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  1. beatcomber

    Old tube amps can sure be quirky (X-100 rectifier content)

    I have a '59 X-100 that was recapped shortly before I purchased it a number of years ago, and it had been largely trouble-free until last year, when one channel went out. To make a long story short, after making some missteps, I finally found a tech that was very qualified to work on this old...
  2. beatcomber

    Fisher X-100 (and other top-loaders), tube heat, and interconnects

    The power tubes on my 1959 X-100 are just a couple of inches away from the right channel's input jacks, and the connectors on the cables get pretty hot. I haven't had any cable failures happen yet in the years I've owned it, but I can't help but be concerned that the heat could be damaging to...
  3. beatcomber

    Fisher X-100 output transformers

    I have a '59 Fisher X-100 (the earliest version with the tube rectifier) that has been recapped. It had provided flawless service for a number of years, until one channel died last summer. I brought it to a tech who determined that one of the output transformers had blown. I sent both of the...
  4. beatcomber

    The Lexington Listening Lounge™, February 2, 2021

    I just received a new pair of UK-made Custom Design FS 104 Signature stands from Analogue Seduction in England yesterday, which is the same dealer that I got such a great deal from on the Spendor SP3/1R2's a few years ago. I also bought the Isonoe feet for the SL-1200MK2 from AS last year for a...
  5. beatcomber

    power transformer on my '59 X-100 is toast

    My tech informed me that the power transformer on my '59 X-100 is toast, so I'm trying to come up with a solution. The Fisher page on Transcendar's website is enticing, but offers zero information on how to contact them. Are they even still in business? Any other options besides waiting to...
  6. beatcomber

    Taking another chance on Audio-Technica: just bought a VM750SH

    Around 10-15 years ago I had an Audio-Technica AT-440MLa, it was my first "good" cartridge. I loved the way it tracked and extracted detail, but eventually realized that it sounded bright/thin in the system I had at the time. In the past few months I have gradually been making a number of...
  7. beatcomber

    Muzishare X7 - an affordable hand-wired KT88 integrated made at the Line Magnetic factory

    My Muzishare X7 just arrived yesterday after a long journey... Hong Kong -> Alaska -> Kentucky -> New Hampshire -> Massachusetts. There's not a whole lot of info about this amp out there, Muzishare appears to be a brand intended for the Chinese market only, but those who have ordered them seem...
  8. beatcomber

    I have fallen in love with the Stanton 500

    Ladies and gentlemen, I have fallen in love with the Stanton 500AL. On a whim, a few weeks ago I bought a NOS Stanton (Florida) D5100AL-II stylus and fitted it to the Pickering NP/AC body that I had been using exclusively for 78 duty since the '90s. The NP/AC generator is pretty much a Stanton...
  9. beatcomber

    Does anybody know the thread size for an SL-1200 aux weight?

    Greetings. I would like to buy a threaded bolt and some washers to fashion my own custom aux. weight for my SL-1200, and it would save me a lot of effort if someone could tell me the correct thread size. Thanks!
  10. beatcomber

    Full-range hand-built USA monitors for $1499: Holt Hill Audio's Cionnsaile Monitors

    I've known Brian Salazar for several years through AudioKarma. Brian, better known here as @baco99 , has established a reputation on AK and other audio forums for expertise in restoring and upgrading vintage hifi speakers. I've also had the pleasure of spending time with him at local Boston-area...
  11. beatcomber

    Has anyone ever had an SL-1200 crap out and die?

    It occurred to me that I've never heard of an SL-1200 totally crapping out on anyone, and I'd be curious if anyone has ever had one croak. The only age-related issue I am aware of is the grease in the arm height ring can become dry/sticky and cause the ring to seize up, but that's an easy fix...
  12. beatcomber

    A rarely mentioned SL-1200 tweak: the 10g aux. weight

    I've been enjoying my vintage Grado Signature 8MR on my modded SL-1200MK2, but getting it balanced on the arm requires positioning the counterweight about 3/4 of the way back on the end-stub. My understanding has been that the closer the counterweight is to the pivot, the better the tracking...
  13. beatcomber

    I re-wired my SL-1200MK2 last night (w/ audio samples)

    I decided that it was time for me to attempt a re-wiring of my '02 SL-1200MK2. I ordered from KAB USA their arm wiring kit, which includes their SuperFlex tonearm wires (pre-cut and tinned), a pull-wire, and a rubber arm tube insert. I already had a pair of KAB/Cardas SpiralAir interconnects...
  14. beatcomber

    So... I think I just got an SL-1200MK2 for free. Now I have to fix it.

    I bought a pretty clean, non-DJ'd, selectable-voltage SL-1200MK2 that had been modded for 78 by KAB. The seller is located in the UK and he used eBay's Global Shipping Program, and wisely had it insured. I received the package a couple of days ago, and immediately noticed a huge, gaping gash in...
  15. beatcomber

    Switchable-voltage SL-1200MK2 w/ Euro plug - OK for use in USA?

    I am considering the purchase of a very clean SL-1200MK2, but it's located in the UK and I'm in the USA. I have seen images of the serial number plate on the back, and it clearly indicates that it can be switched to 120v and is compatible with 50 or 60hz. Aside from needing an adapter plug for...
  16. beatcomber

    Somebody took Satchmo's cartridge

    When I visited the Louis Armstrong House Museum ten years ago, I observed that there was a Pickering XV-15 mounted on the Dual 1019. (The speed was also set at 78RPM FWIW). The museum just posted this photo on Facebook, and I noticed that there is now an M97xE on the Dual. When I visited the...
  17. beatcomber

    Braun PS-500: How do I reattach this tiny c-clip to the idler wheel?

    Guys, I'm desperate. How the heck do I re-attach this tiny c-clip to the idler wheel spindle on my Braun PS-500? It's impossible to push it in place from either the top or side.
  18. beatcomber

    I "fixed" my Nakamichi CR1a last night

    A few weeks ago I attempted to transfer some cassettes from the 1980s - recordings of the originals band I was in - and discovered that one channel on my Nakamichi CR1a was lower in output and sounding muffled. (I haven't used the Nak a lot for the past 15 years or so.) I tried cleaning the...
  19. beatcomber

    Gave my marcmorin AR some TLC

    For the past week or two I'd become aware of some low-level rumble from my c.1963 AR-TX, and it was bugging me. It wasn't audible from the listening position, but I could clearly hear it when I was near the speakers. Several years ago, @marcmorin completely went through the table, so I knew...
  20. beatcomber

    GAS gets instantly deflated

    The big, fat year-end Music Direct catalog arrived in the mail yesterday, and I was thumbing through it while eating dinner. I showed my wife a page full of of megabuck phono cartridges and jokingly said, "Should I get one of these?" and she just said matter-of-factly, "It's not worth it."...
  21. beatcomber

    The truth about Grado's MC+ and ME+ mono cartridges

    Grado is infamously stingy about providing details about their styli. While researching their entry-level mono cartridges, the MC+ and ME+, I read various statements on audio forums that are not confirmed on Grado's website, such as the MC+ has a 1.0 mil conical stylus and the ME+ has a 1.0...
  22. beatcomber

    Can replacing a belt affect a table's presentation (dynamics, etc.)?

    Putting aside for a moment things like pitch stability and accuracy, I'm wondering if changing the belt on a turntable can affect the table's sonic presentation. For example, let's say you have a 40-year-old turntable with the original belt, and replaced it with a fresh, new one. Is it likely...
  23. beatcomber

    Braun PS-500 turntable, designed by Dieter Rams

    Hello all... long time, no post! :) An interesting, somewhat rare turntable was listed on Craig's List Boston, so I went over and bought it last night. It's a Braun PS-500, which was designed by the legendary industrial designer, Dieter Rams. It has some interesting features, including a drive...
  24. beatcomber

    Well, I'll be doggone... a Denon DL-103 DOES work well on a Dual 1019

    Conventional wisdom says that a Denon DL-103 needs a massive arm to deliver the goods. Anything less than 20 grams of effective mass will produce shrill, forward, bass-lite performance from a DL-103. Just for schitts and giggles, I decided to mount my DL-103 (the original version) on my Dual...
  25. beatcomber

    Question re: using a headphone amp with my Fisher X-100

    I have an early tube-rectified '59 Fisher X-100, which of course does not have a headphone jack. This may seem like an odd question, but I am not terribly knowledgable about how circuits work, so here goes: If I were to hook up a headphone amp to the record output jacks, would I be "wasting"...
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