Reason for buying old/classic turntables

Dear Chris: +++++ " Reason for buying old/classic turntables " +++++

I think that each one of us have a different answers about. In my case I buy my Micro Seiki because permit to mount four tonearms along is a good performer. My DD units (Denon/Technics ) are units that I own many years ago way back that I knew the belt drive option.

But IMHO if you don't have a very good reason ( other that the old TT's are less expensive/lower prices. ) then I don't see the necessity to buy a vintage TT ( specially BD ones ) because in its different price range levels and quality performance level the today units are really good ( some at the same level of the vintage ones but some others are better that the old ones. ) and have the advantage that you can have not only parts and service/support but a warranty from the dealer/manufacturer.

Now, this is something that I posted in other thread about DDvsBD:

+++++ " IMHO it is not write the last word on TTs: DD, BD or Idler ones, which one is the last word?, very very hard to say because no one is perfect and all of them have its own design advantages and disadvantages too. Of course that the design execution is a critical subject but everything the same it is a very hard and complex " call " for say the least. " +++++

I can think that if " price/money is no object " then my choice will be for today TT's.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I am guilty of falling in love with vintage tables and have 6 to prove the point - Micro-Seiki RX5000; Victor TT-101; SP10 Mk2; Lenco L75; Sony PS-X70; Micro-Seiki BL-51; oh and I have an old AR-XA waiting to be revived. Add to these a bunch of old tone-arms such as Lustre 801; Audiocraft 4400; Sony PUA-1600L and I come to the conclusion its a bit like buying old sports cars - performance OK, pride of ownership ...... priceless! BTW I am lusting after a Thorens TD-124, a Yamaha GT2000; Pioneer Exclusive P3; Sony PS-X9 etc. etc!

Now, with great reluctance the truth is:- that today, the best sounding rig is my Oracle Delphi V SE, Dynavector 507 II and Miyabi McBee. I love all my vintage stuff, and it all sounds great (my Yamaha CA2010 amp is sublime in my ski chalet) but let's be realistic we are not judging on quantitative measures alone but "perceived enjoyment" and it is really nice to connect with some of the vintage gear.

One phenomena we should consider is that the Linn Sondek LP 12 hijacked the reality of what sounded good - and I used to own one. The Linn had a less analytical presentation than the mainstream Japanese audio in the 70's and the press hyped to a point of evangelical proportions and DD became passe and belt drives were it all of a sudden. Interestingly, as a previous owner of an AR belt drive, followed by a Heybrook TT, the LP12 became the standard not by design, but by consistent implementation and good marketing. Then with Thorens also selling expensive belt drive tables, that sounded very nice, and the Japanese DD tables in consumer friendly lightweight plinths that sounded poor, we became aficionados of belt drives. Now 20 years later with better implementation of constrained mass plinths and so on, we get optimum performance of the older gear. - and it does not sound bad at all!

Reality is that there have been no substantial technology shifts in table design or , well engineered mechanics from 30 years ago are competitive with anything well engineered and designed today. For me, the vintage gear is competitive, but not necessarily better and visa-versa.

Folks like Teres have done an outstanding job of tweaking existing technology with better implementation (I have installed a Verus rim drive on my RX5000 and love it) but the technology has not changed significantly and therefore my conclusion is that vintage or modern, the performance will be defined by attention to detail, well executed design and tight manufacturing tolerances and there is no single platform that wins - and I can demo you DD, Idler, Belt and best implementation wins, not a specific technology platform.

Hi Radicalsteve, what do you think of the old ugly-as-sin but truly magnificent Thorens Reference turntable? This should be the best turntable ever made, together with the Rockport Sirius III and the Goldmund Reference of course. No vintage collection is complete without :)

Chris

>>I can think that if " price/money is no object " then my choice will be for today TT's.<<

Agree with Raul.

Much like classic cars, they are cool to look at; some but very few are high performers. However, today's tables thanks to the use of computers, superior materials, better manufacturing equipment, and modern engineering outperform most tables of yesteryear.

I recently added a near pristine Lenco 75 to my system. It is in it's stock form sans the arm. I removed the springs and bottom board from the stock plinth and put brass cones under it. I removed the rubber grommets from under the top plate. I have mounted one of Len's 9" wooden arms, as sold here. To this is mounted a SS DL-103. This setup bested my other tt with a SME III arm and Grado Sonata, lo version. Playing the latest Hi-Fi News Test LP, this setup almost played the #9 bias track.... Had a slight bit of right chsnnel distortion. Speed is dead on, and stable.........

So, some vintage tables are worth looking at.......

I'll add pics to my system page.