That is a very interesting suggestion. I actually saw a picture of one that looked to be dark grey rather than silver. Thank you sir!
Reliable DD Turntable
- Thread starter PJ62
- Start date
That is a very interesting suggestion. I actually saw a picture of one that looked to be dark grey rather than silver. Thank you sir!
savatage1973
Addicted Member
Anyone with any level of skill and a 3-D printer can fabricate all those parts--if you can't or don't know someone who can, then get out your wallet... not really all that difficult at all, and sometimes cheaper than looking for donor parts (that will eventually break due to age, as well).
restorer-john
Addicted Member
Get real.
It's just a vintage turntable and most people (like 99.99%) of the population just want it to work reliably.
They don't have the time, the skills, or the bottomless wallet to be chasing down vintage technicians and some clown with a 3D printer to build a poor rendition of yet another broken nylon part.
savatage1973
Addicted Member
ROTFLMAO--"just a vintage TT"--pitch it in the trash and go buy new plastic EVERYTHING for more money...
restorer-john
Addicted Member
Yep. We are the 0.01% who bust our backsides to keep this vintage stuff going. As time goes on, what we do will become more fringe and obscure.
Most of the 60s,70s, 80s and a significant proportion of the 90s gear is already in landfill. In the 80s/90s I saw so much being bulldozed into the ground at our local tips it was incredible. My friend and I used to go to the 'tip-shops' on the weekend and I'd regularly come back with the whole car full of HiFi- most of it was fine- all for $5 or $10 for the lot.
Linn Sondek out of the metal recycling heap. Turntables stacked so high that the bottom ones' lids cracked from the weight.
We are an extreme minority and wholesale parts replication for this ancient stuff as it breaks down is not going to happen.
Moral of the story is buy something with the least moving parts- it will last the longest.
MCM_Fan
AK Subscriber
Or what about checking for used tables at the many used audio dealers in the greater Chicago area? A table from one of these establishments will cost more than a craigslist or thrift store find, but it will be properly serviced and come with a warranty (usually 9-0 days, sometimes longer). And no risk of damage during shipping.
Yes there are. This thread's purpose is for you knowledgeable guys to give me some superior model #s so I know what to look for while browsing.
There are darned few of those type of dealers anywhere near me. A couple of used record shops have some dusty low end units in the corners, and some thrifts and antique stores sometimes have a unit. There are some actually in Chicago itself, but that's an hour and a half away on a light traffic day. The closest old time stereo shop to me is 50 minutes drive away, and they have bizarro hours, only open like 20 - 25 hours a week. I don't like going there because a couple of the guys are sorta condescending to me. I guess I didn't spend enough there to justify being acknowledged.
MCM_Fan
AK Subscriber
It might be worth a trip into the city sometime to hit a few of the better shops. Just call ahead first to see what they have. When I was in high school, I used to take the bus from NW Indiana to downtown Chicago to hit all the camera stores to buy darkroom equipment and supplies. I live 2000 miles away now, but still enjoy visiting Chicago whenever I can.
stratokaster
Mental toss flycoon
That's why pre-quartz lock / early quartz-lock drive units with fully discrete circuitry (such as SP-10mk2) are greatly preferable to later models.
Last edited:
I shortened your post, sorry, but it's all rationalizing to make some odd point
There are plenty of reasons the 'new machines' won't be represented in forums just like this one thirty years from now
Just because you believe something does not make it factual
They sure will
Don't know if you've settled on a table yet
darkblue94 and EngineerNate have both brought up a table that is really great
The Sony PS-X50 or the PS-X60 and they are superb
I have worked on 3 of them two just basic clean and adjust and one for a total recap job
I would avoid the PS-X70 not because it's anything bad but because it does have so many bells and whistles, IE chips, that it could pose service problems due to unobtainable parts
The only issue I have had with these Sonys as it might apply to you is that initially they typically do need a good clean and lubrication after they are gotten out of the dormant state, the closet or attic, most have been in these past 25+ years or so
The PS-X60 offers one touch automatic operation or can be used as a manual turntable - the best of both worlds
And the tonearm is a work of art, it does it all
Can't go wrong and everything is adjustable
I help friends with tables and have seen quite a few dressed and undressed. These Sonys in particular are hard to beat. When I am looking at them especially inside all I can think is this thing is older than I am
It's weird and amazing and I love it
Anyone beating the drum against automatics seems to sorta miss the whole point I think. The Sonys listed above have nothing that touches the tonearm when it is playing a record and even in the remote chance that something broke it can still be used as a manual meaning it doesn't become a door stop
And, they are BLACK
I agree about avoiding servo arms
http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-PS-X60.html
darkblue94 and EngineerNate have both brought up a table that is really great
The Sony PS-X50 or the PS-X60 and they are superb
I have worked on 3 of them two just basic clean and adjust and one for a total recap job
I would avoid the PS-X70 not because it's anything bad but because it does have so many bells and whistles, IE chips, that it could pose service problems due to unobtainable parts
The only issue I have had with these Sonys as it might apply to you is that initially they typically do need a good clean and lubrication after they are gotten out of the dormant state, the closet or attic, most have been in these past 25+ years or so
The PS-X60 offers one touch automatic operation or can be used as a manual turntable - the best of both worlds
And the tonearm is a work of art, it does it all
Can't go wrong and everything is adjustable
I help friends with tables and have seen quite a few dressed and undressed. These Sonys in particular are hard to beat. When I am looking at them especially inside all I can think is this thing is older than I am
It's weird and amazing and I love it
Anyone beating the drum against automatics seems to sorta miss the whole point I think. The Sonys listed above have nothing that touches the tonearm when it is playing a record and even in the remote chance that something broke it can still be used as a manual meaning it doesn't become a door stop
And, they are BLACK
I agree about avoiding servo arms
http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-PS-X60.html
Where I work just gave me this Technics SL-1200 Mk2 and it's black. They were renovating the radio station and didn't want it anymore, my gain. Took it home, hooked it up everything works, sounds great, a bit of hum but just has to be grounded properly and cleaned up. So now I have a silver Mk2 and a black one, so they can be found. Just have to decide which one to keep. Hope you find something you like.
MCM_Fan
AK Subscriber
Why decide? Keep them both.
savatage1973
Addicted Member
How about some of the Pioneer PL-series, like the PL-51, PL-71, PL-55X or PL-530? IIRC, the PL-570 is also wood--wood and/or wood and black plinth?
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
They're great, when they work. I see more Sony automatics with issues than any other Japanese make of that era. 50/50 odds of them working again. The ones which are used regularly do much better, that get serviced when they have an issue. Out of the attic, they tend to suffer from problems. Sony manual and semi automatic DD models are far more reliable in practice in my area. Also, DD motors which are not sealed, lubricated for life, which are intended to be lubricated at intervals give fewer issues. Simpler the turntables are, the more reliable the turntables are.
I might we'll see when I get the one I just received running right.
I'm not buying what you're selling, sorry, and your post is really hard to follow you sort of contradict yourself.
Sure, closet finds by any maker often need more to get them up and running but what has that got to do with reliability issues? Dual comes to mind.
And those odds you give are based on what? Sony mad a lot of automatics for a lot of years, a whole lot. I'd say that the odds of getting anything working again if you can't fix it yourself are 50/50, or even worse, based on where you live before it's because 'it's a Sony!'
Sony from that time seems to be about as reliable as they get
I read some of your posts before replying and it seems you have been beating the drum for one or two turntables for years and always the same ones some ancient stuff from radio stations which aren't really practical or even available to the typical home user like me
What you say about Sony runs contrary to real world experience shared by me and many many others
I will say I don't know about the handful of pro models Sony built like the PS-X9 which has more electronics on it than I would ever buy or want because I don't need it just to listen to my records
http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-PS-X9.html
Last edited:
