New Turntable Advice

I forgot to mention, like my Mitsubishi LT-5V Turntable in my office, you do need to pay attention to the speed strobe and adjust the Thorens TD124’s speed as it warms up and if room temperature varies. During parties, as the room warms up ... I did not have Central Air back then, now, after a few minutes play, adjust, the Mitsubishi belt drive holds steady. Explains why I prefer instant Quartz Locked DD.

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I would not choose the Nakamichi Dragon CT.

this reviewer’s conclusion

"I have to be perfectly honest with you, I find my Yamaha GT-2000 better sounding, even after the centre search."

I have never actually seen or heard a GT-2000, and never see a photo of one with two tonearms. That might be worth doing.

Once you have enjoyed listening to any musician who made their mark before 1957, say Oscar Peterson, going from Stereo LP to Mono LP in seconds and back again, there is no going back to a single arm. Jim brought his Beatles Stereo/Mono collection, we were able to readily enjoy/hear the differences.

In my case, I’ve finally got 3 removable headshells with azimuth adjustability, and 2 of the easiest height adjustable arms. Left arm is a VAS custom built  AT33PTG Mono cartridge with advanced stylus shape on boron; Rear Arm typically a similar MC Stereo version, tracking at 2.0g; right typically an MM with beryllium tracking at 1.25gm. Alternate cartridges, friends cartridges, I can play with all 3 arms active, select which one via the SUT, so cartridge comparisons are instant.

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Your Phono Stage looks quite good to me, but not ready for multiple tonearms. If you go for 2 tonearms, the Luxman has a built-in a/b switchbox. Your Phono Stage ’3 cartridge type’ switch is in it’s back, I’d keep a small mirror handy to reflect it’s back. It would be easy to forget, you could leave it on MM and use a SUT with PASS for MM, I use a separate SUT with 3 inputs out to my mx110z’s MM Phono.

https://www.audiogon.com/systems/11318

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I find Ortofon Bronze overpriced, but I never heard one, so ......

After repeatedly getting lucky, I encourage you to risk a used AT160ml with MicroLine stylus on Beryllium cantilever, tracking at only 1.25gm.

I got two from this seller, VAS checked them for me, plenty of life left

https://reverb.com/item/91712802-audio-technica-at-160ml-mm-cartridge?utm_source=aw&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hifishark.com&sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=536903&awc=67144_1757258703_13357e43fcf56edafb11a07062ef82f2

I snuck up to it, risking more affordable used, got lucky, broke a few, ....... I just got lucky and won an auction on Yahoo Japan for a spare to replace one I stupidly broke, all in $168. usd. Ray checks it this coming Thursday.

Think Long. I had no idea I would end up where I did when I started, but I couldn’t be happier. A lot of good advice here for sure!

Im worried about WoW and Flutter so there in lies my interest in Center Search function of the Nakamichi CT. In fact with a test record playing on the VPI with 3150 hz track and using my AC FFT measurements I clearly see the VPI/album runout. Are you using the DS Audio eccentric device?

Isn’t album runout a big deal?

it’s good to have a solid spare TT, nice if it has different technology.

someone ought to get this Mitsubishi LT-22, Quartz Lock DD Linear Tracking, auto play/return.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/226961366689?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=ffcf7888-8c02-11f0-adb5-343763653635

a few others are listed

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=mitsubishi+lt-22

I set one up for a friend, he has two TT81’s, and a PL-3 three arm JVC Plinth, some fancy arms nearing final assembly. We are not certain it will sound any better, and the LT-22 is full of convenience. I had it here for a while, compared it to my then two arm TT81. is quite solid, excellent linear tracking.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/226961366689?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=552c82b4-8c00-11f0-8898-393036313037

Make sure the two LEDs that guide the arm’s movement are working (if it starts and plays, they must be working). That’s the only tricky thing about them.

An LT-20, Wood Look (vinyl wrap), no bids yet

https://www.ebay.com/itm/205703469746?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=81b74118-8c03-11f0-ae19-343763653635

speaking of a spare TT, with different technology, I gave my spare Technics SL-J33 to my son

this is NEW, they are very compact, programmable, linear tracking, Quartz Locked DD

https://www.ebay.com/itm/406188053206?_skw=sl-j33&epid=10045792015&itmmeta=01K4JEK6HNXBBXKPGQK413RV9T&hash=item5e92b1d2d6:g:EpQAAeSwiz1oujmI&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA4FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1cS70VUG9eIEfwr5llEYjKheBA2lcrLrS0iBmuNMovoQirrhiY3Rv4oIVsP2t8EQl0zEHuwLxbB5WHy4jJxNQy5MeGkC0S7GtxbV3PvLKbt5pRfeKxUw5kFMWKav1xlOKQCsM4RdsW8Lo2Z9%2FgYcTPflZCVlgNgavlRGCP7i6K7hJc5p02ZcRm4KqyNJsxNm6GbHCLmPeDVY4YK8UZn7hlfqtQRXurdgqIigR48uDAleqsyWguZ5Bjs6NYz3F5soQDgqXmm%2FllGkDoUU5%2Fd2ODs%7Ctkp%3ABFBM-ujMzqRm&pfm=1

many others for sale

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=sl-j33&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2332490.m570.l1313

I put a P-Mount  with advanced stylus on it. I loaned it to 3 others while their TT's were being fixed or waiting for something ordered, they all had to admit it sounded darn good,

Well this is getting to be a very interesting conversation isn’t it?  Idler driver turntables may be way off topic, but what the hell.  I figure all of us are essentially on a parallel course with flat earthers anyway so why not diverge when the opportunity presents itself?  Of course Lewm is right, this is not a good place for a neophyte to be looking.  I was a neophyte myself when the TD124 (and TD224) were phased out and the TD125 era began.  Thorens held demonstration/clinics where there was instrumentation used to measurably prove the superiority of the new TD125.  My ears told me it was quieter, much quieter.  Of course there were a few holdouts, mostly because the TD124 looked so cool, but over the course of time most serious audiophiles switched to the new model.  As a dealer we hated to see a valued customer bringing in his TD124 to trade in a way because we knew that they were not an easy sell in those days on the used market.  By the time I had the money to buy it was a TD125MKII, so I never did buy a TD124.  I still like them, and I consider my VPI HW-III to be the successor.  And it still sounds good.  But it is a little soft spoken.  A good idler is noiser, but it has more slam.  Better than either, in my opinion, because of practicality really is a direct drive.   Any are fun.