This is project that took me four years to design and accomplish. It's an all out assault to make a turntable just like i want it.
Based on Mitsubishi LT-5V , vertical standing,parallel tracking turntable of the '80s.

After making wooden prototypes and refining the original design, i made a CNC
order for all metal parts.
All parts from there on were sanded, prepped, and painted by me.

Metals used were: leaded iron, two types of aluminum (soft/hard) and bronze.
The main chassis part is a sandwich construction of bronze/silicone sheet/soft aluminum/silicone sheet/bronze. All screwed together produced a heavy well dampened chassis. All screws used in this turntable are inox steel. All drilling and tapping was done by me.

Next was the platter/subplatter and spindle assembly. Bronze weights (8) were added under the platter and two original subplatters were used united with other 3 bronze weights. This produced a balanced 6.2 kilos subplatter.

Three modded spindle bushings were used for better lubrication and support. The tonearm was modified with a titanium tube and a magnesium headshell plus solid silver wiring. Also silver interconnects lead the signal to the phono stage.

The parallel tracking mechanism was modified to achieve less friction and less error... I also enhanced with led illumination the track selection...

Two modified original boards were used to control two external motors placed symmetrically with regards to the spindle,so that their 'pull' would counteract each other. A heavy duty external PSU was used with twin transformers (motors/electronics).

Sheet steel was used to cover all elecronics and protect the sensitive signal from interference. It also provided a cleaner look that allowed me to use a transparent back for 1cm thick plexi. The same thickness of plexi was used for the front cover as well.

Solid leaded iron spikes with aluminum cups are used to support and level the turntable. The turntable weighs as a whole more than 100 kgs. It is placed on a 25 kgs granite plate that is decoupled from my rack with a thick elastomer sheet.

It is dead quiet,has exceptional rotational stability and helps my Condor to track like a dream.
This will be my last turntable...

Comments

• JayBone
• 1 October 2010 at 06:30PM
• Wow, a m***ive undertaking. But truly worth the effort by the looks of things.

• soundofvoid
• 2 October 2010 at 01:46AM
• Thanks...the sound is impressive too!
  I am new to this site and have posted this small introduction because Jason saw my extensive thread on the diy audio site and asked me to post here too.
  For those who want a more extensive presentation,you can see it in the analog section of the diy audio site under the name "my last turntable".

• R2U1S1H2
• 8 December 2010 at 09:02AM
• I am in truw "AWE" over this project. I also have an LT-5V but, not like this one! I would be SOOOOO grateful if there was a way that you could show your blueprints for such a masterpiece.
  
  Bravo!!

• soundofvoid
• 31 January 2011 at 03:29AM
• I can help you throughout all this but keep in mind that a LOT of effort and a LOT of money (in my case besides all the personal work a cool 5000+
  euro)was invested!
  Before going on with this please visit my extended thread
  in diyaudio.com to see the amount of work done.
  You have to register first
  to see all the detailed photos.
  If then,you would like to go on
  we will talk...

• Adam
• 11 September 2013 at 09:43AM
• Utterly staggering! Well done.