Nottingham Analogue Mentor Vs Hyperspace

[matt j]

Both of these look tempting, which would be the better buy?

The Hyperspace seems better VFM to me especially considering it has the wave mechanic and a second arm option which I'd use for a Hadcock to let me play with both MM and MC. Handily both are reasonably local.

Nottingham Analogue Hyperspace turntable, Ace Space arm, Rega Exact Cartridge | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Nottingham Analogue Hyperspace turntable, Ace Space arm, Rega Exact Cartridge at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

NOTTINGHAM ANALOGUE MENTOR TURNTABLE & SPACEARM - SERVICED AT NOTTS ANALOGUE | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NOTTINGHAM ANALOGUE MENTOR TURNTABLE & SPACEARM - SERVICED AT NOTTS ANALOGUE at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Eoin]

I can never get why these are so much more turntable for the money than LP12. What would that £ buy on a Linn?

 

[Vinny]

If in genuinely good nick, the Hyperspace is a very, very good price as it includes a tonearm, although I am not a fan of the arm, the cart', I don't know, but they are there, not to mention the Wave Mechanic (which, I believe, comes as standard now???).

Hyperspace looks to be current spec' although the arm pods are not current design, the Mentor is a very old model.

I have a Hyperspace and LP12, and use the Hyperspace and doubt that I will ever change much., if anything, from what I have now.
My Hadccock works very, very well on both (MC cart's).

 

[Darren L]

I would say either is an excellent option Matt, there's another Hyperspace available on Ebay, a bit cheaper but may be much further away?
I can wholeheartedly recommend the Hyperspace from experience, the Mentor I can only recommend from reputation.

 

[matt j]

I would say either is an excellent option Matt, there's another Hyperspace available on Ebay, a bit cheaper but may be much further away?
I can wholeheartedly recommend the Hyperspace from experience, the Mentor I can only recommend from reputation.

TBH the second arm mount is swinging it, although the mentor looks like a beast and has just had fresh parts. Do they have the same bearing?

 

[Darren L]

No, different bearing, the Mentor bearing is more similar to the Dais. I think both of the Hyperspace TTs that are on ebay are MK1, I can't remember what the changes were or if any were significant to the performance but they are identifiable by the spacing of the rubber rings around the platter.

 

[hifi_dave]

Both of these look tempting, which would be the better buy?

The Hyperspace seems better VFM to me especially considering it has the wave mechanic and a second arm option which I'd use for a Hadcock to let me play with both MM and MC. Handily both are reasonably local.

Nottingham Analogue Hyperspace turntable, Ace Space arm, Rega Exact Cartridge | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Nottingham Analogue Hyperspace turntable, Ace Space arm, Rega Exact Cartridge at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

NOTTINGHAM ANALOGUE MENTOR TURNTABLE & SPACEARM - SERVICED AT NOTTS ANALOGUE | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for NOTTINGHAM ANALOGUE MENTOR TURNTABLE & SPACEARM - SERVICED AT NOTTS ANALOGUE at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

I would suggest the Hyperspace is the better bet especially if it comes with that arm.

The Hyperspace took over from the old Mentor. Dais is a different thing entirely.

 

[Vinny]

The Hyperspace on the link has got the heavy kit added -now standard from new. This adds mass and height to the platter (height has made a redesign of armpods a requirement), although the heavy kit is made from what looks like graphite composite, and isn't really heavy, in any conventional sense. (If it was heavy, there'd need to be a new motor too.)

I was under the impression that all bearings used by NAS were essentially the same - the spindle sits in a pool of oil and a helical groove in the spindle, running counter to rotation direction,, takes oil to the top of the spindle. The vertical bearing surface of the spindle on my Hyperspace is a small falt - maybe 2-3mm diameter, which logic alone says must run on a larger flat in the base of the female part.

 

[nmtjb]

The Hyperspace definitely over the Mentor. I recall Tom saying that the Mentor had become a bit of a joke compared with his newer offerings at the time. I think I was buying a Dais after having a Hyperspace prior to that.

 

[hifi_dave]

The Hyperspace was designed with the Graphite 'mat' and it is supplied as standard. The 'mat' weighs more than many other companies platters.

Main bearings on Notts turntables are different depending on the model.

Just spotted the prices. The Hyper is a no-brainer.

 

[Vinny]

Just spotted the prices. The Hyper is a no-brainer.

I am tempted.
Re-purpose the Wave Mechanic (for my Hyperspace), split the rest and sell-on for a small profit.

Can I be arsed given the trip north (not so far)?
If still there tomorrow................................................

 

[Avon]

My 2006 Hyperspace bearing is as follows. No grooves obviously. There's plenty of misinformation available about which uses what.

 

[Vinny]

^^^^ That is the same as here on a 3-4-5 year old Hyperspace.

I have just attempted to get mine apart, and failed, but I thought that I recalled a helical groove, but memory.......................

Maybe it works on the same principle as an LP12 bearing - add too much before assembly, fit platter and collect/mop-up any overflow?

 

[Avon]

Yes, the NAS dealer manual recommends adding two capfuls of oil to a dry Hyperspace bearing, then mopping up any overflow. IIRC, there is a well above the bearing shaft too. If you put too much oil in, it will creep up to the record spindle over time. That would only damage any records it might get onto. PS. Two capfuls is a bit too much I think.

 

[Mike Reed]

Funny, that. The Mentor in the ad. looks different to ones I looked at a decade ago before buying my Dais. I'd thought the Mentor was the forerunner of the Dais but obv. not. I'd also be inclined to the newer model if it's a straight choice between the two, and the 2 arm possibility would sway me.

 

[Paul L]

Come on then Matt, did you bite as I see the Hyperspace has gone?

 

[matt j]

Come on then Matt, did you bite as I see the Hyperspace has gone?

Yes I made them an offer and they accepted. I've not had time to set it up yet though.

I've tried to google for a picture of the bearing arrangement but couldn't find anything definitive, this is a conical point bearing looked to be turned out of a 1/2" Kennedy tool of some description as you can still see the Kennedy etched part/dimensions on the shaft