Kenwood KD-7010 mod (KD-990)

[Paja]

(Similar turntables: KD-7010, KD-990, KD-8030, KD-9010...)

"Original" turntable looked like this (pic from internet):

01 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

Dismantled:

11 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

 

[Paja]

Chassis prepared to accept non-factory arm:

Before:
21 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

After:
22 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

 

[Paja]

"Box" modification: height lowered by 2 mm (to look somewhat more elegant ), wood edges insets (oak) and oak veneered.

31 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

32 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

 

[Paja]

External "control box":

41 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

42 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

43 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

 

[Paja]

Parts ready for assembly:

53 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

54 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

 

[Paja]

Finished turntable:

91 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

94 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

 

[Paja]

Armboard with Origin Live RB-250

92 by Dragan Pavlović, on Flickr

 

[faz]

That looks really nice.

Did you transplant the original electronics into the external control box, or have you made your own control board? The reason I ask is because I have 2 x of these turntables but one has a broken control board. Be nice to get it working again.

Regards
Mike.

 

[Paja]

External box was used only to house controls, remote and transformer.
Original (electronic) board is still "mounted" under chasis.

There should be no problem fixing control board?

 

[Shuggie]

My KD-990 is running without its plinth, eg 'naked' with a Jelco SA-750E tonearm. The control switches are just in a little wooden box, but still attached to the main PCB by the various ribbon cables. The original Kenwood feet have been replaced with Stillpoints OEM.

I reckon it sounds better 'naked', but in due course I will re-fit the plinth and the original arm. I'd be very surprised if an Origin Live RB250 was any better than the original Kenwood arm, which is actually much better than it looks, and provides the convenience of end-of-side tonearm lift. The only thing that I'll do when refitting the plinth is to decouple the mains transformer much more effectively than via its original rubber grommets.

These decks are very classy performers - they hide their very considerable technical and musical merits under a very unassuming exterior.

 

[Paja]

I'd be very surprised if an Origin Live RB250 was any better than the original Kenwood arm, which is actually much better than it looks,
...

I am not fan of original arm, and considering rather high effective mass of Kenwood arm, I expect better match with some cartridges (I hope) I will use in nearer future with origin live/rega.
Lack of end-of-side mechanism is compensated with remote control

My friends and I will (soon) conduct side-by-side comparison with unmodified KD-7010.

 

[Shuggie]

I have not measured the effective mass of the Kenwood arm, but I reckon it's medium mass at most. Certainly not high mass.

The only problem with the Kenwood arm is that the damping of the lift device does dry out, so cueing is a rather sudden and dangerous business. Johnnie at Audio Origami has fixed at least two of these arms for this, so it's not something that can't be sorted.

 

[hermit]

Really great work Paja

I'd be very surprised if an Origin Live RB250 was any better than the original Kenwood arm, which is actually much better than it looks

That's quite a statement given that the original arm looks so gorgeous!

 

[faz]

External box was used only to house controls, remote and transformer.
Original (electronic) board is still "mounted" under chasis.

There should be no problem fixing control board?

If I knew what I was doing I'd probably have a go at fixing it but sadly my electrical knowledge is pretty basic. Wouldn't really know where to start.

Mike.

 

[Paja]

I have not measured the effective mass of the Kenwood arm, but I reckon it's medium mass at most. Certainly not high mass.
...

I don't know factory declared effective mass, but some (reliable) sources said that it is more than 17g (found data on internet mentioning 20g).

 

[hermit]

I don't know factory declared effective mass, but some (reliable) sources said that it is more than 17g (found data on internet mentioning 20g).

A Hifi Choice review in Feb 1989 has the approximate effective mass of the KD-990 arm at 16g, including screws.

 

[Waxxy]

A Hifi Choice review in Feb 1989 has the approximate effective mass of the KD-990 arm at 16g, including screws.

I do believe that 17 grams is the mass of the headshell alone...well, including screws. It's a doozy.

 

[Waxxy]

My mistake...I found a copy of the Hifi Choice review...the arm has an effective mass of 16 gram as mentioned by Hermit above. The headshell is only 11 grams.

 

[DoctorRad]

Chassis prepared to accept non-factory arm

How did you do these mods, may I ask? Hand / power tools? Very carefully...?!?