What are the turntables you've owned?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Airbus, Nov 25, 2018.

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  1. punkmusick

    punkmusick Amateur drummer

    Location:
    Brazil
    I can't believe I forgot my very first record player. Those are actual pictures of my first ever turntable, in which I used to listen to my colored 7" records with stories for children. Fortunately, it never went to the garbage can and I found it in my mother's house some time ago still with the stylus from back in the day. It is portable, work with batteries and has its own speaker. Turns on when you move the arm to the record. Well, at least used to turn on that way. Fellow forum members, I introduce you to the gear that started my love for records about 40 years ago:

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  2. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    Sony PS-X50
    Garrard 401
    JVC QL-A5
    Luxman PD-272
     
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  3. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    Dual 12xx (?)
    Dual 50x (?)
    Thorens TD125 w/SME arm
    Rega Planar 3
    Linn Sondek LP12
    Rega P3-24 + PSU
    Rega RP3 + PSU (with Groovetracer upgrades)

    Clearaudio Ovation with Clarify tonearm and Talisman V2 cart,
    ...upgraded to Magnify/VTALifter and Concerto V2 that I have now
    ...planning to upgrade to Universal arm
     
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  4. qwerty

    qwerty A resident of the SH_Forums.

    Previous turntables:
    • I started out with using my sister's mono record player, in a portable cse with a v.heavy ceramic cart, 7" platter, and a 3" speaker that pointed to the underside of a 12" record.
    • Upgraded to a BSR automatic changer (yes, stereo, huge improvement in sound).
    • Then to a Sharp automatic belt-drive turntable, s-shaped tonarm that had a counterbalance.
      Upgraded to Shure cartridge. Very entry level, but I felt I was on the road to hifi, using something that wouldn't damage my records.
    • Next was an AR-XB. Wonderful improvement. Modified it to have a Grace 707 tonearm, really showed it's capabilities.
    Current Turntables:
    • Source-Odessay (a rare Scottish turntable, competitor to the inferior LP12). Alphason tonearm, Sumico MC cart. Still have it today.
    • Orpheus Silex, 3-speed. Made in Melbourne until the 1960's, competed against the Garrard 301. A wonderful turntable, and the world's first suspended design. Combination idler and belt drive, with the transcription grey hammertone finish. Bought this to play 78's, but is also a nice 2nd turntable. Having a detachable headshell allows to use different cart's (eg. Have a 78 cart, another with MM microgroove cart to play damaged disks so my MC styli is protected).
    • I also have a lower-end Akai direct drive (intended to mod to play 78) and lower-end Dual (intended for 78's, but not the quality desired). And have bought a couple of very entry-level turntables from garage sales to get a spare removable headshell or perspex lid. Need to get rid of them to create space.
     
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  5. classicrocker

    classicrocker Life is good!

    Location:
    Worcester, MA, USA
    • Some type of suitcase all in one unit in the mid 60's to play my 45's
    • Then a cheap Radio Shack system with a TT with no counter weight or adjustments
    • First real TT was a low end Dual as part of a decent catalog package system, Sansui 661 receiver, Dynaco A35's, in fall of my college sophmore year in 1974. Thankfully most of my vintage vinyl was played on this TT and came out in good shape and still play well today.
    • Technics SL-1700MK II in 1980 with Stanton 881S cartridge. Retired in 82-83 but tuned up a few years ago and runs great.
    • Technics SL-1210GR about 6 months ago using my Stanton 881S and Pickering XSV3000 cartridges. Love this TT and probably my last.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2018
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  6. Marshall_SLX

    Marshall_SLX Rega P9/RB2000

    AT LP 120
    Pro Ject Debut III
    Pro Ject Debut Carbon/2m red
    Rega P3 24/Exact
    Rega P5/Exact/GT Subplatter
    Rega P7/Exact
    Rega P9/RB 2000 arm/Apheta 1

    Barring cart upgrades ide say thats it for me
     
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  7. Bert Oz

    Bert Oz Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    JVC L-A11
    Systemdek I900
     
  8. GyroSE

    GyroSE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    Wow! An amazing list! :righton:
     
  9. Mark broadhead

    Mark broadhead Forum Resident

    Location:
    Newcastle England
    Goldring G101
    Rotel RP3000
    Rega Planar 2
    Rega Planar 3
    Linn LP12 Syrinx PU2
    Linn LP12 Ittok 2
    Linn LP 12 Ittok 3 Lingo
    Townsend Rock/ Excalibur
    Nottingham Analogue Spacedeck SME IV
    Garrard 301 SME 3102
    Highly Modified GL78, 12" carbon unipivot ( current )
     
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  10. octaneTom

    octaneTom Man of Leisure

    some RadioShack or Sears turntable as part of an all-in-one system as a kid. I literally only owned Van Halen LPs
    some cheap Onkyo turntable in the late '90s when I sort of got back into vinyl. Donated to Goodwill a few years ago.
    Pro-Ject Xpression III — bought new about 7 years ago when I actually got into vinyl, have it in my 2nd system now
    Rega P5 — bought used 3 or 4 years ago, running in my main system now
     
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  11. GyroSE

    GyroSE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    Those pictures bring back good memories. As a child I had a Philips GF 423- another of those Philips portable record players. :agree:
     
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  12. Wally S

    Wally S Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    PE 3060
    Thorens TD 160 with Mayware Formula IV arm and later Magnepan Unitrac 1 arm
    Logic DM 101 with Helius Aurum arm (still own, not set up)
    Nottingham Analogue Spacedeck with Spacearm (current set-up)
     
  13. Michael Sutter

    Michael Sutter Forum Resident

    Location:
    Holbrook, NY
    Ion Profile Pro USB - gifted to someone whose Crosley TT was beginning to fail
    BSR 810 Transcription, idler drive with a Shure M92E and then an Audio Technica AT92ecd - one day just broke, and these things are so convoluted that they aren't worth fixing
    Technics SL-D3, automatic servo DD TT first with the AT92ecd, then an AT95e, finally an AT440MLa - gifted to my girlfriend, who wanted a stereo setup for her then-new apartment
    Pioneer PL-L800, linear tracker with the AT440MLa - this one's all mine ;)
     
  14. GyroSE

    GyroSE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    I've sadly forgotten the brand/name on my very first record player but it was one of those music center furnitures with built in records player/tuner/amplifier from the late 50's or early 60's. I was born in the 70's so this was old when I got it but it really got me in to records and music from an early age.

    My list looks like this:

    Philips GF 423
    Hitachi HT-20S
    Pioneer PL-225
    Pioneer PL-12D
    - as Dubmart mentioned above- a good sounding 70's entry level turntable more or less on par with the 1210 soundwise. I still have mine but now in storage.
    Technics SL-1210 Mk2- I actually had two of those as I used to double-dip as a DJ in the early 90's.
    Pro-Ject 6.1- this one was called "The Linn Killer" for a while in the mid 90's, I still have it in storage.
    Michell Gyro SE- I started of with the Rega RB300 went via the Michell TechnoArm until I finally got a SME IV. I still have the Gyro SE as my second deck but now combined with the TechnoArm as the SME IV had to move to my current main turntable. The Gyro SE is a great sounding turntable with spectacular looks.
    Michell Orbe SE- my current main deck, this is an amazing turntable especially when it's combined with one of the SME tonearms. Not as good looking as the Gyro SE but it's a real killer soundwise.

    Timeline 1975-2018
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2018
  15. chrism1971

    chrism1971 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glos, UK
    Garrard 4HF/ceramic cart
    Goldring G101*
    Thorens TD150/ii + Shure
    Michell Hydraulic Ref + SME + V15/iii
    Linn LP12/Grace G707/Coral*
    Thorens TD124/ii + Linn LVX
    Linn LP12/Ittok/Trak + Asaka
    Linn LP12/Naim Aro + Dynavector XX1 and XX2*
    SME Model 10/SME IV/Ortofon Kontrapunkt*
    Rega P7 + 17D3
    Rega RP6 + AT150MLX
    Project Xtension 9 + Ortofon Quintet Black*

    * didn't rock my boat
    Rega RP8 / Apheta 2 (current)
    Rega Planar 3/Neo/Elys 2 (current)

    The RP8 I can honestly say tells me far more of what's in the groove than any of the earlier decks. Timeline 1970 - 2018. As I was living in Bristol in the 80s I probably sold a few to Dubmart!
     
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  16. SNDVSN

    SNDVSN Forum Resident

    Location:
    Glasgow
    Amstrad junk (thanks Mr. Sugar!)
    Linn Axis
    Linn LP12
    15 year gap!
    Rega P1
    Linn Axis again
    Rega RP3
    Rega P3
    Technics 1210GR

    Think the Technics will be with me for a while, it's a beautiful deck.
     
    Echoes Myron likes this.
  17. Bachtoven

    Bachtoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    1) A Dual of some sort (it was in the mid 1970s--don't recall the model)
    2) B&O Beogram
    3) Thorens TD 126
    4) Technics SL1200
    5) VPI Scout 1.1
    6) VPI Prime Signature
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2018
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  18. Wasabi

    Wasabi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lutz, FL
    I had an old Yamaha turntable back in the 80s, can't remember model #. Recently I jumped back in to vinyl with both feet and bought (used):
    -Pro-Ject Debut Carbon w/Ortofon Red for family room
    -Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB w/Ortofon Red for my den

    After minimal hours on both I got intrigued with cool vintage tables and found a minty Denon DP-51F on CL for a great deal. On the way to get it (via a multi-day business trip) I spotted an also minty Denon DP-60L on CL for a great deal as well. Well in my new found vinyl enthusiasm and the deals I stumbled on (and a few extra bucks in my pocket), I bought both. The DP-51F is now in the family room with an Ortofon Blue in it and the 60L is now in my den with an Ortofon Bronze in it. Both Pro-Jects are FS. These older tables are cool. :D
     
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  19. andybeau

    andybeau Forum Resident

    Location:
    Coventry, UK
    Dual 505/2 Deluxe
    Pro-Ject Debut
    Technics SL1200 Mk2
    Rega P3-24 (Qquest Upgrade and TS sub)
    Rega RP8 with Apheta 2
     
  20. Newton John

    Newton John Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cumbria, UK
    I can’t remember the manufacturer of the first one - it may have been Dual, but I’m not sure as it was a long time ago. It was very small with a plastic plynth.
    Garrard SP25
    Thorens TD166 - later with Hadcock arm
    LP12 with LVX arm - now Radikal/Ekos SE (it doesn’t sound too bad for an outdated and fundamentally flawed design)
     
  21. Dubmart

    Dubmart Senior Member

    Location:
    Bristol, England
    Did you work in a shop Chris?
     
  22. ThorensSme

    ThorensSme Forum Resident

    Location:
    Spokane
    1) Pro-Ject debut (Original circa 2000) with Sumiko Oyster Cart

    2)Thorens TD-125 with SME 3009 S2 improved (great table) Shure V15xMR

    3) Michell Tecnodec with Tecnoarm, Ortofon 2M Blue, then Bronze, then Quintet Bronze.

    4) Current Table - Michell Gyro SE with SME 309 and Shure V15V with Jico SAS stylus.

    Sometimes miss the Thorens! But the sme tonearm needed a complete rewire, and the electronics for speed control and power supply really needed an update. I spin a lot of vinyl so I like hassle free.
     
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  23. Pioneer PL-15D 1973-1997
    Pro-Ject Debut II early 2000's not very long. it was my 1st and only TT without removal head shell.
    Technics SL-1700, Not long.
    Technics SL-1300, Not long.
    *Technics SL-10, on loan to my Son.
    *Technics J-33, on loan to nephew.
    *Technics SL-1210MKII w/ Jelco arm, Daily use.
    *Denon DP-500m w/ Jelco arm, Daily use.
     
  24. Shiver

    Shiver Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    1. Pioneer PL512. A family heirloom borrowed to get me started.

    2. Rega RP3. Various mods along the way.

    3. Gold Note Bellavista (leather edition). External PSU added. Superb deck/arm.
     
  25. alan967tiger

    alan967tiger Forum Resident

    Far too many! Some memorable ones:

    Linn LP12 with Ittok LV11 and Karma mc
    Pink Triangle Anniversary, SME V and Ortofon Rhomann mc
    SME 20/2, V arm and Koetsu Urushi mc
    Rega P3, P5, P7
    VPI Scoutmaster
    Michell Gyrodec
    Basis 1400
    SME 10A
    Basis Debut Gold Standard
    Acoustic Signature Manfred XL

    Current deck is an SME 20/3 with V arm and Koetsu Red K.
     
    Andy Saunders likes this.
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