• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Questions about Harman Kardon T60C

R

Richi1818

New Member
Hello, I was wondering if you'd be able to give me some advice on a HK T60C I see listed on my local Craigslist. I've seen the turntable and listened to it and it sounds fine from what I can hear. However, here are some problems that it has;

1. The tonearm takes quite a long time to lower with the cueing mechanism. I'd say about 8 seconds. When I lower the tonearm I have to hold down the cueing mechanism the entire 8 seconds or else the tonearm just raises back up. (not sure if that's normal, also I'm not sure if the correct VTF has been set)

2. In order for the record to play at the correct speed the control knob must be turn more towards the + sign. Not sure if the quarts lock was set incorrectly. (I'm actually not sure what the quarts lock is for)

3. When the tonearm comes to the end of the record the tonearm would not lift. Also, it would not auto return (however, from what I've read on the internet I'm not sure if auto return is an actual feature.

4. The belt is old and brittle. (not sure if this is what is causing all the problems)

I've been able to bring the price down to $130 w/o a cartridge which seems like a very good deal to me especially considering that besides the flaws listed above the turntable looks like it's in very good shape; very well kept, clean, not dents or scratches, has the original mat but no disc stabilizer.

Hope that I haven't bombarded you with too many questions.

Happy Easter,
Richard
 
Register to hide this ad
Without the stabilizer, and with that cue problem, I'd pass on it. I have one, & it is very sensitive to foot fall vibration, and without the stabilizer, which is expensive to find, it is even worse. Every one I've seen or heard about is often slow with quartz lock, unless it has new belts (easy to find) and all the caps replaced. I also hate the reverse action cue lever. They also have a proprietary headshell, often replaced with the wrong angle one. Of all my TTs, I use that one the least. But it sure is a looker.
 
I think it's a good table and it's fixable. You can find the service manual over on Vinyl Engine.
What did they call that model, "The poor man's Micro Sekei"? It's not expensive to fix and sounds better than most would think.
$130 is a great price.
 
No, it was called "The Poor Man's Linn Sondek". The designer of the Linn Sondek "Ittok" tonearm, designed the HK "Microrace" tonearm too. The T-60C cost $475 back in 1984! It was second to the top of the line T-65C. There are fine tune speed controls underneath the front control panel. My T-55C ran a bit slow when I purchased mine. Set the speed with those tune controls so my speed was spot on with the pitch control directly centered. The quartz would then lock the speed at that precise setting! I used a paper strobe speed disc with a small fluorescent light to set the speed with. You need to get the manual at Vinyl Engine. That's a good price for a T-60C!
 
It is a good table. Don't know about the issues and how hard it would be to repair. Speed should be something that could be adjusted underneath to be a more centered control. quartz lock keeps the speed but not as well as ql OFF. I believe the ql is gunning the engine and hitting the brakes as the rubber band between the motor and the platter takes up the slack. I preferred listening to my T-55C with the QL off.

A record weight if you feel a need for one is fiddy bucks maybe. not the HK one, it vaires when you can find em but the speed setting using the strobe could be as posted above using a downloaded and printed one from numerous web sources.
 
perryinva said:
Without the stabilizer, and with that cue problem, I'd pass on it. I have one, & it is very sensitive to foot fall vibration, and without the stabilizer, which is expensive to find, it is even worse. Every one I've seen or heard about is often slow with quartz lock, unless it has new belts (easy to find) and all the caps replaced. I also hate the reverse action cue lever. They also have a proprietary headshell, often replaced with the wrong angle one. Of all my TTs, I use that one the least. But it sure is a looker.
Click to expand...

There used to be a thread with distortion graphs for the H/K alignment and the three more common alignments. The H/K was just...wrong. Best thing to be done to a Microrace arm is to put a standard straight-arm headshell on it and align it to Baerwald or Stevenson. Distortion went down noticeably on my table with a V15III when I changed the alignment.
 
"Poor Man's LInn" , that's right. Sorry about that. Microrace tonearm by Ito.
Though not clear in the documentation, the VTA can be adjusted by loosening a setscrew at the rear of the table. Difficult to adjust the VTA without a scale, I used cards from a deck of poker cards as shims until I got the right VTA.
 
Richi1818 said:
Hello, I was wondering if you'd be able to give me some advice on a HK T60C I see listed on my local Craigslist. I've seen the turntable and listened to it and it sounds fine from what I can hear. However, here are some problems that it has;

1. The tonearm takes quite a long time to lower with the cueing mechanism. I'd say about 8 seconds. When I lower the tonearm I have to hold down the cueing mechanism the entire 8 seconds or else the tonearm just raises back up. (not sure if that's normal, also I'm not sure if the correct VTF has been set)
Click to expand...

That's definitely slow for the arm to drop. My T55C drops in a second or two. The HK cueing lever has a slight "catch" you might feel at the bottom of its travel. It's a bit finicky but 90% of the time I can push it down until I feel that catch, remove my hand, and the arm will lower itself normally. One of the benefits of the spring-loaded cueing is that the default state of the arm is raised, so it's less likely for the stylus to get damaged by banging into the platter or anything else.

Richi1818 said:
3. When the tonearm comes to the end of the record the tonearm would not lift. Also, it would not auto return (however, from what I've read on the internet I'm not sure if auto return is an actual feature.
Click to expand...

The table will auto-lift at the end of the side (if the Lift button is set to Auto) and the platter will stop. There's no auto-return mechanism. Pretty elegant and simple design, really. If your auto-lift isn't working, 1) try a different LP because certain records have a lockout groove that's not quite close enough to the center to trip the auto-lift, and 2) see if the optical detection mechanism is working, or if the light is burned out, etc.

Richi1818 said:
4. The belt is old and brittle. (not sure if this is what is causing all the problems)
Click to expand...

You definitely want to replace the belt, which is easy to find online.

Richi1818 said:
I've been able to bring the price down to $130 w/o a cartridge which seems like a very good deal to me especially considering that besides the flaws listed above the turntable looks like it's in very good shape; very well kept, clean, not dents or scratches, has the original mat but no disc stabilizer.
Click to expand...

In my opinion you get a lot of turntable quality for that price. I would add a turntable weight that's close to the original one, and then pick a high-compliance cartridge that you like. Perryinva is right about the suspension being susceptible to footfalls, etc. If you can install it in a stable location, the table is well worth pursuing!

Also, I tend to use mine with the quartz lock off because when locked the speed is slightly off (counterintuitively). But with a slight adjustment of the speed control I can get it to exact speed and it stays there.
 
So Sam, are you saying that the original headshell, aligned to Baerwald or Stevenson is still wrong? Its been awhile since Inlooked at it, but I don't recall any issue aligning to standard gauges. I Think I have an MA2002e in it. I'll look tomorrow.

Been a few years since I got mine, but is $130 really a good price on them without the weight and needing work like that? I know I paid much less than that, its near mint and is only missing the original clear plastic spacer disk, for which I found a substitute.
 
Last edited:
perryinva said:
So Sam, are you saying that the original headshell, aligned to Baerwald or Stevenson is still wrong? Its been awhile since Inlooked at it, but I don't recall any issue aligning to standard gauges. I Think I have an MA2002e in it. I'll look tomorrow.

Been a few years since I got mine, but is $130 really a good price on them without the weight and needing work like that? I know I paid much less than that, its near mint and is only missing the original clear plastic spacer disk, for which I found a substitute.
Click to expand...

You can align the cartridge to Baerwald or Stevenson in the original headshell, the cartridge will just be kind of sideways.
 
I own a bunch of TT’s including Thorens TD166 MkII TD-280 AR-XB Pioneer PL-10 PL-117D PL-516 Technics SL1600 HK T-65c T-60 T-40
My T-65c & T-60 are my daily drivers both keep prefect speed with Quartz lock on or off..
I guess I am lucky. I only had a speed issue with the T-65c when I 1st got it . A new belt & de-oxit corrected it.
I really like the auto lift feature & think the HK’s when found complete & in proper working order are great!
All of the above TT’s get rotated through my different systems but the HK T-65c & T-60 are what I keep going back to as my daily drivers.

If you are the “I like to tinker & fix up things” type of person.
Then I would go for it, a new belt is cheap enough and fixing the cueing might be as simple as manually working the cueing piston and free up on its own. Auto lift might just need adjusting.…Or it may be a can of worms.
Only you can judge if you want take a chance on a bargain HK that might be a simple fix or something that drives you nuts.
Or just wait spend more & get one without any issues.

Good luck what ever you decide.
PQ

Gezz after looking at the list above pretty hard to deny I am now TT hoarder …..
 
Richi1818 said:
Hello, I was wondering if you'd be able to give me some advice on a HK T60C I see listed on my local Craigslist. I've seen the turntable and listened to it and it sounds fine from what I can hear. However, here are some problems that it has;

1. The tonearm takes quite a long time to lower with the cueing mechanism. I'd say about 8 seconds. When I lower the tonearm I have to hold down the cueing mechanism the entire 8 seconds or else the tonearm just raises back up. (not sure if that's normal, also I'm not sure if the correct VTF has been set)

2. In order for the record to play at the correct speed the control knob must be turn more towards the + sign. Not sure if the quarts lock was set incorrectly. (I'm actually not sure what the quarts lock is for)

3. When the tonearm comes to the end of the record the tonearm would not lift. Also, it would not auto return (however, from what I've read on the internet I'm not sure if auto return is an actual feature.

4. The belt is old and brittle. (not sure if this is what is causing all the problems)

I've been able to bring the price down to $130 w/o a cartridge which seems like a very good deal to me especially considering that besides the flaws listed above the turntable looks like it's in very good shape; very well kept, clean, not dents or scratches, has the original mat but no disc stabilizer.

Hope that I haven't bombarded you with too many questions.

Happy Easter,
Richard
Click to expand...
Did you ever get the slow cuing and the cuing lever popping back up sorted out? I have the same problem on mine.
 
Where to get the cueing arm for hkt60 Just purchased table ln goodwill auto lift don't work no cuing arm but works fine
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom