[Toka]

I got a chance to hear an older AR deck for the first time in a while the other day (an AR XA) and I forgot how much I liked those decks...very simple, yet very smart in design. I got into reading about the mods offered by Vinyl Nirvana and Sound Of The Wood, and was wondering if anyone here has experience with these modification services. Specifically, with the '80's era decks ("The Turntable" and the ETL1 to be specific).

Just need something else to hunt for, I guess. 

[Wayner]

Here is my modded AR I call ARMOD.



Wayner

[Kirk57]

Wayner-

Does this still have a suspension?  From the photo it looks like the 3rd point of the 3-point suspension would be missing...

Toka-

I have an older AR turntable with every mod George Merrill ever offered, and it's fantastic, but I can't offer any opinions about the newer table. 

A bit off-topic but the other day I had a question about my TT, and called Analog Emporium, and George answered the phone!  Gave me some free advice...how cool is that when you can talk to the guys that designed and built the stuff you use?  and Stan Warren telling me how to mod my Superphon preamp, etc....

Kirk

[Wayner]

Suspension is gone. There is no need for it in this configuration. Motor drive (SAMM) is completely isolated from the frame. It is the best belt drive in the house right now.

Next weekend, I'm doing another AR mod. I will try to incorporate everything on one chassis and use the original AR walnut base, but it will have a maple top. The platter and subplater will be AR, the bearing will be AR as well as the pulley (this is almost a must unless you have a friend who is a machinist). The motor is a Hurst 300RPM synchronous and the tone arm will be the Rega R200.

I will post photos of that one when and if it turns out.

Wayner 

[jakelieb]

I've had a modified AR for 30 years.    and it still sounds great.  All the mods were done by George Merrill, which are what Dave is selling at Vinyl Nirvana.  You can check out my table at Vinyl Nirvana under "Merrill Turntables/Merrill AR Mods".

http://www.vinylnirvana.com/ar_merrill_mods.shtml


I bought a Merrill table last year so don't use the AR very much anymore, but will keep it as it is a valuable item (to me anyway) since I bought the table from George and he installed all the mods on the table for me.

Happy listening,
Jake in NC

[Wayner]

Kirk,

I re-read your question. There are 3 isolation feet on my unit. You can't see the third leg in the photo. I don't count this as a suspended table as there is no spring suspension as in the old AR table.

My new table is going to have a suspension, but not via springs. The reason for this is that the motor will be on board and it will have to be silenced.

Wayner

[Toka]

I've had a modified AR for 30 years.    and it still sounds great.  All the mods were done by George Merrill, which are what Dave is selling at Vinyl Nirvana.  You can check out my table at Vinyl Nirvana under "Merrill Turntables/Merrill AR Mods".

http://www.vinylnirvana.com/ar_merrill_mods.shtml


I bought a Merrill table last year so don't use the AR very much anymore, but will keep it as it is a valuable item (to me anyway) since I bought the table from George and he installed all the mods on the table for me.

Really nice looking 'table, Jake!  Which Merrill model did you pick up?

[slbender]

My AR-XA is considerably altered (Damn Ugly too) but then it was done myself.  More than ten years back, I removed the original arm and a friend drilled one huge large access hole in the top plate, then 3 holes drilled into the end of the suspended "T", and a hole for the wires to pass, where upon I mounted a Japanese Carbon-Fiber arm with removable head shell. 

And after all this, the original AR Dustcover still fits!!!  This CF-AR combo (with the springs tensioned up somewhat) can probably stand up against any other turntable design, as it still retains the AR isolated platform construct, and original AR base.  And that is regardless of tonnage, arm size, or complexity of construction.

My replacement Japanese made arm I believe came off a circa 1985 AR ESL TT, not sure who made it (SUMO, Sumiko?).  Now one would think that a lightweight carbon-fiber arm is best for really lightweight cartridges.  Well not so limited.  I managed to balance my heaviest cartridge - a B&O SP-12a in there by adding a rare earth ceramic magnet and metal keeper to the counterweight which holds on just fine.

The added weight of the magnet allows enough mass to balance out the heavy B&O SP-12a cartridge, which is sonically so smooth and balanced, no problems tracking, no bass induced extraneous movement, no MR peaks or lack of highs. I haven't changed from the SP-12a in several years, despite having among my dozen MM and other vintage cartridges - the Shure V-15 type II and type III; a Sumiko conical; the Signet 5.0 MR (ME); several Micro-Acoustics Electret ellipticals - The 282e; the 2002e; QDC-1e; and 3002e; ADC's XLM MKII; Ortofon OMB-20; and a B&O MMC-20CL available to listen to.

My "third tier" by 'me' mod just works great!  But Ya Know.... a Maple Top sounds interesting, hmmm?

The AR-XA is a great place to start.  Ten years later I built a Turntable Rack, to house this altered AR, and also misc. other pieces.  At present it houses or supports: The AR, a Thorens 145c; a Heathkit Integrated Amp; a H/K 930 Receiver; four Behringer 8000 + 8024 AD/DA's; and an MGE ellipse 1200UPS.


-Steven L. Bender

I got a chance to hear an older AR deck for the first time in a while the other day (an AR XA) and I forgot how much I liked those decks...very simple, yet very smart in design. I got into reading about the mods offered by Vinyl Nirvana and Sound Of The Wood, and was wondering if anyone here has experience with these modification services. Specifically, with the '80's era decks ("The Turntable" and the ETL1 to be specific).

Just need something else to hunt for, I guess. 

Next weekend, I'm doing another AR mod. I will try to incorporate everything on one chassis and use the original AR walnut base, but it will have a maple top. The platter and subplater will be AR, the bearing will be AR as well as the pulley (this is almost a must unless you have a friend who is a machinist). The motor is a Hurst 300RPM synchronous and the tone arm will be the Rega R200.

I will post photos of that one when and if it turns out.

Wayner 

[jakelieb]

I bought an early Merrill Hierloom turntable from Dave with and SME II arm, and I put on a Grado Signature Reference cartridge. aa

[TONEPUB]

Sound of the wood does nice work...

He does a great job modding Advent receivers too!