Vintage Asylum Classic gear from yesteryear; vintage audio standing the test of time.

---

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Vintage Asylum ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

RE: $200-$400 1950s-19602 turntable recommendations

Posted by AstroSonic (A) on May 5, 2010 at 07:14:19

In Reply to: $200-$400 1950s-19602 turntable recommendations posted by dschwab on May 4, 2010 at 18:41:08:

So far people have recommended turntables from the younger part (late 60's) of your range (50's-60's). A lot of progress on turntables was made in that period, so the most advanced ones would date from the late 60's.

Under the assumption that you are looking for an 'automatic' turntable or 'record changer' here are two recommendations. There were two turntable milestones during the 50's to 60's.

The first was the Garrard Type A. It mated automatic operation, and low rumble, wow and flutter with a well made tonearm, and a trip mechanism that allowed the use of light tracking, medium-high compliance cartridges.

The second was the Dual 1009. It incorporated the same design goals as the Type A, but pushed the performance envelope significantly further. It had a much lower mass tonearm, which also allowed the use of high compliabnce cartridges. Later totl Duals refined (a little) the design, but mainly changed cosmetics. Beware of the lower end of the line. Some of these incorporated a plastic change mechanism gear that becomes brittle, and may show a lot of wear.

The totl Miracord and PE tables followed the Type A design, using a sturdy medium mass tonearm, heavy platter and idler wheel drive. Both offered quiet, reliable operation with medium-high compliance cartridges.

I think your decision comes down to cartridge compatability and gut reaction to the appearance. All use an idler drive mechanism which incorporates an idler wheel with a 'tire' made of rubber-like material. When these are 'parked' for really extended periods they tend to harden and develop a flat spot. Replacement or treatment with a softener (and use) will resolve that issue.

Your vintage system's sound will greatly benefit from the use of a good quality cartridge. Vintage cartridges are available, although needles are often hard to come by. I suggest using a modern moving magnet or moving iron cartridge of medium compliance, like a Grado, Rega, Sumiko, or Ortofon. These cartridges are probably best suited to the Type A style of tonearm. The Duals were designed for light tracking, high compliance cartridges like the Shure V-15 series ( and similar models by Pickering, ADC, Empire and others). There was a specmanship competition in compliance (higher is better) and tracking weight (lower is better). Like many such competitions, it did not necessarily provide the customer with better sound. More recent cartridges offer a more balanced design (not that the best of the vintage designs were not good) and overall better sound.

Good luck and enjoy!

Bob

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Signature Sound

[ Signature Sound Lounge ]

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---