The AR XA and XB lack this feature but by changing the mat thickness or adding cartridge shims it can be dealt with. Still, a valuable feature.
Turntable Request, what’s the easiest to work on vintage table?
- Thread starter rkidLG
- Start date
"The AR Turntable" always looked good to me and I nearly bought one. (Funny story...I went to buy one but the salesman called me out for having "garlic breath" after I ate Pesto and refused to work with me. I told him to 'Eff Off' and I bought my HK T60 at another store.).
What I liked about "The AR Turntable" is you can change the tonearm. With HK- what you see is what you get. The AR is completely manual, the HK will pick up the tonearm and stop spinning at the end of the record.
The AR turntable:
What I liked about "The AR Turntable" is you can change the tonearm. With HK- what you see is what you get. The AR is completely manual, the HK will pick up the tonearm and stop spinning at the end of the record.
The AR turntable:
Legrace
Super Member
AR was my very first TT, I remember paying 69$ for one at Consumers Distributing. For a kid whose only source of income was mowing lawns, it was like a bolt of affordable audio lightning. But get another one now, even for nostalgia sake, no thanks!
The Pioneer 510 came to mind. Used to own one. Taught myself to fix Duals. Complicated but I like the 1219 and 1019,1009K. Once the motors are cleaned and oil and the cams regreased they run a long time. My 1219 pictured was purchased in 2014. Redid the motor in 2017. Since it was done in 2014, it came apart easily. Serviced and back togather in 20 minutes. Love the 1000 series, Have a 1019 and 1009SK. Love them.
I'm somewhat hesitant to get a Dual because of the Rube Goldbergesque mechanisms with tiny C clips that get lost.
jqp
Well-Known Member
A belt drive, semi automatic with an AC motor from the 1970's is pretty easy to work on with not much that can go wrong. Realistic LAB 300, Sansui SR 212 plus many others. Electrically not much to them, AC motor, switch or two and a capacitor or two. Good learning experience if you like to tinker. Motor disassembly, clean/lube, spindle bearing clean/lube...basic setup and tune will result in a great sounding table. Don't need to spend much to get excellent sound.
I wouldn't let your one bad experience with a Rega arm turn you off. I've owned several vintage Rega tables + arms over the years and found them to be remarkably hard to kill. Maybe I've just been lucky.
The R200 arm is brutally underrated.
Depending on your tolerance for DIY you might take a look at the 70s pre-quartz lock Denon flying saucer direct drive units. Pros: relatively cheap for what you get, highly flexible, very solidly built, simple circuits, easy to find with a plinth and probably an arm, most of the Denon-branded arms were very nice (many were OEM by Acos, but watch effective mass), or mount your arm(s) of choice. Cons: likely to need a recap and possibly some transistors, not all of the models have good manuals and schematics so do your homework, Japan-only models require a step-down transformer, buying just the unit and building your own plinth is the cheapest entry point, but only if you're handy at building plinths.
The R200 arm is brutally underrated.
Depending on your tolerance for DIY you might take a look at the 70s pre-quartz lock Denon flying saucer direct drive units. Pros: relatively cheap for what you get, highly flexible, very solidly built, simple circuits, easy to find with a plinth and probably an arm, most of the Denon-branded arms were very nice (many were OEM by Acos, but watch effective mass), or mount your arm(s) of choice. Cons: likely to need a recap and possibly some transistors, not all of the models have good manuals and schematics so do your homework, Japan-only models require a step-down transformer, buying just the unit and building your own plinth is the cheapest entry point, but only if you're handy at building plinths.
MisterDK
Addicted Member
I’ve always had a thing for those flying saucers - never owned one though..
tnsmnichols
Active Member
Another vote for the groundbreaking AR XA. Here is an excellent resource for rehabbing the XA.
AR XA Turntable Rebuilding
johnsweather.com
The XA really started it all. Stromberg Carlson and whomever, whatever may or may not have paved the way but who knew……. The XA was a solid, affordable taste of the high end; the Dynaco ST-70 of turntables.
MisterDK
Addicted Member
Capitol C
Well-Known Member
I agree strongly with the AR, a great table. It is also very simple, and thus easy to work on.
MisterDK
Addicted Member
I think it “wins” here on AK because of the big AR following there is here. They don’t seem quite as popular on other sites. You’re right about parts availability though; lots and lots of AR tables sold years ago. They’re good sounding tables stock and it’s nice to keep one around ‘cause they have a classic, minimalist look. When massaged, they can sound really nice, and look absolutely amazing!
No matter how much you rub on one though - I think they’ll never qualify as “high-end” turntables. If -good sound- easy repair and cool looks is what someone is after - the AR’s are a decent choice; there are certainly worse tables out there! I’d still prefer to start with something a bit better though. Just an opinion from someone who still has a nice, nearly original AR XA - and played with lots of other tables, too..
gkimeng
Forum Mod, ClassicSpeakerPages.net
Well, the question asked was not what table is the most popular or the best sounding, just easiest to work on.
Sgt Shultz
Addicted Member
I think it “wins” here on AK because of the big AR following there is here. They don’t seem quite as popular on other sites. You’re right about parts availability though; lots and lots of AR tables sold years ago. They’re good sounding tables stock and it’s nice to keep one around ‘cause they have a classic, minimalist look. When massaged, they can sound really nice, and look absolutely amazing!
No matter how much you rub on one though - I think they’ll never qualify as “high-end” turntables. If -good sound- easy repair and cool looks is what someone is after - the AR’s are a decent choice; there are certainly worse tables out there! I’d still prefer to start with something a bit better though. Just an opinion from someone who still has a nice, nearly original AR XA - and played with lots of other tables, too..
Well it kicks the ass of another popular table the SL-1200MKII even in it's stock form so there's that.
As far as high end many an audio rag writer has stated the XA was their first real taste of the high end.
MisterDK
Addicted Member
Never said they don’t sound ”good” - they do. First taste of high-end though is likely ‘cause they were relatively inexpensive and plentiful, I think.. BTW - Have you compared an AR XA, either stock or modified, to your Well Tempered..? Which one do you think would be the more high-end table? Either of my old Sota vacuum tables sound better than any AR I have heard. For various reasons, I prefer the Empire 208 to build from, even though parts are becoming fewer and more costly. Not the same “air” as the AR but more solidly built, with much greater platter mass and much more motor torque, it has lots more punch. I’d pick my 1971 Sony direct drives over even a nicely rubbed AR.
No matter to me which table anyone chooses - I have both a nice AR XA and three Empires, anyway.
MisterDK
Addicted Member
Most old belt drives are very easy to work on; right? I think an AR will have the best parts availability though..
Sgt Shultz
Addicted Member
Never said they don’t sound ”good” - they do. First taste of high-end though is likely ‘cause they were relatively inexpensive and plentiful, I think.. BTW - Have you compared an AR XA, either stock or modified, to your Well Tempered..? Which one do you think would be the more high-end table? Either of my old Sota vacuum tables sound better than any AR I have heard. For various reasons, I prefer the Empire 208 to build from, even though parts are becoming fewer and more costly. Not the same “air” as the AR but more solidly built, with much greater platter mass and much more motor torque, it has lots more punch. I’d pick my 1971 Sony direct drives over even a nicely rubbed AR.
No matter to me which table anyone chooses - I have both a nice AR XA and three Empires, anyway.
LOL, not exactly a fair comparison against the WTL, but the XA is superior sonically to a plethora of DD's that passed through before it arrived.
Purchased a Thorens TD-166MKII as a step up but the AR saw it to the bedroom system. It was the Kenwood KD-500/Grace G707 that was the first to knock the XA off it's top spot, followed by the KD-770D.
The 770D would have been my endgame deck if the WTL hadn't fallen into my lap at the price it did, ya its that great.
gkimeng
Forum Mod, ClassicSpeakerPages.net
Exactly. Lots of belt drive manuals are simple enough to disassemble and reassemble, but completing a repair isn't going to be easy if your disassembled table is spread out on a bench or boxed up for months while you go on a hunt for hard-to-find parts.Most old belt drives are very easy to work on; right? I think an AR will have the best parts availability though..