Origin live Aurora Mk2 User manual

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Mk2 Turntable Manual
for Aurora, Calypso, Resolution & Sovereign
NOTE : Speed must be set accurately after 2 day run in

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INTRODUCTION
Read Carefully - Congratulations and thankyour for
choosing an Origin Live turntable. You now have one of the
finest sounding turntables available – not only will it provide
an extraordinary level of performance but also reliability and
low maintenance. These instructions cover all decks listed on
the front cover, so photos and diagrams are for illustration
only. Specific instructions for a particular deck are always
included.
Critical performance factors should be noted as follows:
Adjustable feet to be clear of plinth
Belt tension as it affects speed
Arm fastening tightness (read carefully as it depends on the
arm)
The portions of the instructions printed in grey are optional
reading that provide additional information if required. It is
critical that the remainder of the instructions are read fully
to achieve full potential performance. Underlined text is
especially important.
Although the instructions are written for owners with no
previous experience of turntables, there are aspects of the deck
that run contrary to expections, so experts should note that
before altering anything it is important to have fully read the
manual or degradation will result.
An Origin Live turntable is simple to set up. If you have a
problem, please refer to the instructions - failing this, you
should speak to your dealer or refer to technical support
on the Origin Live web site www.originlive.com - See top
navigation bar “dealers & information” then “technical
support” from the drop down list.
The deck can take approximately 20 minutes to set up
depending on your expertise. It can then be played and
later on the speed can finally be set with absolute accuracy.
As explained later this is because the electronics initially
experience speed drift (if they have not been run in) and may
need at least a day to run in properly.
We wish you an enjoyable time with your Origin Live
turntable.
PARTS LIST
Check that all parts are present.
 Plinth & Sub-chassis - including 1 cable clip
with nut & bolt.
 Turntable bags
o Threaded VTA adjuster
o Cork washer for arm
o 4mm thick spacer for 3 point mounting
on Aurora & Calypso only
o Oil bottle
o screwdriver
o 2.5mm allen key for arm clip
o 2 plastic + 1 steel foot (Sovereign only)
 Platter & spindle (+ mat for Sovereign only)
 (Sovereign only) Sub-platter & sub-platter mat
 1 Belt
 Motor pod
 Standard or  upgrade transformer for 230 volt
or 110 volt mains supply
 Arm (optional)
 Turntable instructions & Strobe card
AVOID SCRATCHING THE
HIGH GRADE FINISH
To clean the surface use a soft lint free cloth
such as a duster – do not use tissue paper or
kitchen towel as these are mildly abrasive.
PREPARATORY NOTES
Your pre-assembled deck is illustrated in the adjacent
diagram. It is not necessary or advisable to dismantle the
deck.
You might make the mistake of thinking that the sub-
chassis is loose but in fact it is designed with freedom to
rotate very slightly from side to side but not “rock” up and
down much.
AURORA & SOVEREIGN ONLY - Note the anti-rotate
stud is replaced by a bolt which is factory fitted to the sub-
chassis. This should not be tampered with – it does not
bolt to the plinth as it’s only function is to stop the sub-
chassis rotating.
ALL OTHER DECKS - Note “the anti-rotate studs”
protrude either side of the inertia disc and locate in the
sub-chassis and plinth to prevent rotation.
DECK PRIOR TO INSERTING PLATTER

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Sovereign deck only - Thread on the 2 plastic feet into the 2
front pods and the steel foot into the rear pod.
FIT THE TONEARM
Mounting Origin Live arms
Thread the threaded vta adjuster onto your arm if it is an Origin
Live Encounter or above. If your deck is a Sovereign and you have an
Encounter arm or above - do not fit the threaded vta adjuster. The
adjuster must be oriented such that the largest diameter is uppermost.
Insert your tonearm into the armboard hole such that the vta adjuster
locates centrally. Next fit the cork washer as shown in the diagram
below before threading on the large clamping nut. You can set the
arm to the correct height later but for now just clamp the arm in
position using the large nut. To adjust the height of the arm, screw
the vta adjuster up or down and reclamp the arm using the large base
clamping nut.
NOTE - For Origin Live arms with integral vta adjuster i.e Encounter
and above you should raise the arm height to just below the right level
using the threaded vta adjuster and then use the arm vta wheel for
fine adjustment.
ARM
REAR VIEW OF ARM ON ORIGIN LIVE DECK WITH
THREADED VTA AND CORK WASHER
ARM MOUNT
SURFACE
CORK WASHER
LARGE CLAMPING NUT
THREADED ARM BASE
THREADED
VTA ADJUSTER
If you have the OL1 or Rega arm with 3 hole
mounting
The arm is bolted or screwed to the deck using the 3 mounting holes
in the base of the arm. To raise the arm for VTA adjustment you will
need to fit 3 or more spacing washers under the arm base holes. One
peice spacers are available from Rega if you want a neater looking
solution.
3 POINT ARM MOUNTING
Sub-chassis or
armboard
3 off bolts or
wood screws
Spacers
For other makes of tonearm
Origin Live can provide the correct cut out in the sub-chassis or
armboard for other makes of arm and after this refer to your arm
installation instructions.
FIT THE PLATTER
NOTE - On newer decks (April 2009 onwards) the platter is a
“loose” fit over the spindle and can detatch from the platter.
Oil the bearing - with the small oil bottle supplied, run approx 10
drops of oil into the top of the bearing house.
Insert the spindle - Wipe the platter spindle surface first
to ensure that it is absolutely clean and very gently insert it
into the bearing house (If the oil does not overflow when the
spindle touches the bottom then try 2 drops at a time till you
achieve overflow - wipe away excess oil without withdrawing
the spindle. Ideally you should spin the spindle slowly as it
settles into the bearing to ensure distribution of oil.
When you oil the bearing you can get a false impression of
overflow if the spindle has oil on it - the oil simply scrapes off
as the bearing goes in and ends up on the top of the bearing
house. You can “feel” overflow when inserting the spindle, it
meets resistance at the bottom which is not a “thud” of the
spindle hitting the bottom but rather a build up of pressure
of the bearing landing on a bed of oil. By further pressing,
you can then see the oil being squeezed out at the top. Lastly,
if applicable, carefully lower the platter over the spindle till it
rests on the lower flange of the platter bush (ensure mating
surfaces are clean).
SOVEREIGN DECK ONLY: NOTE - On newer decks
(April 2009 onwards) the sub-platter is a “loose” fit over the
spindle and can detatch from the sub-platter.
Wipe the sub-platter spindle surface first to ensure that it
is absolutely clean and very gently insert it into the bearing

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house (If the oil does not overflow when the spindle touches
the bottom then try 2 drops at a time till you just achieve
overflow - wipe away excess oil without withdrawing the sub-
platter. Next, if applicable, place the sub-platter on the spindle
such that the less recessed side is uppermost. Then place the
thin black disc on the top of the sub-platter (This is the same
diameter as the sub-platter). Lastly, place the platter on top of
the sub-platter and follow this with the thin black platter mat .
If you have the heavyweight platter then raise the plinth more
than normal by winding out the adjustable feet, till the platter
no longer fouls on the motor pod. The belt must NOT run in
the groove of the platter.
NOTES:
The bearing fit is carefully toleranced to run fully loaded
with the specific oil we supply. It needs at least 10 minutes to
distribute the oil evenly over the running surfaces and approx
24 hours to properly “run in”. It needs this because of the exact
tolerances (0.0001”)which “float” the bearing off the side walls
to avoid metal to metal contact and also minimize viscous drag.
Eventually it should run virtually silent when truly vertical
and full of oil - if it doesn’t do so, there has probably been
contamination with dust and you will need to clean it out with
a lint free paper towel or similar wrapped around a thin rod. If
you do this, be sure to also wipe the oil off the spindle as this
also may contain microscopic contamination that is not visible.
Do not use any other oil than Origin Live oil.
Do not tamper with the bolt in the bottom of the bearing
or oil leaks will occur and you will probably not succeed in
re-tightening it.
The thrust plate at the bottom of the bearing house may
appear to be discoloured or dirty - you should not attempt
to clean this up as it is part of the hardening process - the
centre of the plate is polished as this is the only part that
the spindle touches.
The Platter works best without any type of mat (including the
Ringmat and Sound deadened steel mat).
LEVEL THE DECK
The 3 feet under the plinth are all threaded so that by rotating
them you can adjust the level of the deck - Rotate all three feet
so that the top of the foot does not touch the plinth and only
sits on the thread alone - this is for best performance. At this
stage check that the bearing house is at least 1mm clear
of touching the surface your deck is standing on (Aurora
only).
Note that when you level the deck, the only thing that matters
is that the platter (not the plinth) is level. Sometimes there
may be a slight discrepancy between the level of the plinth and
platter but this does not matter and is usually imperceptible
visually.
POSITION MOTOR POD & FIT
B E L T
Position the motor pod roughly as shown in previous diagrams.
The pod should be oriented as shown, such that the switch is at
the front. Ideally the centre of the pulley should be somewhere
between 210mm (8.25inches) to 221mm (8.7 inches) from
the centre of the platter. We recommend and set up the
speed at factory at 212mm. The pod must not touch the
plinth so rotate it if necessary.
If you don’t have a ruler handy another method of setting
the belt tension is to install the belt using the method
photographed and then lift the belt off the pulley and let it lose
it’s tension whilst still holding it gently - With no tension in the
belt, the centre of the pulley should coincide with the inside of
the belt as you hold it. If this is not the case, move the pod to
achieve correct pulley position. This means that when you hook
the belt back over the pulley, you are stretching it about 2 to 3
mm.
Ideal tension for best performance is with the belt as slack as
possible - you can fine tune this just by listening to the sound
with the pod in slightly different positions.
Insert the power supply jack plug into the pod’s largest side hole
- see diagram of motor pod. The LED on the top of the pod
will light up. Note: green LED is advanced supply and Blue
LED is Ultra supply.
Fit the belt over the motor pulley and outer rim of platter.
This is most easily carried out by placing the belt in the pulley
groove and then holding it there loosely with one finger of your
left hand. Whilst retaining the belt in the pulley groove, hold
the belt onto the rear rim of the platter with the index finger of
your right hand. Now rotate the platter slowly clockwise with
your right hand index, all the time pressing the belt on the rim,
till the belt is completely on. Allow the motor pulley to rotate
under your finger whilst retaining the belt in the groove and
maintaining slight tension on the belt between the pulley and
rear of platter.
Sometimes the pulley has 2 grooves - this is not for an
additional belt ( which is not an advantage on OL decks) but is
to allow greater levelling capacity due to feet adjustment.

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Set the belt tension by positioning the motor housing. The belt
has an ideal tension for best performance - too tight and motor
bearing friction increases causing possible speed instability
and increased wear plus a decrease in sonic performance. The
correct distance is not hypercritical to performance and the
above dimensions may need to be increased after a year of use
due to belt stretch. Experiment with different distances if you
wish for best sound but you may need to adjust speed between
different distance settings, as speed varies slightly with different
belt tension.
Do not plug the power supply into mains conditioners, filters
or anything with surge protection - this can be disastrous
to performance. It will not harm the pod, to plug it into
the aforementioned items but it almost always results in
performance degradation.
The location of the motor pod should preferably be kept
away from strong electromagnetic fields typically generated by
transformers, amplifiers, power supplies etc.
SETTING THE MOTOR SPEED
You will need to set the motor speed yourself. In the first 24 hours
of use from starting up the motor, the speed tends to drift but then
settles down permanently. To burn in the regulator board components
we recommend at least 24 hours of running the motor before setting
the speed - the platter bearing also takes time to bed in so motor
running in should be carried out with platter turning (no faster
than 45rpm).
The thin output wires from the transformer only carry a very
low voltage and are therefore safe to handle. Voltages inside the
transformer are dangerous so the transformer case should not
be unscrewed or opened.
When the rotary switch on the pod is turned fully anti-
clockwise and the line on the knob aligns to the LED, the
motor is off.
One click of the switch clockwise is 33.3 rpm - The
second click clockwise is 45rpm
NOTES: The speed should only be finally set with
the pod in it’s FINAL position and at normal room
temperature as speed varies slightly with belt tension
and temperature.
If you move the pod, you will need to re check the
speed and if necessary correct it, by repositioning the
pod till the speed is correct. This is a quick operation if
you leave the platter spinning as you slide the pod to adjust
tension. Also it is best checked with the cartridge dragging on a
centre track of a record as the drag can affect speed setting to a
small degree. Do not move the pod beyond the ideal distances
mentioned in “fitting the belt”.
If you change transformer to the upgrade transformer you
will need to reset the speed.
If the speed drifts significantly then correct it using the speed
adjuster screws.
Instructions for reading the strobe
Place the strobe disc on the record to be played. Play the record
and watch the relevant ring on the disc. Adjust the speed
until marks on the ring appear stationary while the record is
rotating. It sometimes helps to stare at infinity whilst doing
this as the marks become easier to see. You can see the strobe
effect in fluorescent light, although an ordinary bulb held
about 2 feet from the strobe disc will also work fine. The bulb
flickers at 50 Hz in the EEC and 60 Hz in the USA.
You can purchase bayonet fitting fluorescent bulbs to fit
normal lamps. Try to shut out daylight when carrying out
speed setting.
Set the speed
Set the switch on the pod to the first click i.e. 33 rpm
setting. Adjust the motor speed as follows: using the small
screwdriver, turn the speed adjuster screw shown in the photo
for 33 rpm. This is accessible through the hole in the side of
the pod and the slots in the screw heads are visible if you look
into the holes (See diagram below).
To increase speed, turn the screw clockwise until the speed

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changes. If the screw reaches the end of it’s travel you can
usually hear a faint clicking. You will not damage the preset by
over turning it as slippage occurs. The preset screw will not fall
out and may in some cases need a number of turns to set the
correct speed so keep turning.
Setting the 33.3rpm. When setting the speed, place the arm
on the centre track of a record so that the cartridge is tracking
the grooves this ensures that the drag of the cartridge is taken
into account. Speed variations of up to plus or minus 2% are
quite common on decks and the dc motor is capable of plus or
minus 0.1% accuracy. Use the strobe disc provided to set the
speed (full instructions are on the card).
Click the rotary switch to the 2nd click clockwise and set
45rpm speed so that the platter rotates at 45 (or 78 rpm if you
wish) using the same procedure as for 33rpm.
The dc motors are slightly noisy to begin with and are never
completely silent in comparison to a/c motors. This is thought
to be due to a different type of precious metal brush. Having
said this they still sound a great deal better in performance
terms.
Like most turntable manufacturers we recommend that you
leave the turntable running between changing records as this
reduces the belt wear that occurs with constant stopping and
starting.
NOTES ON MOTOR & SPEED SETTING
-Do not use the power supply for anything other than the dc
motor or the power supply is highly likely to be irreparably
damaged and you could also damage the equipment you are
plugging it into.
-The circuit will take at least 4 days to fully run in and sound
it’s best. For this reason it is best to do a final speed check at
the end of this period.
The speed stability of your deck will be excellent once
everything has settled down in a listening session.
When checking speed - ensure that the power supply and
switch box have been plugged in for at least 3 hours. The
platter also needs to run for 5 minutes with the cartridge on
the record for at least 10 seconds.
It is highly preferable to keep the transformer plugged in at all
times (unless you are away on holiday) because it takes a good
3 hours to warm up from cold and run at it’s best. When in
stand by mode the control box draws a negligible current so
you needn’t worry about your electricity bill.
FINAL SETUP OF TONEARM
Refer to your tonearm installation and fitting instructions
and use the following only as a rough guide on issues specific
to the turntable. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE - Do not use
the serrated washer supplied with some Origin Live arms
- it is only meant for non-metalic armboards and degrades
Origin Live decks very significantly.
VTA (vertical tracking adjustment)
To allow the cartridge needle to track at the correct angle it is
important that the base of the arm is at the correct height in
relation to the platter - this can be set by rotating the chrome
threaded VTA adjuster supplied with the deck for Origin Live
and Rega derived arms. One complete turn of the adjuster
clockwise raises the arm 1mm.
Set the arm fastening tightness
It is best to experiment with the tightness of the large base nut (if
fitted) by listening to music. This may seem laborious but you will
be richly rewarded as this adjustment makes a big difference to
performance.
IMPORTANT TIP: For Origin Live dual pivot arms tighten the
arm bottom nut fairly hard, but for OL1, Rega and Silver arms use
minimum tension on the fastening nut.
Fit the arm cable clip
Pass the arm cable through the cable clip and fasten in position
with the nut & bolt supplied. Leave a slight droop on it so that
it isn’t “tight”. The clip fastens to the underside of the plinth
using the hole near the rear foot. This is helpful to “earth”
vibration in the cable. The earth lead should be connected to
the earth of your pre-amplifier or amplifier. This earth lead is
best separated slightly from the arm signal leads so do not wind
it around them for best performance.
UPGRADES
It is possible to upgrade the turntable
Further upgrades would be
 DC200 motor in the case of the Aurora and Calypso
 Upgrade Transformer - (Sovereign comes with this
included as standard)
MAINTENANCE OF DECK
It aids performance to clean all the running surfaces every 3
months or so with mentholated or surgical spirit.
To clean the deck, use a damp soft lint free cloth and wipe
gently – if you have grease marks etc then you can use a
general-purpose anti-smear, car window cleaner such as
Autoglym Fast glass, but only if necessary – wax furniture
polish is to be avoided . Do not spray directly on the turntable
as it may clog up the cartridge etc but rather spray onto a
soft polishing cloth and then use it on the turntable. Do not
use tissue paper or kitchen cleaning paper towels as paper is
abrasive and can put faint scratches in the polished surface.
If you do get minor abrasions on the surface then you can
remove them using a fine car paint abrasive polish such T-
cut or Autoglym paint renovator - this is especially usefull to
remove stubborn grease marks on the platter.
It is wise to keep the packing box that the turntable came in so that
you can transport the deck securely.
The deck is not prone to going out of tune - we recommend
that you check the sub chassis damper is tensioned lightly onto
the plate every 2 years or so as the damping can compress a
little over time.
Depending on your use of the deck, the belt should ideally be
replaced every 2 years or so.

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If you withdraw the sub-platter spindle more than a few times
you should put in a drop of oil to compensate for any possible
loss.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Omit reading this greyed out section unless you have a problem
SPEED VARIATION
If there is significant speed variation then possible causes are as
follows.
• Significant changes in room temperature - this affects the
viscosity of the oil in the bearing.
• Lack of oil in the bearing so check by adding oil.
• Changed belt tension or an oily belt or platter - clean
running surfaces.
• Turntable out of level – this affects the main bearing
friction.
• After adjusting the tension of the 3 small Philips screws
which hold the motor on, you may need to re-adjust the
speed as they affect motor bearing friction very slightly.
• Check the platter is not fouling on anything.
• A dirty bearing that exhibits too much friction - The
platter should drift round effortlessly with the slightest of
nudges and go on spinning. If you suspect the bearing friction
to be a little high return the bearing to us for checking.
• A worn thrust bearing - this may occur after many years of
continuous use in common with all turntables.
• Transistors that have developed temperature instability.
• Most of the pulleys are a push fit on the motor shaft -
however they can sometimes work loose in transit or in use. If
this is the case then you can easily rectify it by lightly tapping
the pulley back onto the spindle with your fingers - Do not use
a hard object or excessive force as this can damage the spindle.
EXCESSIVE MOTOR NOISE
The motor needs a run in time of around 1 - 2 days continuous
running. They are sometimes a little noisy to start with. It is best to
run in the motor on full power with the belt off. Most importantly
you can “tune in” the motor to give minimum noise by adjusting the
tightness of the 3 small Phillips screws next to the motor pulley. The
best way to set their tension is to tighten the screws until they just nip
tight. Then back off all 3 screws a little way. Now tighten one screw
at a time till you hear which ones cause the least noise when tensioned
and then adjust the other two to give minimum noise. It may be
necessary to use thread lock or similar to stop the screws vibrating
loose. If it continues to be very noisy please get back to us and we
may check it out. However bear in mind that the dc motor is never
as silent as a/c motors are - this is because they are cogless and rely on
a different type of brush. Having said this dc motors still sound a lot
better in terms of musical performance.
The other major potential source of noise is the motor vibrating due
to lack of tightness and causing it’s top plate to resonate. The solution
is usually to slightly tighten the 3 small screws holding on the motor.
This adjustment is fairly critical - if the 3 small screws are too tight
then the motor whispers, too slack and the motor can vibrate against
it’s top plate.
If you get a knocking sound from the motor then slightly slacken off
the 3 screws holding the motor to the top plate.
If you have checked the above and are still having trouble please
contact us .

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Wrap plith in polythene bag
and place on bottom layer of
foam - ensure that feet and
bearing house all locate in holes
in foam. The hole for the rear
foot is marked with an R
Place top layer of foam on top
of plinth - top foam has no
holes in it.
Place components on top layer of foam as show below
Wrap platter in polythene bag then
tape blue edging foam to protect
edges - lastly place thick foam square
over long length of shaft - place in
corner of box , upside down as
shown.
Instruction manual
Arm if included
larger arms will not fit
- i.e Encounter and above
Wrap motor pod in polythene and
then tape cardboard tube with slit
round the pod - the tube sits on top
of the base plate, not round it. This
is to provide protection against
anything that might knock the end
of the motor shaft as this can cause
damage. Note that the motor
pod must be positioned in this
corner of the box where there is
the greatest depth i.e not over
the plinth armboard
Place the strobe card and belt in the
top of the motor pod card tube.
Place the wallwort transformer in
the remaining cardboard tube as
shown and then place the bubble bag
containing the following items on top
of the transformer
Bag contains - threaded vta adjuster,
Oil bottle, screw driver, 2.5mm allen
key
REPACKING METHOD
Please read carefully and do not deviate, do not cut up foam etc
or damage will result - see seperate sheet for Sovereign packing
instructions.
REAR FOOT
POSITION
Ensure base foam is
in position in box as
shown
ARMBOARD PAD
EDGE SURROUND FOAM STRIP