Confession: When I worked at Disney I would occasionally go to the closed area of the Imagination Pavilion (upstairs near where the DVC lounge is now) just to walk through the rainbow tunnel again, because rainbows are fucking awesome. The rainbow was never on, but I knew it was still there.

It's an absolute travesty it was dismantled before Disney embraced Pride Month.

I laser cut 5056 aluminum bezels for two Neutrik RCA connectors and a rhodium plated IEC C14 connector, then had them powder coated. You know, pursuing perfection and all that.

I slipped with the chisel on the last operation and scratched the plinth. 

Installed coupling spikes on the new maple plinth for the Thorens, lined it with butyl rubber constrained layer damping material, and did a first dry fit and some glamour shots because I couldn’t resist seeing how it will all look in the maple.

I have to install the Neutrik RCA jacks and ground binding post, and a new IEC C14 power jack with a fuse and a proper safety ground, and all that will be left is polishing. Oh and the hinges for the dust cover.

I still can’t believe this was garbage.

The ‘65 Thorens TD150 mk I and SME 3009 S2 Improved now have an Audio Technica AT-VM95EN cartridge and stylus and everything has been oiled and cleaned. I did a rough setup to test it out but tomorrow I’ll get out the precision instruments and dial it in. I’m pretty sure this is the first time it’s spun a record since at least the 80s.

A new hard maple plinth is in progress. It keeps getting nicer and nicer..

By the way- some science I did circa 2007 or so.. I used a sweep generator, a speaker coil, a transducer, and an oscilloscope to measure the isolation of various “audiophile” turntable isolation products and techniques. Sorbothane, neoprene, spikes, ball bearings, etc etc.

Best solution was also the cheapest- a “double yellow dot” squash ball and a 1/8” thick, 3/4” ID nitrile hose washer.

You can get a case for like 20 bucks. This is how I can play Prodigy and Crystal Method with a subwoofer and not have a needle skip. Enjoy!