Thorns TD160B restore

[Mike H]

I've just learned that the new version RB251 three-point fixing base is plastic!

Is that right?

In which case, mega-yukky-poo!! Are they [Rega] bonkers or something?


I can foresee the discontinued threaded base 250's et al suddenly becoming highly desirable...

.

[Prince of Darkness]

I agree, up to a point, metal is better in my view. On the other hand, if the right plastic is used and it's well designed it should be more than adequate.

[Mike H]

Yes if .. if .. if ..

Presumably cheaper / easier than making large metal threaded bases

Or is it to better make sure it's properly vertical?


BTW it seems I might be given a spare spacer ring as well, does anyone need one?

[Mike H]

This "RB250" on eBay still going for £58:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0356447194 (1 day to run) But actually 3-point fixing so should be called '251'


Now received the spacer rings, seems I've got three now. Anybody need one?

Actual thickness 1.85mm, not "2mm". Centre hole very large, as though just basically a washer that was found from somewhere, unless allows for some other shouldered type spacer to fit over as well as. Hence difficult to get exactly centred. Suggest tape it around the edge to the arm base to centre it before final fitting. Think I might nutlok mine onto the bottom of the base because the other effect is it reduces the friction between the base and the armboard, so like makes it more 'slippery' and easier to turn by accident, unless the nut is well tight.

Meanwhile next thing I gotta do is cut the earth strap that connects the arm base to one of the lead screens, and substitute with a separate earth wire, piccies later

[Greg]

Rega arms particularly the 250/300 series don't like being bolted up tight. It dulls the sound to the point of knocking the life out of the system. The fixing nut should be only finger tight. This is why the likes of Michell have produced their own finger twist fixing nuts.

[Mike H]

Exactly what I've read too, hence why I'm reckoning the washer / spacer wotsit needs 'gluing' to the base. Whatever. Won't twizzle so easily like that.

Or if I woz really clever could have like a big O-ring inside the washer to fill up the space?

[Mike H]

Bit of an update ~ if you can call it that ~ tried an O-ring this morning but a bit too fat. The gap is only about 1.5mm.

So I fell back on 'plan B', 'make something'.

Made a ring out of single core connecting wire (with the plastic sleeving still on), spacer is a tight fit over it and has to be pressed on, so wire ends up trapped between its inner diameter and the central boss. The plastic is squeezed up tight in the gap so it don't move or twist or nuthin so it's like virtually stuck on. Proper job!

[Mike H]

Just had a barrel of fun 'reconfiguring' the Rega's earth wire ~ talk about fiddly...


Below is the moulded base 'plug'. It has a little round PCB on top with 5 pads on it. Apart from the four signal and earth wires there's a fifth black earth wire which connects to the actual arm.

However as we know (?) it's terminated on the left channel earth (blue wire). There's also a metal earth strap type of thing which also joins to here, bridges across the fifth pad and hangs down the side of the 'plug' so it contacts the threaded base:



The modification involves removing the strip entirely, thus freeing the fifth pad. The black is then moved to the now otherwise unused fifth pad, and a a separate thin stranded wire attached.


This is after the 'operation':



There's a convenient chamfer on the side of the plug so the stranded wire can just go down there, simultaneously contacting the threaded base as per strap used to do. Push it back in, done. ('Plug' is held in with a tiny Allen grub screw.)


Before and after pictures (just for comparison):






Just about see spacer on top of Ant's armboard.

.

[Mike H]

spacer rings ... Actual thickness 1.85mm, not "2mm".

Qualification ~ as it happens the ring is slightly 'dished', due to being stamped out by a press. Therefore the total thickness plus the dished effect does indeed more closely approximate to 2mm


Pedantic? Moi?

[pre65]

spacer rings ... Actual thickness 1.85mm, not "2mm".

Qualification ~ as it happens the ring is slightly 'dished', due to being stamped out by a press. Therefore the total thickness plus the dished effect does indeed more closely approximate to 2mm
Pedantic? Moi?

Stamped out by a stamper,pressed out by a press ?

Pedantic? Moi?

[Mike H]

Ah, but which? That is the question.


And do we care...

[pre65]

And do we care...

A proper pedant would.

[colin.hepburn]

Hi All
Ah got my upgraded Rega Arm Today
Upgrades Are
Cardas 33ga ofc copper litz
Cardas ppce long gold tags and heat shrink
Van den Hul SOFC (silver and ofc copper cocktail) with separate earth wire and modified gold phonos All this strapped on to a goldring 1042

So why are you messing with the earth wire
that was the good thing about my rega as it came in the box all tweaked up see above and with a second earth wire cant Waite to hear it thou got to finnish my phono 3 furst

[Greg]

You guys looking into Rega upgrades would do well to study here.

http://www.audiomods.co.uk/index.htm

In my view, Jeff has taken the Rega arm well beyond what all other conventional upgraders do. Well worth a squirt and to be sure, Jeffs business ethic is excellent. No rip of merchant here!

[colin.hepburn]

You guys looking into Rega upgrades would do well to study here.

http://www.audiomods.co.uk/index.htm

In my view, Jeff has taken the Rega arm well beyond what all other conventional upgraders do. Well worth a squirt and to be sure, Jeffs business ethic is excellent. No rip of merchant here!

Great Link Greg
Cheers