AR XA turntable

[Omegaman]

1 month later:

I got the table back from Marc and I have to say I am amazed.

It is absolutely true. The AR XA sounds great but the AR XA sounds FANTASTIC after Mr. Morin has his way with it


I had Marc perform every suggested upgrade except the mount for an SME tonearm


It is so quiet

It's it's...audiophile

 

[JFRACE]

Damn, that was fast. I'm looking to send mine to Marc as well. On the upgrades how much of a remembered difference is there in the table now from stock? Is it night and day, or just more detailed and quiet?

 

[marcmorin]

I got the table back from Marc and I have to say I am amazed.

It is absolutely true. The AR XA sounds great but the AR XA sounds FANTASTIC after Mr. Morin has his way with it

View attachment 782812
I had Marc perform every suggested upgrade except the mount for an SME tonearm
View attachment 782813

It is so quiet

It's it's...audiophile

Looks like it made it's way safe and sound.........told ya there was some pretty wood hiding under all the goop that AR used as a wax. And, as always AR put the fancy grade walnut in the back.

except for limited types of carts, and alignments, I don't find anything sonically wrong with the AR headshell

OH, and that original stylus, did you get a chance to look at it?

 

[Omegaman]

Well there was the original stylus in the cart, a new stylus from Phan in the box and the EVG stylus you had to acquire

But no I haven't bothered to do anything but listen to the table

I should have had you sign the undercarriage for posterity

The table is more detailed and quiet

 

[Mister Pig]

I got the table back from Marc and I have to say I am amazed.

It is absolutely true. The AR XA sounds great but the AR XA sounds FANTASTIC after Mr. Morin has his way with it

View attachment 782812
I had Marc perform every suggested upgrade except the mount for an SME tonearm
View attachment 782813

It is so quiet

It's it's...audiophile

Its pretty amazing what one of these can do isn't it. I certainly appreciate spinning mine, and if I didn't have the other tables I do....I think I could be quite content with this AR XA.

Regards
Mister Pig

 

[bobins08]

My XB is at Marc' s house, awaiting a plinth from AvFan. I was at Marc' s house and got to hear his system and see some of his engineering rigs.

Someday I'll get it back. I know how good a semi-morinized table sounds. Soon I'll have the full deal, with h an awesome plinth in place of the XB particle board and contact paper.

Someday.

 

[beatcomber]

Damn, that was fast. I'm looking to send mine to Marc as well. On the upgrades how much of a remembered difference is there in the table now from stock? Is it night and day, or just more detailed and quiet?

You can expect from a comprehensively marcmorinized AR...

• Significantly improved bass extension and weight
• Idler-like PRaT
• Inky black backgrounds
• Holographic imaging
• Superior tracking

 

[Omegaman]

You can expect from a comprehensively marcmorinized AR...

• Significantly improved bass extension and weight
• Idler-like PRaT
• Inky black backgrounds
• Holographic imaging
• Superior tracking

That's what I said "It sounds great"

 

[JFRACE]

I'm trying to hold out on getting it done until the one in my profile pic is done. Marc did some of the stuff on it as well,and the builder is finishing up in about 2 weeks. So I don't know how it sounds, and can't compare them yet.

 

[AvFan]

My XB is at Marc' s house, awaiting a plinth from AvFan. I was at Marc' s house and got to hear his system and see some of his engineering rigs.

Someday I'll get it back. I know how good a semi-morinized table sounds. Soon I'll have the full deal, with h an awesome plinth in place of the XB particle board and contact paper.

Someday.

The eighth coat of finish went on yesterday and the ninth, hopefully the last, will go on Saturday or Sunday then a week to let it cure and I can rub it out. The padauk shimmers like silk.

 

[bobins08]

The eighth coat of finish went on yesterday and the ninth, hopefully the last, will go on Saturday or Sunday then a week to let it cure and I can rub it out. The padauk shimmers like silk.

Oh wow!

I have no doubts this will be excellent looking.

Again, take the time you need. I continue to set up the sound room in my new house.

 

[marcmorin]

Oh wow!

I have no doubts this will be excellent looking.

Again, take the time you need. I continue to set up the sound room in my new house.

guess this means i gotta get off my arse........

 

[bobins08]

guess this means i gotta get off my arse........

What? I figured you where done by now ... just slide it into the new base and proceed to final alignments and sound checks.

 

[Omegaman]

The table has passed all its tests with flying colors

Beethoven #6 Pastoral
Tchaikovsky Pathetic
Sibelius Findlandia
Scheherazade
Ravel Daphne and Chloe
Grieg #1 and #2

Played through a MAC 1900 and EV-Six speakers

I guess I can get rid of my 301, 124 and those Empires

 

[Mister Pig]

Oh wow!

I have no doubts this will be excellent looking.

Again, take the time you need. I continue to set up the sound room in my new house.

The Paduk will be beautiful, of this I have no doubt. Bill's work is absolutely wonderful. I love the lacewood base he did for my XA, While the wait feels long... the end result is worth it.

Regards
Mister Pig

 

[mkane]

AvFan knows his wood

 

[mkane]

There's a joint there, somewhere

 

[JFRACE]

I'm also contemplating the Paduk on my next plinth.

 

[bobins08]

The Paduk will be beautiful, of this I have no doubt. Bill's work is absolutely wonderful. I love the lacewood base he did for my XA, While the wait feels long... the end result is worth it.

Regards
Mister Pig

Thanks. I think your right, the wait will be worth it.

My wife picked out the Paduk base. It's has high WAF approval.

Then she met Marc and got to hear his AR. She is pushing me to get my sound room set up in the basement. Lots of projects here right now.

 

[marcmorin]

Then she met Marc and got to hear his AR. She is pushing me to get my sound room set up in the basement. Lots of projects here right now.

Gee, I hope she didn't hear the XA, was hopin she only heard the speakers.........