Urika Installation - IC and Mains Cables

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Charlie1
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Urika Installation - IC and Mains Cables

Post by Charlie1 »

Thought I'd create this thread as it might be useful in future for anyone searching. Basically, a few Urika owners have found that the official Linn method of installation creates contact between phono and mains leads and it sounds much more musical if they are seperated.

http://forums.linn.co.uk/bb/showthread.php?tid=6002

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ThomasOK
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Post by ThomasOK »

Oh, great! Another thing I have to do to my LP12 for it to sound the best. Isn't it enough that I have to rotate the platter the right way, space the outer platter away from the inner with a feeler gauge and make sure my mat is right side up?

Next you'll be telling me I have to demagnetize my records before I play them. :)
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Post by Charlie1 »

hehe. You need one of them there CD player thingys.

Speaking to one of the persons who's separated their cables already, this is no minor tweak, but a good musical improvement.
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How to unplug?

Post by k_numigl »

I'm somewhat reluctant to ask this seemingly simple question here,
but better safe than sorry....

Intending to separate the discussed cables (installation was completed
according to the instructions, i.e. 2 signal and 1 power cable through
the dink of the base plate), I tried softly to unplug the T-cable from the
arm with the Urika in place. The fit was so tight that I decided to ask
here before I proceed: what is to be done first when de-installing the Urika?
Unscrew the base plate or unplug the T-cable? Of course, it is possible
to apply quite some force for the last step of the installation, that is
plug in the T-cable, as you can counteract on top. This is different when
pulling, and the hole in the base plate is too small to grab the plug
firmly. Any special advise?

Thanks, Klaus
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Post by lejonklou »

There is a tiny screw at the base of the tonearm pillar that locks the connector in place. You have to unscrew that before unplugging.

After having plugged it back in, don't overtighten the screw.
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Post by k_numigl »

hmmmm, can we perhaps delete those two last posts, please??
At least mine? Sounds too silly.

Serious again:
I wasn't patient enough to wait until the weekend but separated
the Urika power supply cable from the signal IC already by now.

Summary:
Breathtaking. Immediate action required for those who followed the
illustrated installation guide.

More details later when I've got more time.

Regards, Klaus
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Post by k_numigl »

Here the report about the cable separation with a bit more detail.

In order to isolate the effect of the cable separation, I marked the rotational position of
outer and inner platter and put it back as it was before. The gap between them
was also controlled before and after the mod (0.05 mm). Felt mat upside also
kept the same.

Three tie raps kept the two signal interconnects and the U-power cable in place, as
is advised in the installation manual. (The installation had been done by
my expert local dealer.) These had to be cut, of course. I decided to
leave the motor power cable where it is (just behind the motor) and use the hole
of the former p-clip for the U-power cable. This cable and the signal leads have to
cross, therefore (RCA cons). I kept the U-power cable close to the alu base and lifted
the silver interconnects slightly, so they cross without touching each other. Two tie raps
serve now to secure the silvers, the one close to the plinth a bit tighter, securing
the upward bow of the silvers, and the second quite loose to allow for this bow.
The U-power cable is not secured by now and could be affected when pulling
it, but if someone is doing so, its me. In total, not a big deal.

I'd like to improve the attachment of the U-power cable to the TT later. As
the entire Urika is mounted on the base plate, it makes no sense to secure it
on the plinth. So either two small holes in the base plate could serve for a tie rap
solution (I don't think this alters the properties of the plate noticeably), or alternatively
a glued on post close to the p-clip position could do.

With everything back on service I did not expect to hear an immediate difference,
because there were three days between the listening sessions before/after. As I am
accustomed to do, I recorded the before/after conditions with a few sample
files (gladly offered to DS-owners, if interested). This is a nice practice, as
you cannot easily go back and forth with mods like this. But I was way wrong, the
improvement being so immediately apparent and substantial. I'm not going to
describe it - it's always the same vocabulary regardless of Radikalising the LP12,
demag your LPs, or everything else which is for the positive.

But can I indicate how big the improvement is? I find this always difficult,
as I tend to think in black and white when switching back from the better
solution. My most recent 'upgrade' is to demag the LPs, so it is easiest to
compare with this. The cable separation is clearly a bigger step, which says
quite something, as demag is no small improvement either. Compared with
the cable separation, the adjustment of the gap between outer and inner platter
(0.05 mm) revealed a small improvement.

In summary, I feel happy to have such a low-cost but substantial improvement,
but to see how easy it is to spoil the full potential of pick-up, tonearm, bearing
etc. is less happily recognized.

So don't be lazy, invest some hours for the mod, and enjoy whatever music
you like even more.

Klaus
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Post by ThomasOK »

Thanks for the report, Klaus. This is definitely something I will have to try.

You might want to get one or two of these for holding the Urika power cable in place:

Image

This is a photo of two self-adhesive cable tie clips. Each is .75" square and has an adhesive backing. They are low profile plastic and have slots in the plastic for threading through a cable clip. One of these on the Urika Trampolin near where the cable exits should secure it well. Another could be used, if desired, near where the power cable attaches to the Urika to keep it away from the signal leads. At least in the US these can be found in most electronic parts stores and many computer shops and they are pretty cheap.
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Post by ThomasOK »

I have now tried this cable routing on two LP12s and definitely feel it is a worthwhile upgrade. I basically used the same routing as mentioned by k_numigl except that I installed one of the self-adhesive cable tie clips on the Trampolin near the old arm cable hole in the plinth and attached the Urika power cable to it. I attached the clip on the back edge of the damping pad so it should not change the damping Linn applied to the Trampolin (it was also a physically effective place to put it).

I have to agree with the findings k_numigl gave above. The improvement is immediately noticeable and cleans things up nicely with a better tune and flow. I did this as a preliminary to some plinth listening tests that I will post soon (but not today as it is time to head home). In preparation for the plinth tests I also both centered the platters using a 0.38mm feeler gauge (.051mm on my gauge was too large for the newer platters on my table and the owner's) and I rotated the outer platter in reference to the inner platter for best sound. I have tried rotation before and found it a worthwhile improvement and, based on Fredrik's recommendation, purchased a feeler gauge and found it made an improvement as well.

This is the first time I have done a few of these at the same time and I found the results interesting. All three of these basically free upgrades make an improvement in the tunefulness and the flow of the music. In ranking them I would say that both the even spacing of the outer platter and the rotation of the platters relative to each other have small, but worthwhile, improvements to the music similar to but maybe a bit less than the proper orientation of the mat. I think that the platter rotation makes a little bigger improvement than the spacing but they are both audible on a well tuned system. The separation of the cables seemed to me to be a bigger improvement than either of the platter position changes and might be bigger than the mat orientation as well although it is harder to A/B as there is some time involved in the changeover.

So several worthwhile and basically free upgrades with the cable routing being the most important I heard.
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Post by k_numigl »

Thanks for the report, and also for the hints on fixation of the cables.
I chose a different solution and drilled 2 pairs of very tiny 1 mm dia holes
into the base plate and secured the U power chord with a piece of thin
Kevlar yarn. With that it is possible to keep the chord very close
to the base plate. Method not generally recommended, of course.
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Post by ThomasOK »

Question for a moderator. Shouldn't this thread be in the On the Inside section? After all, it is on the inside! :D
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Post by Azazello »

ThomasOK wrote:Question for a moderator. Shouldn't this thread be in the On the Inside section? After all, it is on the inside! :D
You are definitely right Thomas!
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Post by SaltyDog »

And the one on plinths to "on the outside" ? :)
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Post by ThomasOK »

SaltyDog wrote:And the one on plinths to "on the outside" ? :)
My plinth is on the inside. If I put it on the outside it gets wet when it rains. :wink:
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Post by Tony Tune-age »

ThomasOK wrote:
SaltyDog wrote:And the one on plinths to "on the outside" ? :)
My plinth is on the inside. If I put it on the outside it gets wet when it rains. :wink:
And the rain might damage the finish... :?
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Re: Urika Installation - IC and Mains Cables

Post by ncs12 »

Hello. Sorry to resurrect but I'm looking for a photo of this wiring approach and wondered whether anyone could kindly share?

Chris
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Re: Urika Installation - IC and Mains Cables

Post by ThomasOK »

This should give you the idea.

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Re: Urika Installation - IC and Mains Cables

Post by ncs12 »

Thank you. The picture is perfect.

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Re: Urika Installation - IC and Mains Cables

Post by Tony Tune-age »

ThomasOK wrote: 2020-09-30 17:10 This should give you the idea.

Image
That's a photograph of my Urika, and it was taken the very day you installed it too!

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Re: Urika Installation - IC and Mains Cables

Post by Tony Tune-age »

Tony Tune-age wrote: 2020-10-02 19:57
ThomasOK wrote: 2020-09-30 17:10 This should give you the idea.

Image
That's a photograph of my Urika, and it was taken the very day you installed it too!

Cheers
After a couple of years since getting an Entity phono stage, my Urika phono stage has finally found a new home. Thanks to Thomas for all of his efforts!

Cheers
Tony Tune-age
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