turntable motor / power supplies

Description of turntable power supply motor drive

The turntable power supply upgrade consists of a high-grade motor and external boxed power supply. The motor plate is designed for drop-in replacement of your existing turntable motor. Three levels of upgrade are offered - Standard, Advanced and Ultra.

Reasons to upgrade your motor drive

• It is makes an enormous, cost effective improvement to your system due to the central importance of the motor drive

• It is a relatively low investment in comparison to changing your deck

Why is the motor and power supply so influential on sound quality?

The reasons why superior power supplies have such an audible effect on performance have been well documented - they reduce vibration and variation in motor speed - both of which have a huge effect on the signal generated by the “all sensing” stylus. What may not be so generally appreciated is that platters suffer a momentary slowing under load which is so small it can hardly be measured. The cartridge amplifies this effect 8,000 times, resulting in an appreciable loss of dynamic impact, especially in the bass region. To overcome this, some decks use a very high mass platter but this “solution” has its own drawbacks, producing a thick, clinical and lifeless sound. A better solution is to make the motor capable of responding powerfully and instantaneously to any increase in the dynamic load on the drive. This is one aspect addressed powerfully by the circuit design of the advanced and ultra upgrades. The results are obvious upon listening.

Characteristics of a high grade power supply

Control of motor energy fluctuation

A high performance dc motor drive is dependent not only on motor quality but more importantly on a superb power supply.

Motors are hard to drive evenly with absolute precision. Eddy currents within the magnets cause severe power fluctuations among other factors. Negative voltage is fed back into the power supply. If not controlled, this results in motor vibration and severe loss of dynamics. Origin Live power supplies absorb such dips and surges in load, while adjusting to deliver copious and precise power with great speed.

Speed stability
The motor requires load compensation to maintain the turntable at a constant speed. This is because the drag of the stylus varies between the inner and outer tracks of a record. Many turntables suffer from about 1% speed drift. Not only is there variation from inner to outer tracks - there is also localised variation when the stylus negotiates complex or heavy passages of music.

To overcome these problems, the Advanced and Ultra power supplies have a load sensing circuit that maintains speed drift to a mere 0.1% (as measured by Hi-Fi News magazine - ten times better than the average turntable). The results are increased dynamics, better timing and pitch control, and a greater sense of drive and pace.

It is worth mentioning that for motors, a well designed mains regulator far surpasses the performance of lead acid battery regulation (as used by a few high end pre-amps).

Low noise
As well as delivering superb speed control, the regulator is designed to produce very low noise, thereby reducing vibration still further. This translates into increased transparency and better definition.

Speed switching
The speed is easily switched between 33rpm and 45rpm using the knob on the speed control box.

Features & benefits

Motor Features

The high-grade DC motors are best of class and characterized by
• Low vibration
• Smooth, powerful rotation

The motors are a breakthrough design with virtually no cogging effect due to ironless cores. Cogging is the ‘flick’ that occurs as straight rotor windings pass between straight magnetic strips, i.e. the power transfer varies as the coils rotate from one magnetic pole to the next. More expensive motors have ‘skewed’ coils to ensure a smooth power transfer as the rotor rotates between poles.
This imparts a massive advantage over the inexpensive AC motors used in most decks, such as the Linn LP12, Thorens, Rega etc. These cannot run smoothly in comparison, no matter how sophisticated and expensive the power supply. The Origin Live DC motor is not only cogless but also ironless, which means that flux residue which occurs in cheaper motors is eliminated. Smoother, more efficient operation is the result. The Origin Live motors are also fitted with precious-metal brushes and are highly reliable. The bottom line is that the major source of vibration in any turntable (i.e. the motor) is dramatically improved. The benefits are difficult to imagine and fully appreciate until you hear them.

Precision pulley
The pulley is precision made from a special plastic selected for it's high performance.

Motor plate
This is laser cut from stainless steel with mounting hole to coincide with the standard synchronous motor used on most decks. The single bolt fitting enables belt tension to be adjusted by rotating the motor - an important factor to optimize performance. Due to the lower vibration of the motor, it does not need rubber-band or other decoupling methods employed on some decks to isolate their existing motors. In fact this motor can be attached to the sub-chassis of a deck with no significant noise breakthrough!

Common objections

Will upgrading the motor and power supply really make such a massive difference? - The reviews and owner comments of the web site will put this concern to rest whether your deck is a Linn LP12 (Lingo, Armageddon, Valhulla etc.) or a Rega Planar 2.

Will I be able to fit the kit without too much trouble? - All you need to do is fit the motor. The motor, external switch box and transformer simply plug into one another - there is no soldering or electronics assembly.

Fitting is usually very straight forward as the motor plate is designed as a drop in replacement for the existing motors used in most turntables. Owners have little trouble once they have the parts in their hands, and we provide clear instructions on installation, dimensions, etc. covering almost every situation. Additional detailed accounts by owners on exactly how they fitted the kit to their particular deck are also posted on the Origin Live web site. Fitting on the LP12 can take as little as 20 minutes and is fully reversible. However, should you confront insurmountable problems in fitting the kit, please return it for a refund.

Shop installation

The other way to fit the motor is by a local dealer. The drive upgrades are available through shops and there are many specialist dealers who can install the kit for you if required. A labour charge will probably be involved, but the total investment is still far less than the cost of other products.
Is the kit worth the outlay on a lower priced deck? - Many Rega owners say that the kit has utterly transformed the performance of their deck. Other owners of budget decks also testify to being deeply impressed by the results. Again - please see the Origin Live web site for owner comments on the sonic benefits to a large cross-section of decks.