Price:
$950 or best
reasonable offer: price lowered:
$750 + shipping: $675 + shipping
Comes with power unit, original rubber mat and Piezo/Syntec s220 tonearm and headshell (if desired). No plinth.
Short description
Cosmetically imperfect but electronically sound direct drive turntable with tweaked tonearm. Electronics checked out and restored to perfect functioning condition. Sounds fantastic. Selling to finance another audio purchase. Auditions welcome: 91765 (Los Angeles area). Will properly ship at buyer’s expense.
Long description
This table was a project for me for about half a year and it pains me to part with it. But I bought another table and the wife has a ‘one table at a time’ rule. I’m sure you understand.
The Good: When I received this table all went fairly well—for about a month. Then things went haywire, as they are wont to do with these older tables. In trying to fix the table, I had its electronics all brought up to date. All capacitors have been changed in the power supply and the motor unit. Work done by Mirko of Classic Turntables in Huntington Beach, CA.
Doing all that did not fix a recalcitrant speed irregularity, so I sent the table to Bill Thalmann of Musical Technology in Virginia, one of the foremost experts on this table in the country. He fixed the strobe circuit (including replacing the neon lamp) and a ‘noisy power line,’ and recalibrated it all. I’ve had it for a year after repair and it runs perfectly. All indicator lights turn on as they should. The strobe lamp is not very bright (not as bright as the original) but it works and, as I mentioned, was replaced new by Bill. I have the receipt of repair if you need to see it.
The Bad: the ‘genius’ that sold me the table drilled a hole right into the right back corner of the silver metal surface of the turntable so that he could mount his tonearm without the need for a plinth. Needless to say, this is not aesthetically desirable. See pics. Otherwise, the table looks good considering its age (a few scratches on the left side and minor scratches here and there). There is a ding on the right side rear of the power supply and the plating is rubbed off slightly (the front surface of the power supply is in excellent shape). None of this affects the sound.
If you are one to covet aesthetically beautiful pieces or are a ‘scratch counter’, do NOT get this table. I don’t need the hassle and neither do you.
However,
The Beautiful: If you want the peace of mind that an updated and worked over sp10 brings and spare yourself the aggravation that I had to go through, then this one will provide that. The braking mechanism looks and works as new, and I’ve lubed the bearing with the recommended lube (available at KAB). All this is not to mention the table’s admirable sonic qualities. Dead quiet. Speed stable. Really, I have no complaints regarding the sonics of this table, but it is a regrettable feature of our hobby that makes me want to try a different flavor.
Tonearm. You can look up the characteristics of the tonearm on vinyl engine.
It has a few mods from stock that I’ll mention. The stock version has a plastic cap at the counterweight end. This was worthless. I had Mirko machine me 2 different stainless rods (one weighs ~15.4 g and the other ~17.4 g) that fit into the end (see pic). This serves 2 functions. It looks better than the junk plastic cap. It serves as an alternative/additional counterweight to match any cart of your choice. The rods can move in and out and this saves you from messing with the hard to deal with stock weights (their adjustment screws are accessible from below only and are not user friendly). I also had machined the lateral balance weight that was missing from the arm when I received it (it is adjustable via hex pin screw). Lastly, the threads of the mounting base of this arm (not original, I think) are slightly stripped. You can still use it if you find the right sized screw. However, in my case, I had Mirko machine for me a new mounting base (see pic) to use on my stainless steel pod (not included). VTA is adjustable via a hex pin set screw. I’ll include both bases.
The arm is in very nice shape excepting a few scratches near the counterweight and the arm tube. Hardly noticeable. See pic. No armlift or arm rest (per stock). Takes 5 pin din tonearm wire (not included).
I can include a headshell
gratis if you want to get the show on the road. Just let me know.
n.b.: footers on turntable not included.
Paypal (or cash) only. I’ll pay fee.
You pay for actual shipping charges (to CONUS only). I know how to pack this table. I have a fabricated shipping bracket to protect the bearing.
Audition encouraged if you’re in the Los Angeles area.
