Sean :
Yeah, imagine that. Heresy, it's shear heresy to think that something designed in the 60s & 70s can sound musical.
Actually my experience with these old tables that can change records started by a whim. I spotted a Dual 1019 sitting on a dealer's used shelf for $35. Picked it and a Grado Blue up for $100, took it home cleaned it up, changed the grease, mounted the cartridge, set the overhang and VTA (with shims...more heresy), plugged it in and fell off my chair during the first track. Yeah there was rumble but you gotta remember that back in the 60s, getting your system to output much of anything below 40 HZ was a minor miracle. Yeah the bass was a bit soft with a kinda fat midbass but boy could it boogie. Nice and open too comparing quite favorably to my P3 rig.
Hey, my point is that for less than $150 and with proper set up, Kleiman can step into enjoyable analog with a vintage piece that's also a keepsake from his Dad.