Turntable thoughts

mhardy6647 wrote:

I have a TT-15S in the living room. I am pretty pleased with it, too. It's a little beefier all around than the Emotion and comes bundled with a decent MM cartridge (Clearaudio Virtuoso wood) and an ebony rather than aluminum arm wand.

I second the Marantz (re-badged Clearaudio). I have heard it on a couple of occasions and it is a strong contender when I go TT shopping again.


If you liked the Technics...there is a huge following for the Technics SL-1200 series. KAB Electo Acoustics will build you one just the way you want it. I have heard very good thinks about KAB and their custom 1200s.

http://www.kabusa.com/frameset.htm?/1200bld.htm

I'm partial to the vintage Micro Seiki tables. The MA-505 armed DDs are solid. The BL series can get pricey.

I'm with Keiko on this one. I am also running a Technics, but in my case it's a SL-1200 MK2 with a Denon DL-160 cartridge. It's pretty much the same thing Keiko is running. I've made a few tweeks to it from KAB. I bought the table used on Craig's List for $175 with an Ortofon DJ cartridge. I then bought a Shure M-97 and later a Denon DL-160 cartridge for it, a used Parasound preamp I'm using for a phono-pre, changed out the stock phono cable, added a custom mat, a custom locking clamp, and different isolation footers. Alltogether I have about $700 in everything and it sounds fantastic! I hardly ever listen to CDs anymore. I've spoke with friends who have bought some of the fancy hi-fi turntables out there. While I have no doubt these ultra expensive tables sound incredible, I think a used SL-1200 (various versions) with tweeks is a hard combo to beat from a price/performance ratio. Many of my friends have told me that if they had to do it over agian, they would go the 1200 with tweeks route and be done with it. Just my dos centavos

Keiko wrote: »

My bedroom system consists of a Bose Acoustic Wave, a vintage Akai GX F35 cassette deck and a Yamaha 6760 5 disc universal.

(Lemme dawn my flame suit)

:eek: :eek: :eek:

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Fortunately, I don't have the discretionary cash resources to get really interested in idler-drives...

Not even a heavy plinth Home Despot Lenco? (>You'd have to be familiar with the thread at Audiogon to get the 'Despot' thing).

I have an L75 that I bought on the cheap, before even the beat up ones were commanding over $100. I have the wood cut for the plinth, just need a round tuit to finish cutting the openings out.

Polkersince85 wrote: »

I'm partial to the vintage Micro Seiki tables. The MA-505 armed DDs are solid.

I tried a MA-505 mkII on my second Nottingham Space Deck. Showed me how much a different arm can change the voicing of that table, and for the better IMO. (I prefer dual pivot arms). Interesting on the fly VTF/antiskate and VTA design on the MK II arm (although you had to hold the arm from falling when you loosed the VTA collet). They claimed you could lay the table on its side and the arm would still track. The Micro Seiki arms/tables still command high prices. Good stuff.

Retro wise, my Yamaha YP-D10 in the retro rig fared very well against the stock Technics SL1210 I tried. Only drawback are the insane prices when found in nice shape. The YP-D10 is direct drive and has adjustable VTA. Cart is an AT440MLa.

cbyrd, if you decide on a Technics 1210, you may want to check with Carl (schwarcw). He has some things to sell for a friend, and one of them is a low mileage KAB modded SL-1210. Carl is very busy of late and hasn't had the time to post the ad.

Get a nice belt drive TT and then put a good cartridge in it - as recommended by some - I too like the DL160 cart by Denon....it plays so nice

I'm fairly fond of older Empires.

I'm partial to the vintage Thorens TD-160/TD-145/TD-166 units that can be picked up for between $100 to $300 on eBay. You can get great sound for a bargain price. My latest find was a TD-160 BC Mk II with an Infinity Black Widow carbon fiber arm for $114 delivered!