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Official AR Turntable Owners Thread

I realize that I'm quite late to this thread, but I'm just getting back into vinyl. So, thought I'd post a photo of my bone stock AR 77XB turntable, purchased new at Square Deal Audio, Patchogue NY, circa 1978 or so. The table itself and original dustcover are in perfect condition.
But, one inane question goes along with this... It's got a Stanton 720 cartridge mounted... If you were in my position, stay with the Stanton with a new D71 stylus, or replace with something else..

All suggestions welcome..

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gkimeng said:
Your entire auditory system has had decades to mold itself to the sound of that Stanton and will probably revolt if you try to change it this late in the game...
Click to expand...
You make a fair point...

But, it doesn't give me the opportunity to try something new... like the Grado Green, if that's advisable? Only $30 more than the upgrade stylus for the Stanton. I just don't know... I need more analysis paralysis..
 
Greetings all. Quick question about the thickness of the Delrin thrust plate in the tonearm well. Is the thickness the same as the thrust plate in the spindle well?

I have an older AR XB with the stock S-shaped tonearm. I noticed when I was cleaning/lubing the wells that the tonearm well thrust plate was about 2-3 times as thick as the one in the spindle. It wasn't dimpled so I put it back in. I'm thinking about replacing it with one the same thickness as the spindle thrust plate. Here's a pic.

Thoughts?
 

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Yes, at times when the shorter spindle was used one would use 2 thrust plates or a thicker one was also available.
Edit: An issue would be the angle of the stylus. Other folks can give better details.
 
Hose53 said:
Yes, at times when the shorter spindle was used one would use 2 thrust plates or a thicker one was also available.
Edit: An issue would be the angle of the stylus. Other folks can give better details.
Click to expand...
Ok, so are saying the thrust plates should be the same thickness? That is unless I have a shorter spindle, in which case the thicker plate would go in the spindle well and not the tonearm well like mine? How would I know if I have the shorter spindle? Perhaps it's possible the previous owner inadvertently switched the plates.

Thanks for the response @Hose53
 
Hard to say when it would have happened or why. Again others may have more information on that. I do have spindles of different lengths. Marc did comment on that at one point. I do have some thicker Delrin thrust plate material.
Someone may ask you to post pictures of your head shell in position to see what the angle is like.
I think there are some posts where the different lengths of the spindles are compared
 
Hose53 said:
Hard to say when it would have happened or why. Again others may have more information on that. I do have spindles of different lengths. Marc did comment on that at one point. I do have some thicker Delrin thrust plate material.
Someone may ask you to post pictures of your head shell in position to see what the angle is like.
I think there are some posts where the different lengths of the spindles are compared
Click to expand...
I re-read your post @Hose53 and found the below post from Marc [RIP]. I think I better understand now. Maybe my AR XB (cast subchassis with s-shaped arm) has a shorter tonearm post and therefore might require a thicker thrust plate than the one in the platter well. I couldn't find any of the other posts you mentioned about comparing lengths though.

Which XA is it? The original subchassis type with the delrin bearing cups takes a different post than the model that came after with the cast subchassis.......also, if AR refurbed the early model in the latter years of AR's business, it could have one of 2 different length XB arm posts.

Here's my plan. I'm getting a new stylus in a few days for a Shure M55e that I'll mount on the AR. I'll then post pics of the headshell on an LP with the thicker and thinner bearing to see which looks more correct. Will also measure the thrust plate thickness and tonearm post length. I doubt my old ears would notice the difference.
 
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Years ago I decided to take all the bits and pieces in my spare parts box and see if I could assemble an entire turntable from them. I had an old two-motor TT base with stamped T-bar and an XA tonearm and platter, and the platter rode way high in the well. I ended up cutting the shafts shorter and putting new carbide balls at the ends. I think that 3/8" was the amount I cut off, but I've long since discarded my notes from this project. But unless you have access to a machine shop and small parts, you're better off sourcing parts off eBay.
 
gkimeng said:
Years ago I decided to take all the bits and pieces in my spare parts box and see if I could assemble an entire turntable from them. I had an old two-motor TT base with stamped T-bar and an XA tonearm and platter, and the platter rode way high in the well. I ended up cutting the shafts shorter and putting new carbide balls at the ends. I think that 3/8" was the amount I cut off, but I've long since discarded my notes from this project. But unless you have access to a machine shop and small parts, you're better off sourcing parts off eBay.
Click to expand...
I have the parts and stay away from a stamped T-bar
 
Well, it took me a couple of weeks but I finally finished reading the entire thread.

Great thread and a lot of love for Marc, who appears to have been a man who lived out his passion.

I guess I'll be keeping an eye out for an XA or XB.
 
Hello AR fans, I am going to buy an AR-XA from a friend and it's missing the inner platter/spindle. I want to buy a replacement, but don't know if the XA and XB have the same sized spindle and specs, in other words are they interchangeable? BTW I own an XB so getting an XA is going to be fun!
 
Spindle diameter over the years. No difference.
I think I've seen a height difference in the inner platter but can't remember which model. It would be between the XA and XB, I believe.
 
Thanks, I just don't know if I have to wait for an XA or grab an XB. Guess I can wait until I pick up the XA and try my XB inner platter on it.
 
Now, I don't have 1% the knowledge of tutntables that many here have, but looking at my AR over the years, I believe the inner platter is just a press fit on the axle. Being a Tool & Die Maker in my former life, it seems to me that any competent machine shop could press the inner platter .25 lower on the axle with little difficulty, and machine the record pilot...
If I'm out of line.. just ignore..
 
pworm14 said:
Well, it took me a couple of weeks but I finally finished reading the entire thread.

Great thread and a lot of love for Marc, who appears to have been a man who lived out his passion.

I guess I'll be keeping an eye out for an XA or XB.
Click to expand...
I can let you know what I have once I am back home.
 
scootchu said:
Thanks, I just don't know if I have to wait for an XA or grab an XB. Guess I can wait until I pick up the XA and try my XB inner platter on it.
Click to expand...
I can check my parts and at the very least I do have the thicker Delrin material that I can cut a thrust plate for you
 
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