Michell hydraulic reference

[terrypoulton]

Hi all
My first post too. I would like to ask for some advice.

I recently bought a Hydraulic Reference, missing its oil-bath and a few other bits and pieces, and took it to Michell at Borehamwood, where 'Bill' fixed everything - (he took the original tunrtable into the 'Clockwork Orange' set,so I imagine he must have worked for Transcriptors then) Facinating place- but I digress.

I would like to tweak it - any suggestions? I have heard of additions such as an acrylic platter, or damping rings on the motor - it seems too good a build, it should benefit from ideas that must have come up in the last 35 years.

It's the last one in the hydraulic series, the one where Michell turned the platter 'weights' upside down to get more contact with the vinyl, and put large black plastic rings on top of the 'weights'. Its quite beautiful.

Any suggestions for cartridge, please, it has the original 'fluid arm'? I was thinking Grado Prestige Gold?

Thank you for any help you can give me-it doesnt sound as good as my Linn Sondek, but I could watch it for hours...

[Transcriptors]

Hi

If you need any more help just email me. My late father designed the turntable way back in 1964 and bill worked for my dad.

Regards

Michael Gammon (Son)

[COOLHAND46]

Hi, I have a late model Hydraulic Ref with SME 3009 and v15111 fed into a MF A1000 and Neat Petites. This is my only T/T, I know it's not the ultimate in sonic terms but I can't bear to part with it. I too have thought of ways to improve the sound quality and I recently made a 'sandbox' for it to sit on. The box measures about 18" square and 4.5" high and is filled with a bag of kiln dried sand. The nice people at B&Q did all the cutting of the MDF (free) and total cost was about £25.There are articles on the web on how to build these and the sonic benefits. I found that there were definite differences after mounting the Turntable on the box, bass was tighter, leaner and better defined,high frequency's were more detailed and the mid range was pushed a bit further forward.