Sony 2251 and/or 2250 owners thread

[adnick]

Congratulations - looks like you got it. I’d been watching that one, thinking of driving to Temucla for pick up. I think that should be a nice one!

Went in the opposite direction didn’t y’all There’s a turntable company in the UK that use to make kits to modify those early Rega arms, believed it was what got them noticed, but can’t recall their name….

Have fun

Andy

 

[flavio81]

@MisterDK what a sweet table!!

There is a PDF out there about rewiring rega tables. I can attach it if you want it.

 

[MisterDK]

Went in the opposite direction didn’t y’all There’s a turntable company in the UK that use to make kits to modify those early Rega arms, believed it was what got them noticed, but can’t recall their name….

Have fun

Andy

Couldn’t help myself.. Just (another) something to keep me busy. I really do need to get back on that 834 build..

Duane

 

[MisterDK]

@MisterDK what a sweet table!!

There is a PDF out there about rewiring rega tables. I can attach it if you want it.

I think it may be when done. Got the sticky switch levers working perfectly; needed a tiny bit of lube and very slight tweaking. Something had probably been shoved up against them at some time. They’re nice now! Plinth is cleaning up to look pretty good as well but does have more “patina” than my other one. I’ll get on the magnet adjustment later on.. Dust cover needs a serious cleaning and polishing but no deep scratches and it’s not cracked. This may be a really nice table..

 

[flavio81]

I think it may be when done. Got the sticky switch levers working perfectly; needed a tiny bit of lube and very slight tweaking. Something had probably been shoved up against them at some time. They’re nice now! Plinth is cleaning up to look pretty good as well but does have more “patina” than my other one. I’ll get on the magnet adjustment later on.. Dust cover needs a serious cleaning and polishing but no deep scratches and it’s not cracked. This may be a really nice table..

* i meant "about rewiring rega tonearms"

But frankly the PDF shows a method that i find cumbersome. I think an easier route for simpler rega arms (the ones without VTF adjustment built in) is to remove the tonearm bearings, allowing you to separate the arm tube from the rest of the tonearm.

 

[sberger]

Table showed up in great shape today. Seller did a wonderful job packing it.



Thanks everyone who helped in my addition of this fine table!

 

[MisterDK]

Table showed up in great shape today. Seller did a wonderful job packing it.

Cartridge on the original head shell is a Audio Technica AT11E, but no stylus. For now just using another head shell with a Shure M55. I have a AT13Pro13E that I might use, or I may just get stylus for the 11E.

But for now all good.

Thanks everyone who helped in my addition of this fine table!

Awesome! That one looks like a beauty!

 

[flavio81]

Table showed up in great shape today. Seller did a wonderful job packing it.



Thanks everyone who helped in my addition of this fine table!

Wow! looks neat!

It seems everyone here has turntables in better cosmetic shape than mine...

On the other hand, as long as everything works perfectly, i'm fine with it not being cosmetically perfect.

 

[flavio81]

PS: @sberger I'd love to hear your impressions of the PS2251 compared to your TD124. Although for a proper comparison i'd guess at least the cartridges should be the same.

 

[sberger]

PS: @sberger I'd love to hear your impressions of the PS2251 compared to your TD124. Although for a proper comparison i'd guess at least the cartridges should be the same.

I’ve used the same cartridges on both at different time(Shure M55). The primary difference is the heft of the 124. It has a meatier presentation similar to all the other idlers I’ve heard. Other then that they’re both fine tables. One might think the basic PAU-113 gives up a lot to the SME 3009 on the 124. But to my ears the 113, with a good cart like the Grace F9 I have on there now sounds wonderful and very musical. I’ve used a 3009 on the other 2251 I have and if there’s a difference I can’t hear it.

I’d be interested in comparisons from others of the 2251 vs. the SP-10.

 

[Mr Boochie]

I’ve used the same cartridges on both at different time(Shure M55). The primary difference is the heft of the 124. It has a meatier presentation similar to all the other idlers I’ve heard. Other then that they’re both fine tables. One might think the basic PAU-113 gives up a lot to the SME 3009 on the 124. But to my ears the 113, with a good cart like the Grace F9 I have on there now sounds wonderful and very musical. I’ve used a 3009 on the other 2251 I have and if there’s a difference I can’t hear it.

I’d be interested in comparisons from others of the 2251 vs. the SP-10.

How easy or difficult was the Sony arm to setup?

Thanks!

 

[sberger]

How easy or difficult was the Sony arm to setup?

Thanks!

For me easy but after decades of playing records I’m not obsessive about my setup. Set tracking force with a digital gauge, check alignment/overhang with a simple protractor and then listen. Sounds good? Yep. Done. It’s a fairly simple arm to set and forget. Which I like.

 

[MisterDK]

This is the one I picked up Tuesday. Spent a little time cleaning it up..
Speeds easily dial in to “dead nuts”, confirmed by this RPM/WOW phone app. Wow looks pretty decent to me for a 50 year old turntable. This one (and the first one I got) are absolutely silent. Plinth is looking decent but not perfect; it’s got a few dings and scratches but looks nice overall. Dust cover is cleaning up nicely but hand cleaning and polishing is a pain for me.. It’ll get there..

 

[MisterDK]

Rega tonearm fixed! This is the arm that was thrown in with the latest 2251 table I picked up on Tuesday.

There was just enough wire sticking out the bottom where the plug had been pulled off that I was able to strip, tin and resolder the wires to it… I can barely see those wires but luckily, I have an old magnifying fluorescent lamp to solder under. Tested it first with my meter, before putting the plug back in place, then a couple more times with the plug in and finally with a cartridge hanging from the tags..
I used a bit of epoxy around the edge of the plug to prevent it from coming out again, but it’ll still be removable when I want to rewire..
Turns out the counterweight is an aftermarket “heavyweight” and the VTA and hand locking nuts are aftermarket as well. Arm seems to be in good shape so I may make another wooden armboard for this second 2251 and stick this Rega arm on it.

 

[MisterDK]

@flavio81 - Flavio, you mentioned in an earlier post that you use a Rega RB303 arm on one of your Sony tables (?). Does it sound as good to you as other arms you’ve used and have you tried that Rega arm with better cartridges than the AT-VM95?

Curious; anyone else here use Rega arms on tables other than Rega?

Duane

 

[MisterDK]

Going to try some different feet on the latest 2251..



..and got an armboard made for it..

Don’t really care for this wood, but it can be replaced with another armboard later on. I made this one to use with that Rega arm I got with this. I’ll be looking to put a longer arm on it at some point, if I can.



Getting there - arm is where it needs to be. Waiting on some “grade 12.9” M3x20 button head Allen screws to come before drilling the board mounting holes. This came with the original armboard for the Sony arm - but no screws..

 

[flavio81]

@flavio81 - Flavio, you mentioned in an earlier post that you use a Rega RB303 arm on one of your Sony tables (?). Does it sound as good to you as other arms you’ve used and have you tried that Rega arm with better cartridges than the AT-VM95?

Hi,

I believe the plinth is very important to the sound so I can't really offer a good comparison.

I have a SME 3009/III on a stock 2251 and the RB303 on my replinthed Sony 2500 (I also used a Sony 2310 on the same plinth)

They don't have identical cartridges, the SME has the AT-VM540ML and the Rega the AT-VM95ML (also, E, also, C).

As I have posted elsewhere (here?) the SME sounds much better in terms of giving better location of instruments, also it gives a smoother, perhaps less punchier, sound.

The Rega RB303 (with the VM95) has a punchier sound, this is something you can notice immediately, it sounds very good as well, however the SME is still better.

I've yet to try them with exactly the same cartridge. I'm a little bit short on cash to do this experiment.

 

[Mr Boochie]

Hi,

I believe the plinth is very important to the sound so I can't really offer a good comparison.

I have a SME 3009/III on a stock 2251 and the RB303 on my replinthed Sony 2500 (I also used a Sony 2310 on the same plinth)

They don't have identical cartridges, the SME has the AT-VM540ML and the Rega the AT-VM95ML (also, E, also, C).

As I have posted elsewhere (here?) the SME sounds much better in terms of giving better location of instruments, also it gives a smoother, perhaps less punchier, sound.

The Rega RB303 (with the VM95) has a punchier sound, this is something you can notice immediately, it sounds very good as well, however the SME is still better.

I've yet to try them with exactly the same cartridge. I'm a little bit short on cash to do this experiment.

What oil you use, too! I'm a boiled linseed and lemon oil guy. On all wood --- including guitar!

Really!

 

[Blue Shadow]

They don't have identical cartridges, the SME has the AT-VM540ML and the Rega the AT-VM95ML

Have you listened to these two nails on the same arm? Reason I ask is that a punchy sound is frequently well-liked and the better positioning of the instruments is something the dual magnets in the 540 would probably bring to the music. That and the smoother sound of the better cartridge.

Folks love the 95 but it is a barely above entry level with different stylus shapes available and most think the ML is really nice. Budgets aside and I have not heard a 95, but there has to be a good bit of improvement available for cartridges to just go up in price from the 95 even if MM or MI designs.

So wondering if the smoother sound and better placement in the soundstage is the cartridge with just a bit of tonearm influence instead of all SME.

 

[flavio81]

Have you listened to these two nails on the same arm? Reason I ask is that a punchy sound is frequently well-liked and the better positioning of the instruments is something the dual magnets in the 540 would probably bring to the music. That and the smoother sound of the better cartridge.

I know. However, the unfairly maligned SME 3009/III is really something special.

I need to test with the same cartridge, of course.

Folks love the 95 but it is a barely above entry level with different stylus shapes available and most think the ML is really nice. Budgets aside and I have not heard a 95, but there has to be a good bit of improvement available for cartridges to just go up in price from the 95 even if MM or MI designs.

So wondering if the smoother sound and better placement in the soundstage is the cartridge with just a bit of tonearm influence instead of all SME.

I wonder the same, however the SME and the Rega have another key difference that directly have influence on soundstage/etc: the SME have knife-edge bearings and the bearing pivot (plus counterweight) is at the same level than the stylus. The Rega does not have this design. It's a key difference for vertical tracking, and as you probably know, the vertical movement of the stylus is what locates the instruments in the stereo space.

I might ,might buy an AT-VM530EB or something like that to be able to test with the same cartridge and stylus.