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Which Turntable/Cartridge to Keep?

colohiker

colohiker

Well-Known Member
I have a serious speaker addiction (I'm trying to cut back). In the process of acquiring speakers, I have accumulated a bunch of turntables along the way. I was hoping for help in getting a short list of ones to try out before I start thinning out the herd. I could mix and match the turntables and cartridges where possible. They will be running through a NAD 1020 preamp.

Turntable/ Cartridge
Bang & Olufsen/ 1900 MCC 20E
Dual 1225/ Shure M44E
Fisher MT-6010/ Audio Technica MG35V
Hitachi HT-460/ Empire 2008
Kenwood KD-5070/ Micro Acoustics MA-2002

Pioneer PL-A35/ Shure 5Ea
(missing anti-stake weight)

Pioneer PL-15DII/ Shure M91ED
Pioneer PL-518/ Realistic/Shure RXT-4
(feet rotted off)

Technics SL-Q200/ Audio Technica PT-300
Techincs SL-QD33/ Grado ZT+
Technics SL-L1/ Audio Technica DR300E
Technics SL-7/ Ortofon TM-14
Vector Research VT-250/ Audio Technica VS225EP

Thanks for any advice you can give me!
 
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I'm not familiar with all of the turntables or cartridges on the list. One that I would get rid of is the Dual because it's rim drive and problematic. They need maintenance and are prone to rumble with age. Any of the Technics which are direct drive, or any others with direct drive need little to no maintenance and have the lowest rumble due to being direct drive. Many people here speak highly of the Shure M91ED. That's one I'd keep assuming it's in good condition.
 
That's a lot of possible combinations.........:boring:

Too much home work.

Keep the:

Hitachi HT-460/ Empire 2008
Kenwood KD-5070/ Micro Acoustics MA-2002
 
I have a Hitachi HT-460 and it has been reliable and well behaved. I second jeffpaletz endorsement of the Shure M91ED. I've owned several and they never failed to impress, but I tend to like Shure carts in general. I am curious about the Empire 2008. I recently acquired a Pioneer PL-560 with an Empire 2010 cartridge and haven't been able to find any info about it. It seems to be a decent cart though.
 
Dump the lot and get something decent - Linn, Garrard, Thorens. Ditto for the cartridge - Benz Micro come to mind. I'm assuming your amplification and speakers are of suitable standard, by the way.
 
Thanks to everybody's input, it gives me a starting point. I think I try out some of the direct drive units and then swap cartridges once I have settled on one.

grottyash said:
Dump the lot and get something decent
Click to expand...

The thought had crossed my mind but currently I'm raising my girlfriend's three grandchildren so my free time is limited. I probably only play one or two albums a month so dropping a bunch of money into a turntable/cartridge may not make the most sense at this time. I'm just trying to just trying to figure out what to keep until I run into a killer deal on something better.

grottyash said:
I'm assuming your amplification and speakers are of suitable standard
Click to expand...

Currently running NAD 1020 preamp, ADS C2000 active crossover feeding 4 channels of a Sherwood Newcastle AM-9080 that powers a pair of ADS L1530 speakers. Maybe not high-end audiophile but the best I have been able to piece together with my current budget constraints.
 
grottyash said:
Dump the lot and get something decent - Linn, Garrard, Thorens. Ditto for the cartridge - Benz Micro come to mind. I'm assuming your amplification and speakers are of suitable standard, by the way.
Click to expand...

Linns are good, but mine didn't survive the first fellow who wanted mine, I sold it. A Technics SP-25 with an Audio-Technica ATP 16-T replaced it, and a QRK 12-C with a Micro-Trak 303 and never will leave my system. As will my Pioneer PL 12-D (which is surprisingly musical for a budget deck).
 
Absolutely keep that Realistic RXT-4 cartridge. Also, I've learned to greatly appreciate the Pioneer PL-518 (and some of its sisters, the -514 & -516). They are much better than they appear. One of my friends calls them the ideal beginner turntables. Replacing the feet is easy. But, if it goes, the cart on it was the Radio Shack top of the line in its day - I believe it is essentially a rebranded Shure M97. There are several styli available for it.
 
I bought the Pioneer PL-518/Realistic RXT-4 new back 1981 (the PL-518 was a discontinued model when I got it). It has been in storage since the feet rotted off 15+ years ago. I did find some "aftermarket" Sorbothane feet on Ebay I was thinking about trying.
 
Just an update. The Pioneer A35 has a Signet TK 5Ea cartridge, not a Shure. Don't know if that would make a difference.
 
If the Kenwood KD5070 is running properly, try the RS RXT4 or Shure M91 on it :)

The Micro Accoustics cartridge is very good, but I think new stylus' are almost unobtanium.
 
colohiker said:
I bought the Pioneer PL-518/Realistic RXT-4 new back 1981 (the PL-518 was a discontinued model when I got it). It has been in storage since the feet rotted off 15+ years ago. I did find some "aftermarket" Sorbothane feet on Ebay I was thinking about trying.
Click to expand...
I just bought those sorbothane feet and they seem to work great as replacements for the PL-518!
 
The Technics SL-7 is worth a try before you move it along. It is a different approach & smaller size that may work well for you, if it is operating well. It may need a new belt for the arm.
 
The SL-7 is a fine turntable, but I never liked the Ortofon cartridge that came with it. I installed a Shure V15LT with outstanding results.
 
SA-708 said:
It wouldn't be difficult to move one of the other p-mount cartridges over to the SL-7.
Click to expand...

Are either the Audio Technica DR300E off the SL-L1 or the Audio Technica PT-300 off the SL-Q200 worth consideration. I know that either cartridge probably have less than the 100 hours on them since the turntables were my mother's and grandmother's respectively.
 
The DR300E p-mount specs out like the AT92E (but could have a better-quality cantilever and a more refined sound), and the PT-300E has similar specs but a fatter elliptical (4x7).
Good, but not particularly noteworthy or outstanding.
 
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