MIracord vs Ariston

[Macasterj]

I am not new to vinyl but its been a while since I put any thought into a system upgrade. I am currently using a system i threw together. The TT needs an upgrade. Its the dreaded AT-PL 50. I have a few different upgrade options right now. One is the Ariston rd80 w/ a Linn Basik tone arm and the other is a Mirachord 50h. Any thoughts on either of these turntables? Neither have a cartridge right now.

[LPfan]

The Miracord is the TOTL Elac. It is a fully automatic idler drive turntable. I have no knowledge about the Ariston but like all other Aristons it should be a good, suspended subchassis type belt drive tt with no auto functions.

Regards,

LPfan

[markcass]

Hi

The Ariston RD80 was a good example of the 1980s sprung sub-chassis belt drive deck, a level below the Linn LP12 and its competitors (such as the RD11), but probably rather better than a Rega Planar 3. I used a Systemdek II at that time, which was another good model in this part of the market.

With a bit of servicing and a new belt, it should sound very good with a decent cartridge in the Linn Basik arm.

HTH

Mark

[teseract]

I am not new to vinyl but its been a while since I put any thought into a system upgrade. I am currently using a system i threw together. The TT needs an upgrade. Its the dreaded AT-PL 50. I have a few different upgrade options right now. One is the Ariston rd80 w/ a Linn Basik tone arm and the other is a Mirachord 50h. Any thoughts on either of these turntables? Neither have a cartridge right now.

The Ariston by a country mile!

[nutprof]

I have both an Ariston RD11S with SME 3009 series III arm, and a Miracord 50H2 (strobe model) among many other Technics and Thorens tables... they are are both very different, but both VERY good t-tables!! I think for ULTIMATE sound quality the RD11S, and by association your RD80, would be sonically superior, BUT I was ASTONISHED by how good my Miracord 50H2 sounds!!! NO typical cheap idler-rumble, and a deep full silent sound-spectrum, and built like a battleship! An EXCELLENT AUTO IDLER-DRIVE!!! (you get to like this auto-luxury stuff as you age... LOL) An idler drive table worth keeping!!! I have a much better cartridge on my RD11S (Grace F9-E- old but almost unused and sealed for 27 years), and in my Miracord just a cheap but also new $50 Audio-Technica cartridge (because was intended to play old used 78's only) and it still ASTONISHED me with it's performance! I would grab both if you can do it.... I intend to re-plinth my Miracord, and put my Ortofon MC10 Super in it(as a moving-coil cartridge it is a lower-compliance cartridge- a relatively cheap, but good moving coil), as I think would be a good compliance match for the high-mass arm in the Elac. I am more in love with my Elac by far, because as good as my Ariston is, it has a very noisy, badly-shielded AC motor (yes, I am capable of, and will shield the motor better when I get around to it), but I have a few equal or superior Thorens tables, so I am in no hurry... hope this helps... cheers mate!