Is this factory or aftermarket lift on AR XA?

[bdp62]

I have an Ortofon Hi Jack for my AR XA. But it did require drilling the top plate to install it.

I don't think its possible to build a plate that mounts around the arm pillar, as it rotates during play. I have seen where someone built a shaft that had a magnet in the bottom that attached itself to the top plate, and then they built a plate to hold a Jelco arm lift. That is the only option I am aware of that does not require a modification of the top plate.

Regards
Mister Pig

Mister Pig,

That is a beautiful turntable and your lift looks ideal. I see one of those Ortofon lifts on the auction site, but the price is a little out of my budget considering higher priority modifications. Since posting my question I found some photos where someone used the Jelco lift. I don't mind having to drill a small hole to mount something.

 

[scoville]

AR 77 XB has a lift. 77 XB is supposed to be a hybrid of the XA and XB I'm thinking, but with a lousy plinth. I have one but I'll be starting with the plinth mod. As a woodworker I cannot deal with fake vinyl plinth... The tonearm hole appears to be enlarged to fit the lift on my 77 XB. Not sure of the quality of the 77 XB, but on my tinkering, all the advice seems to work. Specs seem to be very close on replacement parts so far.

 

[bdp62]

I found the same lift as the OP on the auction site. I had to disassemble it and repack with super heavy silicone oil to renew the damping. It works well and will be a nice addition to this turntable.

 

[mjw21a]

Check out the Supex AL2 and Yamamoto AL-2 universal lifters.

I'm not aware of any others though I was looking into these for myself recently. I didn't end up needing them as I purchased Fidelity Research arms with integrated lifters. They'd have been great with the numerous Grace tonearms available presently. Those things are a bargain for what you get.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

No AR XA had a lift from the factory, the AR XB had a tonearm lift for cueing.

 

[Magnus Eker]

If you take a good look at this AR MST ad. you will se the lift on the XA turntable, mabe it was just fitted on the european market?

 

[KentTeffeteller]

It could very well be a XB which had an XA plinth that AR built for the ad.

 

[petemcfc]

I have one on my AR-XAU,on the rare occasions they appear on ebay in the UK they all have one fitted.At a guess, AR installed these for the export market,possibly to up the competition to the Garrards and BSRs that had flooded the UKs market.
The plinth on mine is solid walnut and maybe that is also common to the AR-XAU,perhaps other owners of this variant could add to this.

 

[marcmorin]

I have one on my AR-XAU,on the rare occasions they appear on ebay in the UK they all have one fitted.At a guess, AR installed these for the export market,possibly to up the competition to the Garrards and BSRs that had flooded the UKs market.
The plinth on mine is solid walnut and maybe that is also common to the AR-XAU,perhaps other owners of this variant could add to this.

Not seen an XAU unit here with original solid walnut. Maybe the ones I've seen here were the later models brought back to the states by service men/personnel

 

[cre009]

Just acquired a second XAU - both of mine are veneered not solid wood

 

[petemcfc]

Then it appears I got lucky,does it have an arm lift?

 

[cre009]

Both of mine have the lift - all UK XAUs that I have seen on ebay over the last 3 years also had the lift.

 

[petemcfc]

Thats been my observation as well.