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AR-XB. Is it worth a new motor?

I recently purchased an AR-XB for $200 from a gentleman who was selling it for an estate of the original owner. It looked great. I did everything but plug it in as he assured me it only needed a new belt. When I got home, the motor would not turn, although I could feel it humming under my finger. Unfortunately, I bought the tt in Pittsburgh while visiting my son. I hand carried it in its original box as a carry on back to Washington state. My question is, should I bite the bullet for a new $200 motor from Vinyl Nirvana, or chalk it up to experience and move on? Now I know some of you would spend more than that on the wiring for the tonearm, but that's a bit of money for my habit given my finances. The rest of the system is Mac 2100, Mac C26, Acoustat Spectra 1100, Audiolab 6000cdt, Audiolab M+DAC, MIT interconnects. Jazz, acoustic, bluegrass, Americana and vintage rock are what I listen to. Oh, and I have  brandy new Ortofon Super OM 20 I was going to use. My back-up table is a Sony PS-LX5.

chuckt

Showing 2 responses by elliottbnewcombjr

elliottbnewcombjr
5,183 posts
 

I was gonna say, it might not be the motor, something else.

just hopping about, found this parts listing (no motor)

 

I would not use an arm with no anti-skate as mentioned above.

elliottbnewcombjr
5,183 posts
 

lewm,

IMO, this time you are giving bad advice.

I forget where, but I have read a few places:

The MAJORITY of stylus’s are WORN on ONE EDGE ONLY.

That is from poorly set ANTI-SKATE.

Thus, the MAJORITY of people’s TTs have anti-skate set IMPROPERLY.

Relying on some friction from the bearing is no way accurate. All tonearms I have messed with for over 50 years definitely skate in with anti-skate set to zero. ALL

Let’s not forget, the modern advanced stylus many of us use need to be precisely aligned for their potential performance and avoiding both groove wear (damage) and stylus wear, a progressively important actor for expensive MC cartridges.

You do not get the extended life of an advanced stylus unless everything is proper:

anti-skate zero until it is the last step: overhang, two null points, azimuth and VTA and tracking force, last: anti-skate. Check tracking weight and anti-skate every few months.

No dust cover: you gotta be kidding me.

I highly recommend using the blank side of an alignment LP, and simply see skate and set anti-skate force visually

 

Oh Yeah: sometimes we are hesitant to fully tighten the two screws holding the cartridge. Double check overhang/null points after a few months, moved a speck? or where you put it?

 

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