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ZZ Top/Eliminator

I'm not sure if you are seeing the cam complete its movement with the gear but the tonearm doesn't, or if the cam does not finish actuating the tonearm. The cam arm follows a track on the underside of the gear. If it isn't properly in the groove it will function oddly like that.

If you pop the platter off, you should be able to manually actuate the mechanism and see almost all of the parts involved as they work. Without the platter, you can just turn the spindle by hand and make it all happen. Usually, the problem will show itself this way. The platter is merely sitting...

I think Crosley is doing good things for the hobby in spite of the dreadful things their worst players do to records. Most of the people I know who buy their products are completely divorced from the old days experience of growing up with a turntable. It gets them in the game for next to...

I am currently running a Pickering XV-15 with an aftermarket Stanton-style D680 stylus. The backup for it is a Stanton 680EE with NOS stylus. My lady friend is running a Shure M44G on her SL-1200. She likes the sonic heft and forgiving nature of the Shure. We have a pile of Shure/Realistic and...

I have a cheap Technics SL-BD27 that I use as a tester and loaner. It looks like the typical BPC, but it's actually much better sounding than one would ever reasonably expect and the speed is always right on. Believe it or not. On this little turntable, cartridge quality makes a huge difference...

My girlfriend bought a pristine used 1200 Mk II from a downsizing collector for $300. I consider it a good deal. We might have gone as high as $500 once we saw the actual condition, but his wife was in a hurry for him to sell. I think $750 is a stretch, but in the end what matters is if it's...

Great running table, if you get it right. Mine had a flip stylus. Pretty handy. Good luck.

I greatly admire the PL-530. Mine has been on loan to my ex-wife's brother for years. Currently in negotiations for its return. I look forward to your eventual updates. If all goes reasonably well, I think you should be very happy with it.

I think the Nagaoka would be a definite upgrade from the AT95E. The turntable will certainly support the upgrade. However, it might be better to upgrade the rest of your rig first, as you have speculated. Then you will be able to get the most from your turntable upgrades.

Lots of great tips here, with which I agree. I must say that when I am looking at used records I am always aware that it is a slight gamble, Therefore, I evaluate how it looks against how much I am willing to bet it's good. In other words, the price is how much it will cost me to find out if...

The Litz stuff from KAB is great. When I had to do an SL-23, though, I had a newer donor table sitting around so I scavenged the wiring from that arm (it was another Technics - the headshell mount was almost identical). They are pretty easy - sandstrom's suggestion of using the old wires to pull...

I always quite liked the black plastic swiss-cheesed rectangle that came on my PL-530. Can't find a decent picture right now, but I'm sure you know the one. Most of the time, I just use the Technics SL-1200 Mk2 - later style. Got a bunch of them of various makes, so I guess they are my favorite...

Running manual decks lately due to local availability of quality players, but I have always preferred a semi-auto turntable.

The moving a lot system: Pioneer SX-3500, Kenwood KD-2070, Sony CDP-291, Realistic Nova 10 (the pair), a downsized mix of LPs and CDs. The downsizing at home system: Pioneer SX-750, Kenwood KD-2070, Sony CDP-291, Realistic T-120 (pair), a less downsized mix of LPs and CDs.

Still dig 'em, as I still have a lot of cassette tapes. I'm down to three now.

Like many, no one I know really cares. The only people I know who have a traditional hi fi are old guys, and fewer of those all the time. Everyone says all the records are way cool when they see them, but that's it. The few younger people I meet who have made a step into LP playback have all...

"These talking machines are going to ruin the artistic development of music in this country. When I was a boy...in front of every house in the summer evenings, you would find young people together singing the songs of the day or old songs. Today you hear these infernal machines going night and...

I also use Magic Eraser, and Windex on the glass parts. If you want to wax it as well, you'll be wanting an automotive wax.

I'd say that your SL-1900 is a great deck. Why replace it? A cartridge upgrade might be a better use of funds if the rest is still working fine. As for the AT LP-120, if you are in for a little tinkering you might find it a nice starting point. Check out this thread for some great tips and...

What a great post. I'm always happy to hear when someone has a great time learning and doing. By the way, congrats on getting that turntable running. It looks nice, and I know that Rory Gallagher album is great.

"Soundstage", as I understand it, is the audible depth and breadth of a recording. A well-presented soundstage may often even lend itself to a mental image of instrument placement (but not necessarily). Surround, on the other hand, is a deliberate attempt to provide a placement for various...

Thorens TD-160 crate project that continues to sit... and sit... can't bear to pass it along. One day...

Every HITS record from K-Tel sucked. They'd try to pack 25 songs onto a disc and there'd be no bass to speak of. A lot of folks never noticed, though, because their department store all-in-one stereo only had 6" speakers. Quite a few of the record company two-disc samplers suffered the same malady.

I would try a new stylus first. The cart is well regarded, but styli wear out. I have had good experience with house replacements from LP Gear, or you could pan for NOS styli in the ebay river. After that, I might try an album that was recorded with analog in mind. The Daft Punk organisation...