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Harmon Kardon ST-7 with Rabco Tonearm

A friend gave me one of these today. It is all brushed aluminum, made in the United states and looks to be from the 70s or 80s. The tone arm is one of those tangential ones where the whole arm moves from outside-in, perpendicular to the record plane. It needs some cleaning and perhaps a new power cord and RCAs. Other than this I do not know too much about it. Was it a good record player in it's time? Is it worth fixing up? Looks pretty solid overall.

Thanks!
bstatmeister

Showing 2 responses by lewm

lewm
12,455 posts
 
Stringreen, I do think that the tonearm on the ST7 tonearm was a low cost version of the original Rabco SL tonearm, designed specifically and only for the ST7 and never used again.  Nor was it ever sold separately.  It was therefore either designed by Dr. Rabinow (the originator of the Rabco SL tonearm or was licensed under his patent, at least.  Rabinow lived in the DC area, where I live. Same goes for the much more expensive Goldmund TF tonearm, used on their Reference turntable.
lewm
12,455 posts
 
"These are some of the most sought after turntables from that mid-70's era!"  Really?  If I remember correctly (and please do correct me if not), that turntable has a built-on version of the Rabco SL tonearm, only instead of the motor-drive pulling a chain that propels the tonearm across the LP while maintaining tangency in the big Rabco, the tonearm on the ST8 is propelled by a rotating rubber tire riding on a metal bar.  The issue with that set-up was noise from the rubber tire transmitting to the rear pivot and hence out to the cartridge.  It's historically very interesting but not the greatest in terms of success in reaching its goal.
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