Show off your AR XA tables

[snfrosten]

Another table just finished, the Sumiko Pearl sounding very good, especially the bottom end. This table has a rewired RB100 with the tungsten weight upgrade. Refinished plinth and top plate, thick wrinkle finish dampens it nicely. Heavier springs, stainless studs and wing nuts upgrade the suspension. New on/off switch, thicker bottom cover and massive felt/foam feet are other changes. Original tonearm rest hole also removed--details make it nice.

[delcam1n0]

Hello & Whow!!

Extremely well done snfrosten!!

Brings me back 45(?) years at least........
An AR was my 2nd TT after an ERA....And
it was the first TT I ever took apart/modified
then to take a non-AR (Grace G707) arm...

Hats off to your efforts and beautiful results!!

[rjones5296]

OK, heres another table, I use this as my #2 table since it has a removable shell, makes listening to different cartridges easier.

I started this table in 1981, building a very heavy/ridged plinth and adding a Merrill sub chassis I bought from Underground Sound for about $100.

Recently added the inner plater stainless steel spindle, co-polymer pulley and replaced the Linn springs with the heavy duty springs from Dave's Vinyl Nirvana.
The tables sporting a Pioneer series 20 arm and Grado Sig 8MZ.

I have a 1984 AR and a single motor 65 or so. Your plinth is stellar. My 84 has lifting veneer I have re glued what is lifting so far, but thinking the best bet would be to build a new plinth. Im thinking re veneering the original is a neat idea but will be about as expensive as making a new plinth out of hardwood. I love the look of yours. re minds me of the Pioneer PL-41 plinth. very nice looking.
bob

[snfrosten]

Thanks Bob, actually this table started out as an XA and has evolved over the last 30years to a fine sounding deck.

The veneered plinths (some) do have a problem with delamination so you will most likely continue to have more of the same. New veneer of a more exotic wood would be nice or as you say a new solid plinth may be your best option.

[rjones5296]

I have a story bout the AR, in 87 or 88 I bought a brand new AR table, I think it was called ES or EB I cant remember. It looks like the model called The Turntable.
The one thing I can remember is it had the sapphire bearing ball, stock arm.
I tried out the table liked it, but in an 80 year old house with springy floors it was a no go. So I went on and bought a Linn Axis with the Basic arm, later upgraded to an Akido arm.
This table worked out like a champ, one hell of a tt.
But the thing is I missed the AR, it had a charm about it.
Well a few weeks ago a bud called me up and said I have a couple Tt's here youll prolly want.
They were the AR and an Empire 208 + Empire arm.
Well both needed cleaning, I did refinish the Empires base and put in a fresh a set of motor grommets. I am thoroughly enjoying the Empire, Then started looking at the AR.
I found a bunch of veneer lifting so fixed that, cleaned her up and gave it a try, running the stock arm compared to the Empire the Empire was the most pleasing.
So got to thinking, I have a Rega RB300 so decided to try it out on the AR, several arm boards later I was pretty floored at how good the AR did sound. Im running it with a Shure V15iii. It dosent have the heft of my Thorens TD124 + SME 3009 but it has everything else. The Rega is a much better match to the AR than the Thorens.
So it's a keeper, Id like to get another plinth built soon, but for now Im enjoying the heck out of this tt. Im reading about motor issues, and luckily the Hurst in this table is dead silent.

bob

[rjones5296]

I have a story bout the AR, in 87 or 88 I bought a brand new AR table, I think it was called ES or EB I cant remember. It looks like the model called The Turntable.
The one thing I can remember is it had the sapphire bearing ball, stock arm.
I tried out the table liked it, but in an 80 year old house with springy floors it was a no go. So I went on and bought a Linn Axis with the Basic arm, later upgraded to an Akido arm.
This table worked out like a champ, one hell of a tt.
But the thing is I missed the AR, it had a charm about it.
Well a few weeks ago a bud called me up and said I have a couple Tt's here youll prolly want.
They were the AR and an Empire 208 + Empire arm.
Well both needed cleaning, I did refinish the Empires base and put in a fresh a set of motor grommets. I am thoroughly enjoying the Empire, Then started looking at the AR.
I found a bunch of veneer lifting so fixed that, cleaned her up and gave it a try, running the stock arm compared to the Empire the Empire was the most pleasing.
So got to thinking, I have a Rega RB300 so decided to try it out on the AR, several arm boards later I was pretty floored at how good the AR did sound. Im running it with a Shure V15iii. It dosent have the heft of my Thorens TD124 + SME 3009 but it has everything else. The Rega is a much better match to the AR than the Thorens.
So it's a keeper, Id like to get another plinth built soon, but for now Im enjoying the heck out of this tt. Im reading about motor issues, and luckily the Hurst in this table is dead silent.

bob

Where abouts in Ohio are you, I'm in Columbus. I'll be back here in two weeks.........going up to Vermont for a family reunion and fishing. I'm running two AR tables at the moment.

Marc

Marc, Im in Dayton. I might know you, were you at hamvention ? I know a Marc, with a transistor tatoo...just in case im the guy with the triode tat.
bob

[drjjpdc]

I just obtained an original early AR XA 2 motor model. An older gentleman had it for years unused. I plugged the thing and it works on the first try with no mistracking.

My current other TT is a Kenwood KD-600 with an SME III arm and a VDH MM-1 cart. Not crazy about the arm. Amazing how good the AR sounds as old as it is. My big quandary is now 50% of my friends don't want me to change anything and the others are encouraging me to do what I want.

I know I want to live with it as is for a while. It has a real wood plinth, but plain walnut is so boring (just as bad as oak), I would like to refinish it as ebony or at least black walnut. Or should I keep the original plinth and make another and play with stains on that one?

Yes I know this is a picture thread, but I have 3 major picnics in a row. I will try to take a picture this weekend. BTW, what ddo you guys use to polish/claen the plastic cover?

[snfrosten]

Congrats on a nice table. The plinth is very desirable since it is solid walnut, a couple of coats of tung oil will make it a real stand out.

Novus makes a real good polish and scratch remover, which I use with great results. I also use furniture polish like Pledge after a good cleaning with a non-abrasive cleaner, works well for a quick job.

[drjjpdc]

Snfrosten,

Thanks for the reply. I have only played 1 or 2 LP's on it as yet. Yeah, I can hear the cries, what are you waiting for? Well my daughter is starting college in a week or two and I have 2 picnics before she leaves.

A question about the headshell. I was listening last night with a friend and I asked him something about it. So we unscrewed it, returned it and we lost the right channel. We repeated the procedure and both channels returned. Any presumptive things I might want to do? Wiring, etc.

[MuZak]

Congrats on the score!

with an SME III arm and a VDH MM-1 cart.
Not crazy about the arm.

I'm thrilled with mine!
Let me suggest a couple of things:
I don't know that cart, but have always heard that the
VDHs tend to sound a bit "skitzy".
The arm CAN be that way too, hence maybe not a good
combo.
Try some other carts, particularly ones that lean more
towards the "mellow" like Grados, ADC-XLM, etc.
Just make sure they're high compliance!
The higher the better!.

Try either enabling or disabling the fluid dampening,
depending on whether you're using it currently or not.
Back in the day, when this arm was current, the fluid
damping was a bugaboo.
Some liked it, some didn't, and it varied with which cart
was used.

My big quandary is now 50% of my friends don't want
me to change anything and the others are
encouraging me to do what I want.
I know I want to live with it as is for a while.

Do yourself a favor...
Buy another one thats a bit beat up for cheap.
Tear into that one to your hearts content and leave the
nice original alone, and enjoy it for what it is.

Later on, when you've gotten past just listening to IT,
and tweaking the other... choose one to sell and make
your money back.

It has a real wood plinth, but plain walnut is so boring
(just as bad as oak), I would like to refinish it as ebony
or at least black walnut.

I've found that a VERY thorough cleaning of the
wood before tung oil or the like... really helps the grain
(nice and cleaned out) come through.
It also seems to remove a bit of stain and lighten the hue
a tiny bit, which is nice.
That 60s stain always looked to dark and dingey to me.

Or should I keep the original plinth and make another
and play with stains on that one?

Play around with stains on the second table... make
different plinths too...
Play to your hearts content.
This is the way to have no regrets.
They're cheap enough.

Yes I know this is a picture thread, but I have 3 major
picnics in a row. I will try to take a picture this weekend.

Don't sweat it on when you post the pics...
Just make sure you DO post them eventually!

Btw...
Do exactly as says with the connectors.
Also bear in mind that they have tiny weakened springs
behind the pins.
The Deoxit will help prevent them from sticking in the
compressed position, but jiggle them a bit when they seem
to be compressed.
GENTLY!

[gkimeng]

If the arm damping is still engaged it is almost certain to have dried out by now. Damping was never supposed to be active during play, but was a precursor to damped cueing that was intended to slow arm descent and then disengage once the arm had set down on the record. It worked fine at VTFs in the 1.5 gram or higher range, but became problematic when average VTFs neared 1 gram.

[rudy99]

OK, heres another table, I use this as my #2 table since it has a removable shell, makes listening to different cartridges easier.

I started this table in 1981, building a very heavy/ridged plinth and adding a Merrill sub chassis I bought from Underground Sound for about $100.

Recently added the inner plater stainless steel spindle, co-polymer pulley and replaced the Linn springs with the heavy duty springs from Dave's Vinyl Nirvana.
The tables sporting a Pioneer series 20 arm and Grado Sig 8MZ.

an awesome table deserves resurrection. wow
cheers

[despotic931]

I know the thread says it's for XA's, so I hope you don't mind if I post a picture of my new XB as she sings me a song with my new Denon DL-160 cart...



I want to build a custom XA/XB, but this one is to pretty and too perfect to alter from it's stock form.



I'll be writing a review of the cartridge as well. Thanks for letting me share guys!

- Justin

[MuZak]

Justin...

I REALLY don't think anyone will mind the posting of such
a beauty!
Thanks!

I also don't think the original intent of the thread was to strictly
limit it to XAs...

Nice table! Enjoy!!