Ortofon DSS 661 Head

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powerstrip
Posts: 269
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Ortofon DSS 661 Head

Post: # 26931Unread post powerstrip
Sat Aug 31, 2013 12:38 pm

Hello

If you see in the 'classified and tip-off" section, Galvi-Mat had for sale one Ortofon DSS661 Cutterhead. I am the purchaser

Now, after the excitement of receiving the package winds down, I am forced to wonder:

What now?! :D :oops: :roll: :twisted:

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For starters, I am wondering: The green male terminal pins do not seem to match with the female pins on the head.

Now, after I order two different caruso boards from Flo Kaufman, to supply the feedback, what is a safe amplifier to use, besides to GO 741 series? I know these heads are fragile, and some people avoid them like the plague, but I have faith in the Ortofon. I want to use it.

Does anyone have any type of manual for these heads? Does anyone know about the female pins? What goes where? Drive? Feedback? Heat?

I also wonder about how to supply vacuum to this head, it is so low-lying, I see some type of tube in the back, but, no pre-installed vacuum like in the neumann heads

Thanks in advance, Trolls. I have only been cutting for three years but I fell I have found some nice treasures since I started. I first started dreaming of cutting in 2005, and I had not much knowledge of what to do, but after some guidance from an elder, Now I am close to achieving some life goals! I plan to mount this head to a Beautiful Fairchild 523 lathe and it will be my 'poor-mans' scully/neumann, where I hope to achieve some high quality recordings!

Happy cutting to all

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EmAtChapterV
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Location: Vancouver, BC

Re: Ortofon DSS 661 Head

Post: # 26935Unread post EmAtChapterV
Sat Aug 31, 2013 5:45 pm

A very nice acquisition! I'm curious what the back of the head looks like - how is it mounted? How much modification would it take to mount it on a Presto?

In regards to the pins, I'd check them with a multimeter. The drive coils should be around 8 ohms, and the feedback coils much higher, maybe 60 to 130 ohms; there'll be two of each, obviously. Once you find which pins are for the two drive coils, feed a very gentle 1 kHz signal into one side at a time and find out which feedback coil is picking it up. Once you're done mapping that out, the two pins left over should be the stylus heat - put a wire across the heating terminals and see if the circuit goes from open to closed.

For suction, what I've seen in illustrations is a flat suction tube coming in from the back of the carriage.

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markrob
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Re: Ortofon DSS 661 Head

Post: # 26936Unread post markrob
Sat Aug 31, 2013 7:16 pm

Hi,

I may be wrong, but it looks to me like the correct mate for the is already plugged in to the top of the head. If you pull on the body of the connector does it come out of the DSS? Looks like the green connector was meant to plugin into the drive amp.

Mark

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EmAtChapterV
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Location: Vancouver, BC

Re: Ortofon DSS 661 Head

Post: # 26937Unread post EmAtChapterV
Sat Aug 31, 2013 10:46 pm

Aha! Look what I found in my archived files. This is for a GO543 and DS522, a mono setup, but I'm guessing the two rows of pins on the DSS661 are probably laid out in a similar fashion.
go543dia.gif
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powerstrip
Posts: 269
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Re: Ortofon DSS 661 Head

Post: # 26957Unread post powerstrip
Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:18 am

Cool diagram EM!!! Very Helpful!

Markrob-looks like your insight is correct! I usually treat these things like an old woman, won't touch anything until i know what is happening! The male end connector slipped right off with gentle pressure. The neumann terminal cap threw me off for some reason. I am glad it separates, now we can remove the solder safely without heating up the components to the head.

Image

If anyone could use this for a neumann (or whatever model that is) PM me I will sell it

Image

EM- here is the back, I plan on mounting it to a Fairchild 523

Image

And here is the back cover removed - Is the tub einput for helium?

Image

Thanks for the input so far folks-

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boogievan
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Location: Dutchess County, NY

Re: Ortofon DSS 661 Head

Post: # 27574Unread post boogievan
Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:20 am

Hi Pwrstrp, Yes, that little tube is for the gas. Air is better than nothing. Balloon Helium is available. Don't sweat the welding gas stores since they are hoarding [He].

You'll be fine if you can do 190 LPI fixed pitch with something coarser for banding, lead in, and much coarser for Finish to lock out.

The DSS661 pin out looks the same as for the other DSS cutters. If it is identical, the pins would be:

head pins:

1 CH B FEEDBACK +

2 CH B FEEDBACK -

3 CH B FEEDBACK SHIELD

4 CH A FEEDBACK +

5 CH A FEEDBACK -

6 N/C (LEAVE SHIELD FLOATING)

7 CHANNEL A DRIVE -

8 CHANNEL A DRIVE +

9 HEATER A

10 HEATER B

11 CHANNEL B DRIVE +

12 CHANNEL B DRIVE -

13 N/C



etec might have some helpful DSS661 literature. They have just resumed offering stereo cutting head repair, so your future looks good.

Maybe you should grab that GO701 rack from Moscow. There is a lead on the schemos if you do. Just ask Eddy to handle the crating. (: Tell him Langley's been trying to reach him! p.u.t.g.d.p.!



- boogie

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powerstrip
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Re: Ortofon DSS 661 Head

Post: # 27754Unread post powerstrip
Sun Nov 17, 2013 11:11 am

hey boogievan

thanks a ton for this input! I started to trace everything with a volt-meter, and was getting close.

The interior corrosion is a small issue. I am a little nervous about it (see the thread)

Do you know what sidol is? Someone recommended cleaning it with this? I don't want to put anything dangerous in there. This thing is nothing to take a risk with.

Eric

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studiorp
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Re: Ortofon DSS 661 Head

Post: # 27782Unread post studiorp
Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:08 am

Sidol is an universal metal washer. Remove all corrosion and polish all metal surfaces as brass, alu, iron, etc.

Here the web page in italian : http://www.henkel.it/detergenza/accessibile/scheda.asp?pageid=c&ID=112

Now I don't know where there is this internal corrosion; it's an accesible zone or no ?

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boogievan
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Location: Dutchess County, NY

Re: Ortofon DSS 661 Head

Post: # 27892Unread post boogievan
Mon Nov 25, 2013 1:38 am

I'd be more than reluctant to put any solvent inside. We don't want the glue to be disturbed. This is a special 250 degree (Centigrade) adhesive for holding the coils together. Also, there are other non-metal parts which might not like this. The rocking bridge has hinges. Somehow they are flexible.

We don't even want lacquer chip to get in there, so there is a silicone rubber diaphragm which should be glued over the stylus insertion zone, with a little hole poked through to preclude contraception, I mean, to preclude anything getting inside there. When [He] is streamed through, the cutting head gets cool to the touch, even without the gem cap, but it keeps things out, so I'm not happy about the idea of pouring anything in there. Perhaps a closeup photo is possible of "...this corrosion...."?

http://www.discolathe.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=10

good luck,
boogie...

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