Turntable Light Speed Control (TSC)
Introducing the Turntable Light Speed Control (LSC)
Speed accuracy on most turntables tends to drift. Encoder motor control has it’s own set of issues but however accurate their speed, it never gets over most of the following problems.
- Belt wear causes belt slippage so even if the motor is turning at the correct speed the belt does not keep up as it did once. Regular speed resets are required.
- Temperature variation causes belts to stretch or shrink slightly which affects belt tension > slippage > speed.
- As motors age they tend to run slower (not true of encoder types).
- Oil viscosity varies with temperature so bearing drag can cause changes to belt slippage.
- Pod position affects speed as it changes belt tension.
- Belt grip varies with the 4 different ways it can be put on the deck
These are some reasons most decks achieve an absolute speed accuracy of around 0.2% to 0.6%. In fairness this is not bad although professional musicians sensitive to pitch will notice it. It’s also worth mentioning that absolute speed accuracy is nowhere near as important as motor vibration.
One way to overcome the absolute speed drift is to measure and control the speed of the platter itself which is usually only achieved on direct drive decks. With the Origin Live LSC the speed is incredibly accurate with a measurable drift of below 0.003% (around 100 times more accurate than most decks).
The system is such that it guarantees this level of accuracy regardless of belt wear, motor age, pod position and temperature. This makes for an extremely user friendly experience as you do not have to worry about the aforementioned factors that bedevil conventional decks.
The most significant advantage of the LSC is that it achieves a significant reduction in motor jitter. This is not wow and flutter but tiny micro changes in motor speed that create vibration – not something that is ever measured due to technical challenges but is by far the most significant factor affecting sound quality. Encoders create this problem in spades which is why we never use them.
2 Grades of Circuit
Circuits control motor speed by instantaneous analogue load sensing and digital measurement correction.
2 Transformer Options
A normal low power Transformer is included as standard with all decks below the Sovereign unless the much higher power, fully balanced Transformer is chosen.
The Sovereign turntable and above include fully balanced high power transformers.
Standard Low Power Transformer
This transformer is supplied as standard with all kits. The photo opposite is representative as actual item can vary slightly in appearance.
Fully Balanced High Power Transformer Upgrade
The fully balanced transformer offers a highly worthwhile upgrade for DC motors.
