donated AR Turntable
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kappclark
Posts: 136
Has been a while since I was here on this forum, but felt I must share what the universe gave back to me - a stock AR XA in super shape...had been in storage at a friend's work. He found, and called me about "some old turntable .." Needed some coaxing to get the motor to start up, but I have been listening to it all weekend ! What makes this so sweet is that is the same turntable that was the first I ever owned back in late 60's ... I think I won't change a thing !
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** Bill Clark Windham, VT **
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** Bill Clark Windham, VT **
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Comments
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I had the AR in the mid 70s with a Shure cartridge, and it sounded great. Later I replaced it with a 'better' Yamaha table, and I noticed the sound degraded. I couldn't believe it was the table, since the Yamaha cost a lot more. That was my first good experience in how gear can affect the sound.Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
A friend described the AR XA turntable as the grand-pappy of good sounding record players. Enjoy the classic.
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I used one of those AR TTs from about 1972 to 1989, when I went digital. I moved it from Princeton, NJ, to Columbus, IN, to Palo Alto, CA, to North Hampton, NH.
After the move to Palo Alto in 1989 I used it for only 3-4 months, when I "retired" it. Last year I gave it to a friend who is deeply into vinyl. He says it still sounds great.
I think he replaced the cartridge (an old Shure M91ED, if I remember correctly), but he did not even have to replace the belt.
For the price it was a fantastic piece of equipment.
You've acquired a real classic, @kappclark. Congratulations!Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.
Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One. -
Nice find, enjoy...
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That is definitely a classic of classics!
I'm just wondering what kind of job would someone have where such a thing would be sitting in storage for years???
I think that only the Thorens tables and the Infamous Linn Sondek LP12 could rise as high on the classic scale
Welcome back to the forum btw -
Turns out it was a school for the Deaf, and they had a speech therapy office...property got sold, and the equipment was discovered...they hadn't used the equipment in years with the entrance of computers etc..... (he also discovered a McIntosh mc-250, which must have made the AR sing ! He was going to test that, but I bet it still worked, just like the AR) You can all tell that the cartridge is a Pickering (the model is V15 / AM3 ..) I will be replacing, (maybe a AT 95E), but I think, for now, that is the only change I will be making to this classic. Thx for all the + feedback.*************************
** Bill Clark Windham, VT **
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Still have my AR that I purchased new for 70.00 back in the Stone Age. Sounds good just prefer my Harman Kardon ST8.
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That pickering cart. Is no slouch. Why replace it?Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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As for the Pickering cart - it is probably 15 years old --- but not like it has had bong juice spilled on it, or otherwise abused... It does work. Thinking "does a cartridge wear out over time ? " Maybe the cantilever stiffens up a bit ? When I was playing records "back in the Stone Age" as @2-tall says, I would replace the cart about every year .. should I be concerned about the ravages of time on that Pickering ?*************************
** Bill Clark Windham, VT **
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Congrats! That's a great score! As far as the cartridge, if the needle is still in good shape, the only thing you need to worry about is the suspension. If it hasn't collapsed and you would know if it did, you're golden. In fact it will probably continue to sound better and better as it loosens up.
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Thanks, Dawgfish -- I think the suspension is done ... general raspiness has crept in, appearing at random...esp towards the end of the disk..have cleaned the stylus, of course, increasing tracking force no real remedy ...similar output on a variety od clean LP's. As I have no $$ in this beast, I am going to shop for a decent cart under $100, that has the correct compliance for the AR arm ...suggestions are welcome ! I was thinking the AT 95E (which I have on a Philips TT downstairs).. Still new to this game, after 30 years away ...*************************
** Bill Clark Windham, VT **
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afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
I was looking at that -- thanks for the link... is the compliance a good match for that arm ? I don't see the AR as a "low mass" arm ... experience is the master here, I guess..*************************
** Bill Clark Windham, VT **
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http://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=5618
http://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=6153
Vinyl Engine doesn't state the effective mass of the stock XA arm, I'm unsure.afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
Many thanks for the links -- case closed !- Vinylnirvana's opinion is final !*************************
** Bill Clark Windham, VT **
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Psyched to see what came in the mail today -- hope to get it singing this weekend ...
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** Bill Clark Windham, VT **
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I have one and love it (the m97xe)!VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000
Polk SDA1c modded
Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
Polk SDA2BTL (fully modded)
A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
SACD Marantz DV8300
Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
Yamaha YP-D6
Soundcraftsmen PCR800
Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
Pho-700 Phono Pre
Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's -
Just got this puppy hooked up - headshell screws just long enough..Decided to try an old standby, with superb results ... wonderful detail and balance ... not "hot" by any stretch..final movement was a real treat.
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** Bill Clark Windham, VT **
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