Turn Table come to Jesus

71.113.133.74

Posted on January 30, 2015 at 14:46:48

Scholl
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 1357
Joined: March 8, 2001

Hey guys,

Haven't posted here in a while. I'm looking to come up with a final simple turntable solution. I have 500-600 records most I bought new in the 70s and 80s and play well. Some I bought recently, others at various sales but choose only good clean ones that I like. Mostly rock\pop blues and jazz. A 50 cent record that doesn't play well isn't any good to me.

I have a HK T55 I bought new in the 80s the belt is good but I havn't played it in years. A Luxman 277 I bought used 7-8 years ago auto functions don't work but as manual is fine and played regularly.

What I want to do is sell off what I have for one nice simple straight forward modern new TT maybe with auto lift.

Price range under $1K much less if possible. What would you guys recommend?

Thanks!

Scott

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RE: Turn Table come to Jesus

Penchie

07:02:39 02/01/15

RE: Turn Table come to Jesus

majick47

06:35:57 01/31/15

I agree with cactuscowboy ...

reelsmith.

20:41:21 01/30/15

...

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RE: Turn Table come to Jesus

Penchie

07:02:39 02/01/15

RE: Turn Table come to Jesus

majick47

06:35:57 01/31/15

I agree with cactuscowboy ...

reelsmith.

20:41:21 01/30/15

Jesus called, says "Keep the Luxman"

cactuscowboy@bresnan.net

18:54:09 01/30/15

4

RE: Jesus called, says "Keep the Luxman"

Scholl

05:10:57 01/31/15

3

In addition to what Dean just said

Penguin

08:03:04 01/31/15

Why not remove the bottom of the Luxman...

reelsmith.

07:26:58 01/31/15

RE: Why not remove the bottom of the Luxman...

Scholl

04:05:32 02/01/15

RE: Turn Table come to Jesus

steve.ott@kctcs.edu

18:03:35 01/30/15

RE: Turn Table come to Jesus

Scholl

05:03:18 01/31/15

RE: Turn Table come to Jesus

mark111

18:02:01 01/30/15

Why not get a decent entry-level manual deck like a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon

Opus 33 1/3

15:45:11 01/30/15

Q-up

TheBrewmaster

20:24:36 02/02/15

Why not get a decent entry-level manual deck like a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon , posted on January 30, 2015 at 15:45:11

Opus 33 1/3
Audiophile

Posts: 4184
Location: D.C. Area
Joined: February 19, 2014

And get one of these to put on it . . . The total would be under $500. Or you could go up to a Rega RP-3 with the Q-Up and still be under $1K.

Opus 33 1/3

Q-Up

RE: Turn Table come to Jesus, posted on January 30, 2015 at 18:02:01
mark111 Audiophile Posts: 4699 Joined: April 12, 2002	I have the Thorens TD-295. It's still around your price range and shuts off at the end of the record ,but does not lift. I like mine a lot. I'm using it with an AT-OC9 ML/II. enjoy, mark

RE: Turn Table come to Jesus, posted on January 30, 2015 at 18:03:35
steve.ott@kctcs.edu Audiophile Posts: 795 Joined: January 16, 2009	What does the title of your post mean?

Jesus called, says "Keep the Luxman", posted on January 30, 2015 at 18:54:09
cactuscowboy@bresnan.net Audiophile Posts: 7738 Location: Powell, Wyoming Joined: July 23, 2007	Seriously, I own a Luxman PD-277, a cheap yard sale find from a few years ago. I used it for several months, long enough to know it's well built and a fine performer. JUST MY OPINION.... But, I would not give up a Luxman PD-277 for ANY new turntable in the under $1,000 range. It would be a step down, and again, that's just my opinion.

I agree with cactuscowboy ..., posted on January 30, 2015 at 20:41:21

reelsmith.
Audiophile

Posts: 13131
Location: CT
Joined: June 7, 2005
Contributor
Since: January 19, 2010

The Luxman is a very nice table and if the speed is holding steady, I suggest keeping it. The arm (Micro Seiki TA-1) is particularly good and in my opinion worth the price the 277 usually fetches on its own.

If you keep the Luxman, consider getting rid of the stock cables and installing RCA jacks. This way you can upgrade the cables to anything you want. If you can solder, this is really easy to do. Here is a pictorial of a step-by-step removal of the stock cables and the installation of a KAB jack plate ...

Please excuse some of the less than stellar pictures and the different sizes of the photos. I don't usually take pictures as I mod and pay much more attention to the mod than the pictures.

By the way, your h/k is no slouch either. If I owned both of those tables the last thing I would be thinking about would be ditching them for something "under $1K, much less if possible".

Best of luck.

Dean.

reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.

RE: Turn Table come to Jesus, posted on January 31, 2015 at 05:03:18
Scholl Distributor or Rep Posts: 1357 Joined: March 8, 2001	The term "come to Jesus" sometimes means a final truth or ending of search.

RE: Jesus called, says "Keep the Luxman", posted on January 31, 2015 at 05:10:57

Scholl
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 1357
Joined: March 8, 2001

I know the arm is well regarded and sure looks cool. My concern has been the light weight plinth that's hard to add mass to.

One thing about the modern TTs is some have simple slab plinths where the feet can be removed and set on top of any cheap massive surface (slate, granite, wood, tile, Iron, concrete etc.) to change the TT characteristics.

I don't want to get into a big DIY project nor permanent mods but have nice wood on hand. Building a massive shelf is cheap and easy for me.

RE: Turn Table come to Jesus, posted on January 31, 2015 at 06:35:57
majick47 Audiophile Posts: 799 Location: Pembroke MA Joined: June 27, 2006	There is nothing "modern" about todays new turntables under $1K, most of them are a step backwards from vintage turntables like your Luxman. Carbon fiber tonearms showed up in the mid 70s, Project is 40 years late. Agree with Reelsmith and Cactuscowboy, keep the Luxman.

Why not remove the bottom of the Luxman..., posted on January 31, 2015 at 07:26:58
reelsmith. Audiophile Posts: 13131 Location: CT Joined: June 7, 2005 Contributor Since: January 19, 2010	...and use it as a template to make a more substantial bottom? No more of a DIY than what you are thinking of doing with a new table and a lot less expensive, since you already have the table. Dean. reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.

In addition to what Dean just said, posted on January 31, 2015 at 08:03:04

Penguin
Audiophile

Posts: 7116
Location: Delaware
Joined: August 5, 2001

while you have to bottom off look at the understructure and see what you can reinforce and damp. Aluminum extrusions, bondo, dynamat and blue tack are your friends, you would be surprised how much heavier the plinht will be when you are done. If you want even more weight mix in small lead shot into the bondo. Most tables of the time were either die cast or injection molded. To reinforce them they had ribs with cavities between them, they are all targets for fillers.

dee
;-D

True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.

quote by Kurt Vonnegut

RE: Why not remove the bottom of the Luxman..., posted on February 1, 2015 at 04:05:32
Scholl Distributor or Rep Posts: 1357 Joined: March 8, 2001	OK, sounds like a plan. Thanks!!

RE: Turn Table come to Jesus, posted on February 1, 2015 at 07:02:39

Penchie
Audiophile

Posts: 7
Joined: April 26, 2001

The shortcomings present in new tables well south of 1K are so many in number
that you're best to stay with either used, or try to get a deal on a table around 1K
new.....

The all inclusive Marantz TT15 which includes a Virtuoso cartridge can be typically
had in that range as well as the Clearaudio Concept.....
Going down, I would get a mid range Rega over a project table, although both
are excellent values for the $

Take a look at the Sota Moonbeam II (list 750)

For an automatic, there's the Thorens TD240-2 around 1K, but it doesn't come w/ cartridge.....

There's a pristine Dual CS5000 on ebay for 499 buy it now......those were awesome tables
in the mid 80s. I owned one and loved it, can't remember if it was automatic tho
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-CS-5000-Turntable-with-two-cartridges-extras-pristine-condition-/291369979195?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d7010d3b

there is also a company in germany called art and sound on ebay who sells refurbished
and warranted vintage thorens tables with upgraded plinths etc.....and they have
several under 1k including cartridge.......shipping to US is reasonable
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Thorens-Td166-Turntable-Copper-High-Glossy-Paint-and-Warranty-/141508590714?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20f291bc7a

Q-up, posted on February 2, 2015 at 20:24:36
TheBrewmaster Audiophile Posts: 365 Location: Southern U.S. Joined: January 20, 2013	Have you owned one of those? I was wondering about them. They seem a little, well, is gimmicky too strong? I'm open to them though if someone who has lived with one has experience to share.

Vinyl Asylum

Turn Table come to Jesus

71.113.133.74