Turntable suggestions?

don't know if your still listening....but I picked up a used Aries and JMW 10.5 on the 'gon just three weeks ago...2600$...it was my second table...like you I had a late 70's rig that I had been using off and on (lux PD121)...after setting up my Koetsu Black on this thing, I'd never buy another arm that didn't have adjustable VTA on the fly...that in and of itself should be something to consider in your purchase. I was almost ready to bail on this new venture when the guy I sold my Lux to told me to try and adjust the VTA. WOW!!! Having had my original table set up by the dealer and never touching the tonearm setup, I never understood how this one adjustment could make a rig go from sounding worst than a 100$ Technics direct drive with a 'needle' to something that you don't want to stop listening to.

lucishow you are one lucky soul if you got a Rekokut cheap. Weren't they built by Harmon Kardom? The one I'm thinking of was indeed solidly built and had an outstanding tangent tonearm. I think I saw one on ebay last week. I don't remember the current price but it was up there. Not surprising as those of us who remember that under all of the structure wasw a dependable product that to this day remains SOTA ! If you see another one I'll take the tip.

There were many different models of Rek-O-Kuts. the high ticket ones are the models that have a cutting/recording lathe (as the name implies) as well as a standard arm, but I suspect that these are purchased mainly for their history, not their sound. Most other models (depending on the arm and condition) sell for under $100 (sometimes more), from what I recall while watching them on Ebay last year. I have never heard one that did not have a great deal of rumble evident when the volume of a system was increased and this was years ago when the units were still in good shape (but again I have only listened to 3 or 4 of them). Lucid: What model do you have and what type of drive system does it use? I never lifted a platter on the old ones, but assumed that they used some type of rim drive. There was a later manufacturer that "kind of" copied the "style of the ReK-O-Kuts', but I cannot recall their name off hand, some of their model #'s were 598 & 698 (this I do remember).

The 598 and 698, were beautiful belt drive tables produced by EMPIRE Scientific, in Kew Gardens NY. Build quality was superb and yes lucishow, I hear you and do indeed know what it is you are referring to........Frank

ok, here's my front-end rig:
$1100 - oracle delphi, mkv specs except for motor
$ 300 - o-l modded rb250 w/vta
$ 300 - o-l dc motor & power supply
$ 600 - pentagon ps3 fono stage
$ 225 - ortofon mc-25 fl cartridge

shop used, & it's easy to get what you're looking for at a good price.

doug s.