pournell@sdcsvax.UUCP (05/09/84)
I've a pair of old GNP 20-liter bass boxes (the 4-foot variety), a pair of GNP 2-element tweeter/midrange 4-liter boxes and a problem. The speakers are (in case you were wondering) are all-particle board, not the lead-lined variety. I have listened to everyone else's speakers and am still very impressed by the price/performance of my GNPs. The problem is the rest of the system! I bought the amp at close-out and it's simply underpowered. It's a Pioneer SX-780 reciever, nominally 45W a side (though more like 15 and full of distortion). Above three units of volume (relatively speaking, since this is a very non-precision tuner), the speakers start displaying more disortion than true sound information. This is especially true on loud snare hits. The other problem: my turntable. Ugh. I got this Sony PS-5550 belt-drive from my mother when she upgraded. She was disgusted with a turntable that scratched records when the dog walked by (horrible isolation). It went into the shop (for 6 months!) to wait for Sony to make a new motor for it. The Pacific Stereo rep literally called every depot in the country looking for a motor for the effing thing. That Sony's parts cycle for a 5-year old table was that long, plus its new problems, convince me that I never want another piece of Sony eqpt. ever. So, enough of the old problems, onto the new: The Sony table's spindle has sunk. Enough so that the aluminum table itself rubs against the base. All you Golden Ears out there will probably choke on your Cathode Rays at my temporary solution, though it worked (I put a layer of masking tape on the spindle to raise the table). By I must stress temporary, because the spindle has sunk enough that the nylon geared wheel that drives the arm return mechanism won't engage. This means I must take the turntable apart and restring the belt for every album side. Naturally, all of you out there will suggest I replace the whole turntable rather than repair, but I just haven't the money. So: Question one: does anyone know where I can get a replacement spindle for this table? More importantly, does anyone know how to change it without using carcinogenous chemicals to remove the Japanese Green Nut-Fixing Gunk? There seems to be no provision for simply raising the spindle. Question Two: what's everyone recommend in recievers? I immediately fell in love with the NAD series, but $600 retail is a bit steep. I need a lot of watts (at least 60 honest; the GNPs are pretty power-hungry). Lots of headroom is also imperative. American made would be nice (but seems unobtainable). Oh, the rest of the system: triaxial coax for speaker hookup, a nice AKG cartridge (don't know the model). I am about to throw out my Discwasher pad, as it's better at scratching my disks than cleaning them. Sure, I could probably improve my reception by taking the S-100 computer off the reciever, but let's not deal in trivialities. Alex