Hadcock setup & tweaking

[Minio]

The 228 was a great piece of quaint British hifi at a reasonable price. I had hours of fun tweaking and fettling mine and it sounded great.
Back in the day if you rang the number for customer service you would get Mr George Hadcock himself.
Very helpful he was too.

 

[rontoolsie]

The 228 was a great piece of quaint British hifi at a reasonable price. I had hours of fun tweaking and fettling mine and it sounded great.
Back in the day if you rang the number for customer service you would get Mr George Hadcock himself.
Very helpful he was too.

I got my 228 in the summer of 1978...it cost all of 50 UKP and came in black finish-the same price that the 3009mk2 went for. I chose the GH after listening to the 3009 side by side-the GH just sounded 'right'.
And with the Lentek Entre1 MC cartridge, the GH pumped out as much tight and tuneful bass as I had ever had, that was not really bettered until I migrated up to a Zeta/Koetsu (for 9x the price).

Anyway, around 1982, I had a mishap with the 228 where I broke the wiring coming out the armtube. This was replaced by E-type Litz wiring that cost me 7.50UKP including return postage.

 

[cobbers]

I got my 228 in the summer of 1978...it cost all of 50 UKP

I got mine around 1976 for the sum of £45,one of the original droopy drawers counterweight which I spent endless entertaining hours every single day trying to keep fettled (not),eventually giving up and replacing with an RB300 (oh wonderful reliability).

 

[Big John]

I got mine around 1976 for the sum of £45,one of the original droopy drawers counterweight which I spent endless entertaining hours every single day trying to keep fettled (not),eventually giving up and replacing with an RB300 (oh wonderful reliability).

George asked Len Gregory to drag the 228 into the 21st century hence the 242 however it retained the droopy weight stub, I got one from Len due to an insurance claim I broke my Syrinx 2, however I got fed up with the droopy stub. whilst talking to Len one day on the phone I postulated a solid mounted stub, suggesting the arm would be more acceptable without droop , it would also improve the sound. George sent me a new bearing as a thank you. Smugly I can say I was right on both counts. I use a 9 mm duralumin arm board with heavy brass SME style spacer as the platter is so high the high mass on an unsuspended turn table seems too suit the uni pivot 242 in my set up. The XTC counterweight is the cherry on top.

 

[Vinny]

Well, I can say that the recent incarnation of the 228 that I have here is so far ahead of the ARO on the LP12 in terms of enjoyment (please, don't ask me for sonic details) that I am kicking myself for having the 228 in the drawer for so long. Fantastic sound, so much more bass, with so much more detail.

 

[peterm]

with the Lentek Entre1 MC cartridge, the GH pumped out as much tight and tuneful bass as I had ever had

I had a 228 with the Entre1 on a Thorens 150 about that time and it was excellent.

Reading this thread makes me wish I'd kept them both (mind you I'm using an Entre1 in my LP12/Ittok now, bought used a year ago as a stopgap while I sent my AT ART1 back to ESCO for a retip, sounds so good I still haven't sent the ART1 off).

 

[Big John]

According to various articles I have read Hadcocks work well on Garrard 301/401's also on Gyrodeck's.

 

[Darren L]

Well, I can say that the recent incarnation of the 228 that I have here is so far ahead of the ARO on the LP12 in terms of enjoyment (please, don't ask me for sonic details) that I am kicking myself for having the 228 in the drawer for so long. Fantastic sound, so much more bass, with so much more detail.

I'm quite surprised at this, though I'm a fan of the Hadcock 242 I was always led to believe the Aro was the bees knees on the LP12.

George asked Len Gregory to drag the 228 into the 21st century hence the 242 however it retained the droopy weight stub, I got one from Len due to an insurance claim I broke my Syrinx 2, however I got fed up with the droopy stub. whilst talking to Len one day on the phone I postulated a solid mounted stub, suggesting the arm would be more acceptable without droop , it would also improve the sound. George sent me a new bearing as a thank you. Smugly I can say I was right on both counts. I use a 9 mm duralumin arm board with heavy brass SME style spacer as the platter is so high the high mass on an unsuspended turn table seems too suit the uni pivot 242 in my set up. The XTC counterweight is the cherry on top.

I have seen the XTC counterweight though have as yet to try one, I would agree the Hadcock works well on a high mass TT having had both the NA Hyperspace and currently Dais, though it worked well on an STD305M , Thorens TD160 and even an original Rega Planar with the wood surround.

 

[Vinny]

I was always led to believe the Aro was the bees knees on the LP

Don't believe all that you read
The ARO was destined for sale within a very few hours of swapping them over. That said, the 228 plays surface noise WAY more (better?) than the ARO, so it is not all up-side.
Purely because I have a PT1 as well, the bearing has one drop of PT oil added, but how much difference that makes...…………. But the bearings of the 228 and the PT1 platter work in the same sense.

The other commonly mentioned candidate to challenge the ARO - an XRF - as perfect match to LP12, is waiting to be fitted and compared, BTW.

 

[Big John]

I'm quite surprised at this, though I'm a fan of the Hadcock 242 I was always led to believe the Aro was the bees knees on the LP12.
I have seen the XTC counterweight though have as yet to try one, I would agree the Hadcock works well on a high mass TT having had both the NA Hyperspace and currently Dais, though it worked well on an STD305M , Thorens TD160 and even an original Rega Planar with the wood surround.

Don't believe all that you read
The ARO was destined for sale within a very few hours of swapping them over. That said, the 228 plays surface noise WAY more (better?) than the ARO, so it is not all up-side.
Purely because I have a PT1 as well, the bearing has one drop of PT oil added, but how much difference that makes...…………. But the bearings of the 228 and the PT1 platter work in the same sense.

The other commonly mentioned candidate to challenge the ARO - an XRF - as perfect match to LP12, is waiting to be fitted and compared, BTW.

The XTC counterweight imo well worth the investment, I use a tiny tiny blob of high quality racing bike synthetic grease with PTFE on the tip of the bearing pin lubes the patented four ball bearing cup.

I have no connection to XTC or J7 other than as a satisfied customer

 

[Big John]

That said, the 228 plays surface noise WAY more (better?) than the ARO, so it is not all up-side.
Purely because I have a PT1 as well, the bearing has one drop of PT oil added, but how much difference that makes...…………. But the bearings of the 228 and the PT1 platter work in the same sense.

The other commonly mentioned candidate to challenge the ARO - an XRF - as perfect match to LP12, is waiting to be fitted and compared, BTW.

"Vinny" have you tried damping fluid in the 228 fluid well; George used to recommend SME damping fluid I use J7's. I also found that new thicker bearing oil lowered surface noise, further stylus angle when correct lowers S/N.

 

[Vinny]

So far as I am aware there is no well on my 228.

I'll have to have a play with stylus angle - I've never had the problem before on any arm or cart' so not had to fiddle.

 

[cobbers]

George used to recommend SME damping fluid

I used to retrieve a little from the trough of my Hydraulic Ref

 

[Big John]

"Vinny" have you tried damping fluid in the 228 fluid well; George used to recommend SME damping fluid I use J7's. I also found that new thicker bearing oil lowered surface noise, further stylus angle when correct lowers S/N.

I used to retrieve a little from the trough of my Hydraulic Ref

late model Hadcock 228 arm like the 242 has a fluid well around the pivot. As I believe do the early version without the arm lift as shown in the included Vinyl Engine American 228 instructions seem to suggest filling the fluid well as a matter of course with provided fluid. Another article on the 228
https://fromvinyltoplastic.com/thor...228s-and-lentek-head-amp-upgrade-and-rebuild/

After a little fiddling (judicious adjustment) after much research. I have not had to touch my 242 for years other than stylus angle after buying a USB microscope.
I am 25 st with large hands I am therefore a great believer in KISS.

I would have thought Hydraulic Reference fluid well fluid would be far to viscous, but if it works for you

My sapphire cantilever and stylus I adjusted then quit while I was ahead.

 

[Vinny]

In the instructions with my 228, it is suggested that oil may be added, or not, to the pivot assembly.

I put one drop of PT spindle oil (more viscous than a very viscous thing), into the ball bearing "chamber". If an oil is doing what it should do, it is forming a film and no more, over mating parts, stopping the parts from actually touching. If it is doing that, viscosity should have very little effect on the actual operation of the bearing in this sort of use, where nothing is immersed in or being dragged through it.

 

[foxwelljsly]

Well, I can say that the recent incarnation of the 228 that I have here is so far ahead of the ARO on the LP12 in terms of enjoyment (please, don't ask me for sonic details) that I am kicking myself for having the 228 in the drawer for so long. Fantastic sound, so much more bass, with so much more detail.

I love it when that happens. Get something you've had knocking around for ages and dabbled with, get it properly sorted and set up and it blows your socks off.

 

[Big John]

In the instructions with my 228, it is suggested that oil may be added, or not, to the pivot assembly.

I put one drop of PT spindle oil (more viscous than a very viscous thing), into the ball bearing "chamber". If an oil is doing what it should do, it is forming a film and no more, over mating parts, stopping the parts from actually touching. If it is doing that, viscosity should have very little effect on the actual operation of the bearing in this sort of use, where nothing is immersed in or being dragged through it.

I use a tiny tiny blob of high quality racing bike synthetic grease with PTFE in that ball bearing well on the arm quite viscous it's the well around the pin that gets filled with damping fluid as George intended otherwise why fit it easier design & manufacture without.

 

[cobbers]

I would have thought Hydraulic Reference fluid well fluid would be far to viscous, but if it works for you

It did do then ,but that was a long time ago,the Hadcock did not last for long.
You could adjust the damping anyhow by adjusting the height of the spike.

 

[Derek Nicholls]

Hi, I had a 242 a while ago as a 2nd arm on my Lenco, I rewired it with VDH wire, cost about $100, whereas Hadcock used to charge an extra $600. In the rewire I by-passed the arm to pillar connection plug. Having the wire coming straight out the side & then running to a L bracket with 2 RCA plugs. The same arrangement as is on my main arm the Temaad Merlin 12'' titanium arm.
The Hadcock & my Sure V15 V cart sounded very very good indeed. But last year I decided I did not need two arms so let them go, now regretting it.

Cheers & Happy Listening

 

[Avon]

I’ve just got my gramophone back out of its box. NAS Hyperspace TT / Hadcock GH242 arm / AT-VM95ML MM cartridge. The unipivot Hadcock has been a constant source of frustration for me, although it is adjusted correctly I think, such that it should stay that way (PTFE tape and latex glue). Here I exaggerate, it has a mid-rangy, airy sound with little in the way of bass punch.

I thought I’d have a go at adding silicone fluid to the well that contains the pivot spike. The dealer had given me some when I bought it. The bearing housing has a tube that extends down into that fluid, around the spike. There was no indication in the 2006 manual that this could be done and I had no idea what the affect would be.

The sound has now snapped into focus. It is meaty and solid, with bass that punches, but far less air. Other than the “torture track”, it will also now track all of the Hi-Fi News bands with ease, whereas previously it would barely track just the first one. When perturbed, it takes a couple of seconds for the azimuth to return to true and no wobble when lifting the cuing lever. The lateral resonance frequency stayed the same at around 10Hz.

One caveat is that it makes it messy to take off the arm from its bearing, with a string of goop lifting up. I’m not sure if it matters if the fluid gets into the bearing.