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2nd turntable ideas thoughts... vintage

S

streetwise

Active Member
I currently have a Technics SL-Q200 with a Grado presitge red cartridge. I play through a harman kardon citation 16 & 17 and Snell J/ii speakers. Im looking into a Dual turntable possibly a 701. Any ideas im most interested in 60's or 70's gear.
 
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Personally, I think a Dual 701 would be an excellent choice, as the direct drive motor they used in those is supposed to be terrific.

Lots of good vintage choices out there depending on your budget and what level of automation you may want. Here are a few worth mentioning.

Belt Drive:
Ariston RD-11s
Linn Axis
Rega Planar 2
Dual CS-5000
Harman Kardon T65C/T60C/T55C
Micro Seiki BL models
Thorens TD-160

Direct Drive:
Concept 2QD
Denon DP-52L
Dual CS-701
JVC QL-A7
JVC QL-Y55F/Y66F
Kenwood KD-500/550
Kenwood KD-600/650
Luxman PD and PX models
Micro Seiki DQ models
Revox B790
Sansui SR-838
Sony PS-X600
Sony PS-X7
Sony PS-X6

Tangent Tracking:
Harman Kardon Rabco ST-7/ST-8
Sony PS-X800
Technics SL-10
Technics SL-7
Yamaha PX-3
 
Ok here is a good option, especially if you want a killer table for a reasonable price. Talk to AKer Marc Morin and get a line on an AR XA or XB that he restores and updates, which results in a remarkable table. I have a few very nice tables, and this restored/updated AR I received from him runs very close to my TD 124 with a very good linear tracking arm.

There are some nice versions or the AR owned by people here on AK, and they get consistently good sound. The updates put into these table really allow it to shine.

Regards
Mister Pig
 
Mister Pig I deffinately want a Thorens TD-124 one day. but not quite there yet. Something more budget concious to start. Im looking at the AR tables now what would be the difference between them and a 701? Im new to turntable shopping other than liking the aesthetics of the Thorens tables and having a few linear drive technics im new.
 
streetwise said:
Mister Pig I deffinately want a Thorens TD-124 one day. but not quite there yet. Something more budget concious to start. Im looking at the AR tables now what would be the difference between them and a 701? Im new to turntable shopping other than liking the aesthetics of the Thorens tables and having a few linear drive technics im new.
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I am not an expert in AR history like many people here. But this design is a solid implementation of a 3 point suspended table that was very affordable back in the day. But these tables need refurbishing since they are quite old, and there are certain areas where they can be improved. Which is where people like Marc Morin, and others such as George Merrill, have stepped in and made improvements. There is another person here on AK Steve Frost I believe, who has some nice restorations of these tables also.

Now I chose Marc's work, and he has a few levels of upgrades. But his top package/refurbishes/improves nearly every aspect of the table, from spindle bearing, to sub chassis, to suspension, to tone arm pivots, and even a swap of the arm wand so it can use a standard head shell if you want that option. When thet able is done, it is competitive with many a high quality table.

ARXA#A.jpg

This one is mine, done in a lace wood base, as I am not a fan of walnut as a wood. The arm lift is not included in a stock AR XA, so you would have to go to an XB to get a stock one, or find a vintage one to install on it.

Not sure if this kind of table is in your budget. but if it is, a full monty upgrade from Marc is money well spent.

The Dual are reported to be nice tables, but they have their own eccentricities. For me, i love this AR XA, and its remarkable performance.

Regards
Mister Pig.
 
I am on the AR XA or XB bandwagon. Find a stock one and then talk to Marc about upgrades.

Thorens TD 150/160 is a great option too.

If you want another direct drive the Kenwood KD 500/550 is indeed a great option and like the two belt models I recommended, it can be modified.

I have all three so I am comfortable with the recommendations. :thumbsup:

Cheers, Bob
 
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I just picked up a Technics SP10 MKII and will be working to get it up to speed. It was NOS still in the box never been used, along with a new Audio Technica tone arm still in the box never used. It looks like it has good potential. I think any of the Technics SP series would be a good choice.
 
Personally, I think the Dual 701 is the best turntable Dual ever made. They are very reliable without being too "fiddly". There is a famous Dual repair guy out there who overhauls them and resells them. Not cheap, but they are great.I bought one from him a few years ago and it couldn't be told from brand new. It's all the turntable I'll ever need. I'm running a Pickering XSV/3000 cartridge in it.
 
Find of the century: yesterday I bought a new old stock Dual 701 at an estate sale for $100. I got to take it out of its box, remove the tags and styrofoam from 1973. It is replacing the Dual CS515 I've been using for a few years. It's one of those once in a lifetime finds. It sounds great with the JVC L56s I also bought at the sale.
 

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Curtis Honeycutt said:
Find of the century: yesterday I bought a new old stock Dual 701 at an estate sale for $100. I got to take it out of its box, remove the tags and styrofoam from 1973. It is replacing the Dual CS515 I've been using for a few years. It's one of those once in a lifetime finds. It sounds great with the JVC L56s I also bought at the sale.
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I'd agree, a find of a lifetime. More pics please.
 
Started with a nice Dual back in 1976, (upgraded?) to a long list of mediocre DD's, then an AR XA gave me my music back. Was very happy with it for many yrs running a Grado Platinum, purchased a Thorens TD-166MKII, great table but couldn't nudge out the AR as my main table.

Not long ago I put my toe back into the DD pool and purchased a Kenwood KD-500 with a Grace 707 arm and all I can say is "WOW". With the same Grado Platinum it was a real eye opener. The Thorens and AR are great, but the Kenny really is on another level. Sure the other two could be improved to close the gap, but so could the Kenny to ever widen said gap.

This led to my next table, a Kenwood KD-770D, a bit newer then the 500. Easily beats the unmodified AR and Thorens and holds its own with the 500, but the heavier arm makes it impossible to make a direct comparison with the same cart.

The 770D is a bit rare so not easy to find, the 500 a little more common.

I could live with any of the four tables I own a be a happy camper, it's the sickness inside that precludes such intelligent thinking LOL.
 
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