Coloney AB-1
Two Speed Belt Drive Turntable System
Description
With the advent of direct-to-disc, digital master tapes, half speed mastering and DBX encoding, the engineering of analogue records has attained unprecedented levels of fidelity.
Does your turntable measure up to the quality of these super discs?
The Coloney AB-1 meets the challenge with it's totally unique solutions to the problems of turntable and tonearm design.
A number of problems commonly associated with straight line tracking turntables has been eliminated from the Coloney AB-1.
For example, you will never be plagued by: A servo driven tonearm that inch worms it's way across the record constantly searching for the true tangential position but spending very little time in the correct location; A trendy, low silhouette which forces overpowering design constraints on the vibration isolation system; A heavy tonearm counterbalance weight; A tonearm with vast numbers of bearings, guides and drive devices all of which contribute their own particular colouration to the music; A serviceman's nightmare of inaccessible electronics.
Features of the Coloney AB-1 include:
A lightweight spring loaded disc magnet replacing the conventional counterbalance weight.
300 rpm synchronous motor with belt drive to platter.
300mm diameter three-component sandwich construction platter damps out resonance.
Base plate suspended from the support frame by four springs which act in two ways to isolate the base plate from external vibrations.
Three point support frame provides stable, easily levelled structure.
Radial tracking tonearm with a single air bearing with correct tracking at all times - the tonearm is rigid and has no pivot in the horizontal plane.
Specifications
Speeds: 33 and 45rpm
Wow and flutter: less than 0.07%
Rumble: better than -70dB
Tonearm: tangential tracking air bearing arm
Effective length: 152.4mm
Overhang: none
Arm height adjustment range: 3/8"
Vertical tracking adjustment range: 20 degrees
Maximum cartridge load: 10g, adaptable to 20g
Suspension system: 4 independent springs, damped resonant frequency 3.1Hz
Power requirements: 50/60Hz, 120 VAC, 3 watts
Air pump: 4PSi maximum
Dimensions: 635 x 431.8 x 127mm
Downloads
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Coloney AB-1 / AB1 owners manual, service manuals and schematics are for reference only and the Vinyl Engine bears no responsibility for errors or other inaccuracies. The PDF files are provided under strict licence. Reproduction for financial gain is strictly prohibited. This website is not affiliated with or sponsored by Coloney.
User Reviews
Bought this turntable in 1982 on consignment from a dealer in San Diego along with the superb Acoustat 2+2 electrostatic panel speakers. This turntable was produced in a very limited number due to business problems I was told. A real shame more could not have made as this was a very special design execution which eliminated almost every tracking problem plagued by most of the designs of that time. I used a Ortofon MC-30 Super cartridge which tracked perfectly on the linear tonearm. The table had to be absolutely level in order for the tonearm to remain balanced but when it was, boy waht a dream.
This combination is the only turntable that would not mistrack on the cannon shot cuts on the Telarc limited edition of the 1812 Overture. Talk about a knockout performance! The Acoustats were driven by two Marshal Leach designed 300 watt monoblock amplifiers that was modified using the best components and matched transistors available. Parts alone cost over $900 at the time and I built them from scratch over a time period of about 8 months.
Worth every penny and hour! Preamp was the ARC Sp-3A. System long gone unfortunately due to an overseas contract assignment. Those were the days when audio was fun and pleasurable!
8/10 by audiotron
