Who here owns their ultimate/dream/"grail" turntable and what is it?

Never owned or (knowingly) used an idler turntable. From what I understand, they take a bit more effort/maintenance but they have a lot of fans that swear by them.

Very simple maintenance. Oil the motor, spindle, and idler wheel top every two-three months. Its very easy to do. What i love is there is hardly any electronics between you and the music, and they have very nice PRaT.
 
When I think of idler I always think of Garrard 301/401, Lenco and Dual although I suppose those are probably plentiful compared to those two Pioneer models you have!
 
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When I think of idler I always think of Garrard 300/400, Lenco and Dual although I suppose those are probably plentiful compared to those two Pioneer models you have!

Those are the popular choices. These two are sleepers and id put them up against those name brands any day of the week. The Japanese knew what they were doing when they invented these tables. Ive never seen the serial number on the PL-7E exceed 5000, and on the PL-6A, 10,000. Im guessing they cost alot to manufacture thats why they didnt make many.
 
After thinking about I guess I do have one of my Holy Grail tables. I first saw the Linn LP-12 around 1976 at a small shop in St. Louis. The name was Continental Sound. The system was DQ-10's driven by Kenwood gear and the Linn with a Grace 704 and Sonus Blue cartridge. I was smitten. At that time I had a Pioneer SA-9900 JBL Century 100's and a Pioneer DD table. I brought my amp and table in and basically they got out played. The owner told me my amp was very nice but the table was the weak link. At his suggesting I bought a Phillips 212 from another dealer. It was a good move. I now have a LP-12 with an Audiomods arm and a Nagaoka 500. Getting closer. The other Holy Grails would be the Technics SP-10 with the Obsidian base and a Simon Yorke S-7. View attachment 1199447
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I love listening to your Linn/AudioMods/ Nagaoka 500 Combo. It sounds great.

The only thing I don’t like about it is that you were thinking of selling me your AudioMods arm until that Linn showed up.

:D :smoke:
 
Had many tables considered "Grail" over the years. To some, a fully functional Dual 1219 or 1229 is grail. To others, Nothing less than $1000 is grail. According to what your expectations are. Me. I still dream of walking into a thrift or Yard sale and finding a MIB VPI or Linn, in that realm. I would say the QL-10 I recently acquired is very close to that.
 
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Who here owns their ultimate/dream/"grail" turntable and what is it?

It should be a very short thread, most people don't own or even know what their ultimate/dream/"grail" turntable is until they try it.

I do own mine after trying many tables and know I don't need better. I'm also greedy because I have 4 of them and 3 are in my system. I'v had 6 over the years gradually buying different series tables that also had different performance parts and aesthetics. Mixing and matching parts in comparison. All the while trying 5 different arms and 4 MC cartridges. I still have and buy other tables that are also very nice. Mostly because I want to try them or like the looks, however as many tables I'v used and have they will not bump the SOTA off the perch.

SOTA Star Sapphire....SME Series V arm......Sumiko Blackbird cartridge.

I'll also add it brings me pleasure that many members here read what I have posted about this table over the years. They ask for help in buying and setting up and then come to the same conclusion as I, that they are now done looking for a better table.[/QUOTE


I'll second Dan on that one! I've tried many tables over the years and finally completed my search for ultimate satisfaction with the Sota Sapphire. With Dan's recommendation , chose the Blackbird as well.

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My DUAL 1229q is the best turntable I've ever owned, so I guess it's the DUAL. I've owned other tables, but not as good.
 
Allow me to quote myself for a moment..........
After acquiring my first Beogram (I've had several), I looked for info on B&O's turntable models, and was very intrigued by the early linear-tracking models like the Beogram 4000 and the Beogram 8000. While I'm not sure I'll ever find a 4000 (they weren't directly sold in the US, AFAIK), I do have an example of the later Beogram 4002 which I found at an antique radio swapmeet, of all places, for $5. :D

Well, I still haven't found a Beogram 4000, but what should I find at the antique radio swapmeet this morning but another Beogram 4002! :D Paid more than $5 for this one, but it's in much better cosmetic shape than my other one (apart from some paint missing from the 'bump' behind the dustcover), and came with a cartridge, namely their TOTL MMC6000. :banana: Betting it needs a fair amount of repair work (found a restoration guide for the early 4000/6000-series linear trackers here), but it seems to be in fairly good shape overall. I think I did pretty well for $100, even if I needed another Beogram like I need a hole in the head. :oops: :crazy: :rolleyes: Here are some pictures:
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Can I ask how you found that?

the seller got it at an estate sale for $150 had been tucked away for a long time, he was on AK asking about its value then put it up for auction on ebay and i won. it came with a NOS ADC ZLM Standard Improved cartridge as well so it was a pretty good find.
 
I have a Sony PS-X60 that I really like. She could use a full restoration and new rca cables, but sounds sweet with my AT-440MLB cart.

I also have, on permanent loan from a buddy's mom (I brought her alcoholic son safely home too many times to count) a fully functional PL-600 from Pioneer. Good, solid table. I have replaced the belt on the arm return, cleaned and lubed, otherwise, bone stock.

I guess my best table is my Technics SL-1400mk2 with KAB rca's, and a wd-40 repaired Astatic MF-100 cart. That combo is so very nice, I even had the full repair on the return arm.

I hope to one day get a serious table. Something.......serious, like those Yamaha GT2000's that theophile is always praising.
 
It's been the VPI HW-19 with an ET-2 linear pneumatic bearing arm, the realization a "sadder but wiser" Mk-3 version with the Phoenix Engineering rim tach speed controller system added.
Due to circumstances beyond, it is temporarily sidelined for the default Technics SL-7.
 
I'm coming close. Still thirst over a restored Garrard 301/401, but paying several thousand dollars for one is not in the plans. That said, really happy with the tables listed in my signature, and the latest acquisition of a Fairchild 412 is happily satisfying any desire to own any other table at the minute.

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My "ultimate/dream TT" is the Yamaha YP-800 I purchased new in 70's, only reason I have the Pioneer PLX-1000 is for comparing cartridges real time.

 
Holy grail... holy grail... When someone mentions 'holy grail' I always imagine something you've always wanted, ever since you were a kid. When I was getting into 'hifi' I never had a vision of some 'ultimate gear', I just started buying and upgrading. At some point I abandoned turntables (fortunately kept all my records). Then I missed playing my records so I bought an Akai AP-006, modified it and was happy. More or less. Still some nagging voices in my head. And then, onde day I decided that life is too short for nagging voices, put all the money I could spare together and started searching for the best turntable I could afford. By best I mean a combination of performance, looks and that 'je ne sais quois'-factor. And then, one glorious day, a very interesting ad appeared on the interwebs. So I called the store, counted my money one more time and jumped in my car. A couple of hours later I arrived back home, put the turntable together, adjusted it and it hasn't left. and probably never will. Ok, have to be honest: this is an old pic, the Kiseki cartridge has been replaced by a Lyra Dorian.

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Very simple maintenance. Oil the motor, spindle, and idler wheel top every two-three months. Its very easy to do. What i love is there is hardly any electronics between you and the music, and they have very nice PRaT.

Yes, accurate, reliable, easy to maintain, perform to very high standard. No electronics to give issues with or service problems with age. In short, a nearly forever turntable of very high grade, BLAT (Built Like A Tank)
 
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