kttiong Posted July 5, 2018 Share Posted July 5, 2018 A 2 poles Silex . Bronze colour 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onslo Posted July 5, 2018 Share Posted July 5, 2018 Audiofeline, you can fairly easily mount another arm but you have to weld a lug on the sub chassis. I have a plan to do this I just am looking for a donor. I have never seen one in the flesh but the non Silex Orpheus has no mounting lugs on the subchassis so could be used with new lugs mounted for the two arms (or more). These units are not normally as sought after for the reason that they don't have the lug so should be available cheaply and if you have to wet one lug on 2 is not going to be much more work or cost. The other thing about the non Silex is that it has simpler lines with the casting extending over the square of the plinth. Could look kind of clean and cool. However I love the groovy double oval look of the Silex. The only consideration is that the "9 O'clock" mounted arm will have the cart tracking over the motor. These motors are fairly grunty big things and probably spew EMR like Chernobyl so some carts might not like that. Post your progress. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silex Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Hello Orpheus Silex lovers. Picked up this gem at a garage sale for $20. Saw the familiar grace logo on the head shell and thought it must be worth that for the arm alone. After a relatively simple refurbishment it’s a full on love affair with ever more refinements, mainly suspension rubbers. The tatty plywood box plinth was replaced with a mdf lead encased base sitting on squash balls. It sounds far better than my project RPM 6.1 sb. Currently using a Audio-technica 440mla and ortofon vms 20e. There may be better turntables out there but they they don’t say made in Melbourne Australia. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onslo Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 "There may be better turntables out there" as you say but certainly not for $20! I reckon well set up its many thousands that they compete with. Well done. Don't sell it keep tweaking it till your too old to hear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiofeline Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 14 hours ago, silex said: Hello Orpheus Silex lovers. Picked up this gem at a garage sale for $20.... $20.00??????? Whaaaatttttt?????? That's the bargain of the year! Enjoy it, when set up well it sits nicely in the top league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat-with-one-t Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Wow. Hopefully early next year I’ll tackle and use my near-mint one! Can’t wait. Mat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silex Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Thanks for all the kind comments. Interesting to see how other Orpheus owners have tackled their plinth rebuild, not as easy as it looks is it? The arm is a grace g-545 which is just fine and tracks well. I would however in the future like to rebuild or replace the idler as the table runs at speed almost at the end of its travel. You guys know what I mean. Any spares or rebuilders out there? Anyway thanks again and by the way, that 60s console is a real peach. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mloutfie Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 (edited) @kttiong @silex how thick is your plinth board. reason is there is a protruding sub chassis at one end from the look of it and I won't be able to make a think plinth unless I make a holed space at that side which won't look nice. Edited October 29, 2018 by mloutfie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mloutfie Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Also what's the size of the mounting screw if anyone knows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wimbo Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 On 15/06/2018 at 3:51 PM, Lansche plasma guy said: It handily beat his modified Sota. That's interesting. Any idea how the Sota was modified and what model? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiofeline Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 5 hours ago, mloutfie said: @kttiong @silex how thick is your plinth board.. As far as I'm aware, most Silexes are mounted on a relatively thin plinth, due to design factors. I wonder if a heavy plinth might sound better, but they are not practical for the tt's design. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silex Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 Hi. The actual plinth that supports the spider for the platter is about 5mm but the bolts that hold the frame/chassis go maybe 20mm. That’s how I managed to get a solid plinth rather than a hollow box. Lots of mucking around with cardboard templates. Used high density mdf and sheathed with 2mm lead. The hight of the plinth is 56mm and stands at 120 high with squash balls. Hope this is of some help and good luck, it’s worth it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mloutfie Posted October 29, 2018 Share Posted October 29, 2018 @silex that's that helps alot is one of the subchassis bolted to the plinth? so there is no suspension action at all? mind telling me what's the plinth screw size? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silex Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 All three legs are suspended under the 5 mm top. The leg support with the adjusting wheel has a washer and nut under the plinth to keep everything firm. It is all a pretty tight fit, especially around the motor. There are probably easier ways to go about it but I’d just inherited a table router so thought why not. I will check if I still have the templates. The bolts appear to be 4mm or whatever that is in imperial.hope this is of some help. I think there is a similar silex build on vinyl engine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian McP Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 On 07/08/2018 at 7:31 PM, silex said: Hello Orpheus Silex lovers. Picked up this gem at a garage sale for $20. Saw the familiar grace logo on the head shell and thought it must be worth that for the arm alone. After a relatively simple refurbishment it’s a full on love affair with ever more refinements, mainly suspension rubbers. The tatty plywood box plinth was replaced with a mdf lead encased base sitting on squash balls. It sounds far better than my project RPM 6.1 sb. Currently using a Audio-technica 440mla and ortofon vms 20e. There may be better turntables out there but they they don’t say made in Melbourne Australia. What model is that Grace arm? A 545? https://www.vinylengine.com/library/grace/g-545.shtml I sold a Silex (on a ply plinth) with a similar Grace arm (and F8 cartridge) to a mate last year, cost him more than $20 though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silex Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 That’s the one. Came with a flip stylus that played 33 and 78. If I ever found another silex I would gladly pay what it’s worth. Sometimes you just get lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanArn Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 On 29/10/2018 at 11:50 AM, mloutfie said: Also what's the size of the mounting screw if anyone knows The common thread type used in the pre metric era was the British Association range. If the outside diameter of the machine screw is approx. 4 mm as indicated by silex, then a BA No. 3 would be the nearest size to try. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mloutfie Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 18 hours ago, silex said: All three legs are suspended under the 5 mm top. The leg support with the adjusting wheel has a washer and nut under the plinth to keep everything firm. It is all a pretty tight fit, especially around the motor. There are probably easier ways to go about it but I’d just inherited a table router so thought why not. I will check if I still have the templates. The bolts appear to be 4mm or whatever that is in imperial.hope this is of some help. I think there is a similar silex build on vinyl engine. If you have some links about a plan for plinth or some links to build discussion would be great also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiofeline Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 9 hours ago, mloutfie said: If you have ... links to build discussion would be great also This is the most comprehensive discussion of Silex restoration: https://www.stereo.net.au/forums/topic/16178-orpheus-silex-worthwhile-project/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mloutfie Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 Just mounted mine on a temporary plinth. And first thing that's so obvious is the motor hum it's quite loud. I can also a bit of rattle from the iddler wheel. Most likely because of the humm/vibration or because the belt is not right anymore. Might need to do a full strip down but looking at some post the motor almost all has noise not sure if it will make a difference. My last motor strip down of motor in similar era was the craftsman connoisseur. And the biggest improvement when I changed the motor running capacitors on the noise but doesn't look like the Silex any. I can try just mounting an arm as it is and see how does it sound. What do you all think? Which path best spending time on first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussievintage Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 2 minutes ago, mloutfie said: Just mounted mine on a temporary plinth. And first thing that's so obvious is the motor hum it's quite loud. I can also a bit of rattle from the iddler wheel. Most likely because of the humm/vibration or because the belt is not right anymore. Might need to do a full strip down but looking at some post the motor almost all has noise not sure if it will make a difference. My last motor strip down of motor in similar era was the craftsman connoisseur. And the biggest improvement when I changed the motor running capacitors on the noise but doesn't look like the Silex any. I can try just mounting an arm as it is and see how does it sound. What do you all think? Which path best spending time on first I have an Orpheus Silex that I am wondering if I should sell as I am not using it at all. However, my experience with the motor is that it ran very quietly. I know noise can be a relative thing, but I am surprised that people say it is noisy. I think the key thing is to get that motor platform hanging properly on good replacement rubbers. Even the grommets I used worked well enough. So, my take on it is to strip it and clean and lube then remount with proper rubber isolation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mloutfie Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 Also does the spindle bearing uses oil or grease? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onslo Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 32 minutes ago, mloutfie said: Also does the spindle bearing uses oil or grease? Light machine oil according to the manual. Someone on eBay lists copies of the manual occasionally and I think vinyl engine may even have a copy in the archives. I cannot find reference to the hollow spindle in some models but assume that is to allow oiling from above. I remove my platter to oil it but putting the belt on is a PITA. Your motor should be very quiet when overhauled, I revarnished mine and replaced the starting cap gave it a good polish and lube and it is almost entirely silent. Bad tyres on your idler or crappy o ring joint on your belt might make a noise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiofeline Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 1 hour ago, mloutfie said: Also does the spindle bearing uses oil or grease? Visco Static oil, see the manual and other info: https://www.vinylengine.com/library/orpheus/silex.shtml (free registration required) Forget about the page with hand drawings suspending the silex on springs, that's someone's modification that I don't think is helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t_mike Posted November 6, 2018 Share Posted November 6, 2018 3 hours ago, aussievintage said: I have an Orpheus Silex that I am wondering if I should sell as I am not using it at all. Keep me in mind if you do. I'm dying to get my hands on one so I can try to solve the isolation rubbers issue and make them available to other owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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