TT Recommendations for DIY Project

Hoping this is the right forum to ask this in, If not, please redirect to the proper one. I've got a 15 year wedding anniversary coming up and would like to incorporate some 'Audio Swag' into my DIY gift for her. Having a 'mid modern century' stereo console built to house my soon to be restored Marantz 2230 along with my TT & vinyl. Thought the TT wall clock with a colored 'Elvis' record (her favorite) over the console would add a nice touch. I fully realize this may run completely against the grain of classic TT aficionado's & restorers but I'm looking for some model recommendations for this wall mount TT clock. Obviously would not want to cannibalize a rare, restorable classic but looking for a model with true visual character that might be readily available on the market. Have any of you done such a thing or have model recommendations. Appreciate any input.
Thank you
Carver M4.0t, M1.0t, M200t, TX2, C1, C2, Marantz 2230, 2010, 4070, 1030, APPJ 2013, Rega Brio, Marantz Imperial 7's, Klipsch Heresy III, Quartets, KG4's, KG1's, 'The Sixes', R-12SW, Polk SDA 2a's, Monitor 7cTL's, SDA CRS's, 4a's, Zu Audio Dirty Weekends, Pro-ject Acryl TT, Cambridge 851N, 351C, Panamax 5300PM

Comments

  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    Bang & Olufsen tables come to mind. Great looking platters and mid-century aesthetics. They are plentiful and can be found cheap.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    edited January 2019
    May I ask for a little more information on true visual character? :)
    The better an idea "we" have of the visual vibe you seek, the easier it is to offer suggestions, I'd opine!

    I mean, the above-mentioned b&o turntables were gorgeous works of art -- and pretty good tts as well (the 4004 is in the permanent collection at New York's MOMA), but they are from the 1970s and may not be the aesthetic you're looking for.

    co1iu3ackydy.png

    The 1950s and 60s had their share of beautiful tts, although the aesthetics varied wildly -- and the prettiest of them all tend to be between very and obscenely expensive. :)

    E.g., please don't hack up a Thorens TD-124 :)


    yts2ctx5nz0x.png

    On the other hand, the BSR consumer record players of the 1970s were ubiquitous and are largely reviled today -- these could be found cheap and no sin would be found in one who repurposed one :)

    All three of these Radio Shack changers are made by BSR.


    061zwbyosg7z.png
    source: www.radioshackcatalogs.com (1977)

    Garrard also made numerous cheap and forgettable changers fairly similar to the BSRs that also might be good options.

    A little earlier, the VM (The Voice of Music) changers of the 1950s included some attractive models (that were actually pretty good changers for their time!) that are fairly common. Not as cheap as the '70s BSRs, but the aesthetics are more "Happy Days", you know? :)

    see, e.g., http://www.thevoiceofmusic.com/modfind_rec_changer_turntables.html

    s3699y7c1qoq.png
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    edited January 2019
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • ThomasD
    ThomasD Posts: 260
    Wow. Just wow. Those are nicer looking than anything I’d thought of.
    @mhardy6647 those BSR’s might be a bit ‘vanilla’ for this project. But certainly are from the right era. I’ve suddenly realized my wife’s mid century tastes and my contemporary / modernist tastes are slightly different.
    @nooshinjohn that one would be perfect.
    Carver M4.0t, M1.0t, M200t, TX2, C1, C2, Marantz 2230, 2010, 4070, 1030, APPJ 2013, Rega Brio, Marantz Imperial 7's, Klipsch Heresy III, Quartets, KG4's, KG1's, 'The Sixes', R-12SW, Polk SDA 2a's, Monitor 7cTL's, SDA CRS's, 4a's, Zu Audio Dirty Weekends, Pro-ject Acryl TT, Cambridge 851N, 351C, Panamax 5300PM
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    FWIW:

    The nice thing about an RX-2 is that one with a bad cartridge should be pretty affordable. The b&o tts used a proprietary mount (and their cartridges were quite good!), so it limits the value of the lower-end version (RX-2 was essentially their entry level) -- which is good for you.

    The RX-2 and its big sibling, the TX-2, were actually pretty good tts IMO. I have, and sometimes use, one of the latter, in fact.


    25202734370_2705aca4e7_b.jpgTX-2 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    In case you (the OP) invest in a b&o and actually want to use it, new production cartridges are available:

    https://www.sound-smith.com/bo-cartridges


    Not inexpensive, but quite good.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    Do you need more input on ideas or have you found the direction you want to go? I think that platter on the B&O lends itself well to being a clock face. Post pictures of it as you build it. Sounds like a very cool project.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    edited January 2019
    An RX-2 would indeed make a b!tchen clock :)

    (EDIT: or a kitchen clock, if one prefers)

    B)
  • ThomasD
    ThomasD Posts: 260
    @nooshinjohn & @mhardy6647 As always, you both are a wealth of information on this subject as well as many other threads I’ve followed the two of you on. Had not even considered B&O TT’s. Love the simplistic look and will now persue them.
    Many thanks to both of you.
    Carver M4.0t, M1.0t, M200t, TX2, C1, C2, Marantz 2230, 2010, 4070, 1030, APPJ 2013, Rega Brio, Marantz Imperial 7's, Klipsch Heresy III, Quartets, KG4's, KG1's, 'The Sixes', R-12SW, Polk SDA 2a's, Monitor 7cTL's, SDA CRS's, 4a's, Zu Audio Dirty Weekends, Pro-ject Acryl TT, Cambridge 851N, 351C, Panamax 5300PM
  • ThomasD
    ThomasD Posts: 260
    Quick update. Found a TX2 w/ cartridge in the Seattle area for $75. Trying to get the seller to ship for full offer. Fingers crossed. Also realized that my 'significant other' would probably like a full wood plinth model like some of the Pioneers & Teac's. Probably cost prohibitive but would sure make some good looking wall art.
    Carver M4.0t, M1.0t, M200t, TX2, C1, C2, Marantz 2230, 2010, 4070, 1030, APPJ 2013, Rega Brio, Marantz Imperial 7's, Klipsch Heresy III, Quartets, KG4's, KG1's, 'The Sixes', R-12SW, Polk SDA 2a's, Monitor 7cTL's, SDA CRS's, 4a's, Zu Audio Dirty Weekends, Pro-ject Acryl TT, Cambridge 851N, 351C, Panamax 5300PM
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    Well, you might stumble into a wood-based beater cheap(ly) that could be cosmetically refreshed. Check fleamarkets, garage sales (maybe not the right time of year), charity sales, amateur radio swapmeets (it's that time of year, at least in northern New England -- we have several big ones coming up in the next few months), and even, yes, CL -- you might stumble across a bargain! :)

    The flush platter(s) of the b&o, though, may be the most practical to adapt for the desired application(?).
  • ThomasD
    ThomasD Posts: 260
    edited January 2019
    The flush platter(s) of the b&o, though, may be the most practical to adapt for the desired application(?).[/quote]

    Yes, after that suggestion, I can see the benefit of a lower profile table for this purpose. Hoping I could snag the TX-2 from Seattle but seller doesn't want to ship at this point. A nice Pioneer PL-550 or Teac TN-400s would also look nice hanging on the wall. :)B) Unless of course @mhardy6647 you decide to retire that 'old' TX-2 from your stable and allow me to repurpose it. LoL. Just curious, how long have you had it?
    Carver M4.0t, M1.0t, M200t, TX2, C1, C2, Marantz 2230, 2010, 4070, 1030, APPJ 2013, Rega Brio, Marantz Imperial 7's, Klipsch Heresy III, Quartets, KG4's, KG1's, 'The Sixes', R-12SW, Polk SDA 2a's, Monitor 7cTL's, SDA CRS's, 4a's, Zu Audio Dirty Weekends, Pro-ject Acryl TT, Cambridge 851N, 351C, Panamax 5300PM
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    ThomasD wrote: »
    ...Unless of course @mhardy6647 you decide to retire that 'old' TX-2 from your stable and allow me to repurpose it. LoL. Just curious, how long have you had it?

    I can tell you exactly :)
    I bought it at a charity fleamarket in Littleton, MA on a Saturday morning the day after our daughter's senior prom. That would make it May, 2002. I remember the day because we had snow that morning. :p

    It was $10, with an MMC-3 cartridge with a borked cantilever. I bought an MMC-4 to replace it from the b&o store in Boston. They kindly shipped it to me, too! Probably one of the very last cartridges they sold. :|

    Yeah, it's still in use occasionally, so NFS, sorry :)

    I was thinkin' about the other turning stock here, to see whether I had anything I could offer up/pass along... but I don't think I have anything here that'd float your aesthetic boat.


  • ThomasD
    ThomasD Posts: 260
    @mhardy6647 Ahhh.... memories. Glad the question made you remember one with such detail. Your existing stock I'm sure is quite extensive and impressive and far more valuable for your listening enjoyment than to it would be to simply hang on a wall. Thanx
    Carver M4.0t, M1.0t, M200t, TX2, C1, C2, Marantz 2230, 2010, 4070, 1030, APPJ 2013, Rega Brio, Marantz Imperial 7's, Klipsch Heresy III, Quartets, KG4's, KG1's, 'The Sixes', R-12SW, Polk SDA 2a's, Monitor 7cTL's, SDA CRS's, 4a's, Zu Audio Dirty Weekends, Pro-ject Acryl TT, Cambridge 851N, 351C, Panamax 5300PM
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    meh, I'd hang it on the wall if I didn't like the way it sounds. For what I have invested in it, it sounds pretty good. It makes excellent backup!

  • ThomasD
    ThomasD Posts: 260
    Here's the latest on the TX-2.....
    Original CL Ad:
    d0oe368kmz6l.png

    Sellers response to my inquiry:

    Hi Thomas,
    Forgive my delay in responding; Fairbanks is indeed far, but I’d like to help you out if I can, and if you’re still interested. My dad (whose turntable this was) liked to restore old radios and often sought out parts from far flung areas, so it feels fitting to sell it to you.
    I’m a little nervous about sending something as sensitive as a turntable through the mail; I don’t think I can guarantee that it will be perfectly the same when it arrives, but perhaps if you are into restoration, you can deal with any tweaks it might need?
    My memory is that the manual has a few instructions for prepping it for transport; my plan will be to do those tasks, make sure the cartridges are snug in their cases (one has its b&o case, the other has a little padded plastic box), fill in bubble wrap under the turntable lid, surround the whole thing with bubble wrap and packing tape and seal it in a cardboard box with a couple inches of tightly packed scrunched-up paper on all sides. Let me know if you’d like a different packing method.
    Does this all sound good to you?
    Best,
    Britta


    Obviously, I'm committed to purchasing this TX-2 now. But, not sure I'll be able to re-purpose it for my DIY project. May keep just to restore.
    Carver M4.0t, M1.0t, M200t, TX2, C1, C2, Marantz 2230, 2010, 4070, 1030, APPJ 2013, Rega Brio, Marantz Imperial 7's, Klipsch Heresy III, Quartets, KG4's, KG1's, 'The Sixes', R-12SW, Polk SDA 2a's, Monitor 7cTL's, SDA CRS's, 4a's, Zu Audio Dirty Weekends, Pro-ject Acryl TT, Cambridge 851N, 351C, Panamax 5300PM
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    I am pretty sure there are lockdowns for transit.

    The manual (and the service manual) are available on www.vinylengine.com (IIRC).
    If you (the OP) would benefit from the docs, and if you're not a member there (and/or if you have trouble registering to D/L content from them), send me a private message and I can probably help you out.

    Soundsmith does sell replacement cartridges and they might even be able to retip the old cartridges. You could give 'em a call when and if the time comes.

  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    edited January 2019
    Why not procure an tonearm and platter, and DIY the base of it. Very cool idea, BTW.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • ThomasD
    ThomasD Posts: 260
    edited January 2019
    @mhardy6647 I
    May take you up on that offer when it arrives and I’ll look into Soundsmith. Thanks
    @steveinaz that’s not a bad idea 💡 I hadn’t thought of it.
    Carver M4.0t, M1.0t, M200t, TX2, C1, C2, Marantz 2230, 2010, 4070, 1030, APPJ 2013, Rega Brio, Marantz Imperial 7's, Klipsch Heresy III, Quartets, KG4's, KG1's, 'The Sixes', R-12SW, Polk SDA 2a's, Monitor 7cTL's, SDA CRS's, 4a's, Zu Audio Dirty Weekends, Pro-ject Acryl TT, Cambridge 851N, 351C, Panamax 5300PM