A day dedicated to sound: The Kenwood L-07D with second tonearm
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Krey Baumgartl, the sales manager of IAD GmbH, privately. Our meeting had a clear focus: the expansion of an already legendary record player. Krey had recently purchased a Kenwood L-07D - an absolute masterpiece from the golden era of analogue hi-fi. The Kenwood L-07D, which first came onto the market in 1979, was way ahead of its time and is now one of the top drives in hi-fi history. No wonder that Krey, like many enthusiasts, not only appreciates this precise drive but also wanted to refine it even further.
The Kenwood L-07D: A technical masterpiece
Before I get into our specific project, I would like to briefly highlight some of the technical highlights of the Kenwood L-07D. Weighing around 34 kilograms, this record player's impressive build quality is evident in its solid construction. Its direct drive is controlled by a powerful, low-vibration DC motor that offers outstanding speed accuracy. The motor unit and tonearm base are mounted on a specially developed sub-chassis construction that minimizes unwanted vibrations and resonances.
Another technical feature is the excellent damping, which is achieved through the use of specially coordinated materials and layers. The Kenwood L-07D thus offers an exceptionally neutral reproduction - a dream for every audiophile looking for sonic authenticity.
See above: the structure of an L-07D, source: http://www.l-07d.com/
The challenge: A second tonearm
Like many of us who want to get the most out of our records, Krey was curious to see how other tonearms would perform on this turntable. Fortunately, the Kenwood L-07D offers the option of mounting a second tonearm. But here's the problem: the original Kenwood tonearm bases are rare and now almost impossible to find. A suitable solution had to be found.
That's what got me involved. In my fascination with the Kenwood L-07D and my passion for the perfect sound experience, I designed my own tonearm base specifically for this drive. The base is made of high-quality 6061 aluminum and has a durable black powder coating that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also offers high stability and low resonance.
This base is flexible and allows the mounting of various tonearms with SME connection up to a length of 10 inches as well as those from Fidelity Research with a 28 mm screw connection. This also includes the possibility of integrating various other tonearms such as Schick, Kuzma and others with the help of an adapter plate.
The moment of truth: assembly and adjustment
That day, Krey's wish to mount a second tonearm on his L-07D - in this case a 9.6-inch Schick tonearm - was to come true. This required not only the specially designed base, but also a special adapter plate with an SME to 20mm hole and clamping function, which Krey had purchased.
We got to work together: First, we mounted the adapter plate on the new tonearm base and aligned the Schick tonearm on it.
We then used the Dr. Feickert template to set the correct pivot-to-spindle distance and the correct overhang. Precise adjustment is essential for a record player of this class, as this is the only way to fully exploit the sound potential. Voila! A second tonearm was installed on one of the best turntables in the world.
Now came the final touches: The tonearm was equipped with a Yamamoto HS-5 titanium headshell, which in turn accommodated a Scheu Ruby pickup.
The Sound: A Masterpiece is Expanded
After the adjustment, the moment of truth had arrived: we put the first record on and let the music speak. It was a pleasure. The Schick tonearm in combination with the Scheu Ruby pickup gave the already neutral and precise reproduction of the Kenwood L-07D additional nuances. The transients were clear and detailed, the bass had a pleasant depth and the treble was reproduced clearly and cleanly. The second tonearm makes it possible to specifically emphasize certain sound characteristics.
Conclusion: Two tonearms are better than one
The Kenwood L-07D is already a gem for every lover of high-end audio, but the ability to mount a second tonearm opens up a new world of sound possibilities. The tonearm base I developed not only offers the necessary flexibility, but also the precision needed to exploit the full potential of the record player. The result is an even more versatile and individual sound design that makes the Kenwood L-07D an individualist.
This project with Krey was a joy and a reminder that a love of music and a love of engineering can go hand in hand – when the right tools and dedication are involved.
