Brinkmann Bardo vs Transrotor Fat Bob Reference

Hi Lewm,

"Maybe I can get to hear Audioquest's TMD some day." You have an open invitation. I am still settling in and optimizing my system for the much smaller room I am in compared to the expansive room I had in my house in Germany. I think I will be "show" ready soundwise in about another month or so. As you know, it is a massive undertaking to move a system and optimize for a room and conditions. Now add a transatlantic move and things are more complicated. It appears my Krell SACD is now acting up, sigh.

I believe seeing a fully hot rodded Transrotor Apollon, minus FMD, would be of interest to you.

Do you have a handle in Audioasylum? I would like to send you a private e-mail to chat offline.

Ciao,

Audioquest4life

Lewm: "Life could have been simpler if they just made a direct-drive turntable instead"

That's what I've been saying! But audiophiles always have a hard time grasping the concept of direct drive that it is "magnetic drive" -- instead of driving the top platter with another set of magnets, it can be driven by magnetic field generated by coils, which is a stator in a motor, and this system is called, voila, direct-drive! Granted it comes with its upside and downside but, yes, life could have been simpler.


Regarding the TMD, I am curious why the secondary bearing, the ballrace bearing (maybe the technical term is angular contact bearing"?) is attached to the platter bearing, at least according to the diagram. Wouldn't it be better to have the collar bearing decoupled from the bearing shaft to have better isolation? Perhaps, I am not interpreting the drawing correctly.

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Audioquest, On the Asylum, I am "Lew". You can also contact me by finding my ad here for selling a pair of Sound Lab M1 stat panels, has my cell phone number too.

Part of the purpose of a magnetic bearing is not just to isolate, but to relieve the load on the bearing. That way you get the benefit of a heavy platter without the problem of excess weight on the bearing which could create wear and noise. I have a Fat Bob, and there is contact between the bearing and platter, as the magnet is not strong enough to levitate the platter, but the load is minimal.

Hi Hiho,

For some of the reasons you listed above, and in some other threads, I chose not to max out my Transrotor Apollon to the FMD. I feel I get more than I need for superior musical performance with all of the "mods" I have chosen.

In regards to the TMD, below the bearing assembly is a ceramic / steel spindle, that has a viscous pool of oil that runs up the spindle and is used to lubricate the spindle when the patter turns, thus physically isolating the bearing from the spindle. I upgraded from the standard bearing assembly to the TMD and noticed a better image specificity, clarity, deeper and more accurate bass, and increased speed stability.

I am very happy with the route I have chosen. From my perspective, I have never had any issues others complain about with other drive technologies. I guess I am not nitpicky and I am also content. Call me lucky, because others spend way more time trying to figure it out.

I prefer not to deride, discredit, or participate in lengthy debates about the implementation of other drive technologies, in the end, it is all about the music, and what makes "ME" happy. I cannot afford to waste my time on trivial matters, when I have so much music to listen to. I do appreciate your technical insight of the implementation of various drive methodologies concerning turntable.

Here is something I am pndering. I wonder how powerful the motors and magnets must be in order to be able to overcome the moment of intertia to start a 16.5kilogram/80mm platter from a start?

Ciao,
Audioquest4life