Inexpensive Good Vintage Turntables?

bstbomber

69 posts

04-30-2022 at 07:11am 

Technics make A great Simple Turntable

The SL-D2 is a good one 

There's one on New Orleans craigslist. Not mine and no relation.

Having been a long term AR table owned and then a VPI and now Linn owner… the VPI and Linn  are in completely different leagues. 
 

@cd318 the cult - superb way of putting it. I think the Roksan and Alvin Golds review of it then the Pink Triangle taught us there was another way. Hi Fi World were the magazine to open our eyes to what we missed out on with its classic section. It’s where I discovered the Martin Bastin Garrard 401 and all the Japanese DD’s.

As I’ve said I have heard good LP12 but it’s not the only way to skin a cat. Experience and age has taught me that anyone claiming there’s is the best is an imbecile - unless u have a Rockport Sirius…

I will shout out that I bought a Townshend Elite Rock 2 for only 400ukp with arm and cart about 8 years ago. They’ve shot up in the used market but are simply sensational 

My first good turntable was an AR XA. It had a good suspended subchassis design (the first in history), a good machined platter, but a terrible tonearm (the later XB just had a different base, and an arm cuing control). I replaced the table with a Thorens TD-125 Mk.2, which had an almost identical suspended subchassis design, but unfortunately also an overly-complicated electronic motor controller, which gave me nothing but trouble. I got rid of it and got the cheaper TD-150, which was very similar to the AR but with a much better arm.

In the 1980's AR re-introduced their table (basically the same as the XA in design, renamed the ES-1) fitted with a Jelco-sourced arm if so desired (it was offered without as well). It's a fine budget table, but for the price it brings on the used market you can get a VPI HW-19 Mk.2 or 3, imo a better choice.

@lohanimal 

"I think the Roksan and Alvin Golds review of it then the Pink Triangle taught us there was another way. Hi Fi World were the magazine to open our eyes to what we missed out on with its classic section."

I used to read Hi-World but not regularly and must have missed that review by the late Alvin Gold. I do recall him having a memorably succinct writing style though.

As for the Pink Triangle, wasn't that surely one of the most unfortunate victims of the power of journalism?

Apparently one review which mentioned speed issues more or less put paid to what might have been the best belt drive turntable of its generation.