Fidelity Research FR24 mk ii ...

[Rosewind]

Listening to Rickie Lee Jones with the fine-tuned Poul Ladegaard + Denon 103D is a relief after an abyssmal experience with the FR24 mk ii and my Decca Maroon. Most of what I got was HUMMMMM and tinny transistor-radio-like sound. Something is amiss, so I am changing the headshell wires. Next I will check the the tonearm lead, then change the ground from phono pre to preamp to see if doing that makes a difference. If none of that works, perhaps a rewire of the tonearm is needed as well as a platter shield so the Decca Maroon can show what it can do. I had hum through the Emerald phono stage with the Decca, but it was not to this extent at all. More later.

EDITED:

Ah. It worked. The new headshell wires took care of ALL the hum and the abyssmal sound ... oh the joy! Loaded at 33k and 100pf. No antiskate. Silence between the tracks and a glorious sound with dynamics separation and tenderness.. Now, that self-titled album was always a favorite when dealers wanted to show how well their kit could sound. I don't need to look any further.

Now I have to finish off my wife's birtday presents for tomorrow. She

 

[fran]

I think you need plastic magic to effectively glue that plastic material. Its dicholoromethane solvent I think, and you'll get it in model shops, the kind that sells model railways, remote control cars etc. Set up some sort of clamping mechanism to hold the 2 sides together. Then brush a bit on both sides with a fine brush, maybe do a second application - you'll see the plastic getting gloopy at the surface. Clamp lightly together and leave it for a few hours. When you come back you can clean up squeeze out etc.

 

[Rosewind]

 

[Rosewind]

Fran. I tried to clamp it together using a good clamp but because of a rounded corner, the tone arm holder slides out of the grip. So I will have to find another way or just live without the tone arm lift. Everything else works.

 

[Vinny]

Once glue is applied, you shold be able to hold the ends firmly in place with a small strip of duct-tape.

If you immerse the end where the break is, in boiling water for a short while, you may well find that you can gently manipulate it back into the correct position, and if you are quick enough, the duct tape can hold it while it cools and it should be near to having closed the gap.

Bottom line - not really enough meat to really hold the parts together with glue alone. The thing seems to be very poorly designed as from what I can see, there is no reason that the thin part of the ring that holds the lift could not be at least twice as thick, probably more, in both dimensions - vertical and horizontal. Probably aesthetics above utility again...

 

[Rosewind]

I think I better leave it be until I have found a way so I won't break or mess up the arm lift holder. The tonearm works fine without it in place. However, I need to find some wire to reactivate antiskate, not that I seem to need it.

 

[Rosewind]

I have found a new solution for a lever/arm for the arm lift, one that has 2.5mm threaded rod at the end, has a diameter of 4 mm, and comes in various lenghts from 10mm to 90mm, mine is 40mm long: https://www.multikoeb.dk/maaleur-4578/diesella-forlaenger-30-mm-for-maaleure-p76572

It is an extension rod for a temperature measuring unit (= dial gauge) from the Danish company, Disella. It screws right into the arm lift and looks really great. All I need is to find a black plastic or resin bead to fit at the end. Job done.

However, I still need to find a way to repair the cracked arm lift holder itself though. I wonder if it is best to remove the cracked ring completely and fit a replacement ring. I am sure that there would be more "meat" to attach a new ring to at either end.

 

[Rosewind]

I have now assembled the lever for the lift with a bead at the end. I will source a black one soonish:

The Fr 24 mk ii in use with the Poul Ladegaard tonearm. Nice to be able to switch from one tonearm/cartridge to the other at will - if my big fingertips can activate the small push-button on the EAR 324P: