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Magna Audio latest projects

Here's the conclusion of the TD-124 two tonearm fitting project I've been working on.
The Audio Technical 12" ATP12T tonearm is a beauty - the hardwood armpod puts the spindle to pivot at the perfect 242mm distance.
It's also easy to use with the arm lift and arm rest plate that I fabricated.

I've also made an ebony armboard for to fit a Fidelity Research FR24 10" tonearm to the deck.
The plinth was gloss white and as requested I've painted and lacquered it to a matt dark grey.

I then set up both arms and tested them with my SPUs - A Royal N and Silver Meister and had a listen to check all was perfect.

I also made an extra Ebony armboard blank if someone needs one:)

Here are some pics

















Keen SPU'ists will note that the AT arm really needs a heavier counterweight for SPU's - I'm not sure what cart will be used yet - Magna Audio of course specialise in customer counter weights to suit all arms.
The FR24 arm could probably do with a heavier antiskate weight too;)
 
Here is a set of weights (heavier antiskate), lateral and custom mass counterweight for the mighty Fidelity Research FR64s tonearm.
Made in 303 grade stainless with semi polished finish to match the arm.

I used the same sized grub screw / hex key sizes as the originals.





If you have a machining need, I'm happy to discuss.
 
A few of the latest projects I been working on.

Replacement brass push button knobs for a heavy weight classic Pioneer amplifier.
These are tiny at 4mm diameter and 8mm long with a 1/8" hole to fit to the plastic part.

The replacements are machined in brass and longer than the originals so they can be fitted over the sheared off plastic stub left behind once broken.
The two left most are the originals that are prone to snapping. The 3 to the right are the new ones. The loose ones are spares.



An ebony tonearm board. Bound for Italy for a Technics SL-1210 deck. Drilled for a Audiomods (Rega converted) arm.





My armboards are of 25mm overall thickness and supplied with easy to fit kit.
 
A couple of projects I've been working on

The first of 4 jobs for BobC of the Wam - vertical supports. Machined, drilled and threaded.



An ebony armboard for a Jelco arm for Tannoyman of the Art of sound

 
Here are a couple of projects for Rexton of the Art Of Sound

Armboard for SL-1210 with SME V fitting.



A counter weight in 303 Stainless steel specified for an SME 3012 tonearm. The original weight was too light for the intended cartridge / headshell and was nearly off the back of the arm stub. This baby will balance things nicely.

 
RJC Audio have ordered an armpod for the Cusworth Signature Plinth from me.
Design, dimensions and wood supplied by RJC Audio.

I have machined an armboard to suit the SME arm fitting, a plinth surround (both seen here in waxed English Walnut) and 4 brass threaded pillars. Once assembled with cap head bolts the armpod is very rigid / stable.



For future armpods the base will be turned from solid brass and will not have the SME slot in it.

Assembled, the armpod will not be in contact with the plinth



Side view of the plinth cover flange

 
Here is a finished SME3012 extra heavy counterweight including drillings and grubscrew for slider bar for the fine balance weight.





 
After a nice holiday break, it's time for an update on some of the projects I've recently been working on.

First up is a Tannoy crossover setup. As requested I have made up birch ply boxes and modified the crossover wiring so that bi-amping is possible.
Birch ply was spec'd but I can make then in any wood of course.
This will enable for example a beefy Push Pull amp to be drive the LF and for example a SET amp on the HF. Simply bridging the inputs will of course allow single amp use.

The internals had already been reworked with new caps etc.
I tested them on my bass and treble horns and they sounded great.





Next up was a set of jobs for the mystery prototype turntable project that I've made parts for before.

Internal brass bases / mounts



More polished brass feet / an On/Off knob



and a pair of copper armboard plates and smaller plates that were cut out elsewhere but required de-burring, scratch and ding removal and polishing.


(My phone camera failed to capture these well I'm afraid)

More projects are on the go - so watch this space.
 
Here's an ebony armboard for another very nice TD-124 / Audio Technica arm, this time a 9.5" one!
Arm hole and rest drillings, and I fitted the arm / armboard too.





 
Here's a spanking new extra mass counterweight for a Techi arm - will be on a journey all the way to New Zealand:)



at the requested mass



My rates are very competitive and I always keep postage costs down to minimum - Please see products and services website (link below) for details
 
I've been busy with several jobs.

I've sold a tone arm that I bought and used as my own for a while. It was a Rega R200. I converted it to 12" format using a stainless steel arm tube correctly bent to SME 3012 geometry. I rewired it with Litz Copper tonearm wire.
I have just turned the counterweight in Stainless Steel to the customers weight spec, and also fitted a Cardas 5 pin tonearm cable plug and plug guide made of turned nylon.
I tested it thoroughly on my SP-10 deck with my SPU Royal N cartridge - It performed very nicely.

Here's how it looks











I can rewire Rega etc arms and also fit Cardas tone arm plugs (so you can use various tonearm cable with the standard 5 pin plug).
I've done a range of arms with these mods, including Alphason, Rega, Pioneer PL-71 etc.


Next up, I received a request from Thailand to make 3 bespoke counterweights.
A 45g, a 65g and a 85g one - all together 195g - this will give a wide range of headshell / cart fitting possibilities.
Fitted with 2 M4 grub screws for securing.







Then I also received a slightly different machining job - a wood lathe live centre point. Live centres rotate so that the piece that is to be turned is held in place at each end, by means of a Chuck at one end in the head stock and a live centre in a tail stock at the other end.
The problem with a standard live centre is that there is not enough room to get the wood turning chisels in, when turning bowls for example.
So a long centre was devised and idea circulated on wood turning forums. My customer had made a test piece in wood and commissioned me to make one out of aluminium. I suggested brass, which is harder than Aluminium.

Here is the centre with original 60 degree cone and the fitting spigot is also a taper.



Here is the James Bond'esque (You only live twice) one I made. I dubbed as I've dubbed it after the space craft swallowing rocket / capsule.



Unmounted



Here it is under test in a piece of dowel running at over 2000rpm on my lathe.



If you need a piece machining / making just contact me to discuss.
 
Here are a few of the latest creations I've made for customers near and far.

An Ebony tonearm board for the lovely Ortofon RS-212D tonearm. This one will be fitted to an SL-1210 with aftermarket bearing, platter and plate.





An Ebony tonearm board for Garrard 301



A heavy counterweight and ingenious lateral damping weights in Stainless steel for the RB300 tonearm (search for - twl strange tonearm tweak).
These were for an enthusiast in New Zealand.







Just drop me a line if you require some machining, an armboard, Tannoy GRF cabs or other creations.
 
Here's a Ebony armboard for a AR ES-1 Turntable.

Made to suit Rega spindle to pivot but with the larger hole required for the Mitchell VTA adjuster adapter.

The dishing is to allow the arm to sit low enough (some height is taken by the Mitchell VTA screw) and large enough to allow fingers in to adjust.



Made from a card template the customer sent me - note the proper Rega 222mm line and the position of the hole in the orginal armboard.
The difference could be taken up by the headshell slots but it must have compromised optimal geometry. The Ebony board should be spot on.

 


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