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EMT 938 information/experience?

Dowser

Dowser

Learning to bodge again..
Does anyone here own or has heard an EMT 938? A quick google suggests it is direct drive rather than idler, but there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of information on them available on the 'net. Are they as well regarded as the idler drive models?

Thanks, Richard
 
Dowser, IMHO EMT make magnificent turntables and if you want to speak to an enthusiast try Serge Auckland on hifiwigwam and he may be on here.

The deck it is true was not made for the consumer. It was made for a demanding commercial market with a cost no object brief not designed to include dealer's mark-up.

If you look back through your old copies of the Culture magazine of the STimes you will see a picture of Terry Wogan sat in front of his console at the BBC with 2 EMT turntables in front of him. Having had the BBC as a client I can assure you that they don't buy anything other than the best.
 
They buy the best for their needs ... which may or may not be the best for your needs.

I've never heard an EMT turntable ... even though I own one. One day soon I hope.
 
Patrick, As you fully appreciate a piece of engineering ...is a piece of engineering.

I have never heard a 927 either but it commands the kind of price that suggests that it might not be too bad.
 
Handy hint: the EMT 929 arm works best with an EMT TSD15 cartridge. Trouble is they're a bit pricey at c£775 new.

Most cartridges will not fit a standard 929 arm properly.

It's a high mass arm.

Denon DL103's work OK in the 929 but they're too long and not high enough. So you'll need packing and you'll have slightly compromised geometry / bent signal pins.
 
938 was an attempt to be more domestically acceptable. Thorens put their name on it too TD524 - very rare in UK.
938 uses the same motor as the 948. The 938 doesn't have the slide-out cards used on the 948, which allow rapid servicing. The 938 has everything on fixed circuit boards.
The 938 is actually the easiest EMT to change the armboard, I have seen an EMT/SME armboard for sale. I made up a few armboards. You need a 10" arm to fit in there.
However, as already mentioned, EMT turntables are designed as complete units, they are not for fiddling with, and from my experience you are wasting your time trying.
Puresound would, I suspect, have been more positive if he had set his up as EMT intended. I wouldn't say that the price of EMT cartridges is high when you consider some alternatives. Consider the Roksan Shiraz which is a modified EMT.
When I first set up an EMT I was initially underwhelmed!! Well it just plays the record. Don't expect impressive fireworks. High fidelity generally doesn't sound impressive IMHO.
If you buy one, set it up as EMT intended.
I can see that an EMT might not be good for domestic harmony, but you are getting an awful lot for the money - quality turntable, arm, phono stage.
(I have too many turntables, I may sell one of these if you are interested.)
Why would EMT make a direct-drive if their idler was better? Why did so many big Japanese manufacturers make DD not idlers?
In summary, if you buy EMT, go EMT all the way. If you want to fiddle try something else. I have several direct-drives, and I would say that there isn't really anything between them in terms of the motor unit.
 
Jowcol, What appealed to me as a proud non-tweaker is exactly what you say in your post.

The EMT turntables were simply plug and play and when something no longer worked the un-plugging had to be quick and tweaker-free. This was commercial kit.

Consideration of a purchase of the EMT appealed to me cos you simply buy....EMT. Everything is designed to work together and had a Garrard not fallen in my lap I would go for a EMT idler like lindsayt.

Forgive the ignorance of a non-tweaker :) but I thought the motor unit on the EMT idlers was far bigger than their DD equivalents as a result of having to turn a far heavier platter?
 
Pure, I think the point has already been made that the TSD cartridge is designed to work with an EMT tonearm and that the sum of the parts far exceeds their individual parts. This is a tweak-free zone :D
 
Thanks All - RTE (Irish national radio) used them, and this is one. RTE didn't use the EMT cartridge, replacing it with an Ortofon (not sure of model) and altering the EQ of the phono stage as per instructions from EMT.

It is in good condition except for a missing anti-skate weight - asking price is €1,250 which grabbed my attention as seeming cheap for an EMT, but to be honest it's not really my bag (but I will be approaching the guy about any basket case idler drives he may have available! - he apparently upgraded all the RTE radio studios).

I assume the 938 is not valued as high as the idler drive variants?

Richard
 
Sell your house and you can buy Patrick's 927 although my understanding is, Patrick, that you got it in a BBC auction?
 
Yes, as Jowcol quite rightly points out, the EMT TSD 15's are good value compared to the Roksan and Brinkmann modified versions which cost... how much???!!!!

Although it is something to bear in mind if you spend £1000 on a 938 that you're looking at £775 for a TSD 15 to go with it. 2nd hand TSD 15's sell on ebay for about £380 - give or take the usual ebay price fluctuations.

EMT will thoroughly rebuild a TSD 15 for about £450. They don't just re-tip them, they replace / repair all parts that might degrade over time including recharging the magnets.

Sounds like RTE are similar to the BBC who ran their EMT's with moving magnet cartridges only (AFAIK). I guess the initial purchase would have come out of 1 budget whilst the consumables would have come out of another less generous budget.

There are a lot of 929 arms with no antiskate weight. Antiskate becomes less important when you get over 2.2 grammes tracking weight. At the moment I'm using the antiskate on my 929 / TSD15 mainly to try to even out the tip wear. I think it sounds slightly better with no antiskate weight (I'm tracking at 2.5 grammes).

You can buy an antiskate weight from EMT for c£30. Or you could make one of your own from a bit of thin nylon thread and some small washers.

1250 euros for a 938? To put it into context 948's typically sell on ebay for 1700 euros upwards, 930's and 950's for 2500 euros or more, 927's for 15000 euros. I suspect Patrick got his 927 for well below ebay prices.

The 948 is an excellent sounding record player. I've not heard a 938.
 
Its from the Classic Records, Louis Armstrong / Duke Ellington re-issue, the standard 33rpm LP rather than the 45rpm one.
 
pure sound said:
Some needledrops from the 938

Six Blade Knife

Losing my religion

Not the same as hearing the deck at first hand but may give you some idea.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing some samples. I'm curious, what kind of pressings are these from?
 
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