Roksan xerxes

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Ant
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#46 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by Ant »

Its now up and running again. I got a maplins 110v transformer second hand rather than buying a new one. i managed to ascertain that the old maplins one was simply a big transformer and had a straight through ground from the us socket to the uk plug which i couldnt tell if the new chinese ones i looked at actually had. They probably did, but i couldnt confirm so i went for the safe option even though it was abit more expensive
Got the us spec iec lead, plugged in the 110v xps7, and bobs yer uncle. Spun straight up with no groaning, wobbling, faffing or fighting with it.

With the tabriz and dv20 on it its a far cry from the rb300 and ortofon mc1.

Got a side of a record listened to before the usual 'everyone in the house talking loudly at each other so its like being in the middle of sheffield train station' started, so its now off again, but enough time to be happy enough with the outcome. They go back to school tomorrow, well 2 of them do, daughter no1 is already off to college after acing the gcse exams but is not in every day until the proper timetable starts next week, and probably not every day then.
But i might get a little peace and quiet back.

A entirely different sound to the oracle altogether (this plane has 4 engines!)

I need to make up a replacement 5 pin to 4 pin adapter as the roksan one john sent me needs to go back.
Ill also dig into the xps1 some more when i get around to it, seems a shame to bin it

Definitely worth rescuing this xerxes

Onwards!
Also starring Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln

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kex1889
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Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2022 12:20 am

#47 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by kex1889 »

Ant, newbie here. Just bought an early Xerxes ser.no. 2xxx
Psu doesn’t run 45rpm, which I was aware of.
Currently chasing a psu2 which is 5 pin. Do you know the pin outs for said 4 to 5 pin adaptor.
RB300 is on its way as we speak, probably fit a Rega Carbon until I assemble dedicated analogue system, currently using one of my onkyo recievers in my home cinema.
Any advice greatly appreciated.
£60 for 2 din plugs and multi core is a bit steep.
Ant
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#48 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by Ant »

No i havent checked it yet.
The 5 pin socket on the psu end of the adapter also looks to be a custom part as its the same as a normal cliffcon 5 pin socket with a thread and nut rather than a mounting flange, the body threads onto the back of this by the looks of it. I couldnt find a matching part anywhere so i will have to make the body which will be a pain.
The body itself is easy enough, just turn one from some acetal or something, cutting the thread inside it will be the ticklish bit because the hole will be abit too small to get the threading cutter i have into it...

Also, with the 300, it is almost 4mm low at the arm pillar so you wont be able to get the vta right without a height adjuster or a shim between the base of the arm (the silver bit). The mc1 i got this with is quite tall, but not much more than any other cart so i suspect it will still be well out with something else in it
Also starring Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln

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kex1889
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#49 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by kex1889 »

Cheers, Xerxes came with 4mm flange, has motor and spindle mods too. I like your sag solution! I’ll fit arm etc. and let you know how I get on. Could always use the 4 pin cable from ps, just need pin out to hardwire to ps2 surely?
Ant
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#50 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by Ant »

Or just change the plug on the end of the psu wire for a 4 pin one
Ill just have to get a meter on the adapter and see what pin goes to what. Presuming the pinout on the xps7 and xps 2 are the same
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Ant
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#51 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by Ant »

Ok just stuck a meter on the roksan adapter cable
Looking at the 5 pin connector
Pin 1 connects to pin 2
Pin 2 connects to pin 1
Pin 3 not connected
Pin 4 connects to pin 4
Pin 5 connects to pin 3
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kex1889
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#52 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by kex1889 »

Sound, just need to win the XPS2 now, got the rb300 to pick up today and passed on the rb250…..£300 it went for!
Can’t wait!
kex1889
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#53 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by kex1889 »

Won the XPS2!
Ant
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#54 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by Ant »

Been having abit of a fight with the xerxes over the last few days. Ive got it upstairs connected to a project phono stage and tonys wad headphone amp so i can get out of the way when everytone is being loud and obnoxious.

I was getting some motor noise coming through when playing with the headphones which i thought was odd, so i gave it a bit of tlc with setup thinking id wobbled it when i moved it upstairs. Quietened it down abit.

Then the belt started slipping so i took a look at the motor alignment. Turns out the bearing thing on the bottom that the motor spins on against its spring has come loose so the motor was cockeyed and barely attached.

So, that had to come off and be fixed. The part also carries a ball bearing and preloads the motor spindle so while it was off i oiled the bottom motor bearing and refilled the grease in there then refitted it properly, making sure there is some end float in the motor. Refitted it, spun it up, and then the bloody spring came off the motor. Had to resolder that back on.

Works now though
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Ant
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#55 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by Ant »

Brought it back downstairs, after adding the high output dv20x2 and a new belt.
Cant hear any motor noise through the main system, just the cans upstairs even with the remedial work to fix it.
Interestingly, changing from the fostex t50 cans to the b&w p7s which are more sensitive, allowing the amp to be turned down also removes the noise.
so it must be below the combined noise floor of the main system, and the speakers arent on my head down here.
Still noisier than the jvc though, there is no noise at all through that and the cans. Fine, the jvc can do that job and the roksan can get used down here.

If im honest, im preferring the roksan to the lenco at the moment, there is a bloom in the bass from the lenco that there isnt from the roksan, the motor being sorted and the new belt have made it better than it was even though there must still be the noise the headphones highlighted.

The lenco has the low output dv20x2 on it which sounds very similar to the high output one so im wondering if it is the deck or my arm that is causing the added bloom. It'd be nice to be able to swap the arm over but the collar on mine isnt long enough to get the nut on if i put it on the roksan.

It'd fit on the jbe though..... just to see...
Also starring Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln

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Ant
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Location: Yorkshire

#56 Re: Roksan xerxes

Post by Ant »

It does fit on the jbe so i did see

Initially i think is 6 of one and half a dozen of the other, it does sound better on the jbe than the lenco, or more probably it fits my preferences better on the jbe than it does on the lenco.

So the lenco is benched for now, need to find it a storage space. Along with the technics. And the air bearing arm

Perhaps a little damping in the arm tube such as wool fibre might be of use, james mentioned that ages ago in the arm thread. The original damping shure didnt work for me.

So down to three tts in use in the living room and one upstairs
Cant use the lid on the roksan because of the shelf above it now though which is a shame

Onwards!
Also starring Rex Hamilton as Abraham Lincoln

www.bte-designs.weebly.com
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