Origin Live DC drive Brochure

UPGRADE

Acoustic Research

Alpheson

Avid

Ariston

Audio note

Avondale Audio

Basis

Bluenote

Clearaudio, CS products

DNM

Kuzma

Linn

Logic

Manticore

Michell

POWER SUPPLIES

Moth

NAD

Nottingham Analogue

FOR ALL DECKS

Opus

Oracle

Pink Triangle

Project

Rega

Roksan

Rock

SME

Source

STD

Systemdek

Thorens

Transrota

Voyd

VPI

Walker

Well Tempered

Wilson Benech

TURNTABLE POWER SUPPLY UPGRADES

Universal DC motor drive

The massive upgrade for your deck

Reviews

he single most important upgrade you can

“T

make concerns the motor drive...nothing
can prepare you for the shock of going DC. In a
word, gobsmacking.”

COMMON GROUND MAGAZINE

he difference the kit made to sound quality

“T

“I

“Y

was remarkable”

HI-FI NEWS MAGAZINE COMPARISON TO LINN LINGO

ts value is nothing short of tremendous.”

LISTENER MAGAZINE

ou will not be prepared for the difference
the DC motor makes, or the magnitude of

improvements made by swapping the partnering

switch boxes and mains transformers....It’s been

said before: the LP12 is all about notes stopping

and starting ...the ability to hear the tune. But
with the Origin Live components this really is

the case....you become appreciative of the overall

intelligibility, absolute stability of imaging. The
way the music gains in continuity over the

span of a piece is something I can only liken
to experiencing master-tape replay at Abbey
Road Studios. I strongly preferred the more

powerful DC200 motor: even with the silver

box it added definition to low pitched notes on

strings and pianoforte. The Ultra box brought
even more control, the bigger transformer then

adding still more sound-stage depth, separation

and apparent dynamic range. Now there was
more expression, more graceful phrasing by the
musicians, and the bass was still more extended,

good though the basic combination had been.

One noticed new details in performance ....

which increased listening pleasure, sharpening
concentration.”

CLASSIC RECORD REVIEW

Advanced switch box housing the voltage

regulator and speed control switch

Introduction

o one would blame you for being sceptical of an easy to
fit, inexpensive dc motor upgrade. Especially one that

N

over 4 times as much. It is simply impossible to imagine the level of
improvement attained by eliminating motor vibration that your Hi Fi
amplifies 8,000 times. The Origin Live DC motor drive upgrade has
been successfully fitted to the majority of turntable models such as
Linn (Valhulla, Lingo), Roksan, Pink Triangle, Rega, Thorens, VPI,

Michell, Heybrook, Opus, Oracle, Well Tempered, Acoustic Research,
Systemdek and many more. No matter how advanced the existing
power supply, the result of adding the drive upgrade has surprised
and delighted owners. It simply produces massive improvements
to all aspects of sonic performance. For over five years, these drives
have been fitted to practically every deck ever built with spectacular
results - it is extremely well thought out and highly refined. The
performance value to your system is well over 4 times what you invest
(in comparison to some upgrades) and the improvement is similar
regardless of the type of deck you own.

Risk free trial

Time and again owner feedback says things like “for once the hype
is true” - “does everything you claim and more”. This means that we
confidently offer these drives on a 1 month money back guarantee
basis. If it doesn’t outperform your current motor drive by a
considerable margin, we will give an immediate refund.

improves on the best of other power supplies costing

f you are thinking of upgrading your system,

“I

investing around 400 Euros in the Origin
Live dc-motor kit should be high on your list for
consideration.”

TNT AUDIO

FOR FULL REVIEWS - SEE ORIGIN LIVE WEBSITE

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2

TURNTABLE POWER SUPPLY UPGRADES

Motor drive outline

The upgrade “motor drive”consists of
a high-grade motor, external control
box with 2 speed rotary switch and
a transformer. The motor plate is
designed for drop-in replacement of
your existing turntable motor. Three
levels of upgrade are offered - Standard,

Advanced and Ultra.

Reasons to upgrade your
motor drive

 It is makes an enormous, cost

effective improvement to your system
due to the central importance of the
motor drive.

 It is a relatively low investment in

comparison to changing your deck.

Why is the motor and

power supply so influential
on sound quality?

Motor drives include all you need

 Fully built control box with 2 speed rotary switch - all leads

and plug connectors included.

33rpm & 45rpm. (H x W x D) 50 x 110 x 180mm

 High grade DC motor with precision bored, electro plated

pulley designed for flat and round belts. The motor is supplied
with a motor plate adaptor to enable fitting to your deck.

 Transformer for either 240/230V, 50Hz

or 110V, 60 Hz mains supplies

 Strobe card for easy and accurate speed setting

 Fitting instructions

The upgrade motors and power supplies are fully

built, no soldering is required - they are literally plug
and play. Installing the motor in your deck is usually a
simple procedure with full instructions provided.

The reasons why superior power

supplies have such an audible effect
on performance have been well
documented - they reduce vibration
and variation in motor speed - both
of which have a huge effect on the
signal generated by the “all sensing”
stylus. What may not be so generally
appreciated is that platters suffer a
momentary slowing under load which
is so small it can hardly be measured.

The cartridge amplifies this effect 8,000

times, resulting in an appreciable loss
of dynamic impact, especially in the
bass region. To overcome this, some
decks use a very high mass platter but
this “solution” has its own drawbacks,
producing a thick, clinical and lifeless
sound. A better solution is to make the
motor capable of responding powerfully
and instantaneously to any increase in
the dynamic load on the drive. This is
one aspect addressed powerfully by the
circuit design of the advanced and ultra
upgrades. The results are obvious upon
listening.

Characteristics of a high

grade power supply

Control of motor energy fluctuation

A high performance dc motor drive is

dependent not only on motor quality

but more importantly on a superb power
supply.

Motors are hard to drive evenly with
absolute precision. Eddy currents
within the magnets cause severe power
fluctuations among other factors.
Negative voltage is fed back into the
power supply. If not controlled, this
results in motor vibration and severe loss
of dynamics. Origin Live power supplies
absorb such dips and surges in load,
while adjusting to deliver copious and
precise power with great speed.

Speed stability

The motor requires load compensation
to maintain the turntable at a constant
speed. This is because the drag of the
stylus varies between the inner and outer
tracks of a record. Many turntables suffer

from about 1% speed drift. Not only is
there variation from inner to outer tracks

- there is also localised variation when
the stylus negotiates complex or heavy
passages of music.

To overcome these problems, the
Advanced and Ultra power supplies have
a load sensing circuit that maintains

speed drift to a mere 0.1% (as measured

by Hi-Fi News magazine - ten times
better than the average turntable). The
results are increased dynamics, better
timing and pitch control, and a greater

sense of drive and pace.

It is worth mentioning that for motors,
a well designed mains regulator far

surpasses the performance of lead acid

battery regulation (as used by a few high
end pre-amps).

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TURNTABLE POWER SUPPLY UPGRADES

Low noise

As well as delivering superb speed control,

the regulator is designed to produce very
low noise, thereby reducing vibration
still further. This translates into increased
transparency and better definition.

Speed switching

The speed is easily switched between
33rpm and 45rpm using the knob on the

speed control box.

Speed setting

To cater for different sizes of platter or sub-

platter, you can set the infinitely variable
motor speed for your particular deck using
preset dial resistors. This has the added
advantage of making the motor simple to
transfer should you ever change your deck.

Features & benefits

Motor Features

The high-grade DC motors offered are the

best at their price points and characterized
by

 Low vibration

 Smooth, powerful rotation

The motors are a breakthrough design

with virtually no cogging effect due to
ironless cores. Cogging is the ‘flick’ that
occurs as straight rotor windings pass
between straight magnetic strips, i.e. the
power transfer varies as the coils rotate
from one magnetic pole to the next. More
expensive motors have ‘skewed’ coils to
ensure a smooth power transfer as the rotor
rotates between poles.

This imparts a massive advantage over the

inexpensive AC motors used in most decks,
such as the Linn LP12, Thorens, Rega etc.

These cannot run smoothly in comparison,

no matter how sophisticated and expensive
the power supply. The Origin Live DC
motor is not only cogless but also ironless,
which means that flux residue which
occurs in cheaper motors is eliminated.
Smoother, more efficient operation is the
result. The Origin Live motors are also

fitted with precious-metal brushes and are
highly reliable. The bottom line is that the
major source of vibration in any turntable
(i.e. the motor) is dramatically improved.
The benefits are difficult to imagine and
fully appreciate until you hear them.

Precision pulley

The pulley is precision bored (not reamed),
polished and electroplated.

Motor plate

This is laser cut from stainless steel with
mounting hole to coincide with the
standard synchronous motor used on most
decks. The single bolt fitting enables belt
tension to be adjusted by rotating the
motor - an important factor to optimize
performance. Due to the lower vibration
of the motor, it does not need rubber-band
or other decoupling methods employed on
some decks to isolate their existing motors.
In fact this motor can be attached to the
sub-chassis of a deck with no significant
noise breakthrough!

Common objections

Will upgrading the motor and power

supply really make such a massive
difference? - The reviews and owner

comments of the web site will put this
concern to rest whether your deck is a
Linn LP12 (Lingo, Armageddon, Valhulla
etc.) or a Rega Planar 2.

Will I be able to fit the kit without

too much trouble? - All you need to

do is fit the motor. The motor, external
switch box and transformer simply plug
into one another - there is no soldering or
electronics assembly.

Fitting is usually very straight forward as
the motor plate is designed as a drop in
replacement for the existing motors used
in most turntables. Owners have little
trouble once they have the parts in their
hands, and we provide clear instructions
on installation, dimensions, etc. covering
almost every situation. Additional detailed
accounts by owners on exactly how they
fitted the kit to their particular deck are
also posted on the Origin Live web site.
Fitting on the LP12 can take as little as 20
minutes and is fully reversible.

However, should you confront
insurmountable problems in fitting the kit,
please return it for a refund.

Shop installation

The other way to fit the motor is by
a local dealer. The drive upgrades are
available through shops and there are
many specialist dealers who can install the
kit for you if required. A labour charge
will probably be involved, but the total
investment is still far less than the cost of
other products.

Is the kit worth the outlay on a lower

priced deck? - Many Rega owners say

that the kit has utterly transformed the
performance of their deck. Other owners
of budget decks also testify to being deeply
impressed by the results. Again - please
see the Origin Live web site for owner
comments on the sonic benefits to a large
cross-section of decks.

Upgrade versions

Standard upgrade:

 Fixes defective motors or power

supplies to a tight budget.

 Upgrades older or budget turntables.

Features

Standard motor - The “Standard” dc

motor is a high quality motor relative
to the AC synchronous motors used in
most decks. However it makes a slight

“whispering noise” and does not attain to

the speed stability or sonic performance of
the DC100 motor used in the advanced
upgrade.

Standard switch box - identifiable by it’s

red LED the standard dc power supply is
built to a strict budget.

4

Advanced upgrade

For all decks

 Reduce response time

 Increase current delivery

drive. This is particularly true in the bass
region where there is a great increase in
dynamic power and depth.

Features

DC100 motor - This is a higher torque,
near silent running motor with even lower
vibration than the “standard” DC motor.
Due to higher torque it also has improved

load compensation. These advances
are well reviewed and result in a more

integrated sound, better timing, rhythm

and pitch, freedom from coloration,

improved transparency and dynamics.

Advanced switch box - identifiable by it’s

green LED, the advanced switch box has
a much more sophisticated circuit design

with improved load compensation and

higher instantaneous power delivery.

Ultra upgrade

For mid to high end decks

Further Options

All upgrade versions come with everything
you need, however there are options that

can be added. These are, a better motor
and / or an upgrade transformer

DC200 Motor option

The DC200 offers the ultimate in

terms of performance, delivering a clear

improvement in dynamics and power

of presentation over the DC100. With
higher torque and smoother rotation, the

results are clearly audible, with all the

usual characteristics of an improved motor

Upgrade Transformer

A special upgrade transformer is offered

as an option for all switch boxes. This
features an extremely advanced, purpose­designed transformer housed in an
outboard enclosure. If you have an
existing standard Origin Live transformer,
then it simply substitutes in it’s place.

The vastly increased delivery of

instantaneous high current results in
improved transparency, dynamics and
deeper bass.

Increased dynamics, bass weight and

power are just a few of the major benefits

to be gained with the Ultra upgrade.

Features

DC100 motor as described for the

advanced upgrade.

Ultra switch box - identifiable by it’s

black aluminium case and blue LED

includes the following features:

Component upgrades - Many aspects

of component specification have been
upgraded, including low impedance / low
leakage capacitors, highly specified diodes,
special LED

Circuit upgrades - The circuit design has

been refined to:

 Reduce electrical noise

Which motor drive is right for you

Results of listening and comparing motor drives and power supply options are shown
in the table below. To gauge total % improvement, add percentages together - e.g. the
advanced drive upgrade with optional upgrade transformer is estimated at a 85 + 35 =

120% improvement. This outperforms the Ultra drive upgrade alone, shown as a 100%

improvement.

Motor Drive Upgrades

& options

Standard drive upgrade (complete ) 40

Advanced drive upgrade (complete) 85

Ultra drive upgrade (complete) 105

Upgrade transformer (optional add on) 35

DC 200 motor (optional add on) 30

Origin Live have a policy of continuous development and reserve the right to change
product specifications and appearance without notice.

Improvement

% rating

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TURNTABLE POWER SUPPLY UPGRADES

Fitting methods

Attaching the motor

ethods of fitting the motor
can vary from screwing it on

M

to wedging it in position with pieces of

hard foam - the motors run cold so there
is never an overheating problem. It is
worth mentioning that the motors sound

best when the plate is mounted with a

single screw / bolt - this also means that

belt tension is easily adjusted by simply

swivelling the whole assembly. It also
means that you have considerable scope

for setting the height of the motor. Nuts
on the machine screw can be used to
clamp the motor at any height along the

thread.

Motors with pods

For motors housed in pods, you can
adapt the pod to house the new motor

- We supply a circular motor top plate
for these applications which means that

after unbolting the pod’s existing top

plate, the Origin Live motor plate can

usually be bolted to the pod using one of

the redundant tapped holes - remember
the motor plate only needs to be fastened

using one bolt.

In very rare cases you may want to request
a machine shop to tailor your old pod

to fit the new motor - e.g. it may need

recessing to get sufficient pulley height.
If you want to check that it’s worth the

trouble, just set up a rigid temporary

working mount for the motor to see what
it sounds like. This immediately convinces
owners to go ahead.

via it’s top plate or sub-chassis,

can supply taller feet or you can source
them through Maplins or a hardware
store.

Sometimes a hole needs to be cut in the

baseboard of the deck to allow the motor
to be fitted - hole saws mounted in a
drill are the best tool to do this work.

Alternatively you can leave the base board

off altogether as the voltages are no longer
dangerous (12V max) - Leaving out the
baseboard will also improve the sound of
the deck due to reduced resonance.

Plinths with thick top plates

When the motor plate needs to be

mounted on the top of a thick MDF

top plate but would add too much
height then a “milling machine” type of
attachment in a pillar drill can cut away
the motor plate profile to the correct
depth and allow the motor to sink into
the top plate. Alternatively a router or
sharp chisel may be used to carve away
the material.

Belts

If you need a new belt we can usually

provide this. Measure the belt’s
circumference in mm. There are two ways
of doing this:

a) Put a length of thread round the belt

path i.e. the motor pulley and Sub-platter,

mark it, and then measure the length

b) Take the old belt - Measure the length
of the belt pulled straight and then double
the figure.

Specifications &

dimensions

Specifications -

Less than 0.1% drift 33rpm, ref 3150Hz

Wow and Flutter will be less than 0.06%,

DIN peak on most decks

Speed is infinitely variable via a dial
resistance.

Standard transformer output is 9V ac.

Upgrade Transformer is 7V ac.

Dimensions

Motor mounting plate fitted to motor

is 70mm x 40mm x 2mm with mounting
holes spaced 60mm apart.

Only one hole is actually needed to fit
the motor plate to your deck. The plate
may then be swivelled to set belt tension.

The motor plate can be fitted on top

or underneath a turntable top plate as
appropriate. Alternatively the plate can be
omitted in some instances and the motor
screwed directly to the deck or a motor
pod.

Optional circular motor plate is

64.5 mm in diameter x 2mm thick and
mounting holes are spaced 57mm apart.

Standard motor body is 40mm long

and 29mm in diameter.

DC100 motor body is 46mm long and

26mm in diameter.

DC200 motor body is 46mm long and

29mm in diameter

One last method is to pack the motor into

the pod by wedging it in position using
pieces of hard foam, rubber, Plasticine

or blu-tak - crude though this may be, it
works.

Height restrictions

Sometimes the depth of the new Origin
Live motor means that the deck needs

taller feet to lift it clear of the surface. We

6

Height
adjustment
using a single
bolt in a pod

Pulleys

Belt height:

The pulley is set at approximately the same
height as the surface it drives - i.e. the sub­platter or platter depending on your deck. To
adapt for various scenarios, there are 3 pulley
options. Once we know your deck model we
can supply the right pulley for it. However
to answer a number of questions that are
sometimes asked prior to placing an order the
following information may be reassuring.

The centre of a flat belt rides on the crown
of the pulley (the crown is the fattest part of
the curved section of the pulley). Round belts
ride in the groove of either the top or bottom
flange.

Short pulley

Used for decks where the motor is mounted
close to top of the plinth. The height from
the top surface of the motor plate to the
centre of the crown is 6mm. Overall pulley
diameter is 11mm.

Long pulley

Best for decks where the motor is mounted
under a top plate e.g. the Linn LP12. In this
case the distance from top of the motor plate
to centre of crown is 14mm. Overall pulley
diameter is 11mm

Large dia pulley

Designed for decks where the belt runs on the
outside of the platter. This pulley is used in
order to achieve the required speeds. Height
options are not required as it does not need
to fit under a platter. The distance from top
plate to the centre of the crown is 14mm.

Long pulley

fitted to LP12

Brushed stainless
steel plate to cover
switch hole - or leave
in old switch

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TURNTABLE POWER SUPPLY UPGRADES

Summary

pectacular progress has been made in the art of vinyl replay over recent years. Nowhere

is this more realised than in the design of motor drives. If you have a cherished deck

S

entirely new levels. The level of improvement will surprise you and probably have you listening

to your record collection into the early hours.

As Vinyl still represents the pinnacle of reproduced music in terms of quality, upgrading

your motor supply is one of the best investments you can make, due to the higher benefits

in performance. Unlike cartridges, a drive upgrade will produce a far more profound

improvement and last a lot longer. It is also transferable to other decks should you ever decide

to change in the future.

such as a Linn, Roksan, Michell, Rega etc, you can now take it’s performance to

8

Vinyl replay products by
Origin Live include:

Tonearms

Power supply upgrades

Turntables

Phono Stages

Interconnects

Upgrades for existing decks

Origin Live www.originlive.com [email protected]

Tel / Fax: [phone]