The Official TURNTABLE Owner's Thread!

[Johnny Vinyl]

I decided to start this thread as I've seen a significant increase in forum members becoming involved in the world of vinyl playback. Many of our members have some really wonderful gear and they are oftentimes posted within their own galleries or within their own threads. I had my own posted for some time, but I am currently without a turntable, so I took them down.

The reason for this thread is to post pictures of your Turntable, power supply, phono stage, cabling, cartridges, tonearms, record cleaning devices, etc. Anything related to turntables. Tell a story about how you got into vinyl and what you love about it. Ask questions and make recommendations.

List of Members with Turntables:

aces high: Project Xpression III Classic, Ortofon Bronze, Project Speed Box II SE, Project Tube Box II SE, Oyaide PA-2075 RR Phono Cables
Adrock: Technics SL1200 MK2, Ortofon PROS40, Bellari VP130, Tung-Sol Gold 12AX7 Replacement Tube
Almadacr: Technics SL 1700
Arcam_or_bust: Clearaudio Performance SE Turntable, Maestro MM Cartridge
bguzman: Marantz 6150 Direct Drive - Pickering XV-15 w/D625 stylus - Carver C-1 with BillD mod pre
Big Daddy: Marantz TT 530 / Shure V15 Type III - Audio-Technica AT-PL120/Grado Prestige Silver/Phono Preamp TCC TC-750LC -Denon DP-300F/Denon DL-103/Phono Preamp TCC TC-760LC
bigshot: Thorens TD165, a Thorens TD160, Dual 1218 set up for 78s, a Victor Victrola VvX
Billy13: Pioneer PL50 / Ortofon 2M Red / Parasound Zphono
Blaumann: Rega P3-24 w/Ortofon 2M Black
blue11: Rotel RP-310 with a Stanton cartridge
btf1980: VPI Scout Turntable w/ JMW-9 Tonearm
callas01: Pro-ject 2Xperience Classic with the Blue Point No. 2 and the Naim Stageline N
CasualKiller: Rega Planar 3 with Grado Silver 1 and Yaqin MS22b phono
CrazDogg: System 1: Thorens TD-240 automatic belt drive turntable /Audio Technica AT-95E MM cartridge /Vincent PHO-8 phonostage
CrazDogg: System 2: Pro-ject Xperience Acrylic belt drive turntable /Grado M MI cartridge / Parasound ZPhono phono-stage
croseiv: Pro-ject Debut III w/Ortofon OM 5E
Crotulus: Pro-Ject Expression w/upgraded platter and Ortofon 2m Blue cartridge/Speed Box/Pro-Ject Tube Box II.
DangeRuss: System 1: Dual: CS 5000 belt drive turntable / Grado PH-1 phonostage and Grado Reference Platinum cartridge
DangeRuss: System 2: Harman/Kardon T45C semi-auto belt drive / Grado RT MI cartridge / Vincent PHO-8 phonostage
dobyblue : Goldring GR-2
dwr: VPI Scoutmaster JMW Memorial 9 arm / Dynavector Karrat 17D2 cartridge / Aural Thrills Phono274-B
FreakyFraser: Dual CS505-4 / Ortofon OMB10 / TCC TC-750 Phono Preamp
FreddieFerric: EAT-E-FLAT turntable, Denon DL-304 cartridge, Jolida JD 9 II Tube Phono preamp
gcchifi: Numark TT-1910 Direct Drive / Shure M44-7 cartridge.
Guinness6: Pro-Ject Debut III USB Turntable
Hamilton02: JVC QLA7 / Shure M97Xe / Behringer PP400 phonoamp
Hammie: Pioneer PL-670 Turntable
Hatter: Technics SL-1900
joe1515: VPI Classic / Audio Research PH5 / Benz Micro Glider S M / VPI SDS / VPI Ring Clamp
Johnny Vinyl: Oracle Paris Mk.V / Grado Reference Sonata 1 Moving Iron cartridge/ Revolver Red (no cartridge)
KahunaCanuck: Pioneer Exclusive P10 turntable with Koetsu Urushi Vermillion cart, Avid Pulsare Phono
Kali157: Pro-Ject Debut III / Ortofon 2M Red cartridge / Cambridge Audio 640P Preamp.
leeving: VPI Traveler w/ Grado Gold/8MZ
micks_address: Rega RP1
Morrissey: Rega P3 TT with RB300 Tonearm and Linn K9 Cartridge
naturephoto1: Teres Audio Certus 450, Teres Audio Illius Tonearm and Soundsmith Strain Gauge cartridge
PTplayers: Roksan Xerxes, Dynavector XX2 cartridge and Sonneteer Sedley Phono Preamp.
richteer: Forsell Air Reference Mk 2 turntable and arm, Lyra Parnassus cartridge
rpatt: Yamaha YP-D8 turntable w/Cambridge 640P phonostage
singhcr: Technics SL-1300 turntable / Empire 4000D/III phono cartridge
solarrdadd: Pro-ject Debut III w/Ortofon OM5e
SW: Pro-ject 2 Xperience Acrylic w/Dynavector 10x5 MC cartridge
TheFactor: Pro-Ject Debut III Piano Black, Ortofon OM5E, MF V-LPS, Pyramid PS-3KX
Troll2fan: Clearaudio Concept turntable / Clearaudio V2 MM cartridge
TylerDurden: Music Hall MMF 2.2, Music Hall Tracker MM Cartridge, AT-PEQ3 Phono preamp
un4gvn94538: Rega P1 w/Phono Mini
vanquiuxo: Pioneer PL-550 w/Audio Technica AT440mla
Xtempo: Pioneer PL-990
ZeTi: Pro-Ject Debut III Esprit / Ortofon Alpha cartridge

John

[Johnny Vinyl]

Here is a pic of my dead (sadly) Revolver TT. I bought it back in 1985 or so and paid about $800 plus another $275 for a Grado 8mz cartridge.

I have always maintained it very well by getting it regularly services and aligned, changing the belts and adding new cartridges. The last of which was a Grado Reference Platinum (about $400 CDN..can't exactly remember).

IMG_0004-1.jpg

Hopefully soon I'll be able to report back on a new turntable. I sure do miss it! This is the first time since 1968 that I have been without a turntable.

John

[btf1980]

My last turntable rig. All has been sold. SACD and lossless music via my server has been keeping me busy. However, it was sold because I am in the process of building a separate 2 channel room with a main focus on vinyl. Everything in steps though.

VPI Scout Turntable w/ JMW-9 Tonearm
VPI Synchronous Drive System
Clearaudio Aurum Beta Cartridge
SimAudio Moon LP3 Phonostage

Upgrades
VPI HRX Mini Feet
VPI HRX Stainless Record Clamp
Gingko Cloud 11 Isolation Platform
Upgraded Isolation Cones on the VPI Motor.

[Johnny Vinyl]

You've got a really amazing rig BTF! The pics are great and very clear. Thanks for getting this started!

John

[naturephoto1]

Here is a post of 3 photos of my new Teres Audio Certus 450, Teres Audio Reference Tonearm, Soundsmith Strain Gauge Cartridge, and my Soundsmith Strain Gauge 410 Phono Preamp:







Rich

[btf1980]

Originally Posted by John72953

You've got a really amazing rig BTF! The pics are great and very clear. Thanks for getting this started!

John

Thanks. It's humble compared to many here on the site, but it brought me many hours of pleasure.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Rich,

What can I say about your new setup? I'm speechless and I think it's an absolutely piece of beauty! Guess it was worth the nearly 1-year long wait, eh?

John

[naturephoto1]

Originally Posted by John72953

Rich,

What can I say about your new setup? I'm speechless and I think it's an absolutely piece of beauty! Guess it was worth the nearly 1-year long wait, eh?

John

Thanks very much John. I would say that it has been a frustrating but worthwhile wait. Thus far it has lived up to my expectations for audio performance. The only way for me to get any better audio performance in any time reasonably soon will be through the break in of the equipment and when I move and have a proper listening room with the anticipated main pair of speakers.

Rich

[dobyblue]

Have you tried a hot stamper yet?

[naturephoto1]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

Have you tried a hot stamper yet?

Hi Steve,

Yes, when Chris Brady and I were testing the system we listened to several Hot Stampers as we tried to make the adjustments to the system. Now that things have been fine tuned and adjusted, I must go back and listen to many of these again including Moody Blues Every Good Boy Deserves Favour.

But, Chris and I used the Hot Stamper copy of Peter Gabriel's Security LP as the single most important listening disk particularly after we swapped the "Mystery Feet" for the Still Points under the Teres Audio Control Box. This is an absolutely stunning and incredible pressing. The sound was absolutely amazing and extremely well cleaned. The vinyl was generally extremely quiet on this turntable, but on the higher end turntables the surface noise does tend to be quieter; one of the benefits of the better machines. Chris now wants an extremely fine copy of this LP as a demo disk.

Anyway the sound of the Peter Gabriel LP was absolutely astonishing with tremendous depth, air, very sweet sound, very delicate and at the same time very powerful, extremely black background, bell like sound, top to bottom sound, life like, outstanding imaging and soundstage, and extremely well controlled and deep bass (though the DQ-10 cabinets probably will not play much below about 35 Hz), amazing percussion, and shimmering cymbals and triangle. I would think that many would think that $250 was crazy for the pressing, but it lived up to its description.

Rich

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by naturephoto1

I would think that many would think that $250 was crazy for the pressing, but it lived up to its description.Rich

I didn't think they were that expensive!

John

[naturephoto1]

Originally Posted by John72953

I didn't think they were that expensive!

John

Believe it or not, some actually run up to $750 for a really rare and really good pressing. But, I have paid between about $50 to $250 (a fair number at $250; one negotiated down a little as a good customer) at this point.

Rich

[richteer]

I'll contribute some pics of my turntable once I've taken some in better light.

[btf1980]

Got a new custom made isolation platform for my tt.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Wow btf! That looks fantastic. I gotta tell you, you have one of the nicest looking setups I have seen yet. It's very clean and elegant.

John

[btf1980]

Originally Posted by John72953

Wow btf! That looks fantastic. I gotta tell you, you have one of the nicest looking setups I have seen yet. It's very clean and elegant.

John

Thanks John!

[naturephoto1]

Originally Posted by btf1980

Thanks John!

Looks great. Hope it sounds as good as it looks.

Rich

[btf1980]

Originally Posted by naturephoto1

Looks great. Hope it sounds as good as it looks.

Rich

Yeah it does. It's amazing the difference a thick slab of sturdy wood can do with the isolation and sound signature of tts. The platform is 4 inches thick and about 30lbs. Bass response is tighter.

[richteer]

Very nice looking TT base!

[btf1980]

Thanks Rich!