How do I assemble a
Scheu Premier Das Laufwerk (DL) No. 1 or No. 2 ?
Unlike the Premier turntable series, the DL series are already assembled
and come in their own packaging. All that one needs to do is to
inject the bearing oil and mount the platter. For more information
on placing bearing oil, please refer to the
Scheu Premier assembly instructionson how to put the
oil.
The
Scheu turntables are string-driven. How do I tie a knot for the string
?
A
complete roll of 200 m string comes with each TT, and one will be able to
build new strings from this roll for many many years.
Why a string rather than a normal rubber belt ?
A string, in theory, offers less resonance than a rubber belt.
Tying the string to
make a belt is by using a simple knot on both string ends, as shown
on the left. Cut off any excess with scissors. The knot formed
when using the supplied Scheu string is so small that it would seem
like the string belt was one whole piece. Also, when rotating, the
knot positions itself outside, never interfering with the rotation
of the platter as the string goes around the motor spindle.
Why is the Scheu Cello's motor not separate from
the plinth as in the Scheu Premier model ?
"In this design it will not improve the whole
thing at all. We have enough experience and the Scheu Cello is the quintessence of
the predecessors 2001 and Black Beauty. The 2001 had a separate motor housing and
BB had integrated motor. In the end the Scheu Cello is "the fusion" of both
designs, despite the fact that they do not have anything in common...."
However, it is very easy to separate the motor.
In the Scheu Cello, the motor serves as a footer too. So when the motor is
separated, new footers have to be placed, and have a clearing of 1.5 inches
and above between the plinth and the platform it is on (to give sufficient
clearance to the tonearm cable).
The motor is extremely quiet and vibration-free.
"PLL stabilized, collectorless 3-pole DC motor with low moments of inertia.
Speed (33 1/3 and 45 rpm) adjustable with two potentiometers.
Designed in the former East Germany and exemplifies the competence of
Eastern German engineers. Operated best at 6 to 9 volts DC."
Furthermore, the motor housing is manufactured from a solid block of
aluminum, polished, and anodised.
Furthermore, the motor in both Scheu Cello and
Scheu Premier
have adjustable speed controls for both 45 rpm and 33-1/2 rpm, which are set
with a strobe disc.
Click Me! for a Vinyl Asylum inmate's
personal assessment of the motor.
Can I use the high-end record weight (with
the spirit level) on the Scheu Cello ? What about on other turntables ?
Yes. And in listening test with customers,
the Scheu Cello benefits from the weight, adding more "weight" and body to the
sound. Another opined that it added more detail too.
Needless to say, the Scheu Cello shares the same bearing with the
Scheu Premier, and
that means quality and sturdiness to withstand the record weight.
As for other turntables, consult with your
manufacturer regarding the bearings or spring suspensions. Not
recommended for Rega and Nottingham Analogue turntables, for example.
What is the difference between 9" and 12"
Scheu tonearms ?
In theory, for pivoted arms (non-tangenital -
e.g. Rega, Scheu, SME, Naim, Moerch), the longer arm will track better.
The shorter the arm the greater the effect of warps on the stylus VTA.
However, there are excellent 9" arms that refute this theory.
In effect, the 12" is more like security that the arm is closer to the proper
geometry, more forgiving of small amounts of errors in cartridge alignment.
Why unipivot tonearms ?
In theory, a unipivot arm has less
friction, leading to better sound, a more "natural" and airier presentation,
lower surface noise and less high frequency resonance. Bass bloat
common in many non-unipivots for certain acoustic bass heavy recordings is
eliminated. Caveats are that they are more difficult to set up, but only for
the first time, and the sonic gains are worth all the effort.
"A poor arm bearing (with bearing play) causes a
very unpleasant extra resonance in your arm and therefore in the sound
reproduction. The effect is virtually non-existent with unipivot arms." -
Van Den Hul
Of course, there are good non-unipivot arms,
our favorites are the SME IV and Vs. And just because it is a unipivot
doesn't mean it's superior, there are some that fail to excite.
For more information, for academic purposes
only, as it is the implementation that usually determines quality,
Read More on arm designs. After reading this
article, note that the Scheu unipivot tonearm is a clever combination of the
low-slung design (Hadcock,
Kuzma, VPI, Moerch, ARO) and the lateral weight similar to that implemented
in the Graham arm.
Can you describe the parts of the Scheu
Classic unipivot arm ?
1
Hex screw to tighten the
anti-skate adjustment bar
2
Anti-skate holding bar; No. 3 is suspended here
3
Anti-skate adjustment weight
4
Base where the arm pillar slides through.
VTA can be adjusted by tightening a hex screw against the arm pillar
5
Arm Lifter
6
Lateral Weight - for
azimuth setting
7
Guide where sharp unipivot
point will rest on; the sharp tip is pointing upward from the arm pillar
8
Main Counterweight
9
Screw for tightening
Counterweight setting
10
Counterweight for finer
adjustments
How do I set up anti-skate on the Scheu Classic
MK1 or MK2 tonearms ?
Below is an illustration of the anti-skate
mechanism:
The string loop can be moved across the entire
length of the bar to ascertain proper anti-skate. The bar is a
threaded metal bar, wherein the loop can hook on to the threads / fissures.
Once found, tighten the loop to lock it in place. When further
adjustments are needed, just loosen the loop again or push it with a tiny
screwdriver to the new position. The HiFi News Test Record will
be very helpful in determining the correct anti-skate setting, or even the
blank grooves on the Cardas record. On the Cardas record, the proper
anti-skate setting will cause the arm to move inward slowly without
stopping. You'll know what's fast and slow once you've tried it ...
The lateral weight is for adjusting azimuth once
anti-skate setting is done. Furthermore, it prevents this unipivot
design from excess wobble. It is similar to that implemented as well
in the Graham unipivot arm.
The filament bracket is a thin piece of metal
with a hook at the end where the thread/string holding the anti-skating
weight will be hooked on to. Take care not to let the anti-skating
weight touch the armbase, it should be freely floating away from any object.
Please note that the hook can be moved forward or backward by loosening the
top hex screw. It can be moved sideways by loosening the bottom hex
screw. Hex tools must be of the metric type.
Is there only 1 model of the Scheu Classic
arm ?
Yes. The MK1 version has been replaced
with the Scheu Classic MK2, with a much better armbase assembly. An option is to have the stock cables replaced with the Cardas
Incognito cables.
What is the recommended distance from the
spindle to the pivot point for the Scheu Classic MK2 tonearms ?
For distance from Pivot to Spindle, the 12" inch is 293-302 mm, depending on the
cartridge you use, and the 9"/10" is 226-229 mm. There is no need to have
100% accuracy at a given point . But for academic purposes, more exact
would be 293 mm for
12" (although Wally of Wallytractor fame has the opinion that 302 mm is a
better solution) and the 9"/10" at 227 mm. As long as you can adjust
overhang and azimuth correctly, you should not mind at all about slight
variations.
The distance from pivot to
spindle can vary to up to +8 mm without encountering problems when
adjusting the cartridge, so a slightly larger distance of pivot-spindle is
no problem at all. However, if one can do it exactly at 293mm for 12"
or 227mm for 9"/10", it would be the most ideal, sonically.
Can I use the Scheu tonearms on other
turntables ? e.g. Michell, Clearaudio Champion, Microseiki,
Nottingham, etc.
Yes, of course. But like any other arm,
the existing armboard has to be built or modified for it. In some, the
armboard may not have to be modified. Better yet, bring along your
armboard to our showroom and we can advise you on the spot by fitting in the
Scheu tonearm's shaft into it ...
If I use an 80 mm
platter on the Scheu Premier, and a different arm, how can I raise
the arm higher to reach the surface of the platter ?
"Spacers" which we supply need to be used to raise the
armboard higher. This is now standard in Scheu turntables we supply. For example, some of our customers have bought the
double-arm versions of the Scheu Premiers, 9" on the left and 12" on the
right. On the 9" side, their SMEs and Grahams are mounted on an
armboard raised through Spacers to allow the arms to reach the
platter surface, and still allow VTA adjustments comfortably. The
Spacers are as rigid as the armboards.
Why are you packaging the Scheu Cello with the
Scheu Classic tonearm in Singapore, rather than the usual Rega arm as
packaged in Germany ?
In our experience, the arm can influence the
sound quality a lot. IMHO, the Scheu Classic unipivot tonearm is
in a league where we will not hesitate to install a Jan Allaerts or Lyra
Helikon cartridge, and is the better-value choice for the Scheu Cello
turntable if sonics and flexibility are the criteria.
How does the Scheu Premier turntable compare to other
high-end turntables
in sonics ?
There are too many factors involved, the only
way to really convince oneself is to set up one in one's own system :).
However, many have replaced their very expensive turntables for the
Scheu Premier, or bought the Scheu Premier to sit side by side with their
expensive turntables. These are users who have learned that high
price does not necessarily mean better, either sonically or even in
built.
How does the Das
Laufwerk No. 1 model sonically compare to the Das Laufwerk No. 2 model ?
A description of sound is of course always
subjective. During the in-house development phase the Premier model was
consistently used as a reference. The No.1 and No.2 turntables
comfortably exceed the Premier in terms of sound reproduction.
Detail is reproduced with outstanding clarity. The bass is powerful and
contoured, the fundamental sound is natural and needs no boosting. Both
width and depth are faithfully reproduced and everything is
realistically placed in the soundscape. The treble is not overloaded,
and cymbals, for example, ring long and clear. In spite of the high
detail resolution and transparency, the musical flow is never lost.
While Das Laufwerk No.1 sounds slightly warmer and more rounded, “Das
Laufwerk” No.2 is characterized by an even more dynamic and unfussy
reproduction.
Both turntables should appeal not only to those connoisseurs whose
interest is purely in music, but also to listeners seeking to explore
the limits of their turntable day after day. They provide an excellent
basis and enough scope for you to approach your own individual ideal for
the reproduction of music.
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