Hi guys, I have come to this forum seeking help. I have recently purchased an older Aura Turntable and after sending Owen a message asking for his help, he suggested I create this thread.
Thanks Owen.

I have also posted a new member intro elsewhere as I thought that would be appropriate.


Although I have a keen interest in HiFi, I have never been successful with turntables. I have tried a few along the years but as all my vinyl collection was left behind in the UK when I migrated to NZ in 1993, there was never a justifiable reason for me to stay invested in vinyl.


Having said that, I have always been fascinated by the Michell Gyrodec and thought if I ever buy a turntable, that’s what I’d buy. That was of course until I saw the Kiwi made Aura. My interest was sparked even more when I realised that a good mate’s dad owned one that he hasn’t used for a long time.
It’s been a few years since I learned of this particular Aura and its only because I have moved to an apartment that I have the opportunity to consider such a purchase.


Looking at Owens Aura tear down pages I have think the Aura must have been in constant development and I guess this is normal. My Aura (sounds weird) looks a little different to most that I can see.


My objective – well to be honest I think I love the engineering and look of the Aura just as much as I’m interested in the sonic performance. Essentially I want to preserve the Aura ad keep it as a usable, every day turntable. If this was a classic car, I would not be sticking to the concours rules of “must be 100% original”. I’d probably put descent tyres on it and change the brakes up so I can take the thing to work on Fridays. 

I certainly won’t be investing in new thousands of dollar cartridges, phono stages and other kit. At least not now and that will only change if I get hooked into that journey. I’m more likely to buy 2nd hand items that keep it going and will have some parts replaced as I can.

Also I also don’t own a phono stage. Thanks to my mate who helped me out with loan items to get her running.


The issues out of the box are;

Purchased with Dynavector DV-505 Arm – Missing head shell and no cartridge. (loaners in place)

Tarnished washer that holds the arm board in place (looks gold plated)

Broken mirror on base (at the back so is not seen day to day)

Spring suspension sits low at the back corner where the arm is. I have checked all the springs and all look ok but there is something wrong. I have placed a silicone spacer there for now to balance her up. This may have happened recently as I did not notice this when I first collected the Aura.

Can’t figure how to remove the platter bearing so I can change the oil

The interconnect seems pretty old and "basic"
Although a good mate (Neil Young) helped me set her up, the loan cartridge is well past the use by date and I need to find a better option.

The Aura came with a perspex cover that wraps the counterweights. I suspect this protects prying fingers and helped with dust. This is crazed all through it, so I have removed it. Should I keep it or have one re-manufactured.


So the priorities will be setting a realistic budget to get the best outcome. Considering I want to preserve the Aura, this won’t all be spent on a cartridge for example. If the collective opinion is that I restore her, I will and at the sacrifice on “Non Aura” essentials like a cartridge.


So please post you opinion, I’m genuinely interested in your views on the approach I should take.


Thanks in advance,

Steve.










delete moped account

Ah, When I say non Aura essentials like a cartridge, I mean a high end cartridge as I obviously need a better one than the loaner I have.

Restoration is a great idea. These TTs have a deserved high reputation.

As to the perspex lid, it is certainly restorable, however it might be best and easiest to replace it.

Hi sjk - as you mentioned, this looks like an early Aura (Dave Whittaker started making the Aura around '84).
Originally, his concept was for a high mass TT but with low mass (but damped) platter to minimise energy storage.

Here is a cross section of a later Aura (with intermediate flywheel), which differs slightly to yours - notably the main platter (now damped & filled underside) & bearing (no large sub-platter-spindle part).

The first thing is to check that the main bearing runs well - does it (the sub-platter-spindle part) turn smoothly?

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Your Aura doesn't look like it actually needs much to sound best.

Mine had a combination of springs and sorbathane pucks which I've removed and replaced with polycrystals, and Maglev feet under the next layer.
Its also using the DV505 arm.

This deserves a decent cart and phonostage.

Hi Citroen, Nice Aura, I'm in awe.. and the Dynavector, cool, now I know I'm in the right place. Thought I'm a little worries about the 2CV...

I was going to buy a couple of squash balls to slide in between the plates to see if that would provide a temporary fix, at least until I figured out how to take the wee beastie apart. But I'll definitely follow your lead once I get to that point.

Owen, the spindle seems smooth enough, although with no experience I could be missing something. I think Neil would have picked up if there was an issued though.
The motor does seem to vibrate a bit which is a concern. I see another forum member has replace the motor. But this is why I reached out, I'd rather stay original if I can. Initially I had speed wobble issues and emailed Chris Marquet, as it turned out though I was only using 1 belt and should have been using both. I had used one because the top groove on the spindle felt a little rough and I was concerned. However the groove itself is OK and I don't think that's a concern. I'm not even worried about not having a 45 RPM option, but we'll see how things go over time.

Cheers again, Steve.

OK, the bearing seems good.

Suspension springs:
Dave would distribute more springs under the heavier loaded side/s, ie the solid steel tonearm pillar/s at the rear.
Would this level up the TT?

Most Auras I've seen have a combination of springs & squash balls, sorbothane hemispheres, pucks, or such.
You will have seen mine on my Aura Tear Down blog post - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com/2016/12/28/aura-turntable-tear-down/

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

I saw the tear down and the sorbothane. When I look into the gap, I can see what appears to be a foam or sponge like material that doesn’t look like it would support much. There are three springs under one corner, but only two under the arm pillar. There are two holes where the arm pillar can be mounted, each has two springs which is curious. I need to figure how to this apart. As you can see in my pictures, the Flywheel, support bush and platter all differ from the ones in the tear down.
There are small holes at the base of the spindle and I have not managed to get a light and camera in there to see if there are grub screws – possibly the adjustable bearing screws that I can remove, and I don’t know if this will allow access to anything useful.
Do you know what holds the bottom acrylic plate to the rest of the Aura? The springs are all screwed to the bottom plate, so it looks like everything from the top plate up should lift off, but is doesn’t.

Mine was configured for two tonearms with one sorbathane puck in each corner, 3 springs in each back corner, one spring in each front corner and a few springs in the middle.

With only one arm, I would think three in that corner and the rest evenly spread would level it.

The high trough in the pic holds the sorbothane puck, and the lower disks keep the springs in place, but you can obviously put the springs where-ever you want. Freestyle like Owen's.

Hi Steve - Citroen is on the money too, those 'troughs' as I recall, were alumin rings with inner edge chamfer to accommodate squash balls - sounds like you do not have these.

You may see from the Cross Section drawing above that the Flyweights disc (gold plated, items 13 & 14) is sitting on a plastic bush (15).

If you grab this & pull upward, all of the gold Flyweights + the silver platter spindle on top, should lift off - however be *careful* not to drop it back down with any force, as the single downward-pointing unipivot point could be damaged (if lowering, do so slowly, carefully).

The carbide point (10) sits into a Thrust pad (11) with dished guide surround.

The polished metal centre cylinder tube (your last pic) should lift upward, leaving the centre shaft (inside this tube) behind (attached to the TT base.
(The grubscrew/s at the bottom are there to adjust tightness of a Teflon ring bush between the tube & centre shaft.

(Your TT may differ a bit from the X-section drawing above, I have never seem an Aura exactly like yours before.)

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Wow, awesome advice. I would have never guessed the flyweights etc all freely lift as one unit. The weight is deceptive and I thought I was stretching a spring out, but it was just mass. Awesome guidance chaps, thanks.
Now its clear, I think the upper plate has been incorrectly placed on the bottom plate as you can see, there are 3 springs grouped and they are at the opposite corner of where they should be. Just a case or turning the base 180 deg.

I've had too many wines now to continue, so... parked till another day.

Good work!

1) What does the underside of the top spindle (bearing under) look like? Does the bearing carbide point appear in good shape?
Possibly this top part is still attached on top of the gold Flyweight disc - those 3 x (hex head?) grubscrews that you mentioned earlier.

2) The Thrust Plate part (your 2nd pic above) might just lift off the SS pillar. The thrust plate normally has a plastic/acrylic V-funnel shaped guide on top, this centres the carbide unipivot point. Dave would usually add some 80-90 gear oil into this 'well' before assembly.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

My platter is flat on the underside and sits on a large aluminium block that looks like an oversized version of the removable plug. And there is no removable plug. Instead of a flywheel support bush, my flywheel sits on a shoulder that is formed into the shaft that covers the central support spindle. Also I don’t have an oil trough.

I don’t know how to separate the aluminium block from the shaft. Does this make sense?

Some progress today with a bit of a strip down and also a start on a drawing of this Aura. So far the drawing is not to scale and as time and knowledge allows I'll tidy this up. I think it would be good to create some kind of records that can be kept with the TT for future reference.

I also removed the mirror today and will look for someone local to cut me a replacement net week.



 

Indeed. Keep the flow of info coming. The more you can document the better, as otherwise it will be lost forever.

Keep up the good work.

How big is the mirror,shape and thickness. I can do that for you for the cost of a courier bag if you like. Let me know and Ill try to help out.

Jun 3, 2018 18:59:06 GMT 12 Citroen said:

Indeed. Keep the flow of info coming. The more you can document the better, as otherwise it will be lost forever.

Keep up the good work.

That's certainly my plan. I noticed a serial number located between the acrylic base plates which I'll link to the drawing. Who knows, If I can make the time and other want to supply information about their Aura's we can put together an Aura library?
That would be fun

Jun 3, 2018 19:33:58 GMT 12 andrewp said:

How big is the mirror,shape and thickness. I can do that for you for the cost of a courier bag if you like. Let me know and Ill try to help out.

WOW, that's so kind of you!

I have measured up and the Mirror is 288mm diameter with a 22mm hole in the centre and its 3mm thick. But honestly if this is any trouble I'm more than happy to take it to someone and have one made. 

I know what its like when you offer to help someone out, more often than not you run out of time or it becomes harder than you expect for some reason. So please, if this is really straightforward I'd really appreciate your help, but if its not, can you suggest where I could take it? I work in Takapuna so North Shore would be great.

Thanks:) 

Hi again..
Sorry for the delay in my reply. Ive only just seen your reply.
Ok...
I dont stock 3mm mirror. 4mm only. A sliding door finger pull hole is 21mm which is what most places have.
My advice to you. Contact Metro Glass up your way and get them to do it. Ask for exact sizings and you want the mirror to be flat polished all round (f/p) They may also be able to drill 3mm mirror. They definitely habe it in stock.
Sorry I cant be more help. Flick me a pm if you have any issues and Ill help where I can.
All the best.
Andrew

On my Aura, the mirror edge is trimmed with a black plastic J-shaped edge piece (can just be discerned in my & Citroen's pics above).
If you can source some of this, then I expect that the edge-polishing would be unnecessary (saving some cost).
It's ~12mm high, I can post a diagram later if req'd.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Not even sure why there is a mirror.

A clear piece of perplex, or even a painted surface wouldn't detract from its appearance IMHO.

There's plenty of clearance so I reckon 4 mm would definitely be fine

Jun 12, 2018 8:14:39 GMT 12 andrewp said:

Hi again..
Sorry for the delay in my reply. Ive only just seen your reply.
Ok...
I dont stock 3mm mirror. 4mm only. A sliding door finger pull hole is 21mm which is what most places have.
My advice to you. Contact Metro Glass up your way and get them to do it. Ask for exact sizings and you want the mirror to be flat polished all round (f/p) They may also be able to drill 3mm mirror. They definitely habe it in stock.
Sorry I cant be more help. Flick me a pm if you have any issues and Ill help where I can.
All the best.
Andrew

Hi Andrew,

I work close to North Shore Glass and I had initially spoken to them about the mirror, so went ahead with them. They did a really good job for me and also gave me a nearly empty tube of the appropriate non corrosive Bostic to stick it back in place.
Thanks again for the offer of help. 

Jun 12, 2018 12:00:07 GMT 12 Owen Y said:

On my Aura, the mirror edge is trimmed with a black plastic J-shaped edge piece (can just be discerned in my & Citroen's pics above).
If you can source some of this, then I expect that the edge-polishing would be unnecessary (saving some cost).
It's ~12mm high, I can post a diagram later if req'd.

Thanks Owen, I had managed to pry the mirror off and its pretty basic really. See below that I have now replaced this and it looks good IMO.

Jun 12, 2018 18:25:04 GMT 12 Citroen said:

Not even sure why there is a mirror.

A clear piece of perplex, or even a painted surface wouldn't detract from its appearance IMHO.

There's plenty of clearance so I reckon 4 mm would definitely be fine

I ended up with 4mm and there is plenty of clearance as you say. I think the mirror is there so you can see yourself smiling 

Here we go.. With a wee bit of spit-n-polish.. Pretty ha ppy now

Very Pretty!

Now, that is dead sexy!

Never play Leapfrog with a Unicorn.

Thats no 4mm mirror there...try about 6mm. Glad it has worked out for you.
All the best

Jun 16, 2018 8:19:46 GMT 12 sjk said:

Here we go.. With a wee bit of spit-n-polish.. Pretty ha ppy now

Wow wow wow she looks phenomenal!!!!!

Manager & Product specialist at Rapallo AV & HI-FI