Duals were my favorite. Before them I had a BSR and a Sanyo. My last was a Pioneer linear, but it only lasted 4-5 years before the motorized arm stopped working.
I grew up with a Dual 1229 and was so sad when it bit the dust in 1985! I also loved that it muted during the automatic cycle and the noises that the unit itself made while it cycled! Peace.
Still have the Dual 1229 that I bought in 1972 when I was 18. I love this turntable not only because it’s built extremely well but also has a very high degree of sensitivity. It has the counter weight, of course, for balancing the tone arm, anti-skate, a light strobe function for fine tuning record speed, three settings- 45 and 78 are the two that aren’t normally used and a toggle that allows you to manually very softly drop the tone arm onto the LP.
I sold most of the tables you reviewed when I worked for a couple of shops in Harvard square from 72-75. Thorens and Technics were the top picks for people with money. The AR was a best-seller because of price/performance.
Excellent - Thank you! Your list has some of mine on it too. The AR, Dual 1229 and Empire. Add add two others have mentioned. Garrard 301 and 401 and one you'll hate for its service complexity but when restored, a great unit; Yamaha PX-2 linear. The Technics SP-15 and 25 are great as well but they are starting to have capacitor and solder joint issues, eek!
i'm sure you've covered some great deck's I have a 1968 goldring lenco GL75 made in switzerland, I built it over a 30 year period and couldn't find most parts untill ebay came online, it runs 16-33-45 and 78, it runs like a swiss watch and I love the fact that it took 30 years to finally finish it, i'm not an audiophile I just like good music and it meets my need's, I hope everyone else is out there that loves the deck they have, DuaL also marketed the same deck under their own name which I think show's how good it still is, really enjoyed the video
I have a fully automatic Kenwood KD-5070 in the family since 1977. Had it serviced and it still rocks. As a matter of fact, the service tech refers to it as "The Rock"
I use a 50 year old pioneer pl 51 it's solid got a great dust cover and it's direct drive and manual I love it it's not super high end but it's so engaging with it not being automatic.
Very nice review. There are a few points that might be helpful for buyers to consider regarding the Thorens turntables. The TP16 tonearm internally uses push connectors within the arm that attach to the back side of the receiver plug for the head shell. The push-on connectors used on the internal tone arm wires are very thin metal and over time often become loose, causing intermittent dropout of the signal. The solution is tedious and involves removing the plug from the tone arm, tightening the connectors and reinserting them. The better solution is completely rewiring the tone arm which provides a big reliability improvement and has some sonic benefits. I personally replaced my arm with a Jelco arm and never looked back. Regarding the Empire tables, the motor is a high speed motor compared to the low speed synchronous motors used on the Thorens and AR tables. For the tables I've worked on the rumble from the Empire table measures much higher when compared to the lower speed motors and can be audible. That said the Empire tables are very cool looking and well made. Again, nice review.
I recently sold my 'The AR Turntable' after 39 years. Still works great. The most unique turntable I own is a Braun PS-500 designed by the famous, Dieter Rams. It's built like a piece of military gear too. Almost 28 lbs.
If traveling or moving a turntable check the manual to see if it has shipping screws or a lock of some kind. In all cases, as Kevin recommends, remove the platter. I'll also tie the tonearm to it's rest, put the protective cover over the stylus, and sometimes remove the dust cover and put it in a protective box. It's not a bad idea to keep the original box and when opening the turntable for the first time I'll take pictures or video as I go so I know how to put it all back in for moving or shipping.
Great video... I have I think 9 turntables hooked up to something around here... I love the too! I was happy to see a Dual on your list... my first GOOD turntable in the early 1970s... dependable... and played well ... ex wife got it lol! I purchased one several years ago in great shape ... a 1225. And yep I stack... especially old Christmas records!!!! Lol! Again, Great show!
Still have and play the sl 1300 with ortofon red cartridge now,but back in 70’s I used the Stanton 681eee with my pioneer 737 and it sounded great ,many parties,many good times.Thanks for the video,loving it.
FONS CQ 30 with a SME Tone arm made in the uk. Sold for 900 back in 1976 Phenomenal sound the wow and flutter was unmeasurable with the current Tech At that time.
The seventies and eighties as well were the golden age of the turntable...0ften.Fully mechanical, using iddler ,belt or direct drive motor...some of them for professionnal purposes were fitted with injected aluminium plinth and 12"" tone arm.like hilighted by the following machines: Emt 927,930... ( the best ever)thorens TD124, Garrard 301,401, Sl 1200 technics, For domestic purposes AR ,Thorens TD 125/150/160 as well uk Linn sondek,Ariston Rd 11,...for people having experienced the listening session using the number of MM or MC cartridge, available at this time remain amazing remember .! Currently,a lenco L75 represents the best opportunity to get a vintage turntable alway available ,easy to maitain in good working condition at a low cost....( little spares easy to find on the web)
I think so, too, raymond; the nineteen seventies, and 1980s were the golden age of the turntable that developed, evolved further, and was still affordable for a very good turntable that had precision, quality, and was engineered well. Besides the 1970s, the nineteen eighties were a golden age of music, and musical recording; but that's mainly my opinion.
Ich betreibe seit 45 Jahren einen 1977er Wega P 550 Direktantriebs-Vollautomatik-Plattenspieler, zwei mal revisioniert, neuerdings mit Goldring E III Blue Tonabnehmer (vorher jahrzehntelang an AT) und seit neuestem an einem Magnat MR 780 High End Stereo Hybrid-Röhren-Receiver, an ca. 30 Jahre alten Quadral 4-Wege-Standboxen! Bin sehr zufrieden! 🙂
The arm and head-shell were the weak points of the AR turntables. That’s why I eventually sold mine. I was in my early 20s at that time and it was a great second turntable which replaced and inexpensive Garrard turntable. Several more turntables followed and now I’m 76 and I am not interested in new equipment as I am extremely happy with every piece of gear that I’ve got right now.
If I had crystal ball I…. I enjoyed owning this combination: Sansui 6000, Dual 1219, Akai reel to reel and JBL Athenas. I just thought that it was good stuff. All purchased overseas. WHAT A DEAL!!
Had a nice system once. Marantz 1200b, Marantz 115b tuner, Technics turntable, can't remember the model, maybe SLQ 6? Straight line arm. My nephew stole it while I was on vacation.😬
Another really well done video! And I appreciate you keeping it local. In the words of Harry Callahan - “A man’ got to know his limitations”. About 20 years ago my old Denon died so I replaced it with a new Rega P2. What do you think of those?
I had a PL41D on which the dustcover was broken before I got it. For my purposes, a Dual 1219 or 1229 is highly favoured. I collect and service them. Empire turntables are big pain in the ass.
Great video, I have a dual 721 that I really love, but the one or two that I would add to your list are the Kenwood KD-2055 and the Optonica RP-3500. Both of these feature man made stone plinths that make them very steady and resistant to vibration. I prefer the Kenwood over the Optonica simply because there are more around but if they were in good nick I wouldn't hesitate for a moment buying one for say between $250 and $500.
The only specials on these two are their stone plints ! An Audio Technica AT VM 95 ml sounds better on an old Dual CS 1229 than on a Optonica RP-3500 in my experience. The old Duals are very underrated because of their old-fashioned look. In Germany they are very cheap ! From 50 to 100 Euros or Dollars if you can service them. And that is quite easy ! A Dual is never broken ! Maybe sometimes it doesn't run...
@@juergenstange6844 I have no complaints with my old Dual at all. My Dad had a Kenwood KD-2055 with a Shure cartridge the number of which escapes me (it was over 30 yrs ago) I always liked the sound that table produced and with it's design resisted knocks and heavy footfalls much, much better than my Dual does. Would I trade my Dual for one?....No, but I would ADD the Kenwood to my System if I ever came across a nice example. Happy New Year!!
this is a great topic I had a forever tt it was an onkyo cp-1055 f2 this was a two motor system computer controlled I got it in 1985 always worked no prob quartz direct drive the onlly thing that broke was a small plastic gear that controls the tone arm movement plastic gears who new in2015 ,was forced to buy a audio technica ATLP-120 ,but I missed my auto matic turntable at the time there were not many turntable stores out there like we had when i grew up got mine at best buy ,but found the amazon/ebay ,now i haveseveral forever tt's I have a Dual 1009sk TT,a Dual 1237 this one is a belt drive and ai do not like them but this one TT has impressed me it is smooth quiet and it sounds great ,I also have the Garrard at-60 this one is just as good and a BSR 610 this one is very good surprising for a BSR I like the old TT's that I saw growing up they were made better to me if you check out the Dual 1009sk it is haevy and all those levers and springs this sounds like a time piece in motion it has a 4 pound platter wow its big and i like stacker type records and they do not scratch ,a lot of people go by what they hear I use to be like you know a sheep ,but I decided to try them bought several used albums in good condition and been testing this scratch theory that stackers are supposed to do first that is bunk yes the records can scratch if you do not handle correctly but being a former audiophile I handle my records very carefully its like if you were to use a single play unit but stacking instead so far I have not seen any scratches on these test records yet !!!! going on this test for 2.5 years now no pops or noise so far I use the Dual 1009sk and 1237 and every album that I have tested plays very quietly I also noticed that the dual are a little gentler when dropping the record they seem to fall very slowly and quiet like when they do drop I also found that the Garrard MK auto slim that I have is a little rough or heavy handed when dropping record ,I mean when it drops the record it sounds a little louder cause of the little lever that they use to tell TT what size record it is playing thats where it sounds a liile loud but they have not scratched record yet I do not expect my tests to be accepted ,what i am saying is when I hear somebody putting something down ,I will not believe so much ,but try to see for myself if its trued so far so good JRo
Hmm, what came 1st….the chicken or the egg. The 2 hour drive with the heavy platter bent the motor shaft. Or the shaft was bent and that is why he was bringing it to you. Seems to go against the laws of physics that a thin RUBBER belt could exert enough force to bend a steel stud/shaft. I could be wrong, maybe I am not understanding what you said.
A few comments about Thorens: Thorens is pronounced Torens with af hard "T". Thorens was Swiss made, not German. These days it has become German, but that was after their bankruptcy in the late 90´s. Creating a list of vintage turntables with simplicity as the most important feature, seems a bit strange to me. I would rather look for clever inventions than simple creations, which Technics and AR represented so well.
Well, I didn't have any of the great tables on your list and amazingly in my 66 years have never bought a new turntable. Recently I unearthed a Philips 977 at a yardsale, almost new in box, for ten bucks! And YES there's a lotta shit inside one of those to break I'm finding out so that would not make it a candidate for your list. But that don't worry me as much as I feel like I'm starring down the rabbit hole, the abyss, of what owning multiple vinyl spinners can become. See I personally know folks that own more than 20 tt's. I know one of them will see this comment some day and call me out for my insane bicycle collection ( I mean: accumulation).
Skylabs Audio.... Twice, I've posted replies to Ivan Bacon's reply to the Dual "spring adjusted stylus tracking" I mentioned. Twice, the post has been deleted. Is there something wrong with placing other links in my replies? Please explain so I won't violate a policy that I don't understand.
@@skylabsaudioI believe you. I don't know, either. All I can say is it's happened 3 times. The 2 most recently to Ivan. They appear as posted, then a day later, are gone. This time the reply stayed. I'll stay subscribed and make note if it happens, again. Thanks.
Can never go wrong with a Technics in good shape. The amount of headaches you avoid having a swappable headshell, adjustable VTA, and the most reliable speed you could ask for is worth every penny. Only thing that sucks with the older models is the attached RCA.
I have a very nice Technics SL-D2 that I got for free. also my pioneer single play bought in hong kong 1966. I also am a broadcast engineer so got to keep the old gates, etc tables going. a tip. clean the rubber parts with alcohol.
I've owned 1009(f?) A TANK. Needed full restoration, contacted well known Dr. Dual, (way more money than I could afford). I only own the drop 45 rpm spindle I bought on Ebay. It's one of those things where with head tossed to side, I heave a sigh.....
Love my $58.00 1219 with a Shure V15-III cartridge. Cleaned the old hard grease out and lubed with quality fishing reel grease and viola it's like new. I've had it now 5 years and it's going strong.
The 1219 was the predecessor to the 1229, made from 1969-1971. It came in two iterations. In the v1 version, the cuing lever does not work in multi-play mode. The 1219 is the same as the 1229, minus the built-in strobe. Many of the parts are interchangeable. The 1229 also came in a 1229Q version... Q for quadraphonic. The only real difference was updated tonearm wires to support the high frequency pilot signal needed to decode quad playback.
You can't beat any of these Duals: 1009, 1019, 1219, 1229 (all idler drive). I also like the 701, a direct drive model. I have a copy of each of the aforementioned units.
The 1219 is the direct predecessor of the 1229. It is about 97 % identical to the 1229. Especially if you compare the latest 1219 to the very first 1229.
You might also wish to try the Rega planar 2 and 3. These are very simple, just a motor, a glass platter and a VERY good tone arm. Made in England and sound great.
Currently using a Planar 2 from 1978 with cherry wood framing with a Nagaoka MP-110 cart and can confirm! It's not nearly as detailed sounding as my Marantz 6170 but it sounds way more powerful and "musical". And the motor is practically indestructible! I'm never going to stop using my Rega! :D
I'm using a DUAL 704 Electronic Direct Drive, with a Nagaoka JT322 cart with a Shibata Naked diamond stylus. In total it cost me less then €500 and I love it! I have a custom made acrylic dust cover on it as well, looks so good. I did go from vinyl to CD during the 90's, but now I use both as they both have their strong and weak points. The thing about vinyl is that it takes more time and effort to properly use it (starts with cleaning any new record), which in turn makes you really take time to sit down and listen to the music.
Sad to not see the Technics SL 1800 on the list. Still my one and only turntable after 45 or so years. Brushless motor with the platter used as half the motor in the 70's??? The inner business part is very well suspended from the outer case/feet.
My Dual 701 turntable is great but I have also a Dual 1219, Linn Sondek LP-12 I visited the factory as a dealer in 1983 and all my turntables work great. I have hundreds of LP's in great shape. Working at a stereo store was great.
Bisarre choice that you put Rega on line 2, they have dominated the turntable market and won more awards than any other company PLUS they are one of the simplest to work on.
Some great turntables here, I also have a Thorens TD 160 mk1, can I also mention some of my other excellent turntables that you didn't feature such as the Kenwood KD990, and the Garrard 401, both of these are brilliant.
Realistic Lab-400. Much mystery behind who produced it but it's a rock soild performer. Just installed an Ortifon Blue cartridge and it's a great TT. ❤
I’ve owned many high end and vintage turntables and my FAVORITE one was always the AR XA due to it’s SIMPLICITY and tone arms that would virtually float down towards the vinyl.
I just got a very old but in great condition Rek O Kut T12 with a Shure 232 arm. It has that low idler noise floor but this beast is so dynamic and forceful in its music presentation. I'm amazed.
Had a Dual 1228 - 1229 without the changer mechanism maybe? Upgraded to a Pioneer PL-570, which I loved for many reasons and had for many years. Not on your list...complicated electronics maybe?
I appreciate your connection with turntables and that "connection" to vinyl. Its something I was blessed to grow up with and it sounds better with the right turntable and amp/speakers. I have a Fluance RT83 with upgraded plate and Ortofon Blue cartridge. Staying with heritage and media that has so much historic meaning in history is so much more than many in our electronically advanced society will truly enjoy. Thanks for sharing!
very interesting video. I am currently using the last model AR turntable, "The AR Turntable" with a Linn Basik tonearm on an aluminum arm board.I believe with some minor mods this TT rivals anything under $2000, and a few over tnat amount.
suprised you have not mentioned the Yamaha YP-D71, a classic turntable that does show up here and there (though the price has spiked significantly in recent years).
I’ve had a Marantz 6300 since new in 1977, it is like new and with a good cartridge it hasn’t let me down. Friends are always recommending tables in the thousands, maybe I’ll buy one if the Marantz dies. Great videos, thanks.
I have had both belt drive and DD tables, and have been critically listening to records for 55 years. I still hav eexcellent hearing, dispite being a musician ( Earplugs LOL). I was given a Sony PS-FL7II Direct Drive linear tracking table and, after replacing drive and transport belts , was blown away. I dont see you saying much about linear tracking, and they dont seem to have as much cred as standard designs. I'm curious as to why. They are complicated mechanically, but do a better job of tracking the groove than any other type. Paired with my 80s AT 166LCU cartridge upgraded nude diamond stylus it compares to CD quality. Biggest difference is the LT table does not distort the inner grooves like conventional tables do. I'll never be happy with conventional tables again.
Currently my favorite turntable to use is my Realistic Elac Miracord 46. It's fully automatic (I tend to like semi-automatic in other TTs) and it's an idler wheel (I was previously a direct drive guy). I bought it at Goodwill for $5 and pulled it out of a bin piece by piece. I had to get a skate and spindle for it. Someone must have cleaned and regreased it because it ran perfectly when I got it, except one of the metal pieces underneath was bent and the start up wasn't working right. I bent the piece back into shape to match the piece next to it and it ran perfectly after that. It's fun to use. The tone arm is short and lifts at an awkward looking angle, but lands perfectly every time. Push the button and walk away. It's a great machine.
Automatics are the only turntables I have ever owned, the start, play, shutoff is the only way to go. Got my first Dual 1218 in 1970 now at 71 years old I don’t want to fuss with a non automatic turntable.
I love my pioneer pl 707, was lucky to find it for $100 that was pristine in condition. It goes with my pioneer stack, But I currently have it hooked to the fisher 500c.
I have the first Gen, Technics SL1200, they are a bit rare but findable, things I like is the Cue Dampening, Sturdy build, strong player, I use an Ortofon 2m Blue and Nagoaka MP-200 currently rotated. Your video showed the more popular SL-1200 MK2, which came out in like 78 while the First gen was closer to the SL-1100, 1972-1977ish.
Yeah, I had one of those for a few years. A good table. I gave t to a friend who now uses the same cart as you, Ortofon blue. ...or perhaps red. A very good table, but too noisy for me.
Like many I grabbed my first good stereo while in the military. Too immature to hold on to anything but I loved my sl 1200 and 9090. LOL. I even packed 4 Sansui 2000 ?? on the aircraft carrier. Some shipmates thought I was a little wacky. Good memories so thanks.
Picked up a Hitachi PS-48 a year ago for a fair price on looks for my spare listening room. Love this TT so much I actually got rid of my Rega.... Love the sound and appearance of vintage....just recently upgraded to a Grado Opus Cartridge and could not be happier 👍
I Luv The Rock! Have one stored in closet. Got it used. Have others in small collection including couple of newer models back in boxes. These newer machines don't have feel and sound of their 70's predecessor's. Currently playing Kenwood 3070. Not great, but pretty darn nice.
I acquired a Dual 1219 from one of my clients for free. $200 in service later and the thing is working like the day it was manufactured. Now I don't wake up to my stylus repeatedly plowing into the label on my record anymore!
Great post! I was a QA tech at the Dual U.S. main distribution location in Mount Vernon, N.Y. back in the late 70's. One of the main features on their turntables was how accurately you could balance the tone arm. At audio shows we would mount the turntable upside down on a rack and play a record. The tone arms were so finely balanced that there was minimal wear on your vinyl. Beautifully engineered.
My Dual 1218 still works. I purchased it in 1974. When a wrapped record wouldn't play on other tables, the Dual was there to show that it could be played.
i have a Technics SLQ2000...1983 P-mount..20 bucks from Goodwill....had a ADC PSX 20....upgraded to an original PSX 30.....love the sound....afraid to replace it and lose" that sound"....that table would get laughed at in some forums....but IDC....It shows what Technics was all about......great , affordable and everlasting sound.... was the ADC cart put in by someone or did Panasonic include them?...
Cool! I have an SL-110 with an SME arm and Shure V15 type III pickup. I bought it in 1970's after I got my B&W DM2A's at their Worthing shop. My dad was friend's with John Bowers and Roy Wilkins and worked for B&W for a short time.
Good Grief! I found this list pretty amazing. My path too has followed simplicity, design, and manual operation. But, with all the turntables available during these years, I have only had a relative few, but what a list, as least as evidenced by what is covered here. 1964, my first real turntable, ARxa, about $64.00. 1968, Pioneer PL-41, purchased at a PX in Viet Nam and shipped home. 1974, Technics SL1200, initial production model - the first arm, simple single switch for 33/center off/45, lift, speed adjustment controls, fair trade pricing back then, $279.98 I think. 1984, I traded in the SL1200, getting in some fashion what I paid for it ten years earlier - they were still very popular with DJ's - this was mainly a direct drive and torque issue - fast startup onver belts. Took home Harman Kardon T-60, about $475.00 list back then. Then soon after, around 1985 I got out of vinyl when CDs hit, and didn't have a turntable again until 2017. I bought a Haman Kardon T-40 and then added a T-60, both from ebay. Though not 60's-70's, I'll add here that both of these turntables follow the same path - simple and relatively 'clean' design and function.
@@skylabsaudio my personal bias is towards Garrard 301 too as it is my first turntable 💛 a cherry red one. It is most important to me after my family 😭🤣
My first table was a BSR. 1980 bought a used Duals 1216. I still have it and love it. Since then two 1215S, two 1216, 1218, 1225, 1226, 1229, and two 506 Duals. Love them all
Yeah those early ARS are awesome the song fantastic and you can pound out in with a hammer they don't care so much for technology that is bad some Modern stuff is terrible I love turntables have over 100 yeah I'm old thanks for doing this keeps me inspired well
Luckily for me, I think my first turntable will be my forever turntable. I purchased my mint condition Yamaha YP-701, with an ADC QLM30 Mk-III cartridge, 15 years ago for about $250CAD ($190USD). I've recently replaced the stylus (same cartridge). For me, I don't anything more than this turntable/cartridge combination. Although, I am interested in trying other cartridges. To me, this turntable is a piece of art. It proudly sits on top of my stereo cabinet. It is a statement piece that sounds as good as it looks.
I want to ask you a quick probably stupid question....to me I know what i think but I am curious how you feel about it. Do you personally feel there is any advantage to an S curve tone arm over a strait tone arm? Whether it be in tracking or reproduction of sound? Thanks!
Good company. I like vintage gear. I never had anything really high end, but had three on the list. AR, Pioneer and Technics. I passed on the Technics to a friend who loved vinyl. I am content with DD Sony. Automatic suits me better personally. I have been digitizing some pristine albums to hi res files, modern world. I found the choice of cartridge to be as important as any other aspect, nice to rotate for different subtitles. Cheers
In my opinion it is the cartridge and the ability of the turntable to consistently maintain it's turning speed without needing to constantly adjust it that are the two main things I look for in a TT. A good direct drive over belt drive is next. After that I can live with most other different designs.
I am in Omaha. Next time I get to Des Moines I will try and stop by. I currently own a Garrard DD-75 and a Kenwood KD-2055. Both are decent considering I paid next to nothing for them.
I started out in around 1973 with AR XB 1a , kept it for years and have it stored now in the original box and foam with the books. Next I went a bit sky high with Linn LP12 Ittok Karma. Then to Sota Star Saphire 2 . Still have that and love it . Two Turntables years ago really did me in though . Nakamichi Dragon and also Thorens Prestige. They are some piece of work there for their day . Just saying how I feel about Turntables.
One advantage of the Dual Turntables most people don't realize is that they don't need to be level to have accurate tracking and anti-skate settings. The spring adjusted tracking weight allows the turntable to be set at ANY angle, even UPSIDE DOWN and as long as the record stays on the platter, the turntable will track and play properly.
I have several Dual's and none of them have "spring adjusted tracking weight" I have never heard of "spring adjusted tracking weight" There are servo controlled tracking arms and linear arms but not on Dual's. Perhaps you could explain?
I love my Dual 1245. I bought it in 1974. It t is fully automatic as it is a record changer although I haven't used the changer in years. It still works. As long as I have the manual I can repair it. As far a the antiskate I can tilt it but why would I want to?
@@Dsoul51 Let me explain my understanding of anti-skating. Anti-skate has nothing to do with tilt, at least in the Dual 1200 series. Anti-skate is a small force put onto the tonearm to push it towards the outside edge of the platter. This is to counteract the natural force on the tonearm to pull in towards the center. This is caused by the friction of the stylus in the groove. As the record spins, it "pulls" the stylus towards the inner side of the record groove, causing more pressure on that side of the groove. This extra pressure can audibly affect the volume, balance and tone of the musical signal. If you have a way to protect or easily remove your stylus, you can test this skating effect by placing the protected cartridge on a smooth low friction surface on the platter. As the platter spins, the tonearm will be pulled in towards the center spindle, rather quickly. This is the force that anti-skating is designed to counteract.
@@ivansbacon I've replied twice to your question, but the reply has been deleted (I suppose, since it is no longer on this site). Regardless, the Dual 1200 series tracking force IS set by a spring. If you click on my name, you can message me for answers to your question.
@@philatwood2086 Seams to be a confusion caused by your terminology. Yes of coarse the "anti-skate dial does tension a spring(s) counteracting lateral or inertial tracking force (skate) inherent in the spinning record. Your use of the wording "tracking weight" implies VTF Vertical Track Force as weight changes the VTF. You reinforced that confusion by claiming you could turn the table upside down and the tone would stay on the record and play it fine. That is absolutely false. There is no spring forcing the tone arm down onto the record. It is gravity, a fulcrum/gimbal and a weight to counteract gravity that sets the tracking force. I have completely removed the arm on my 1219 and replaced it, there is no spring at all in the gimbal or attached to it that would impart any force to keep the arm down on the record. I have work stand that allows me turn my deck completely upside down. There is indeed a spring in the anti-skate mechanism, in fact there are two springs. Also, although the deck does have anti vibration springs under it, that does not mean that the plinth does not have to be level. If it is out of level then gravity will cause the stylus to not contact both sides of the groove with the same pressure. Anti skate adjustments are NOT there to compensate for gravitational effects on an out of level turntable. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turntable_anti-skating The necessity of anti skate is debatable in some circles, Pun intended.
I love your unbiased opinions on components.. The only turntable I've owned was the one I bought when I was in high school, which was a technics sl220 belt driven and best audio Technica cartridge I could afford... couldn't afford the direct drive model... But I never had any complaints with the sl220, it did everything it was supposed to do and thought the speed controller was a real plus with the Technics players.. When the belt drive got old and broke, I used a comparable sized rubber band and it worked...lol
Cool video and the turntables you feature are good choices. The only thing I'd criticize is your section on the Technics SL 1100 and SL 1200. You're correct on the SL 1100 coming out in the early 70's (1971) and SL 1200 (1972), but the problem is, it seems you are featuring a later model (Mk 2 ? 1979) Which would be a better choice than the original model of the SL 1200. Technics has a cool page, their "Heritage" page. It gives info and dates on the SP 10, SL 1100 and different versions of the SL 1200. So besides the dates being a little off on the Technics section, cool video. 1👍
Yes they are. I don't think they are that picky with amplifier pairing. I've used a Sansui AU20,000, Accuphase e202, and a McIntosh 2105 all 3 sounded great to me!
The Thorens is VERY quiet. As in the background noise from the motor and bearing. I used to spend hours mucking around with it and I've had it so quiet that it couldn't be heard playing blank passages of an album with the volume turned up more than double the setting that I listen to music at what for me is high volume. This is loud enough to be heard out on the street. And at double this volume the turntable was silent. This is absolutely the key to high definition playback. But plonked on a shelf and used as is, this is still a very good table. Mine's simply plonked at the moment and I use it every day. Here in Melbourne, Australia I see Thorens TD160 and 165 come up for sale with Empire MM carts. There must have been a dealer back then who sold these tables with these carts. This is how mine came (second hand 16 years ago)and it's a fantastic combo. I've tried other tables, sometimes for a year or more but when I swap back to the 165/Empire it sounds better. The Empire cart is very clear and tonally a little light on mid-bass. Opposite to the classic Stanton carts. I need this tonal voicing as my speakers are bass heavy transmission line.
I had an old Dual 1218. I put an ad on kijiji, "Free to a good home". 15 minutes later a 17-year-old kid was on the way. I still feel good about that.
Duals were my favorite. Before them I had a BSR and a Sanyo. My last was a Pioneer linear, but it only lasted 4-5 years before the motorized arm stopped working.
I bought a Thorens 160 back in the 70s and lovde it.
When i got back into Vinyl, i was lucky to get a pristine Thorens 165 for a great price.
I grew up with a Dual 1229 and was so sad when it bit the dust in 1985! I also loved that it muted during the automatic cycle and the noises that the unit itself made while it cycled! Peace.
I’ll be selling a Dual 1229 I’m very good,shape if you are interested I’ll let you know when it’s ready. Charlie
Still have the Dual 1229 that I bought in 1972 when I was 18. I love this turntable not only because it’s built extremely well but also has a very high degree of sensitivity. It has the counter weight, of course, for balancing the tone arm, anti-skate, a light strobe function for fine tuning record speed, three settings- 45 and 78 are the two that aren’t normally used and a toggle that allows you to manually very softly drop the tone arm onto the LP.
I sold most of the tables you reviewed when I worked for a couple of shops in Harvard square from 72-75. Thorens and Technics were the top picks for people with money. The AR was a best-seller because of price/performance.
Excellent - Thank you! Your list has some of mine on it too. The AR, Dual 1229 and Empire. Add add two others have mentioned. Garrard 301 and 401 and one you'll hate for its service complexity but when restored, a great unit; Yamaha PX-2 linear. The Technics SP-15 and 25 are great as well but they are starting to have capacitor and solder joint issues, eek!
Just got a recently serviced Dual 1229! This video and your interview with Bill got me hooked. The look, sound, and build quality are top notch.
i'm sure you've covered some great deck's I have a 1968 goldring lenco GL75 made in switzerland, I built it over a 30 year period and couldn't find most parts untill ebay came online, it runs 16-33-45 and 78, it runs like a swiss watch and I love the fact that it took 30 years to finally finish it, i'm not an audiophile I just like good music and it meets my need's, I hope everyone else is out there that loves the deck they have, DuaL also marketed the same deck under their own name which I think show's how good it still is, really enjoyed the video
The feeling and relationship I have when playing a record with my Dual turntable is akin to I'm dressing up and on my way to a live concert...
I have a fully automatic Kenwood KD-5070 in the family since 1977. Had it serviced and it still rocks. As a matter of fact, the service tech refers to it as "The Rock"
Yup! Nice heavy tables!
I use a 50 year old pioneer pl 51 it's solid got a great dust cover and it's direct drive and manual I love it it's not super high end but it's so engaging with it not being automatic.
Very nice review. There are a few points that might be helpful for buyers to consider regarding the Thorens turntables. The TP16 tonearm internally uses push connectors within the arm that attach to the back side of the receiver plug for the head shell. The push-on connectors used on the internal tone arm wires are very thin metal and over time often become loose, causing intermittent dropout of the signal. The solution is tedious and involves removing the plug from the tone arm, tightening the connectors and reinserting them. The better solution is completely rewiring the tone arm which provides a big reliability improvement and has some sonic benefits. I personally replaced my arm with a Jelco arm and never looked back. Regarding the Empire tables, the motor is a high speed motor compared to the low speed synchronous motors used on the Thorens and AR tables. For the tables I've worked on the rumble from the Empire table measures much higher when compared to the lower speed motors and can be audible. That said the Empire tables are very cool looking and well made. Again, nice review.
I recently sold my 'The AR Turntable' after 39 years. Still works great. The most unique turntable I own is a Braun PS-500 designed by the famous, Dieter Rams. It's built like a piece of military gear too. Almost 28 lbs.
If traveling or moving a turntable check the manual to see if it has shipping screws or a lock of some kind. In all cases, as Kevin recommends, remove the platter. I'll also tie the tonearm to it's rest, put the protective cover over the stylus, and sometimes remove the dust cover and put it in a protective box. It's not a bad idea to keep the original box and when opening the turntable for the first time I'll take pictures or video as I go so I know how to put it all back in for moving or shipping.
Great video... I have I think 9 turntables hooked up to something around here... I love the too! I was happy to see a Dual on your list... my first GOOD turntable in the early 1970s... dependable... and played well ... ex wife got it lol! I purchased one several years ago in great shape ... a 1225. And yep I stack... especially old Christmas records!!!! Lol! Again, Great show!
I have a 1960's JVC Victor belt drive turntable that is large and pretty heavy, it's a bit like the Pioneer you highlighted.
Still have and play the sl 1300 with ortofon red cartridge now,but back in 70’s I used the Stanton 681eee with my pioneer 737 and it sounded great ,many parties,many good times.Thanks for the video,loving it.
My Dual 521 is still going strong. Grounding issues sometimes and tone arm weight a bit squirrely.
FONS CQ 30 with a SME Tone arm made in the uk. Sold for 900 back in 1976 Phenomenal sound the wow and flutter was unmeasurable with the current Tech At that time.
Wow! I have the SL1200, ARXA and the Dual 1229.
The seventies and eighties as well were the golden age of the turntable...0ften.Fully mechanical, using iddler ,belt or direct drive motor...some of them for professionnal purposes were fitted with injected aluminium plinth and 12"" tone arm.like hilighted by the following machines:
Emt 927,930... ( the best ever)thorens TD124, Garrard 301,401, Sl 1200 technics,
For domestic purposes AR ,Thorens TD 125/150/160 as well uk Linn sondek,Ariston Rd 11,...for people having experienced the listening session using the number of MM or MC cartridge, available at this time remain amazing remember .!
Currently,a lenco L75 represents the best opportunity to get a vintage turntable alway available ,easy to maitain in good working condition at a low cost....( little spares easy to find on the web)
I think so, too, raymond; the nineteen seventies, and 1980s were the golden age of the turntable that developed, evolved further, and was still affordable for a very good turntable that had precision, quality, and was engineered well. Besides the 1970s, the nineteen eighties were a golden age of music, and musical recording; but that's mainly my opinion.
Ich betreibe seit 45 Jahren einen 1977er Wega P 550 Direktantriebs-Vollautomatik-Plattenspieler, zwei mal revisioniert, neuerdings mit Goldring E III Blue Tonabnehmer (vorher jahrzehntelang an AT) und seit neuestem an einem Magnat MR 780 High End Stereo Hybrid-Röhren-Receiver, an ca. 30 Jahre alten Quadral 4-Wege-Standboxen! Bin sehr zufrieden! 🙂
My td125 was my end game turn table did a few mods to it and I'll keep it till I die!
I’ve owned an XA- always thought the arm was the design’s weakness. Without antiskate, a cartridge with a spherical stylus might be a good choice
The arm and head-shell were the weak points of the AR turntables. That’s why I eventually sold mine. I was in my early 20s at that time and it was a great second turntable which replaced and inexpensive Garrard turntable. Several more turntables followed and now I’m 76 and I am not interested in new equipment as I am extremely happy with every piece of gear that I’ve got right now.
If I had crystal ball I…. I enjoyed owning this combination: Sansui 6000, Dual 1219, Akai reel to reel and JBL Athenas. I just thought that it was good stuff. All purchased overseas. WHAT A DEAL!!
Had a nice system once. Marantz 1200b, Marantz 115b tuner, Technics turntable, can't remember the model, maybe SLQ 6? Straight line arm. My nephew stole it while I was on vacation.😬
Another really well done video! And I appreciate you keeping it local. In the words of Harry Callahan - “A man’ got to know his limitations”.
About 20 years ago my old Denon died so I replaced it with a new Rega P2. What do you think of those?
I had a PL41D on which the dustcover was broken before I got it.
For my purposes, a Dual 1219 or 1229 is highly favoured. I collect and service them.
Empire turntables are big pain in the ass.
How was the Empire a pain? just curious.
You'd have to pry my ELAC Mirachord 50H turntable from my cold dead body.
It's usually the simple turntables that sound the best .
Great video, I have a dual 721 that I really love, but the one or two that I would add to your list are the Kenwood KD-2055 and the Optonica RP-3500. Both of these feature man made stone plinths that make them very steady and resistant to vibration. I prefer the Kenwood over the Optonica simply because there are more around but if they were in good nick I wouldn't hesitate for a moment buying one for say between $250 and $500.
Have had a few, they are great tables for sure. Maybe they will make the next list
The only specials on these two are their stone plints !
An Audio Technica AT VM 95 ml sounds better on an old Dual CS 1229 than on a Optonica RP-3500 in my experience. The old Duals are very underrated because of their old-fashioned look. In Germany they are very cheap ! From 50 to 100 Euros or Dollars if you can service them. And that is quite easy !
A Dual is never broken ! Maybe sometimes it doesn't run...
@@juergenstange6844 I have no complaints with my old Dual at all. My Dad had a Kenwood KD-2055 with a Shure cartridge the number of which escapes me (it was over 30 yrs ago) I always liked the sound that table produced and with it's design resisted knocks and heavy footfalls much, much better than my Dual does. Would I trade my Dual for one?....No, but I would ADD the Kenwood to my System if I ever came across a nice example. Happy New Year!!
My Pioneer PL-51 is the best! Add a MC cartridge and that's it!
Back in the day I had a Toshiba SR-A100 played pretty good doubt I could find one now.
We've had a few similar models over the years. Not super common though, I agree.
Garrard 401 for me. Sme arm
this is a great topic I had a forever tt it was an onkyo cp-1055 f2 this was a two motor system computer controlled I got it in 1985 always worked no prob quartz direct drive the onlly thing that broke was a small plastic gear that controls the tone arm movement plastic gears who new in2015 ,was forced to buy a audio technica ATLP-120 ,but I missed my auto matic turntable at the time there were not many turntable stores out there like we had when i grew up got mine at best buy ,but found the amazon/ebay ,now i haveseveral forever tt's I have a Dual 1009sk TT,a Dual 1237 this one is a belt drive and ai do not like them but this one TT has impressed me it is smooth quiet and it sounds great ,I also have the Garrard at-60 this one is just as good and a BSR 610 this one is very good surprising for a BSR I like the old TT's that I saw growing up they were made better to me if you check out the Dual 1009sk it is haevy and all those levers and springs this sounds like a time piece in motion it has a 4 pound platter wow its big and i like stacker type records and they do not scratch ,a lot of people go by what they hear I use to be like you know a sheep ,but I decided to try them bought several used albums in good condition and been testing this scratch theory that stackers are supposed to do first that is bunk yes the records can scratch if you do not handle correctly but being a former audiophile I handle my records very carefully its like if you were to use a single play unit but stacking instead so far I have not seen any scratches on these test records yet !!!! going on this test for 2.5 years now no pops or noise so far I use the Dual 1009sk and 1237 and every album that I have tested plays very quietly I also noticed that the dual are a little gentler when dropping the record they seem to fall very slowly and quiet like when they do drop I also found that the Garrard MK auto slim that I have is a little rough or heavy handed when dropping record ,I mean when it drops the record it sounds a little louder cause of the little lever that they use to tell TT what size record it is playing thats where it sounds a liile loud but they have not scratched record yet I do not expect my tests to be accepted ,what i am saying is when I hear somebody putting something down ,I will not believe so much ,but try to see for myself if its trued so far so good JRo
Hey Kevin. Thanks for the great videos and amazing insight. Question: I recently picked up a TD166. Thoughts on this Turntable?
MKll
They are excellent, when serviced. Thorens is pretty damn solid through-out.
Hmm, what came 1st….the chicken or the egg. The 2 hour drive with the heavy platter bent the motor shaft. Or the shaft was bent and that is why he was bringing it to you. Seems to go against the laws of physics that a thin RUBBER belt could exert enough force to bend a steel stud/shaft. I could be wrong, maybe I am not understanding what you said.
A few comments about Thorens: Thorens is pronounced Torens with af hard "T".
Thorens was Swiss made, not German. These days it has become German, but that was after their bankruptcy in the late 90´s.
Creating a list of vintage turntables with simplicity as the most important feature, seems a bit strange to me.
I would rather look for clever inventions than simple creations, which Technics and AR represented so well.
Well, I didn't have any of the great tables on your list and amazingly in my 66 years have never bought a new turntable. Recently I unearthed a Philips 977 at a yardsale, almost new in box, for ten bucks! And YES there's a lotta shit inside one of those to break I'm finding out so that would not make it a candidate for your list. But that don't worry me as much as I feel like I'm starring down the rabbit hole, the abyss, of what owning multiple vinyl spinners can become. See I personally know folks that own more than 20 tt's. I know one of them will see this comment some day and call me out for my insane bicycle collection ( I mean: accumulation).
Skylabs Audio.... Twice, I've posted replies to Ivan Bacon's reply to the Dual "spring adjusted stylus tracking" I mentioned. Twice, the post has been deleted. Is there something wrong with placing other links in my replies? Please explain so I won't violate a policy that I don't understand.
I assure you, I have never deleted your posts. Not sure what is going on there.
@@skylabsaudioI believe you. I don't know, either. All I can say is it's happened 3 times. The 2 most recently to Ivan. They appear as posted, then a day later, are gone. This time the reply stayed. I'll stay subscribed and make note if it happens, again. Thanks.
Can never go wrong with a Technics in good shape. The amount of headaches you avoid having a swappable headshell, adjustable VTA, and the most reliable speed you could ask for is worth every penny. Only thing that sucks with the older models is the attached RCA.
Still spinning vinyl on my original Dual 1257. Solid as a rock even for being the more budget friendly Dual of the time. 43 years and going strong.
Still using my 1257 as well. Just have to give it a spin in the right direction when I start it. Kinda part of its charm
I have a very nice Technics SL-D2 that I got for free. also my pioneer single play bought in hong kong 1966. I also am a broadcast engineer so got to keep the old gates, etc tables going. a tip. clean the rubber parts with alcohol.
I'm still using my Dual 1219, purchased in 1971. Recently took it in for a tune-up and it works like a charm.
I've owned 1009(f?) A TANK. Needed full restoration, contacted well known Dr. Dual, (way more money than I could afford). I only own the drop 45 rpm spindle I bought on Ebay. It's one of those things where with head tossed to side, I heave a sigh.....
Love my $58.00 1219 with a Shure V15-III cartridge. Cleaned the old hard grease out and lubed with quality fishing reel grease and viola it's like new. I've had it now 5 years and it's going strong.
The 1219 was the predecessor to the 1229, made from 1969-1971. It came in two iterations. In the v1 version, the cuing lever does not work in multi-play mode. The 1219 is the same as the 1229, minus the built-in strobe. Many of the parts are interchangeable. The 1229 also came in a 1229Q version... Q for quadraphonic. The only real difference was updated tonearm wires to support the high frequency pilot signal needed to decode quad playback.
Dual Guy here 1218 and 701 Bill services as needed.
You can't beat any of these Duals: 1009, 1019, 1219, 1229 (all idler drive). I also like the 701, a direct drive model. I have a copy of each of the aforementioned units.
Don't forget about the Dual 1219!!! I have just restored a 1219 my older brother gave me. Solid built.. A nice heavy platter also...
The 1219 is the direct predecessor of the 1229. It is about 97 % identical to the 1229. Especially if you compare the latest 1219 to the very first 1229.
You might also wish to try the Rega planar 2 and 3. These are very simple, just a motor, a glass platter and a VERY good tone arm. Made in England and sound great.
My P3 rules.
Gave one to my son.
Rega Planar 3 with the Ortofon Blue! in one room and a Dual 504 in the other
Currently using a Planar 2 from 1978 with cherry wood framing with a Nagaoka MP-110 cart and can confirm! It's not nearly as detailed sounding as my Marantz 6170 but it sounds way more powerful and "musical". And the motor is practically indestructible! I'm never going to stop using my Rega! :D
My Rega planar 2 has worked great for over 40 years. Great product!
I'm using a DUAL 704 Electronic Direct Drive, with a Nagaoka JT322 cart with a Shibata Naked diamond stylus.
In total it cost me less then €500 and I love it! I have a custom made acrylic dust cover on it as well, looks so good.
I did go from vinyl to CD during the 90's, but now I use both as they both have their strong and weak points.
The thing about vinyl is that it takes more time and effort to properly use it (starts with cleaning any new record), which in turn makes you really take time to sit down and listen to the music.
love my modded dual 704 too. with a retipped micro-acoustics 2002e, sweet.
The 704 is a Great Turntable , the reason why i use a 606 is , that i love the Ortophon ULM 155 System
Sad to not see the Technics SL 1800 on the list. Still my one and only turntable after 45 or so years. Brushless motor with the platter used as half the motor in the 70's??? The inner business
part is very well suspended from the outer case/feet.
My Dual 701 turntable is great but I have also a Dual 1219, Linn Sondek LP-12 I visited the factory as a dealer in 1983 and all my turntables work great. I have hundreds of LP's in great shape. Working at a stereo store was great.
Dual 701 is my favorite of all😜
Bisarre choice that you put Rega on line 2, they have dominated the turntable market and won more awards than any other company PLUS they are one of the simplest to work on.
I'm using an old elac miracord 50h ii and I'm extremely happy with it sounds amazing
I have one also and enjoy how well it is made.
@@kevinsmith8328 I have a Realistic Elac Miracord 46. Never thought I'd like a fully automatic idler wheel TT, but it's awesome.
Great list, I would add the thorens 125 with a better tone arm, with a better plinth it can sound fantastic.
I have a Thorens 125 with a Rabco SL-8E tone arm.
I have a Thorens 150 with an SME tone arm, which I bought in the early 70's. And I'm still not going to change
I still have my Empire 598 Mk2 first high end I bought in 1972! And except a couple belts over the years still runs great! ($400.00 back then)
Some great turntables here, I also have a Thorens TD 160 mk1, can I also mention some of my other excellent turntables that you didn't feature such as the Kenwood KD990, and the Garrard 401, both of these are brilliant.
Realistic Lab-400. Much mystery behind who produced it but it's a rock soild performer. Just installed an Ortifon Blue cartridge and it's a great TT. ❤
My Pioneer 518 still works like it did in 1978, hooked up to my old Pioneer receiver 780 still
I’ve owned many high end and vintage turntables and my FAVORITE one was always the AR XA due to it’s SIMPLICITY and tone arms that would virtually float down towards the vinyl.
I just got a very old but in great condition Rek O Kut T12 with a Shure 232 arm. It has that low idler noise floor but this beast is so dynamic and forceful in its music presentation. I'm amazed.
Had a Dual 1228 - 1229 without the changer mechanism maybe? Upgraded to a Pioneer PL-570, which I loved for many reasons and had for many years. Not on your list...complicated electronics maybe?
I have the AR XA, Thorens TD 165, Pioneer PL-41 and the Dual 1229. Looking at the Technics next. Thanks for validating my selections!
I appreciate your connection with turntables and that "connection" to vinyl. Its something I was blessed to grow up with and it sounds better with the right turntable and amp/speakers. I have a Fluance RT83 with upgraded plate and Ortofon Blue cartridge. Staying with heritage and media that has so much historic meaning in history is so much more than many in our electronically advanced society will truly enjoy. Thanks for sharing!
Hang Friday & Saturday playing vinyl ( 70's ) pretty much fighting over the next LP
very interesting video. I am currently using the last model AR turntable, "The AR Turntable" with a Linn Basik tonearm on an aluminum arm board.I believe with some minor mods this TT rivals anything under $2000, and a few over tnat amount.
suprised you have not mentioned the Yamaha YP-D71, a classic turntable that does show up here and there (though the price has spiked significantly in recent years).
I’ve had a Marantz 6300 since new in 1977, it is like new and with a good cartridge it hasn’t let me down.
Friends are always recommending tables in the thousands, maybe I’ll buy one if the Marantz dies.
Great videos, thanks.
I have had both belt drive and DD tables, and have been critically listening to records for 55 years. I still hav eexcellent hearing, dispite being a musician ( Earplugs LOL). I was given a Sony PS-FL7II Direct Drive linear tracking table and, after replacing drive and transport belts , was blown away. I dont see you saying much about linear tracking, and they dont seem to have as much cred as standard designs. I'm curious as to why. They are complicated mechanically, but do a better job of tracking the groove than any other type. Paired with my 80s AT 166LCU cartridge upgraded nude diamond stylus it compares to CD quality. Biggest difference is the LT table does not distort the inner grooves like conventional tables do. I'll never be happy with conventional tables again.
Currently my favorite turntable to use is my Realistic Elac Miracord 46. It's fully automatic (I tend to like semi-automatic in other TTs) and it's an idler wheel (I was previously a direct drive guy). I bought it at Goodwill for $5 and pulled it out of a bin piece by piece. I had to get a skate and spindle for it. Someone must have cleaned and regreased it because it ran perfectly when I got it, except one of the metal pieces underneath was bent and the start up wasn't working right. I bent the piece back into shape to match the piece next to it and it ran perfectly after that. It's fun to use. The tone arm is short and lifts at an awkward looking angle, but lands perfectly every time. Push the button and walk away. It's a great machine.
Automatics are the only turntables I have ever owned, the start, play, shutoff is the only way to go. Got my first Dual 1218 in 1970 now at 71 years old I don’t want to fuss with a non automatic turntable.
Very nice video. I still have my Dual 1216 in a Sylvania case from 1974. Still works great.
I love my pioneer pl 707, was lucky to find it for $100 that was pristine in condition. It goes with my pioneer stack,
But I currently have it hooked to the fisher 500c.
I have the first Gen, Technics SL1200, they are a bit rare but findable, things I like is the Cue Dampening, Sturdy build, strong player, I use an Ortofon 2m Blue and Nagoaka MP-200 currently rotated. Your video showed the more popular SL-1200 MK2, which came out in like 78 while the First gen was closer to the SL-1100, 1972-1977ish.
Yeah, I had one of those for a few years. A good table. I gave t to a friend who now uses the same cart as you, Ortofon blue. ...or perhaps red.
A very good table, but too noisy for me.
Like many I grabbed my first good stereo while in the military. Too immature to hold on to anything but I loved my sl 1200 and 9090. LOL. I even packed 4 Sansui 2000 ?? on the aircraft carrier. Some shipmates thought I was a little wacky. Good memories so thanks.
Picked up a Hitachi PS-48 a year ago for a fair price on looks for my spare listening room. Love this TT so much I actually got rid of my Rega.... Love the sound and appearance of vintage....just recently upgraded to a Grado Opus Cartridge and could not be happier 👍
No need for anti-skate on AR-XA turntables, on other TT's they are essential. It's just down to the design requirements.
Any direct drive Technics is always a good bet, bullet proof. Perhaps an honorable mention, the Kenwood KD-2055 or the ROCK as it's known.
I Luv The Rock! Have one stored in closet. Got it used. Have others in small collection including couple of newer models back in boxes. These newer machines don't have feel and sound of their 70's predecessor's. Currently playing Kenwood 3070. Not great, but pretty darn nice.
I acquired a Dual 1219 from one of my clients for free. $200 in service later and the thing is working like the day it was manufactured. Now I don't wake up to my stylus repeatedly plowing into the label on my record anymore!
Great info but I gotta quit watching before I jump back into vintage audio after escaping a few years back.
Great post! I was a QA tech at the Dual U.S. main distribution location in Mount Vernon, N.Y. back in the late 70's.
One of the main features on their turntables was how accurately you could balance the tone arm.
At audio shows we would mount the turntable upside down on a rack and play a record. The tone arms were so finely balanced that there was minimal wear on your vinyl. Beautifully engineered.
My Dual 1218 still works. I purchased it in 1974. When a wrapped record wouldn't play on other tables, the Dual was there to show that it could be played.
@@michaeladdison5359 that's the incredible Dual Gebrüder Steidinger's tonearm engineering. It has gyroscopic stability.
You can stack 45's. The vinyl is thicker at the label to prevent damage to the recording.
NEVER STACK 33's
i have a Technics SLQ2000...1983 P-mount..20 bucks from Goodwill....had a ADC PSX 20....upgraded to an original PSX 30.....love the sound....afraid to replace it and lose" that sound"....that table would get laughed at in some forums....but IDC....It shows what Technics was all about......great , affordable and everlasting sound.... was the ADC cart put in by someone or did Panasonic include them?...
Running a Goldring G99 with a 12"SME arm .old pinchwheel drive 78rpm45 33&16 speeds Shure N75 takes 78 &33 stylii . pretty cool vintage tech.
I sold my SL 25 years after purchase for twice what I paid for it 20 years ago. I am sad I sold it!
Cool! I have an SL-110 with an SME arm and Shure V15 type III pickup. I bought it in 1970's after I got my B&W DM2A's at their Worthing shop. My dad was friend's with John Bowers and Roy Wilkins and worked for B&W for a short time.
Good Grief! I found this list pretty amazing. My path too has followed simplicity, design, and manual operation. But, with all the turntables available during these years, I have only had a relative few, but what a list, as least as evidenced by what is covered here. 1964, my first real turntable, ARxa, about $64.00. 1968, Pioneer PL-41, purchased at a PX in Viet Nam and shipped home. 1974, Technics SL1200, initial production model - the first arm, simple single switch for 33/center off/45, lift, speed adjustment controls, fair trade pricing back then, $279.98 I think. 1984, I traded in the SL1200, getting in some fashion what I paid for it ten years earlier - they were still very popular with DJ's - this was mainly a direct drive and torque issue - fast startup onver belts. Took home Harman Kardon T-60, about $475.00 list back then. Then soon after, around 1985 I got out of vinyl when CDs hit, and didn't have a turntable again until 2017. I bought a Haman Kardon T-40 and then added a T-60, both from ebay. Though not 60's-70's, I'll add here that both of these turntables follow the same path - simple and relatively 'clean' design and function.
I really thought Garrard 301/401 would be on the list 💛🌝 nice list of pretty sweet turntables anyway 💛🥳
I personally have a Garrard 301, and I love it, they are just super rare here I. The states.
@@skylabsaudio my personal bias is towards Garrard 301 too as it is my first turntable 💛 a cherry red one. It is most important to me after my family 😭🤣
My love in 1985 was the Pioneer PL L-1000 . Loved It
My first table was a BSR. 1980 bought a used Duals 1216. I still have it and love it. Since then two 1215S, two 1216, 1218, 1225, 1226, 1229, and two 506 Duals. Love them all
Yeah those early ARS are awesome the song fantastic and you can pound out in with a hammer they don't care so much for technology that is bad some Modern stuff is terrible I love turntables have over 100 yeah I'm old thanks for doing this keeps me inspired well
Luckily for me, I think my first turntable will be my forever turntable. I purchased my mint condition Yamaha YP-701, with an ADC QLM30 Mk-III cartridge, 15 years ago for about $250CAD ($190USD). I've recently replaced the stylus (same cartridge). For me, I don't anything more than this turntable/cartridge combination. Although, I am interested in trying other cartridges.
To me, this turntable is a piece of art. It proudly sits on top of my stereo cabinet. It is a statement piece that sounds as good as it looks.
I want to ask you a quick probably stupid question....to me I know what i think but I am curious how you feel about it. Do you personally feel there is any advantage to an S curve tone arm over a strait tone arm? Whether it be in tracking or reproduction of sound? Thanks!
Both are good depending on the manufacturer, IMO
Bought my Thorens TD 160 Super with a Morch UP-4 arm in ‘85.
Still uses it each day.
Good company. I like vintage gear. I never had anything really high end, but had three on the list. AR, Pioneer and Technics. I passed on the Technics to a friend who loved vinyl. I am content with DD Sony. Automatic suits me better personally. I have been digitizing some pristine albums to hi res files, modern world. I found the choice of cartridge to be as important as any other aspect, nice to rotate for different subtitles. Cheers
In my opinion it is the cartridge and the ability of the turntable to consistently maintain it's turning speed without needing to constantly adjust it that are the two main things I look for in a TT. A good direct drive over belt drive is next. After that I can live with most other different designs.
I loved it. Brought back memories. Loved my AR XA. I used to get Garrards at a discount, but they were junk..
I am in Omaha. Next time I get to Des Moines I will try and stop by. I currently own a Garrard DD-75 and a Kenwood KD-2055. Both are decent considering I paid next to nothing for them.
I’m waiting for a td-125 with sme 3009 upgrade from vinyl nirvana right now!
I bet you are happy when you get it!
I started out in around 1973 with AR XB 1a , kept it for years and have it stored now in the original box and foam with the books.
Next I went a bit sky high with Linn LP12 Ittok Karma. Then to Sota Star Saphire 2 .
Still have that and love it .
Two Turntables years ago really did me in though . Nakamichi Dragon and also Thorens Prestige. They are some piece of work there for their day . Just saying how I feel about Turntables.
One advantage of the Dual Turntables most people don't realize is that they don't need to be level to have accurate tracking and anti-skate settings. The spring adjusted tracking weight allows the turntable to be set at ANY angle, even UPSIDE DOWN and as long as the record stays on the platter, the turntable will track and play properly.
I have several Dual's and none of them have "spring adjusted tracking weight" I have never heard of "spring adjusted tracking weight" There are servo controlled tracking arms and linear arms but not on Dual's. Perhaps you could explain?
I love my Dual 1245. I bought it in 1974. It t is fully automatic as it is a record changer although I haven't used the changer in years. It still works. As long as I have the manual I can repair it.
As far a the antiskate I can tilt it but why would I want to?
@@Dsoul51 Let me explain my understanding of anti-skating. Anti-skate has nothing to do with tilt, at least in the Dual 1200 series. Anti-skate is a small force put onto the tonearm to push it towards the outside edge of the platter. This is to counteract the natural force on the tonearm to pull in towards the center. This is caused by the friction of the stylus in the groove. As the record spins, it "pulls" the stylus towards the inner side of the record groove, causing more pressure on that side of the groove. This extra pressure can audibly affect the volume, balance and tone of the musical signal. If you have a way to protect or easily remove your stylus, you can test this skating effect by placing the protected cartridge on a smooth low friction surface on the platter. As the platter spins, the tonearm will be pulled in towards the center spindle, rather quickly. This is the force that anti-skating is designed to counteract.
@@ivansbacon I've replied twice to your question, but the reply has been deleted (I suppose, since it is no longer on this site). Regardless, the Dual 1200 series tracking force IS set by a spring. If you click on my name, you can message me for answers to your question.
@@philatwood2086 Seams to be a confusion caused by your terminology. Yes of coarse the "anti-skate dial does tension a spring(s) counteracting lateral or inertial tracking force (skate) inherent in the spinning record.
Your use of the wording "tracking weight" implies VTF Vertical Track Force as weight changes the VTF. You reinforced that confusion by claiming you could turn the table upside down and the tone would stay on the record and play it fine. That is absolutely false. There is no spring forcing the tone arm down onto the record. It is gravity, a fulcrum/gimbal and a weight to counteract gravity that sets the tracking force.
I have completely removed the arm on my 1219 and replaced it, there is no spring at all in the gimbal or attached to it that would impart any force to keep the arm down on the record. I have work stand that allows me turn my deck completely upside down.
There is indeed a spring in the anti-skate mechanism, in fact there are two springs.
Also, although the deck does have anti vibration springs under it, that does not mean that the plinth does not have to be level. If it is out of level then gravity will cause the stylus to not contact both sides of the groove with the same pressure. Anti skate adjustments are NOT there to compensate for gravitational effects on an out of level turntable.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turntable_anti-skating
The necessity of anti skate is debatable in some circles, Pun intended.
I own four 1200 M3D’s that are fully customized… I was surprised you included the champion in you list.
Cheers
I love your unbiased opinions on components..
The only turntable I've owned was the one I bought when I was in high school, which was a technics sl220 belt driven and best audio Technica cartridge I could afford... couldn't afford the direct drive model... But I never had any complaints with the sl220, it did everything it was supposed to do and thought the speed controller was a real plus with the Technics players..
When the belt drive got old and broke, I used a comparable sized rubber band and it worked...lol
I fixed an 8track player with a rubber band when I was younger. Gotta do what ya gotta do!
Cool video and the turntables you feature are good choices. The only thing I'd criticize is your section on the Technics SL 1100 and SL 1200. You're correct on the SL 1100 coming out in the early 70's (1971) and SL 1200 (1972), but the problem is, it seems you are featuring a later model (Mk 2 ? 1979) Which would be a better choice than the original model of the SL 1200. Technics has a cool page, their "Heritage" page. It gives info and dates on the SP 10, SL 1100 and different versions of the SL 1200. So besides the dates being a little off on the Technics section, cool video. 1👍
Are those JBL L65s in the background? What might be a good amp to power them?
Thanks for the content!
Yes they are. I don't think they are that picky with amplifier pairing. I've used a Sansui AU20,000, Accuphase e202, and a McIntosh 2105 all 3 sounded great to me!
The Thorens is VERY quiet. As in the background noise from the motor and bearing. I used to spend hours mucking around with it and I've had it so quiet that it couldn't be heard playing blank passages of an album with the volume turned up more than double the setting that I listen to music at what for me is high volume. This is loud enough to be heard out on the street.
And at double this volume the turntable was silent.
This is absolutely the key to high definition playback.
But plonked on a shelf and used as is, this is still a very good table. Mine's simply plonked at the moment and I use it every day.
Here in Melbourne, Australia I see Thorens TD160 and 165 come up for sale with Empire MM carts. There must have been a dealer back then who sold these tables with these carts.
This is how mine came (second hand 16 years ago)and it's a fantastic combo.
I've tried other tables, sometimes for a year or more but when I swap back to the 165/Empire it sounds better.
The Empire cart is very clear and tonally a little light on mid-bass. Opposite to the classic Stanton carts.
I need this tonal voicing as my speakers are bass heavy transmission line.