[vinylfreeze]

Anyone have experience with the Project RM6 mk1 turntable?
This unit has an aluminum tonearm,about 10 years old.
Local seller(former Needle Dr employee)asking $300.
I am located in Anchorage Alaska so local availability of equipment is scarce.
I am wanting to get my vinyl back in service with my main system(McIntosh/Von Schweikert).
I will also need a phono preamp for this system.
Currently I have my old Harmon Kardon T40/Sansui system for vinyl.
Not sure if I should be looking out of state or give this a try?

[neobop]

Hi Vinylfreeze
I don't know about a 10 yr. old RM6, but being in Alaska you should look at Canuck Audio Mart for options.  Because of a favorable exchange rate right now you get an instant discount of nearly 20%.  Something like this would be more appealing to me:
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649195273-rare-jvc-qly5f-automatic-turntable/

Regards,
neo

[vinylfreeze]

That JVC is definitely a beauty.Would integrate nicely with my system. I believe I heard one many years ago. Would it be a substantial upgrade over my T40? Should I just be giving my T40 a good tuneup,new stylus etc.?Making up for lost time here and really looking forward to spinning vinyl on my current system.
Any recommendations for a suitable phono preamp and record cleaning machine would be appreciated as well.
Will be controlled by a McIntosh mx118 preamp/McIntosh mc402 amp/VSA VR4.5 speakers.

[neobop]

Yea, the JVC looks better than either of the others, but I'm not as familiar with the HK to give you the low down.   With a 2.2 lb. platter and servo controlled belt drive, the HK might be better than it looks.   People fill the inside of the JVC plinth with clay, for a more solid sound.  You could do something similar to the HK.  If the plinth is plastic you have to be careful not to weigh it down in the middle.  It could sag.  I think you should get it going, get an RCM and phono stage, and you'll be spinning records again.  If you want to upgrade later you'll be in a position where you can tell what's going on.

Was the Sansui the phono stage?  You could still use that and go out the tape outputs, but if you need one this is the latest (and best?) cheapie:
http://schiit.com/products/mani

The Emotiva is also big bang for the buck:
https://emotiva.com/products/pres-and-pros/xps-1

Lounge Audio ($300 - MM only) is loved:
http://www.loungeaudio.com/#!preamps/c1geb

The little Vista is the most versatile and is said to shame everything < $1K.
http://www.vista-audio.com/products/phono-1mkII/index.htm
you can custom order it with whatever capacitance and resistance loading options you want.

RCM ?   Got a vacuum with a hose?
https://www.kabusa.com/ev1.htm
$169.

Same thing self contained:
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RDV

Gem Dandy by George Merrill:
http://www.sleevecityusa.com/GEM-Dandy-Hydraulic-Record-Cleaning-Apparatus-p/gem-dandy.htm

You can get a used VPI 16.5 for around $400.  It has a platter so you work from the top.  New, I think it's now $650.   

What kind of cartridge do you have? 
neo
 

[vinylfreeze]

 Really appreciate all the information
Sansui is an integrated amp with phono stage. Great vintage gear, but certainly not the level of my
McIntosh setup.
Cartridge on the HK T40 is a Grado XG. Original, I believe 1984 vintage.
The Schiit looks interesting(all U.S. Made). I'm really trying to figure out what cost vs. performance
will give me the best sound without being overkill for my system.

[sfox7076]

Lounge is LCR based.  I would go in that direction

[vinylfreeze]

Lounge is LCR based.  I would go in that direction

Can you elaborate on the advantages of the LCR based Lounge?

[neobop]

Really appreciate all the information
Sansui is an integrated amp with phono stage. Great vintage gear, but certainly not the level of my
McIntosh setup.
Cartridge on the HK T40 is a Grado XG. Original, I believe 1984 vintage.
The Schiit looks interesting(all U.S. Made). I'm really trying to figure out what cost vs. performance
will give me the best sound without being overkill for my system.

VF,
You're probably figuring out the physical set-up with a table.  If you have room for the Sansui near the table you could get started instead of planning for the future.  If you use the phono and go out the tape to your McIntosh, you would be bypassing the amp and line stage.   Set it up and see what happens.  You might need a belt for the HK or a needle for the Grado, but how will you know?

First order of business once it's up and running, is clean records.  Without clean records you might as well have a Victrola, or Woody Woodpecker using his beak as a needle.  There are numerous threads here on record cleaning if you care to read them.  You also need to clean the stylus, but you know that.

Chances are you'll want to replace the Sansui.  An LCR phono stage is one that uses and inductor/coil (L) in the EQ circuit.  In most designs this allows the elimination of a series resistor in which the signal would have to go through.  The disadvantage with Lounge is no flexibility.  It's MM/47K only with fixed gain.  If this suits your cart, then it's said to be very nice. 
The Schitt has gain options, but load resistance is either 47K or 47 ohms for MC's.  It competes directly with Emotiva.  I haven't heard any of these and I won't pretend to know all the sonic attributes.  There are people who recommend both or either design.
Vista and Lounge seem to be held in a little higher regard.  Vista is the opposite in flexibility with both gain and resistance, even capacitance.  We were supposed to get a direct comparison from someone, but he hasn't shown up. 

Most of these phono stages have been discussed at length.  The Schitt is fairly new.  Plug in Sansuzi and let us know what's up.
neo

[vinylfreeze]

Neo,
Admittedly I have been out of the vinyl game for a spell, hence my username and obvious ignorance to much of the terminology and specifics.
Back in the day when spinning regularly I cleaned the stylus every play with Last/brush,cleaned vinyl with soft type brush every play. Also all of my original albums(and all new purchases)were cleaned with a then state of the art cleaning machine that my local record store,which I worked at had(the name illudes me,but was $5000 worth in 80's $).it was a clean/Last treatment.
I began my collection at 5 years of age and got "serious" at 11. Always babied them and most are in near mint condition with rice paper album sleeves and plastic cover sleeves. Many are original masters and Japanese imports(not bragging here just giving an idea of my specifics).
My HK T40 does need a good detailing and new stylus yet functions very well. I Have had it playing through Sansui system with farely good results.
With my newest vintage type system I'm hoping to achieve a higher level of listening enjoyment and get back to the organic feel I always loved so much.
I am trying to accommodate this in steps without robbing the bank, yet do aspire to a level of vinyl sound higher than I've achieved prior. Guess I wasn't sure if I should be sticking with vintage TT or looking at modern models(ie:the title/query of this thread).
Although I do enjoy Woody Woodpecker, I agree a quality cleaning machine is in order and plan on purchasing as soon as I determine which one.
I am anxious to spin vinyl on my McIntosh system(best I've had so far),yet am ok with taking some time/research to garner the best possible results.

Anyway, I get your point/advice that I need a cleaning machine,then figure what TT I'm using,then a phono stage to compliment it.

So many choices to make. I'll just keep researching/sponging and I should be spinning soon.

[neobop]

VF,
I had no way of knowing the extent of your prior involvement.  The HK looks like it has a low mass arm which would probably be better than the JVC with your Grado.  If you get in touch with Grado they can sell you an appropriate stylus.  Other carts good with that arm would include higher compliance models like Ortofon, AT, etc. and vintage MM's. 

The JVC has a med/high mass arm and would be better with carts of moderate compliance.  If your records are already clean, there's no reason why you can't get going immediately.  If it's up and running any change you make to your record playing system will be obvious and immediate. 

I suspect the ProJect would be a sideways move, but I don't really know.  Any other specific questions?
Regards,
neo

[WGH]

I still use a Harman Kardon T60 with good results but I did do all the Van Alstine Audio Basics mods and packed the base with modeling clay to make it sound as good as it does. The arm is low mass so a high compliance cartridge is best, the Grado with a Longhorn mod works very well with HK tables.

The turntable mods will cost you less than $50 and make a big difference in regards to speed stability and imaging.
You can find out more here with photos: http://www.wghwoodworking.com/harman_kardon/h-k.htm

Audio Basics Turntable Mods

1983/09 Harman-Kardon T-60 Turntable
Test reports on a very nice H-K turntable.

1984/05 Harman-Kardon T-25 Turntable
Description of the work we do to a H-K Turntable to make it free from hum and AC fields.

1985/06 Harman-Kardon Turntables 1 page
A few comments on improving the performance of the turntables with liquid silicon and the difference between the models.

1985/12 Harman-Kardon T-60 Turntable Rebuild 4 pages
Complete instructions to build your own external power supply for the Harman-Kardon T-60 turntable, thereby isolating your turntable from hum fields and mechanical vibrations.

1986/10 Harman-Kardon T-60 Update .5 pages
An update to the instructions for the H-K T-60 turntable upgrade project detailed in 12/85. The new instructions work with recent variations in the H-K power supply card.


Frank Van Alstine did the mods to his T30 so they should work on your table.

Frank also sells the Grados with the Longhorn mod or you can make one yourself if you are handy (1982 Audio Basics pg 8-9).
http://www.avahifi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=258&Itemid=247

Audio Basics Newsletters: http://www.avahifi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=85&Itemid=181

Wayne