Sillitoe record lathe

[Holmz]

We got a bit of treat this afternoon.
A friend’s son has this business in Perth, WA. and I got an invite to have a look-n-listen… it was quite a treat and I could have easily stayed many more hours.

https://www.sillitoeaudiotechnology.com/portfolio/lathe/


And got to see a track being cut on a lacquer, and then played back.
And it also does DMM (“Direct Metal Master” <-- I think that is the term??)

The platter is driven by a big DC motor from the bottom with a shaft about a meter long.
A brushless DC motor with a bunch of poles, Hall effect sensors, and 1000 or maybe a 10k encoder for the speed control and position.

The usual vacuum platter to hold the lacquer in place.
For the cutting there is a vacuum to suck away the swarf of lacquer from the cutter.

Then for playback a 11” Korf arm was fitted on this one, and MM cart.
Nothing over the top for the playback cart… using a Micro Point MP5xM cart, which is a standard one used for checking the cut track.
And the microscope images are also telling visually.

There is a S/W package that has microscope of the grooves, stylus velocity, level, etc., etc. plots.

I am not a record cutter/mastering engineer, but it looked pretty easy and also pretty intriguing.

Plus lots of attention to resonances and vibration control, as well as smarts in the cutting head to minimise distortion.
And the cutting head looked pretty easy to service.
 

[TomicTime]

Supercool…looks like an Ortofon Black for playback. 

[Holmz]

3 hours ago, TomicTime said:

Supercool…looks like an Ortofon Black for playback. 

Yeah I think it is what James mentioned..
There was that MicroPoint as well.

[ctsooner]

One of the coolest threads/pics going!!!  Thanks so much for sharing.  That's just amazing.  

[Huang]

Way cool and fascinating. Day well spent