Sony PS-2251LA added to my collection

This past week I added a Sony PS-2251LA to my growing collection of vintage turntables. The dust cover had the expected swirling and the TT needed a bit of cleaning up but some spit and Meguiar's polish later it's looking pretty good. I still have to do some touch ups on the casting around the platter but otherwise everything looks great.

The LA version was sold with a removable arm board but no tonearm. The original owner of this one installed an SME 3009/S2 tonearm with a removable lightweight headshell. As an extra included bit I got an Audio Technica AT20SL Limited Edition cartridge to replace the Stanton low end cartridge that was installed. The 3009 anti-skating bias weight was missing and the AT20 had a cheap replacement stylus so as soon as I got the cartridge installed and arm adjusted and tested it (it worked) I ordered an OEM AT20SL stylus from TurntableNeedles and a replacement bias weight from that guy in Canada who has all of the OEM SME parts, so as soon as both arrive I am good to go.

Attached are some photos of the 2251 in it's new home atop the equipment rack in my SonyES/Infinity music room. The Sony TTS-3000/PUA286 that used to live there is now installed on a small all vintage Sony system I have in my home office that includes an STR-GX9ES receiver and a CDP-707ESD CD player.

Since the TTS-3000 was the last belt driven turntable that Sony made and the TTS-2500, which is the heart of the PS-2251, the 1971 replacement direct drive TT (along with the TOTL TTS-4000), it's nice to have beautiful examples of each on board. I am not going to hold my breath waiting for a TTS-4000.

Aha! You snapped that one up off eBay. I was eyeing it, but had no money. :tears:

mackat said:

Aha! You snapped that one up off eBay. I was eyeing it, but had no money. :tears:

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I couldn't resist, especially with the installed SME arm, and it was only an hour and 50 minutes north of me so no risky shipping involved.

What Stanton was installed just out of curiosity?

The Stanton cart is a RS500DJ, less than appropriate for an SME 3009 methinks. The stylus support looks like sixteenth inch aluminum tubing. Because the anti-skate bias weight was missing and the support arm for same swung back out of the way, I suspect the TT had been used in a fashion that might be frowned upon by myself and others subscribing to this forum. Thankfully it and the tonearm survived.

Could have been used by an archivist or broadcast production use. Which would explain the Stanton 500 cartridge fitted.

KentTeffeteller said:

Could have been used by an archivist or broadcast production use. Which would explain the Stanton 500 cartridge fitted.

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Thanks. That hadn't occurred to me and I like it much better than the scenario I had imagined.

I am anxious to hear how the TT sounds with the new stylus installed in the AT20SL. The vendor called me about an hour after I ordered it to tell me that they had just shipped it, and since they are in Oregon it will probably arrive today or tomorrow so I am already anticipating.

Congratulations and welcome to the 225x club !!

PS: You may want to keep that Stanton 500. It's a well kept secret...

flavio81 said:

Congratulations and welcome to the 225x club !!

PS: You may want to keep that Stanton 500. It's a well kept secret...

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Thanks.

Regarding the Stanton - I did a bit of research on it after I got the Sony and didn't find anything particularly remarkable about it but I'll take you at your word and will stash it away with all of my other easy to lose audio bits.

Congrats on that awsome Sony.I have eyed that model for several years.Great pick up.