Thorens Q-up lifter is back

[madog99]

For anyone who has been looking on the Bay at high priced used lifter's , seems that the Thorens Q up is back .

http://www.needledoctor.com/The-QUP

[Coffee Phil]

Thanks for posting this. I'll call them tomorrow. If they assure me it will work with my SME 3009 I want one.

Phil

For anyone who has been looking on the Bay at high priced used lifter's , seems that the Thorens Q up is back .

http://www.needledoctor.com/The-QUP

[Coffee Phil]

I found the manufacturer's web page:

http://www.thequp.com/instructions.html

They have the installation instruction on line so you can get some idea what it is about.

It appears that Needle Doctor's price is MSRP.

Is that the new several Kilo-buck $ME they are showing it with?

I am wondering if this can be made to work with Lps and 78s since the 78s have a smaller label area. That's kind of a big deal to me.

Phil

[Coffee Phil]

I just talked to Patrick at Needle Doctor.

My concerns are if it will fit my Kenwood KD 500 with SME and if it will accommodate Lps as well as 78s.

He said they are new and while they have set one up on a Technics it could be tight on my machine. He said it slides on its mounting blocks so it can be adjusted for 78s and Lps with relative ease.

He suggested that I be the first KD500 guinea pig and offered free return shipping if I can't get it to work.

I will reread the instructions on Q-UPs website and if it looks like I have a chance I'll take Patrick up on his Offer.

Phil

I found the manufacturer's web page:

http://www.thequp.com/instructions.html

They have the installation instruction on line so you can get some idea what it is about.

It appears that Needle Doctor's price is MSRP.

Is that the new several Kilo-buck $ME they are showing it with?

I am wondering if this can be made to work with Lps and 78s since the 78s have a smaller label area. That's kind of a big deal to me.

Phil

[goatbreath]

Wonder if one would work on a Sondek....???? I am tempted,,Maybe for my TD160 too..

[Coffee Phil]

Hopefully you can find someone on your side of the pond to work you a deal like Patrick offered me.

Phil

Wonder if one would work on a Sondek....???? I am tempted,,Maybe for my TD160 too..

[Coffee Phil]

I'm bummed now. I was about to order this thing and I was looking at the compatibility part of their web-page. With a record playing, 36 mm of clearance between the bottom of the arm and the plinth is required. I fail that by about 4 mm.

I am shocked, I never thought of my platter as thin. There is a ~3mm depression below the platter but even if the plinth were flat it still wouldn't make it.

Do most platters sit higher above the plinth?

Phil

[Coffee Phil]

I talked the the folks at Needle Doctor. They said that the bottom piece can be removed. That gets it down to ~31.8 mm. It's close be it should work, so I ordered it.

Phil

[waynefi]

WEll................

[Coffee Phil]

A box was in the mail yesterday. When I opened it there was the little Q-UP box inside. However inside the little box there were just the stacking blocks. No Q-UP. Im guessing that they used one to test and closed the box. Someone must have grabbed the box with the missing Q-UP and shipped it to me. I will call them Monday. I can't imagine any hassle but I wont know how it works for a few days.

Phil

WEll................

[waynefi]

Oh for , let's just say cripe sakes. I thought that stuff only happened to me. Annoying, let us know. I might try one on my Classic 1. I sent the videos to HW at VPI, he thought it looked interesting. I like to listen at night, and always worry about dozing off.

[johnnyelectro]

WTF do they mean?; "Note: The QUP will require some DIY adjustments in order to be compatible with Pro-Ject Debut turntables."

[burlybryan]

I just installed one on my AR The Turntable retrofitted with an RB300 and I'll guess that it means that the Rega arms are lower than most (maybe cuz of the thick arm tube?) and the stock base doesn't allow enough clearance. I removed the Q Up from the adjustable adhesive base and applied some double sided tape to the base of the Q Up and stuck it down on the arm board.

I wish the lifting action was a little more smooth. It's kind of jerky and inelegant, but I'll give it some time and see if my end of record laziness evolves.

[Coffee Phil]

The Q UP is in the house, In fact it is on my KD 500. I had to squeeze it into the arm-board well. I thought that I would have to remove the base as burlybryan did, and I would have if it was to go on top of the plinth but it is OK where it is. It is hitting one of the mounting screws on the SME arm base. I will have to make a mounting plate ~0.01" thick with a hole for the screw. I'll put the plate down with double stick tape, then mount the Q UP to the plate. The slide mount is useful if you play Lps and 78s as the lead-out groove is closer to the center with 78s.

The picture shows a 12" 78 playing. It trips just at the threshold of the lead-out groove. It was set to trip at very close to the innermost part of the lead-out on an Lp. It is uncomfortably close in both cases so a setting for Lps and a different setting for 78s is good so I happy that I can use the adjustable base.

As burlybryan reported this thing is not the epitome in refinement, but it does work.

The lift platform does not rise flat but pivots. This gives some lateral movement to the arm, the result of which you can hear from the speakers. It is not bad enough to fear for the stylus however.

I have the factory viscous damping setup for the SME. It mounts pretty much where the Q UP is so if I want to use it the Q UP will have to go.

[img][/img]

In the picture above a 12" 78 is playing and is almost to the point where the Q UP trips.

Phil