In October, we started carrying the Chinese audio brand Jasmine Jasmine Audio.
Jasmine Audio is an award-winning pure audio brand established in China in 2001 by a group of dedicated audiophiles. The meticulously detailed components are carefully assembled by hand by experienced and qualified engineers. With the generous cooperation of Mr. Nagai, the representative of Bakun Products, we would like to introduce the products that we have ordered from them.
Jasmine Audio has developed everything from cartridges to turntables and phono equalizers for record appreciation, and some of their turntables are belt-driven only. The photo shows the T-D200MK2, which is a double-arm turntable. The construction is also very proper. (Of course...)
The following is the list of Jasmine products that Baccoon Products has been allowed to sell.
TT-D200MK2 belt drive turntable (currently undergoing a model change to the New model)
JS-TAAB air bearing tone arm
JS-TB297 12-inch dynamic balanced tone arm
MC Cartridge B&W Ceramic Series "TIGER
MC Cartridge Nature Series Forest
MM Cartridge Series - M1
About the TT-D200MK2 belt drive turntable
We have received a report on the setup of the TT-D200MK2 belt drive turntable.
The platter weighing 8 kg is floated by powerful magnets for very smooth operation.
But,
(Sweat that the platter is wobbling), I thought it was because the magnet is so strong that it does not sink completely, so I temporarily solved the problem by using a stabilizer weighing about 1 kg.
Then, following Jasmine's instructions, I cleaned the hole in the bearing with oil and injected oil to eliminate the phenomenon. Just be careful not to overfill with too much oil, as it will overflow and ooze out for a while.
This turntable was the last item in the manufacturer's inventory, and for some reason it was not packed in a special case, so I think it was a little affected by the fact that it was sent in a ready-made case. In fact, when we contacted the manufacturer, they told us that this had never happened before, so we think that if the turntable is packaged in a dedicated package in the future, this problem will not occur.
The actual product is very beautifully finished. The turntable is double-arm compatible, but the second one requires an optional protruding pedestal, and a separate pedestal for the tone arm would have made setup much easier. (Nagai-san's difficulties will come later.)
Now, it seems that the operation after the problem was solved also exceeded Mr. Nagai of Bakun Products' expectations (happy laugh), and he gave it a very high evaluation, saying that this kind of performance at this price is not available in Japan for the first time!
We have attached a promise that the notes and corrections pointed out by Mr. Nagai will be corrected directly by Jasmine Audio personnel as well. Jasmine responds very quickly to problems and I feel that they have a high level of awareness.
We asked Mr. Nagai to give us his impressions of the TT-D200MK2 over the past two months.
I think the performance as a turntable is excellent. The platter floats about 8mm with magnets installed around the axis. I think this is the same principle as the magnefloat that TEAC used to commercialize, and I think it contributes greatly to smooth rotation and vibration prevention. However, the unit I used had a problem with resonance between the magnefloat and the belt drive, causing vertical vibration during playback, but after injecting oil into the bearings, the vibration was eliminated. Since the platter is floating with magnets, when a heavy stabilizer is placed on it, the platter sinks and the height of the arm changes. In addition, the record is supported at six points on the platter, and since these supports are slightly lifted off the platter, placing a stabilizer on the platter causes the record to warp in the opposite direction. It is better not to use a stabilizer with this product or to use a lighter one. Two arms can be installed: a conventional arm and the company's linear tracking arm. A special base is included for mounting a conventional tone arm, and if the arm has a pipe base with the same diameter as the company's arm, it can be mounted without modification. Otherwise, you will need to make your own mounting base. The turntable base appears to be a laminated aluminum material. It is heavy enough and looks good. The base is supported by three rubber feet with bolts that screw into the bottom to adjust the height. The rubber feet are hard like ordinary rubber, so there is no vibration absorption here. If you walk on the floor, the needle will fly off or make noise. However, since the platter is floating with magnets, feedback does not seem to occur. The motor has two speeds, 33 1/3 and 45 rpm, but the variable range is wide enough to raise the speed to 78 rpm even at 33 rpm. A stroboscope is required to adjust the speed, and now that lighting has changed from fluorescent to LED, a dedicated fluorescent light stand or other device that blinks on commercial frequencies is required. Unfortunately, the power cable for the motor comes out of the front, making cable routing tricky, so I wished it would have come out the rear. The sound is of high-end quality, and the enthusiasts who came to our company to listen were very surprised. For a turntable at this price, it has a very high level of quality. It is not recommended for beginners, as it requires a certain amount of knowledge to use it, such as arm mounting and adjusting the rotation speed.
This Jasmine belt drive turntable is currently undergoing a model change (see image below) with input from our store and Mr. Nagai of Baccoon. They are acting fast! However, it will not come with a strobe.
For TT-D200MK2Linear Tracking Arm
When attaching the JS-TAAB to the TT-D200MK2, the usualThere was only enough space to manage to mount it by combining two bases on the base of the tone arm, and Mr. Nagai had quite a bit of trouble.
After the installation was finally completed, the following is a description of Mr. Nagai's difficulties in setting up the system as it was. The following is a description of Mr. Nagai's difficulties in setting up the system as it was.The base was leveled as precisely as possible with a level. Fixed the position of the arm so that the tip of the cartridge is in the center of the turntable shaft, and applied 2g of needle pressure with a needle pressure gauge. Two weights were attached, so I balanced them in the center for easy balancing and playback, but they did not work well. I thought the air pressure was not enough, so I turned it up to the maximum, but it still flew away. I looked at the instruction manual and noticed that only one balance weight was used. When I used only one weight, the DL-103 was just barely zero-balanced. When I played it back with that, it worked. The conclusion is that this phenomenon occurred because the linear tracking arm has a limited adjustment range for the mounting position, and the settings could not be fully adjusted. The cartridge can be mounted in a wide range of 6 to 18g, and the DL-103 should be able to handle it with only one weight.
In fact, the installation photo from the manufacturer shows it set on a protruding pedestal, and we have already requested Jasmine to enclose a special adjustable protruding pedestal for this one. And they have already sent me a CAD image of a rendering of the new pedestal! Work done!
As for my thoughts on the all-important linear tracking arm,
'The sound of the pump is almost silent when placed close to it. The sound reproduced is,completely unwavering sound that I have never heard before.It's not an easy arm to use, but it's a great arm. It is not an easy arm to use,but I recommend it to those who seek for the best sound.』
I never thought I would hear such words from a representative of Bakun Products!
The price is also much cheaper than the linear tracking arms available in the market. If you are interested in this arm that Mr. Nagai highly recommends, we look forward to hearing from you!
When we asked Mr. Nagai to give us another product review, he graciously gave us a lengthy one. It seems that adjustment is the most important factor. The ultimate in analog audio, where paradise awaits at the end of a rigorous setting.
JS-TABB is a linear tracking arm that uses air bearings. The arm and air pump come as a set, and the pump sends high-pressure air to the air bearing to float the air bearing with the arm attached in the air, eliminating friction and achieving linear tracking. With this tone arm, a clearer sound with higher resolution can be obtained, but its adjustment is more severe. Without precise adjustment, it is impossible to even operate the arm. First, the cartridge is attached to the arm in order to position the arm. Adjust the cartridge so that its stylus is centered on the turntable spindle. It can also be adjusted using the jig provided. Connect the arm to the pump with the supplied pipe. Turn on the pump switch and position the pump away from the pump until no pump noise can be heard. The pump noise is quiet, but if you listen carefully in quiet conditions, you will hear it slightly, so move a few meters away and you will not hear it. With the arm in the base position, check the level of the air bearing shaft. The level of the shaft is the most important factor in the proper operation of this arm, so use a sensitive level to adjust it precisely. If the base of the turntable is level, it will be fine, but if the level is even slightly off, it may not work, so the shaft must be precisely leveled. Moving the arm by hand will not work properly. The gap between the air bearing and the shaft is only 5 microns, so if the arm is moved by hand or excessive force is applied, they will come into contact. Therefore, when moving the arm by hand, extreme care should be taken to prevent excessive force from being applied. Next, apply needle pressure to the installed cartridge. A needle pressure gauge is required to apply the needle pressure. This is because the weights do not have a needle pressure scale on them, although they are laterally balanced. Next, the cartridge is lowered onto a stationary record and the height of the arm is adjusted using a commercially available jig so that the cartridge is level. At this time, adjust the air pipe and signal cable connected between the arm and the main unit in a mountainous manner as shown in the picture in the instruction manual. It is these cables and pipes that interfere with the movement of the air bearing. Therefore, the distance of the arm from the center of the turntable and the shape of the cable bend greatly affect its operation. These fine adjustments are made so that one side of the record can be played smoothly when the record is played. Therefore, it requires patience to make it work without problems. However, the quality of sound obtained from this arm is tremendous. It makes you forget the time-consuming adjustment process.
About JS-TB297 12" Dynamic Balanced Tone Arm
This is a high-end S-shaped long arm in Jasmine's tone arm series. Even though it is high-end, the price is middle class compared to those made in Japan, Europe, and the United States. Without the influence of yen depreciation, it would be more reasonable.
Since this JS-TB297 is becoming a near-reference for Bakun, we asked Mr. Nagai to give us his impressions of it.
I asked Mr. Nagai to give me his impressions.This arm has a unique shape with the center offset to the right from the axis. The needle pressure is applied not by a weight but by a dynamic balance system with another pressure mechanism such as a spring. As the catalog says, it absorbs and inherits the essence of the best tone arm designs to date. Therefore, it has many similarities to famous tone arms. However, it says that Jasmin's technology has brought it to a higher level with the latest precision processing technology and new materials. When listening to it in combination with the company's turntables, the first impression one gets is that it is a high-end sound. The clear and informative sound was described by those who listened to it as if they were listening to digital high-resolution music. To achieve its full potential, setting and adjustment are necessary, and a jig to check the cartridge's vertical and horizontal position and a test record to adjust the anti-skating are indispensable.
For this purpose, the turntable must be leveled rigorously. The turntable height adjustment mechanism should be used to adjust the X and Y correctly with a level. The overhang adjustment, which determines the position of the arm, is done using a special plastic jig that is provided. Fix the arm base to the turntable mounting base with two screws. However, although these screws are knurled, they are not designed to be used with a screwdriver or wrench, so you must pinch and turn them with your fingers to secure them. The surface has a pear finish and is slippery, so be sure to secure it firmly. The JS-TB297 is a normal tone arm that is pressurized by turning it counterclockwise, so I was a bit confused at first by the JS-TB297 that is pressurized by turning it clockwise. The weight of cartridges that can be used with the JS-TB297 is 5~17g, but when a light cartridge such as the company's M2 is attached, the balance weight is just barely close to the center of the arm. This would make it difficult to turn the needle pressure knob, so a weight would need to be added to the cartridge. Next, align the cartridge horizontally and vertically. The cartridge with the correct needle pressure is lowered onto a stationary record, and a commercially available jig is used to adjust the level of the carriage by adjusting the height of the arm and using the jig to align the carriage. For vertical alignment, loosen the screw holding the shell connector of the arm and adjust the vertical inclination of the shell. The lateral balance is a static balance, so you should match it to the scale. The inside force canceller is non-linear, so use the third track on the B side of an Audio Society test record or a special acrylic test record. Apply the needle pressure used and adjust the needle down to the center of the track, about 9 cm to 12.5 cm from the center, so that the cartridge does not drift to the left or right. Strictly speaking, this method is anti-skating rather than inside force cancellation, but the adjustment will reduce distortion. There is a scale on the axis of the inside force canceller weight, but this is not to be relied upon at all. Since it varies greatly depending on the cartridge, adjustment using the test recordings mentioned above is necessary. When listening with these adjustments, you will hear a very clear, high-resolution, high-end sound.
For this purpose, the turntable must be leveled rigorously. The turntable height adjustment mechanism should be used to adjust the X and Y correctly with a level. The overhang adjustment, which determines the position of the arm, is done using a special plastic jig that is provided. Fix the arm base to the turntable mounting base with two screws. However, although these screws are knurled, they are not designed to be used with a screwdriver or wrench, so you must pinch and turn them with your fingers to secure them. The surface has a pear finish and is slippery, so be sure to secure it firmly. The JS-TB297 is a normal tone arm that is pressurized by turning it counterclockwise, so I was a bit confused at first by the JS-TB297 that is pressurized by turning it clockwise. The weight of cartridges that can be used with the JS-TB297 is 5~17g, but when a light cartridge such as the company's M2 is attached, the balance weight is just barely close to the center of the arm. This would make it difficult to turn the needle pressure knob, so a weight would need to be added to the cartridge. Next, align the cartridge horizontally and vertically. The cartridge with the correct needle pressure is lowered onto a stationary record, and a commercially available jig is used to adjust the level of the carriage by adjusting the height of the arm and using the jig to align the carriage. For vertical alignment, loosen the screw holding the shell connector of the arm and adjust the vertical inclination of the shell. The lateral balance is a static balance, so you should match it to the scale. The inside force canceller is non-linear, so use the third track on the B side of an Audio Society test record or a special acrylic test record. Apply the needle pressure used and adjust the needle down to the center of the track, about 9 cm to 12.5 cm from the center, so that the cartridge does not drift to the left or right. Strictly speaking, this method is anti-skating rather than inside force cancellation, but the adjustment will reduce distortion. There is a scale on the axis of the inside force canceller weight, but this is not to be relied upon at all. Since it varies greatly depending on the cartridge, adjustment using the test recordings mentioned above is necessary. When listening with these adjustments, you will hear a very clear, high-resolution, high-end sound.
