pbda
Super Member
A few years ago I bought an old XA from a seller on Craigslist in Cambridge. For $40 the TT was in reasonable shape, with the original dustcover, tonearm and headshell intact. The motor was a bit noisy. I put the deck away in a closet.
I had been thinking doing a meaningful modification on this turntable, to see if I could create an "LP12 junior". I had a surplus Linn LP12 that could sacrifice its arm and power supply, so, after locating a gentleman ("Steve") who does excellent work with AR TT modifications, I sent him a laundry list of ideas...
-Remove stock arm and replace with Linn Basik LV X.
-Strip and repaint the top plate in a wrinkle finish gloss black.
-Dampen the top plate, subchassis and other parts as needed.
-Check condition/suitability of suspension springs and replace if necessary.
-Diagnose noisy motor and replace with Hurst 3 watt motor if necessary.
-Install Linn Valhalla power supply.
-Assess bearing and clean or upgrade if necessary.
-Replace feet with spikes.
-Replace existing bottom cover with heavier one.
-Modify the original dust cover to fit over the Linn tonearm.
Before I had any work done, I disassembled the TT and sent the plinth to merrylander. He reveneered it in a gorgeous Brazilian rosewood. Thank you Rob!
In working on the TT, Steve hit a couple of snags and had to start over with the mods midstream. Fitting the Valhalla power supply inside the table proved impossible because of its size and the way the power switch plugs into the board, so Steve created an outboard power supply. In addition, the Linn arm did not fit without hitting the suspension spring so the top and subchassis had to be modified to the same geometry as the newer AR tables. Steve replaced the original suspension springs with Linn springs.
I received the 'table back this week, and I've been listening to it obsessively since then. After these mods, and even with a lower-spec cartridge than the Grado on my Linn, the XA really gives my "primary" LP12 a run for the money (much less money, in fact: Even after paying Steve his very reasonable fee for the mods, the XA cost me less than 1/5 of what I paid for my used LP12).
So this marvelous machine of the sixties is up and running and ready to spin vinyl for another forty years!
I had been thinking doing a meaningful modification on this turntable, to see if I could create an "LP12 junior". I had a surplus Linn LP12 that could sacrifice its arm and power supply, so, after locating a gentleman ("Steve") who does excellent work with AR TT modifications, I sent him a laundry list of ideas...
-Remove stock arm and replace with Linn Basik LV X.
-Strip and repaint the top plate in a wrinkle finish gloss black.
-Dampen the top plate, subchassis and other parts as needed.
-Check condition/suitability of suspension springs and replace if necessary.
-Diagnose noisy motor and replace with Hurst 3 watt motor if necessary.
-Install Linn Valhalla power supply.
-Assess bearing and clean or upgrade if necessary.
-Replace feet with spikes.
-Replace existing bottom cover with heavier one.
-Modify the original dust cover to fit over the Linn tonearm.
Before I had any work done, I disassembled the TT and sent the plinth to merrylander. He reveneered it in a gorgeous Brazilian rosewood. Thank you Rob!
In working on the TT, Steve hit a couple of snags and had to start over with the mods midstream. Fitting the Valhalla power supply inside the table proved impossible because of its size and the way the power switch plugs into the board, so Steve created an outboard power supply. In addition, the Linn arm did not fit without hitting the suspension spring so the top and subchassis had to be modified to the same geometry as the newer AR tables. Steve replaced the original suspension springs with Linn springs.
I received the 'table back this week, and I've been listening to it obsessively since then. After these mods, and even with a lower-spec cartridge than the Grado on my Linn, the XA really gives my "primary" LP12 a run for the money (much less money, in fact: Even after paying Steve his very reasonable fee for the mods, the XA cost me less than 1/5 of what I paid for my used LP12).
So this marvelous machine of the sixties is up and running and ready to spin vinyl for another forty years!
Poor man's LP-12 and as good in all ways!
