[78-L] Record collecting week 4, turntables

[Steve Williams]

In my experience there is not a single belt-drive or idler turntable of any
merit that is not supported in regards to replacement belts and idlers, and
even more exotic parts such as armboards and platters.  This is also true of
tape recorders and projectors, though I have had one Hitachi-made Realistic
cassette machine for which I could not find any sort of replacement pinch
rollers and one 8mm small-brand projector which just did not have a new
ridged pulldown drive belt available.

This is NOT true of direct-drive turntables; if the processor or servo
assembly has gone bad on ANY direct-drive deck made during the classic
period of electronic turntables then one is out of luck.  Without exception
original LSI assemblies are unobtainum.  So if you have a dead Sony,
Professional JVC, - or Fons - then you are out of luck.  Electronics is the
key, I have an Elmo dual-optic CL-16 with early solid state amp with a bad
sound chip - no replacement available even using a kludge.  My best hope is
to find a scrap CL-16, probably with vacuum tube audio, which is ALWAYS
fixable.

Anyway, nearly ALL the turntables considered among the best are idler, such
as the Lencos and Garrard 300/400, or belt-drive, such as the top-end Duals
(CS5000 - with simple, repairable, electronics, and some AC motor models) or
belt and idler, mainly the unimpeachable Thorens TD-124.  Very few
direct-drives are considered classics, except top end JVC, Technics, a few
others, all of which are irreparable if the electronics fails in any way
except for discrete transistors and capacitors and resistors. 

Note also that all NEW (2012) "audiophile" turntables are belt-drive. 

Steve Williams  ..

Message: 6
Date: Tue, 1 May 2012 15:27:46 -0400
From: "Ron L'Herault" <lherault at bu.edu>
Subject: Re: [78-L] Record collecting week 4, turntables
To: "'78-L Mail List'" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Message-ID: <01ac01cd27d0$7ca5e4a0$75f1ade0$@bu.edu>
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>And there are several small companies that supply new and/or rebuilt idler
>wheels.   One can even put an O ring on the empty framework of an old idler
>wheel. 

Exactly!  (steve W..)
 

Ron L 

-----Original Message-----
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
[mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of
bradc944 at comcast.net
Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2012 2:03 PM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: Re: [78-L] Record collecting week 4, turntables


>Oh, and as for idler turntables? There ARE a couple of good ones... my ELAC
>is an idler, my old Lenco was an idler (need to get THAT thing back in
>service!)... and for portable 'audition' players, you can't beat the old
>school Califone players.

>Still waiting to see if anyone here is or knows of an expert with Fons
>turntables... I seriously need to get that one back in service.

Brad