: High End Tonearms/ Moerch Tonearms [message #12215 is a reply to message #12214] |
Sun, 05 June 2005 21:20 |
Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (1st Degree) |
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No, I'm afraid not. Would be interested in trying a DIY power supply.
I haven't heard anything on the power supply/motor I've been planning on getting, (supposedly as it was for the merrill) so I may have to look for alternatives. Maybe the Origin live. Any ideas?Russellc
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| Re: High End Tonearms/ Moerch Tonearms [message #12219 is a reply to message #12218] |
Mon, 06 June 2005 09:54 |
Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (1st Degree) |
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Yes, retrofitting some existing company's power supply is a good idea. I saw an AR table on the vinyle nirvana site that used a linn basik power supply. Speed stability as well as some sort of filtering I presume. The origin live kit, while not cheap seems nice, and I like the idea of the dc motor. There is also an AR turntable on the same aforementioned site that has one of these rigs. Extremely stable and vibration free motor. With the exception of a moerch arm dropping in my lap, and a few other carts, (after all, the arm and cart, as well as the interconnect, could be transferred to any table) the motor / power supply is about as far as I can see taking this table. Adding all I've spent, I could have bought I good used linn ( w/o mods ) so its got to end somewhere. H-M-M-M I could use a "store bought" wall mount turntable rack to replace my home depot shelf bracket and mdf board. For those of you that don't have spiked systems and cement floors, this is the cheapest jaw dropper out there. Have to "sneak up" on your table? Now you can jump up and down right in front of it, and instant sound improvement. For the cost of the two cheap metal shelf brackets it should be tried. I'll search for some poer supplys. I know I've seen sites with clone armmagedons, etc. I had read a post in some forum
a while back where the conversation was that the motor used by one of the big outfits, maybe origin live, could be aquired from Grainger, and they were trying to sort out who made it and which model it was. Others were cannibalizing CD ROMS and using the motor and power supply from them. Interesting.Russellc
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| Re: High End Tonearms/ Moerch Tonearms [message #12233 is a reply to message #12220] |
Fri, 10 June 2005 18:23 |
Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (1st Degree) |
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Well, in speaking to anthony tody via email, I think I am going to buy a digital power supply that will become available in a few weeks. It is one of Merrils leftover power supply for the Merrill heirloom table, along with a dandy motor. a little pricey but it is a nos unit and no worse than origin live or teres pricing. Dam, I'm getting a lot of dough in an AR table, but not much is AR anymore! With the motor/power supply and if I go with the soon to be available perimeter clamp, I will have just exceeded the 2 grand point. A little ridiculous and coming close to the fool and his money rule, but this has been a little here a little there deal not cry all at once. so far, the sound has surpassed my expectations, and as far as a learning DIY experience is concerned, it was cheap tuition...you should seen my student loan bill! Talk about a fool and his (borrowed) money! Regards, russellc-
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