Hi!
Recently I purchased Braun PCS 5 turntable in pretty good working condition. I purchased it for listening, not just as part of room design or so. And currently I have several issues that don't allow to fully enjoy my purchase. Possibly somebody here on this forum already had such issues and figured out how to fix them. Can you please help me with your thoughts regarding the following questions:
1) Main issue for me at the moment is that speed of the turntable is a bit high. I recorded small video regarding it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efhP-4tO ... e=youtu.be The first half of minute is 33 1/3 rpm speed, the second half of minute - 45 rpm speed (visible not very good). Is there any easy way to lower the speed a bit?
2) Braun PCS 5 is equiped with tone arm without anti skating. What do you think, is it a good idea to add here a simple anti skating? Like small plummet on string. Or it is better to leave it as is?
3) If somebody has manual for this turntable in pdf or djvu, can you please share with it? I have datasheet from vinylengine site, but this looks for me that some normal manual should be available somewhere.
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Braun PCS 5 - several questions
Ok, as there were no answers, I'll update my post, possibly somebody will find it helpful.
1) After discussing with some ppl we found the following. My turntable came to me equipped with non-original platter made of acrylic. Its weight is about 1.2 kilos which is far below 3 kilos of original platter. This is possible cause of speed increase. After some thoughts I just took small file and filed down a bit speed spool controlling the process by strobe disk. Now the speeds are correct.
2) I currently use Nagaoka 555 cartridge. And with this cartridge when testing anti skating by test LP the tone arm go forward on bold track. So I decided to make easy to remove anti skating. This is how I did it:
Now while testing the tone arm stays stable without moving forward or backward.
3) Nothing to say
4) Some ppl advise me to change my cartridge with something more rude. Like Denon 103 or Sure 75 and up. I'm not sure if this is needed. Nagaoka 555 is not the cheapest variant here. There are no info about Braun PCS 5 tone arm effective mass, but in discussion some ppl measure it around 30 grams. So, if we take this into account and check Nagaoka 555 data here - http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_re ... rch=search - we'll find that from resonances point of view Nagaoka 555 + Braun PCS 5 tonearm should be compatible with each other. Unfortunately I have no any other experience here, just theory. So any thoughts will be good. Will it give profit in case of cartridge change? Which cartridge will be the best for its money? Advices will be much appreciated.
1) After discussing with some ppl we found the following. My turntable came to me equipped with non-original platter made of acrylic. Its weight is about 1.2 kilos which is far below 3 kilos of original platter. This is possible cause of speed increase. After some thoughts I just took small file and filed down a bit speed spool controlling the process by strobe disk. Now the speeds are correct.
2) I currently use Nagaoka 555 cartridge. And with this cartridge when testing anti skating by test LP the tone arm go forward on bold track. So I decided to make easy to remove anti skating. This is how I did it:
Now while testing the tone arm stays stable without moving forward or backward.
3) Nothing to say
4) Some ppl advise me to change my cartridge with something more rude. Like Denon 103 or Sure 75 and up. I'm not sure if this is needed. Nagaoka 555 is not the cheapest variant here. There are no info about Braun PCS 5 tone arm effective mass, but in discussion some ppl measure it around 30 grams. So, if we take this into account and check Nagaoka 555 data here - http://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_re ... rch=search - we'll find that from resonances point of view Nagaoka 555 + Braun PCS 5 tonearm should be compatible with each other. Unfortunately I have no any other experience here, just theory. So any thoughts will be good. Will it give profit in case of cartridge change? Which cartridge will be the best for its money? Advices will be much appreciated.
Hi,
the weight of the platter is mainly responsible for reduced wow and flutter and not for the speed. Reducing the diameter of the step-spindle was the right thing to do, but filing? For an accurate job it should have been turned with a lathe. It still doesn't explain why the player was to fast. Do you live in a country with 60Hz hydro, that would explain it? By the way, I do like your simple solution for the anti-skating device a la SME.
If you want to upgrade your phono cartridge with a more modern and reasonable priced one, I would recommend a Shure M97xe.
Have fun with your PCS 5
Wilhelm
the weight of the platter is mainly responsible for reduced wow and flutter and not for the speed. Reducing the diameter of the step-spindle was the right thing to do, but filing? For an accurate job it should have been turned with a lathe. It still doesn't explain why the player was to fast. Do you live in a country with 60Hz hydro, that would explain it? By the way, I do like your simple solution for the anti-skating device a la SME.
If you want to upgrade your phono cartridge with a more modern and reasonable priced one, I would recommend a Shure M97xe.
Have fun with your PCS 5
Wilhelm
wickerge
Wilhelm
Thank you for your opinions. I live in Ukraine and we have 50Hz electricity supply. I also cannot tell why the speed was increased. In any way the job is done and now it's in the past.
As for the cartridges, I like Shure M7D with M3D stylus. It can be found on ebay for about 100 bucks. Also new styluses for it are not expensive. But what I’m not sure if this cartridge is ok for new LPs. Won't it wear them out very fast? As it looks like something very very old.
Shure M97xe... I'll dig some info about it too. Thank you for recommendation.
Wilhelm
Thank you for your opinions. I live in Ukraine and we have 50Hz electricity supply. I also cannot tell why the speed was increased. In any way the job is done and now it's in the past.
As for the cartridges, I like Shure M7D with M3D stylus. It can be found on ebay for about 100 bucks. Also new styluses for it are not expensive. But what I’m not sure if this cartridge is ok for new LPs. Won't it wear them out very fast? As it looks like something very very old.
Shure M97xe... I'll dig some info about it too. Thank you for recommendation.
I know it sounds a bit strange but recently i got a PCS 5 with original platter and with overspeed too. I checked power supply frequency and it's 50 or 51 Hrz, nothing seriously differ. As I see, the problem could be in diameter of metal pulley or idler wheel. Have no idea how to improve it, only to cut or sander one or both parts a bit.
By the way - perfect solution for anti-skating. I will do it on my own!
best wishes,
Andrey
By the way - perfect solution for anti-skating. I will do it on my own!
best wishes,
Andrey
All parts look authentic with traces of use except the idler wheel, which looks like new.