Neat Idler Drive Turntable

classic analog rigs Thorens, Garrard, Lenco, EMT, etc..

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Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby RoK » Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:18 pm

Hello Masters JE and Joel, Guys!

Finally a forum exclusively about my favorite TTs and moderated by the Master and Meister no less! :clap:

If I may, I'd like to share my experience with my Neat P-58 TT. I got interested in them when I saw JE's at his website. I got mine on eBay for a very good price but that was almost two years ago. Sadly, there are no more bargain idler drive TTs on the bay right now thanks to one of the moderators here! :)

I do all the overhauling and maintenance of my TTs but if I encounter any problems I ask the advice of either JE or the Classic TT Meister, setup2! My P-58's speed was kinda slow at first, about 5%, even after a thorough overhaul. I just couldn't get it up to the correct speed even after doing everything that JE told me to do. I used it that way and still enjoyed the sound it delivered as long as I didn't play piano music.

Fast forward to today and it's finally working as it should, thanks to the generosity of The Master! He let take his Shield MO-19 home, which is essentially the same unit, to use as a reference. JE's unit has a very positive feel and sound to it's control knob compared to mine that felt very vague and "soft". It also gets up to speed just like a Rek O Kut with the huge Hysteresis motor! It turned out that mine just needed an adjustment of the spring tension under the power/speed selector knob! I only had to turn the spring 180 degrees counterclockwise to get the correct tension. Turning it 360 degrees would even be better, IMHO. Now it's turning correctly and steadily at all 3 speeds and I'm sure even at it's 16 2/3 rpm setting!

Most of you are probably waiting to find out if I'm ever gonna describe how it sounds like so here goes, it sounds great! Sorry to disappoint those who are looking for a more detailed description. :) But let me just add this, my 301 definitely sounds better but I don't miss it at all when I'm listening to Billie, Louis, Frank et al on my Neat P-58/Shield/GE RPX... in MONO of course!! That's the only way I've been listening to MUSIC for quite a while now. :$

Sorry for my longish post, I just hope that somehow it inspired some of you to just find your own way and just go for it!

Happy listening everyone!


Regards
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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby setup1 » Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:39 pm

Hey RoK where's the picture?

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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby odaey » Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:41 am

I wish you could share some pics.

I also know this NEAT kind of guy who lives nearby, He's been helping me with a lot of my projects. I haven't seen him for a while though. Who knows? maybe you might even know him, He He He ;)
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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby setup1 » Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:52 am

odaey wrote:I wish you could share some pics.
I also know this NEAT kind of guy who lives nearby, He's been helping me with a lot of my projects. I haven't seen him for a while though. Who knows? maybe you might even know him, He He He ;)


Who could that be? Does he have a RoK too? :rofl:

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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby RoK » Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:18 am

Sorry for the late response Master JE and thanks for the tip on posting images with my post!

So here goes...

Image

For a "before" image, please refer to T-Rex's post re: Rek O Kut.

odaey, thanks for the acknowledgment.


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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby odaey » Sat Dec 13, 2008 7:52 am

That looks very Neat! 8)

Guys, Will the Gray research and other clones have the same tonearm base to fit into the Neat's cantilevered armbase mount?
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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby setup1 » Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:12 am

odaey wrote:That looks very Neat! 8) Guys, Will the Gray research and other clones have the same tonearm base to fit into the Neat's cantilevered armbase mount?


Not sure about the Gray because I don't own one. I've only used the 9" and 10" clones. In fact I haven't tried the 10" clone in the cantilevered arm base. Anyway you don't need to have that arm base just make sure the chosen arm is mounted with the correct spindle---->pivot distance.

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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby BenC » Sat Dec 13, 2008 11:56 am

Hi RoK,

I bet listening to this mono setup will even be a more enjoyable while sipping a cup or two of pressed coffee!

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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby pican » Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:10 pm

BenC wrote:Hi RoK,

I bet listening to this mono setup will even be a more enjoyable while sipping a cup or two of pressed coffee!

BenC


Sama ako!

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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby RoK » Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:33 pm

Hi Ben, Pic!

Naubos na buan ng taon, hindi pakayo pumapasyal dito sa amin! :) Basta, the invitation still stands. I'm also waiting for the two Masters and T-Rex to come over, hopefully soon.

See you guys...soon!


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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby BenC » Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:38 pm

RoK wrote:Hi Ben, Pic!

Naubos na buan ng taon, hindi pakayo pumapasyal dito sa amin! :) Basta, the invitation still stands. I'm also waiting for the two Masters and T-Rex to come over, hopefully soon.

See you guys...soon!


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Malamang matuloy na! May mahabang bakasyon itong December!
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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby setup1 » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:28 pm

Hello BenC and RoK,

Sorry I'm too busy with family gatherings. As soon as I see a window of opportunity I will join you guys! Anyway I need to pick up my MO-19 from RoK ;)

RoK wrote:But let me just add this, my 301 definitely sounds better


Nasaan ang picture? :)

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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby odaey » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:33 pm

setup1 wrote:
odaey wrote:That looks very Neat! 8) Guys, Will the Gray research and other clones have the same tonearm base to fit into the Neat's cantilevered armbase mount?


Not sure about the Gray because I don't own one. I've only used the 9" and 10" clones. In fact I haven't tried the 10" clone in the cantilevered arm base. Anyway you don't need to have that arm base just make sure the chosen arm is mounted with the correct spindle---->pivot distance.

je


Ok, got that :)

Big Thanks!
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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby RoK » Sat Dec 13, 2008 4:10 pm

Anyway I need to pick up my MO-19 from RoK

..and your 8" woofers, horn tweeters, ano pa nga? :$

Anytime my friends, just let me know when!


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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby BenC » Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:28 pm

setup1 wrote:Hello BenC and RoK,

Sorry I'm too busy with family gatherings. As soon as I see a window of opportunity I will join you guys! Anyway I need to pick up my MO-19 from RoK ;)

RoK wrote:But let me just add this, my 301 definitely sounds better


Nasaan ang picture? :)

je

Hi je/pics,
Hope we can make it before the year ends. I'm free from the 26th to the 30th of this month. Sana ma libre kayo at sila Joel and T-rex!
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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby setup1 » Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:43 pm

Finally got my MO19 back and just fitted a Grace 640P/DL103. Thanks RoK :rock: ;)

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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby DCO » Sun Feb 15, 2009 7:57 pm

setup1 wrote:Finally got my MO19 back and just fitted a Grace 640P/DL103. Thanks RoK :rock: ;)

Image


Ganda!
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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby TheAnalogSource » Sun Feb 15, 2009 8:03 pm

OT...

hi JE,

whats your impression on the grace arm vs. say SME3009

Thansk in advance :)
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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby setup1 » Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:11 pm

halls wrote:OT...hi JE,

whats your impression on the grace arm vs. say SME3009

Thansk in advance :)


With my favored lower compliance cartridges, both are classics and on equal footing. Just very different in design approach, the 640P uses gimbal bearings for both vertical and horizontal movement while the SME has a knife edge for vertical movement. They don't sound exactly alike but I don't like splitting hairs to describe/verbalize sound, I'd rather enjoy the music. ;)
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Re: Neat Idler Drive Turntable

Postby stereophile » Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:35 am

setup1 wrote:Finally got my MO19 back and just fitted a Grace 640P/DL103. Thanks RoK :rock: ;)

Image


Nice analog rig! Congrats! :clap: :clap: :clap:
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