?? on vintage tonearm (pic)

Turntable Recomendation Vintage or New?

Does anyone know anything about this vintage tonearm?
It has a spring loaded unit that applies downward force on the stylus. Brand is ESL.
Is this a good tonearm or should I look for a replacement?
Thanks.
Clay

 

I never saw anything like this before. I guess this is what is inside those Dual tonearms with the knob for stylus force.

 

I thought at first that you were referring to the Watt's Dust Bug...

Is that turntable a Thorens?

 

Hello Clay.

If that's a Thorens 124, you may auction it off at ebay and perhaps get enough money to buy a new TT. Check completed auction for your model.

Vintage TTs are for the hard-core and fanatic.

Just a thought. Regards.

 

I've been looking for a Thorens 124 for ages for an archive I'm affiliated with! If you ever do want to part with it, please think of this fellow SH'er!

 

This is a Thorens TD 124. They go for a bunch on ebay as Pablo indicated.
If I decide to sell it I will let you know Sharedon.

I have 4 turntables and am just getting back into vinyl.
I have a Micro Acoustics 2002e cartridge that used to sound better than the Shure V15 (1974 vintage). I may get a new V15 to compare since the 1972 cartridge may have lost some of it's compliance.

I am not sure why the Thorens TD 124 goes for so much on ebay.
I am not sure why the Empire 208 goes for so much on ebay.
I have a Rotel direct drive with a imitation SME arm.

What is your opinion?
Keep one of these vintage guys or get a VPI HW19 mk III?

 

Here is a picture of the Empire.
I am sure these turntables and tonearms were good in their day....I am don't know enough about the new technology to decide if to keep and use one of these or to upgrade. If I upgraded the budget would only be around $1k or so.
Thanks for the help

 

This scheme of applying pressure with a spring after first balancing the tonearm is called "dynamic balancing". It minimizes problems if the turntable isn't exactly level. I don't know what the arm is but I'd guess it's a bit massive for most modern audiophile-type cartridges.

 

Go for the VPI with a good arm and cartridge.

It should easily out-perform any old timer.

Plus it is easy to service, upgrade and get support for the VPI, as the manufacturer is still around.

 

Thank you, Clay!

Great pictures, too!

I think the 124 goes for so much on ebay because it was a classic turntable in its day, and a real workhorse, too; and because things like motors are so hard to find now. They were special, there was something about them...

Modern equipment is surely superior in most meaningful ways ... but the workmanship on some vintage TT's was just incredible, which is why they've held up so long.

 

Great photos!!! I love the look of the Empire. Looks like it would last forever.

 

If you are getting rid of the Empire let me know.
Thanks
Tom

 

If you love tonearms you would of loved what was up for sale here in sydney australia about two months ago.
I'm not sure what model number{s} this went under as new ,but it was a set of changable tonearms based on the grace 707 model,only slightly smaller.
This set still had all the original packaging and the five different tonearms that fitted into the basic structure,one of cherrywood,aluminium,glass,perspex and i think the last was some sort of polymer.
A lovely bit of covertable retro.