Record Deck in a camper van project

Apologies for long post

Guys I guess I could go to an ICE forum for advice on this, but you guys would probably make more sense so here goes.

I need advice on installing a record deck into a campervan - it'd be a laugh but also I'd use it. (obviously only for use when parked ).

I've been a vw campervan man for quite a few years now. Had a lovely camper which was stolen late in 2002 and for various reasons was vanless until now that is. However I bought a van this week, so I'm van man again.

My plan was to buy a fully loaded and equipped camper, but when I saw this van my plans changed. For about half my budget I found a 99% rust free example (not easy to find I can tell you) with straight bodywork and a strong engine. Only problem is the interior needs completely stripping cos its rubbish. I'm going to get a custom interior built for me with the rest of my budget (I know a cabinet maker).

Now, because its a custom and I can (space limitations aside) have what I want. I don't want a sink (never ever found a use for one in a van), and was toying with the idea of building in a record deck instead. Lift the lid in the cabinet, expect to see a sink but see a deck instead. It'll go next to the cocktail cabinet :MILD:

Question 1) The deck. This'll be running off the 12v leisure battery (a second battery you have for running lights, fridges etc, so you don't zap your engine's battery) so I'm gonna have run the system by an inverter. Maplins have em - 150w, 300w and 800w. I shouldn't imagine a deck draws much current but was wondering how stable the power from an inverter would be??? Stable enough to run an AC motor at a constant enough speed???

Question 2) Amplification and speakers. Number of options:

a) a dansette - it'd be fun, easy (speakers and amp included) and retro cool, but sound quality a bit iffy.

b) Could wire it into the van's normal stereo, but would need a phono stage in between - again this'll need running throuigh the invertor. No worries about speakers and amps (other than the phono amp) this way.

c) A seperate system with a proper mains amp running off the inverter and speakercones, probably built into the cabinet. Probably offers the most potential for quality sounds, but only nif its done right.

If we went for the dansette option we've got everything we need. If options b or c we'd need a deck and I was thinking about a Lenco - either one of the ones with a built in arm or a seperate arm. It'd be mounted in the cabinet work. Course I'd have to take care to park the van level or build a mechanism for levelling the deck.

Now We aren't strictly speaking hifi here, but thought maybe the idea would appeal to some of the folk here, and you might have some ideas.

Sorry for the long mail.

 

Id be worried about damage to the deck when the vehicle is moving.

Id be looking at a deck without suspension, and one where you can lift the platter off before driving anywhere.

Id want all that so I could just plonk the platter on and play, no worries about it being knocked out of whack on the move.

Rega Planars' spring to mind.

Anyone else?

 

Hi Uncle,

You need one of these

SCIDB

 

The Lencos are very robust and reliable decks – the L75 was my first proper turntable. They are a simple non suspended design ideally suited to mounting solidly in anything you fancy. I'd be reluctant to drive with the platter or arm counterweight in place, but both are easily removed. Removing the very heavy platter is easy, but not obvious – you lift it up as high as it will go which is about 3mm and then gently twat the centre spindle with a block of wood, it will then lift off!

Another good alternative is a Technics SL1200 - very robust indeed and has a light platter so can be transported safely without worrying about removing it. This thing is club DJ proof so you could probably drive the camper van over it without problem.

Tony.

 

Bottleneck,

With you re suspended decks. Another reason why the dansette route may be of interest is I actually have an old dansette - more of a curiosity piece - and the turntable is a sixties garrard model. Although its suspended, because its supposedly portable, it has some thumbscrews which lock the suspension down for when on the move. Actually thinking about it Dual 505s have similar locking screws.

Rega would be a pain - as my mobile disco is likely to be doing a fair few 7 inchers as well as 12s.

SCIDB,

Loved those old in car players Its funny I've been reading 2Stoned by Andrew Loog-Oldham recently and in it there's a reference to his RR Phantom 5 being equipped with a record player.

Tony,

The Lenco does look like a likely option (pretty cheap too). The L75 is the one with the built in arm isn't it? Is it the L88 that is just the platter (a la Garrard 301, 401). Maybe that would be better with an arm that could be strapped down and counterweight that could cope better with a moving van - something like an Acos Lustre (or any cheapy jap S shape really)? Would still have to take the platter off mind. Having said that HiFi per se isn't really the aim here. Practicality first, then sound quality. Technics probably too big (and don't think it'd look right)

Anyways, does anyone have any views as to how stable a 12v battery to inverter power supply would be? If its all over the place then the whole idea may have to be ditched.

I'd really love to do this. Bit of a barking idea, but fun too. I wanna play all my old ska records when I go camping

 

forget the inverter,get a rega p2 or p3 and then fit a 12v dc motor,also a 12v phono stage should be easy to find,and even easier to build

 

Maybe being a bit too quick in rejecting the technics (or one if its earlier incarnations) though? Hmmm

 

Ok, I'll prove categorically my turntable geekyness and from memory describe the various Lencos (all badged Goldring Lenco in the UK):

L75 – rim drive chassis with very heavy cast alloy platter and integrated arm. As with all vintage Lencos the drive is by a vertical idler from a conical motor spindle – this means any speed between about 14rpm and about 85 is possible, making them ideal for 78 collectors or dance studios who may want to slow music down for practice. The arm is a bit naff with compliant rubber cups for the knife edge vertical bearings and the rubber that decouples the rear counterweight can perish which make the weight droop.

L78 – as above but semi auto so will lift the arm at end of side.

L69 – a simplified L75 with lighter and cheaper pressed platter and simplified arm.

L88 – chunky Garrard era motor unit, think of as a alternative to the 301. I would actually really like to try one of these with a serious arm and plinth as the quality of Lenco engineering is really high, probably above that of Garrard.

L99 – later variant of above, a competitor to the 401.

L101 – cheapish kit turntable, think of as a later version of the L69 supplied as a DIY project or readymade.

It all depends on how much you actually care about it. A Lenco 75 could probably survive a nuclear first strike, well I'm pretty certain you could fling one down a flight of stairs and it would still work. All you will do by leaving the platter on is slightly dent the main bearing thrust plate, and to be honest it may already be a bit worn due to age anyway – you won't physically break the thing believe me!

Tony.

 

Uncle.

I had a spell living in a mobile home and had a Planar 3 at the time, and I can assure you that unless you walked very carefully the arm would go shooting across the record. This was with a Goldring 1012. Cant comment on any other decks. Perhaps a DJ cartridge may work better?

Paul.

 

pass me the 2p's and blu-tak i'll make sure the bugger don;t slip.
cheers


julian

 

Could possibly be helped with a high mass arm and a cartridge that needs a heavier than usual tracking weight.

 

From one geek to another, your geekyness is truly admirable. Hats off

Looks like pretty much any of them would do the job. The nice thing about Lencos is that they seem very solidly engineered, pretty cheap and plentiful (always 4 or 5 at any one time on ebay alone). I'd probably care to start with, then get lazy and not care anymore.

Someone over on Vinyl Asylum sent me this link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3071767610&category=3279

A rather nifty (15W) receiver, with a phono stage and also runs on 12v. The poster (and one other inmate) have experience of this unit and both rate it. This with a Lenco and I'm three quarters of the way there with this concept. US only auction tho Anyone ever seen one of these over here?

MadHippy - wouldn't just chucking a 12v DC motor at a Rega cause the speed to go all over? If not it'd be worth considering - anyone know of any decks that run 12v anyway?

Paul - Jumpiness could well be a problem (though Bottlenecks high mass, high tracking weight idea is a point taken. I know it takes a fair bit to make my old dansette jump and I'm sure that tracks at some silly weight - certainly a higher weight than my scales will measure - so more than 5g. A DJ cart may well be the answer or the Shure below the V15 - which has one of those brush thingies just like the V15. With the brush down my V15 would track through an earthquake ... well probably not but you know what I mean

 

Of course, you could always use one of THESE

Paul.

 

Hmmm...wobbly Quadraspire vs Camper Van.

I feel a bake-off in the air

 

i seem to recall origin did a replacment d.c motor that ran at 12v d.c.

Roll on pay day i want one

 

Oooh. ooh gimme I want one and I want one now.

Not quite what I had in mind, but I want one anyway to play Camper Van Bethoven records.

Hex,

Well I guess you could argue that a van mounted deck would have the most over the top suspension yet devised :MILD:

Hippy,

OL do such a beast its true BUT
a) I think they come in at about £350 - more than I really want to spend on the whole enterprise (its just for fun really - if I can get it to the mid fi level rather than the lo fi Dansette option I'll be happy).
b) while the OL motor may be 12v, is the power supply in the aluminium box, that keeps that a constant 12v, running on 12v itself? Or am I getting horribly confused in my complete ignorance of thins electrical?

Cheers

Tony

 

The Camper Project so far ...

The Interior:

 

The Record Player:

 

Only problem is, the invertor I got is making the valve amp howl like buggery. Hmm, so back to the drawing board on that I think ... not quite there yet

 

Shame. It looks great. Very smart. Surprised you're using valves though. Will they survive all that shock and vibration?