What's your worst turntable you owned?

[13oots2]

The worst TT I ever owned also cost me the most to put right all the defects (some will call it upgradeable) of the machine. First up was an acrylic platter, arm rewire, counterweight, sub-platter replacement and a silent isolation base. In all it cost me an absolute fortune in so called upgrades and still didn't sound right to my ears The turntable was a Rega Planar 3 and I could've spent even more on a separate PSU.

If you add up the cost of all the so called upgrades and the cost of the table it is totally outclassed by anything near the price it cost me in the end. Made out of cheap materials with hyped scientific names for plastic and laminated MDF.

[GlassWolf]

Back when I was a kid, I had this red and white plastic portable turntable toy thing.. I think it was made by Fisher Price or something. Worst piece of crap I ever used. I borrowed a friend's copy of Styx - Cornerstone when I was about 14 or so, and tried to play it in my room on that monstrosity, and only ended up carving a gouge in my friend's record with the possibly plastic or shard or broken glass they claimed was the needle. Ruined the track "Babe."

I think I threw the thing out at that point. My father's old BSR - McDonald multi-record auto-fed turntable wasn't much better to be honest.

[JBonner]

Thorens TD125 mkII Ghastly thing!

[alternativeroute]

Thorens TD125 mkII Ghastly thing!

I am happy you have mentioned that one... I have had quite a few through my hands (say 10) of both the MkI and the MkII and I find it a real Jekyll/Hyde player.

Of course I totally service the tables and re-set them before I make my judgements but I have had both MkI and MkII's that sound absolutely atrocious, yet there is nothing wrong with the mechanicals or the suspension set-up.

I wish I could find the 'common' thread between the bad tables (or the good ones for that matter)...

[Spikkie]

To be honest,
a Technics SL1200 mkII that got a speed stability problem
in the middle of a DJ-set.

[Zebbo]

Worst by far, for me, was a Dual CS505. I bought it on spec as loads of people seemed to think it was great but was really disappointed. I even took it in to my local hi-fi shop for them to check over as I thought there must be something wrong with it but no, it was just cack!
Not the worst but the most disappointing was a Garrard 401, yes really. I faffed about with different plinths, (wood, ply, MDF, slate etc), and arms but, apart from a superb bass it was just so uninteresting! I'd always lusted after one, loved it's looks and build and SOOOO much wanted to love it but was left broken hearted.

[Fishtails]

Wow! Some real shockers out there!

Interesting how some good names are capable of producing some real lemons!

Garrard seems to have been good in their time and place but just couldnt cut it in the end. Although they do have their place in history and with inmovation at the time. My garrard zero 100sb is a great machine, but i know i am lucky.

I know the feeling of trying to make the best of a real lemon. I had a pl-12 that i tried to make good and after a huge amount of effort the motor died with smoke coming out so just trashed it and kept bits. A thin line between love and hate!

[fscl]

......Snippage........
I know the feeling of trying to make the best of a real lemon. I had a pl-12 that i tried to make good and after a huge amount of effort the motor died with smoke coming out so just trashed it and kept bits. A thin line between love and hate!

It's funny, I'm kind of experiencing this with a Pioneer PL-15d..... Thought I'd get this easily squared away, however, left channel is still not cooperating.... for some reason..... it's testing my soldering skills..... so if I can't get the left channel squared away, may convert this thing into an RCM as I've always wanted / needed a "tosser" to make manual cleaning easier......

Fred

[vexorgtr]

The worst for me was a Radio Shack one that came with a home console stereo. Early 90's. The stylus was bent out of the box and wouldn't track. I didn't figure that out til later. The Amp and the rest of the stuff wasn't that bad in it actually. I ended up rehabing a few 70's 80's thrift shop units that were a good upgrade.

I had a BSR on a "SoundDesign" from the early 80's.. super cool disco strobe light console stereo. Wish it was built better. The visual was stunning.. the audio was not... but then again, I was only about 5 or so when we got it.

[ilkka313]

BSR 128...I had this in 70s.

[newgroove]

I just bought a used BSR C141R. It is my first turntable but already I have removed a bit of decorative metal trim in an attempt to fix a serious wobble, only to have the motor die the next day. What a stupid machine.

[jimboyep]

BIC 960... The worst sound reproduction ever.

[PeterW.]

[quote="Fishtails"]Ok it's time to offend a few people out there. .... Well not on purpose!

If your favorite turntable turns up in this thread, then don't take it personally. After all it is all a matter of opinion and just a bit of venting on those machines that drove us crazy or we didn't like for some reason. as the saying goes..one mans trash is another mans treasure!

Never owned a bad one. Had a Pioneer PL10 on which I mounted a Rabco SL-8E, worked well. Had a Dual 1229Q, worked well. Went from those two to a Rabco ST8 (HK). Today I keep an ST-7, restoring another ST-7, and a Revox B795. The son-in-law has the ST8 - it is just a bit more reliable than its predecessors what with LED trip lights and so forth.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[MonkeyBoy]

Pioneer PL-570: late '80's/early '90's all-plastic piece o' junk.

I had one too, but even worse was the Pioneer TT before that. I don't remember what model it was, but clearly I had a lot to learn. Oh, and it wasn't all plastic, it was ultra high quality pressboard! Now you know for a fact it had to be good!