Looking for a vintage TT

oldman55

Well-Known Member
I have been using a B&O TT w/mmc20 cartridge since the early 80s with a high gain preamp.
As I want to start using the phono stage of my tube amps, I will need a conventional TT.
Since I have not kept up with TT and cartridges, I am looking for a recommendation. Maybe a TT you have seen online that is of good quality but you are passing on?
Help is appreciated.

oldman
 
I reviewed their website and it seems it would cost more than buying a conventional turntable. And it wasn't clear if I could run it through the phono stage or have to use the auxiliary as I do now
 
You run it through an aux input. They sound very nice. It may surprise you what a half decent turntable will cost, of course depends on your location and local availability.
 
The B&O on its own should work perfectly well when connected to a standard moving magnet phono input. Their cartridges are quite good- the only issue being that the styli are not user replaceable. Having them refurbished by an outside company such as Soundsmith can be rather costly.
 
Using Technolink TC-770L in line level input and bypass amp photo stage.
Want to send the signal thru amp photo stage.
The B&O on its own should work perfectly well when connected to a standard moving magnet phono input. Their cartridges are quite good- the only issue being that the styli are not user replaceable. Having them refurbished by an outside company such as Soundsmith can be rather costly.
No refurb bit suspension still good. Know that it deteriorates w time.
It's output voltage is loww.

SMMC20EN Technical specifications
Stylus Nude Elliptical, 0.120mm SQ
Radius of curvature 6 x 17 µm
Cantilever Aluminum Alloy
Recommended Tracking force: 12mN / 1.2 gm
Effective tip mass 0.35 mg
Compliance 28 µm/mN
Frequency response 20-20,000 Hz ± 2.5 dB
Channel Separation
(stereo only) 1000 Hz >24 dB
50-15,000 >20 dB
Channel difference <1.8 dB (Stereo)
Output voltage >0.6 mV/cm/sec.
5 cm/sec. Lat. RMS >2.12 mV
Cartridge weight 4.05 grams
Load: Resistance >/= 47 kohms
Capacity >/= 400 pF
 
Last edited:
Using Technolink TC-770L in line level input and bypass amp photo stage.
Want to send the signal thru amp photo stage.

No refurb bit suspension still good. Know that it deteriorates w time.
It's output voltage is loww.

SMMC20EN Technical specifications
Stylus Nude Elliptical, 0.120mm SQ
Radius of curvature 6 x 17 µm
Cantilever Aluminum Alloy
Recommended Tracking force: 12mN / 1.2 gm
Effective tip mass 0.35 mg
Compliance 28 µm/mN
Frequency response 20-20,000 Hz ± 2.5 dB
Channel Separation
(stereo only) 1000 Hz >24 dB
50-15,000 >20 dB
Channel difference <1.8 dB (Stereo)
Output voltage >0.6 mV/cm/sec.
5 cm/sec. Lat. RMS >2.12 mV
Cartridge weight 4.05 grams
Load: Resistance >/= 47 kohms
Capacity >/= 400 pF

you didn't post what the gain is in the phono stage you would like to use. output voltage of 2mv will work into 37db gain, you just have to turn the volume pot up more........if this causes too much noise, that would be fault with the phono stage/preamp. DB Systems DB-8HG. David can make the gain anything you want........no noise.
 
I have the Beogram 4002 with the mmc20en, I use it with all my vintage and modern amps/ receivers (MM phono input) with no problem.
Yes the volume needs to be turned up a bit more but that's even good, since 99.9% of the time my volume never gets turned up further than 10-11 o'clock...
 
MMC20EN: Output voltage >0.6 mV/cm/sec. I believe most of the phono inputs are looking for at least 2 mV.

Any help in regards to my original question?
 
Gee, I use my 20en cartridge on a B&O 1700 table into a Yamaha CR-420 receiver and the sound is plenty loud... Is the sensitivity of the tube amp that much lower than old solid state?
 
Since I have not kept up with TT and cartridges, I am looking for a recommendation. Maybe a TT you have seen online that is of good quality but you are passing on?
Help is appreciated.

oldman

If I decide to pass on a TT I have seen on line, it is available locally as I will not buy a table that needs to be shipped. That said, if I pass on one and you decide it is for you, will you be driving over to pick it up from the seller...long way of saying where are you located, fill in your location in your profile and folks can help you find that table. When folks put in a location, some will check CL for the OP and list a few tables that seem like decent buys.

Will you be using a different cartridge, one of higher output, to allow use of your amp's phono input?
 
Gee, I use my 20en cartridge on a B&O 1700 table into a Yamaha CR-420 receiver and the sound is plenty loud... Is the sensitivity of the tube amp that much lower than old solid state?

I think most of them like 2-4 mv.

If I decide to pass on a TT I have seen on line, it is available locally as I will not buy a table that needs to be shipped. That said, if I pass on one and you decide it is for you, will you be driving over to pick it up from the seller...long way of saying where are you located, fill in your location in your profile and folks can help you find that table. When folks put in a location, some will check CL for the OP and list a few tables that seem like decent buys.

Will you be using a different cartridge, one of higher output, to allow use of your amp's phono input?

Will need a new cartridge as the BO is proprietary. I would want one shipped. I check the local channels and not much to offer within reasonable driving range. Thanks
 
MMC20EN: Output voltage >0.6 mV/cm/sec. I believe most of the phono inputs are looking for at least 2 mV.

Any help in regards to my original question?
Hi, that's a vertical number, not a lateral number. 5cm per second in the vertical would blow any arm off the vinyl. Rare number given by any cart company as to voltage produced in the vertical manner.
 
If this is a request for offers of turntables for sale, its in the wrong place. Most responses seem to be dealing with the technical issues, but the two topics should be separate.
 
@Nat
Not a request for offers, just what is out there.
If you dont want to participate, report the thread or disregard. I thought that we were here to help each other?

Oldman
 
Dang..I went to ****gon and looked at some TTs.

I'm out of that game. My goal is to never have more than 1k into any system. From source to speaker, including cables. And its gotta sound great to me.
 
Dang..I went to ****gon and looked at some TTs.

I'm out of that game. My goal is to never have more than 1k into any system. From source to speaker, including cables. And its gotta sound great to me.
Better hurry. TTs that were 25 5 years ago are 150 now. TTs that were 150 a few years ago are 250-400. Some special tts, the ones with a Manufacturer Brand Tax, the Pio/Mar/Suis are now over 500 for the good ones.

If you are going to have a table shipped, why don't you check out the bay and find some you like and research them, even ask here about that model. With your lack of location, lack of subscriber privileges and indication of you will have one shipped, that is the best option since most CL tables aren't going to be shipped. Of course, you could check out some less than a-gon sales on the asylum, CAM and USAM. That 25 bucks for a year to subscribe might bring you a dozen tables from AKers wanting to move one along. Might have exactly what you want available, simply by putting in a WTB thread in Barter Town.

Here are a pile of tables near me that I am passing on. some nice units:
https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/search/ele?query=turntable
 
I'm no expert but I would choose the technics sl1300 for $150

My second choice or if I fealt like spending more would be the technics sl1210 IF I could talk him down under $300
 
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