Reminiscing about Dual and AR turntables

Almost everyone who is old enough went through the cycle of owning an AR-XA and a Dual of some type or other.  I think those turntables can be regarded with nostalgia but not a desire to re-visit them, albeit one or two of the Dual turntables can be brought up to decent performance by modern standards, with a lot of TLC.  Dual made the first direct-drive turntable with the first coreless motor, after all.

@lewm 

So do you think in general, the Thorens are better and easier to buy used?

E

I would avoid the 60’s/70’s AR, the XA and XB---it’s tonearm was not so hot, though the table was fine for what it was. The ES-1, introduced in the mid-80’s with an outsourced arm (Jelco? Audioquest?), the arm weakness of the XA/B cured and therefore a much better total package, can be had for relative peanuts.

I picked up a 1984 AR ES-1 last year for $250.  In good shape and it came with the Grace 707 tonearm and a Grado XF1 cartridge.  I replaced the cart with a new Grado Gold 1 MM and it really sounds lovely for the price and looks awesome (to me) in cherry veneer.

My very first record player (78,45/33/16) was a Webcor....I moved to a BSR, a Miracord, then a serious turntable called a Bogen, Rek-O-Kut, Thorens. etc., etc.