[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by voodoochild

... Any known replacements for that transformer? ...

If you know the Part Number of that transformer (should be on the sticker on the trafo), you may be able to order one online from UK (plenty of sites carry old parts).

Only other alternative is to take out the trafo and take it to an electronics component market for rewinding. They will just cut open the winding, figure out the gauge of copper wire, count the number of turns pri & sec, and wind another one as close as possible. What may take a hit is that guy's ability to put back the core stampings as tightly as it was in the original - they tend to go easy on that.

[voodoochild]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

..Only other alternative is to take out the trafo and take it to an electronics component market for rewinding...

Thanks for the info DerAlte! I'd shown the system to a guy in Bangalore (Balaji on Avenue Road, for those of you who might know him). He's pretty clued in on old stereos and turntables. In fact, the thing burned out in his shop itself. His electrician was a bit diffident about rewinding the trafo, so suggested that I just use an external amp instead of the stock one. I'll try hunting on Ebay for a replacement, but I'd really rather pull out the 1219 turntable and use it separately. The amp isnt that great anyway. I just thought I'd get it working for the novelty of owning a functional HS39. However, the old man who I'd bought it from had just one speaker (he'd misplaced the other), so whats the point now eh?

Cheers,
Rahul

[issigonis]

>>>


Will be spinning soon.
Auditioned at The Listening Room Bangalore.
Putting the entire set up viz.,

1. A turntable with a pickup arm and an MC cartridge
2. A phonostage
3. An integrated SS amp
4. Speakers
5. Cables
6. Rack

Can't wait for the installation!

Regards

[TaureanBull]

Originally Posted by voodoochild

Would anyone happen to know where I can get a used Technics SL-1200 in Pune?

Its selling like hot cakes since its production was stopped more than a year ago. The TT has become rare and its presently almost NA as a used one. This is inspite of the fact that this model has sold in millions. BTW this sit is in Europe and US. So, situation in India would be worse.

[voodoochild]

Originally Posted by TaureanBull

Its selling like hot cakes since its production was stopped more than a year ago. The TT has become rare and its presently almost NA as a used one.

Nah man, I'd seen quite a few Technics TTs in working condition for sale at an "antique junk" shop somewhere in Bombay. Dunno if he/they are still there. Will need to go check. Also, would anyone happen to know where I can get a Philips Hi-Q International setup serviced in Pune?

Cheers,
Rahul

[sandeepmohan]

I am referring to the audio turntable. Also known as the record player, vinyl player, etc. Once upon a time, the only format available to play music. Few would have noticed the true potential of the format. The turntable died after the cd or compact disc made an appearance. The cd offered a lot more convenience than a turntable ever could but that was about where it ended. To a majority of folk, the cd sound was far superior too. To me, a cd sounded just too cleaned up and I have never really enjoyed it. There are times I liked the cleaned up digital sound over busted and scratchy records. That is because I had never heard a good record. After you listen to a clean record, a cd gets thrown out of the window. When it comes to sound quality, a good turntable is unbeatable even today. Turntables from the 80s can sound better than most modern digital sources such as cd players and high resolution digital audio over a digital to analog convertor or DAC.

The turntable has made a big come back. Not as much in India when compared to the western world (We are very slowly, catching up). It is now supposed to be cool to own and operate a turntable. Having a turntable play all the music at a party in your home is attention grabbing for a world where most folks are plugged into their ipods. Just watching someone get a record started itself is so interesting. The best part is the range. The 70's and the 80's never had it this good. There are so many manufacturers of turntables today. There is a turntable for everyone. If you are someone who wants to spin up their old records, there is one for you that is affordable and does the job. Then there are serious turntables. Made with so much precision and the best materials that it would rival workmanship and materials used in super cars.

This thread is about which turntable you own and I am going to start with the first turntable I bought. It is a Rega RP1. This is a budget turntable with seriously good sound quality. Made in England too. Would love to know what folks on this forum own. A little history about your love for this music source will be great.

[reignofchaos]

Yep! Analog has its own charm. Even though my cd player sounds better than my turntable for most music, I still end up listening to records on the turntable simply because the music is more involving emotionally. Also you end up listening to the entire record instead of seeking.

Here's my system with a 1980's Technics SL-B2 with the technics s-arm and a shure v-15 mxr. This is connected to a mod squad phono drive deluxe phono preamp with external power supply which again is connected to a McCormack TLC-1 line preamp and a McCormack DNA-125 power amp. The speakers are a pair of Usher Be-718 bookshelves.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by reignofchaos

Yep! Analog has its own charm. I still end up listening to records on the turntable simply because the music is more involving emotionally. Also you end up listening to the entire record instead of seeking.

+1 CDs cannot beat the warm natural involving sound of a well pressed and well maintained LP. I love that sound.

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

This thread is about which turntable you own and I am going to start with the first turntable I bought.

We had a Technics turntable from the 70s, 1977 to be precise. With a FG Servo motor and precisely adjustable platter speeds using a series of dots on the side of the platter that appeared to be stationary once adjusted properly...a stroboscope IIRC.

Dad had purchased it on one of his trips abroad. We had it till 2002 with Technics and Shure cartridges after which the platter belt became very difficult to find and we somehow lost interest in the format given the hassles with using LPs and inroads made by the all pervasive digital players and formats.

The funny part was one of my friends looking at the TT and asking how old it was and I calmly told him that it was as old as him. The expression on his face was to be seen to be believed.

[reignofchaos]

Yep this one has those too. Its quite amazing how good entry level equipment from the 70's and 80's sounded.

[vnabhi]

I agree that turntables had a more involving experience. And with a plethora of rpms to choose from, notably 33 1/3 , 45 and 78, not forgetting 16 rpm.

During my early childhood in the 60s, 78 rpm records were phased out and the 33 1/3 Long Play records became the norm of the day, with around 6 songs on either side. 45 rpm records (a.k.a. EP records) were only having a single song on each side. I remember most of the vinyl records were made by Apple, RCA factor, Decca, Odeon and HMV.

My dad a a Gerard changer that could play 6 records, one after the other. All six had to be stacked at the top of the rotating spindle rod, and one by one they would be dropped down to the turntable. That was a amazing feature at that point of time. What was equally amazing was that the arm holding the reading pin would move out of the way when the record was completed, before the next one dropped down onto the turntable.

[Harbir]

I have a vintage Technics as well, running a Denon DL103R cartridge low output moving coil cartridge, outputting to a Pro-ject phono pre-amp, which feeds a Rotel pre-amp, to a carver power amp, and drives a pair of B&W 803 speakers.

Many years ago, I bought the instruments to adjust the cartridge set up correctly, and was amazed at the extraordinary difference, and indeed the vital importance of correct cartridge set up. It made the difference between sounding merely very good and jaw-dropped "I can't believe this" levels of performance. BUt it also has to do with the DL103R cartridge itself.

On the CD vs LP debate, its not so clear cut an answer from my perspective.

I have both LPs and CDs of many recordings. In some cases, the CDs sound extraordinary, but the LPs lack the definition, detail, imaging, or frankly, the extended frequency range of the CDs. In other cases, the LPs have a breathtaking sound, full, dynamic, detailed, which leaves me disbelieving what I am hearing. How could a mechanical medium, that stores information as ripples on a plastic surface possibly sound this detailed, this accurate, preserve and reproduce so much information so faithfully? In these cases, the CDs sound harsh, with a lot of glare and clinical sparseness.

I most value LPs in the case of Indian classical music and Indian film music of the 1949-1967 period (which is the only bollywood music I like).

THis is because I have found that CD era sound engineers in India are quite incompetent typically, and most of the transfers to CD of old recordings have involved tricks with equalization and reverb to make the old music sound like it was recorded in CD quality. If you hear just the CD, you may not be too put off, but if you listen to the old LPs, you find the sound so much more pleasant, mellow, clean, unforced, and in comparison the CDs sound very harsh and jangly indeed.

So, I listen to both LPs and CDs, depending on the recording. Some of my LPs have not been listened to since I bought their CD versions. And many of my CDs are lying idle because I listen only to the LP versions.

But frankly, old hindi LPs apart, I don't think the sound alone would get me to listen to LPs. I enjoy the LPs because its more than just pressing buttons on a blackbox. I like the involvement that playing records needs. I like the big artistic covers, I like sliding the big disc out of its sheath and setting it on the spindle. I like picking up the cartridge and setting it down on the record and hearing the sound of it touching down and the music starting to flow. I like to see the disc going round and round.

WHat I don't like about LPs is that every time you listen to one, you cause wear. EVery time you listen, you degrade it some. The stylus point causes physical wear from the friction in the grooves. It really bothers me.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Harbir

I have a vintage Technics as well, running a Denon DL103R cartridge low output moving coil cartridge, outputting to a Pro-ject phono pre-amp, which feeds a Rotel pre-amp, to a carver power amp, and drives a pair of B&W 803 speakers.

That is quite a rig you got there. Can you please share information of the Technics turntable model you own? Technics made a whole lot of turntables. Some were truly top grade stuff and some were just made to play records. I am guessing yours has a lot of history.

Originally Posted by Harbir

Many years ago, I bought the instruments to adjust the cartridge set up correctly,

What instruments are these?

Originally Posted by Harbir

In some cases, the CDs sound extraordinary, but the LPs lack the definition, detail, imaging, or frankly, the extended frequency range of the CDs.

I have experienced this myself. What I have come to understand is, the quality of the pressing matters the most. We never really got good pressings from HMV or whoever else were stamping records in India. This has changed today. With companies like Speaker Corner Records, you get top quality stampings, many that are 180gm records. I do not know if companies like this existed back in the day.

Originally Posted by Harbir

How could a mechanical medium, that stores information as ripples on a plastic surface possibly sound this detailed, this accurate, preserve and reproduce so much information so faithfully?

This remains a mystery. The technololgy is very basic and something that can be seen working right in front of you unlike a cd player that pulls in the disc and you can't see anything else.

Originally Posted by Harbir

WHat I don't like about LPs is that every time you listen to one, you cause wear.

Yes it does. However; I have yet to notice any degradation in the sound after repeated playback.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

not forgetting 16 rpm.

Never seen or heard of a 16rpm record. That motor needs to be really stable to spin a record at 16rpm.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

My dad a a Gerard changer that could play 6 records, one after the other.

Garrard was a very respected brand for turntables but just like everyone else, there were only some players from the company that were truly outstanding. My father has a very interesting looking Garrard Zero 100SB. It is not working though. We are still looking for someone who can fix it.

A problem with the Garrard changer that you had was, as it aged, the torque output of the motor goes unsteady and as the weight increased of records as a result of being stacked up, it would struggle to spin them all at the same time. This caused a little unsteadiness in the music that was playing.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

the arm holding the reading pin

Arm is the tone arm.

Reading pin is known as the stylus.

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Never seen or heard of a 16rpm record. That motor needs to be really stable to spin a record at 16rpm.

16rpm records came for a very short while and not many in numbers. Many decades ago we had a HMV Sherpa turntable with 16•45•78•33.1/3 speed. Motor used to run with one speed only but the rpm variations from stepped friction pulley mounted on the motor shaft. A hard rubber disk is placed in between motor and the platter's inner wall.

Interesting to know that the stylus had two needles placed top and bottom. One for the extended play (45rpm disk came with EP label) and the other one is for 78rpm.

[redballons]

DJ'ing was a hobby to me as i was heavily into deep house, Detroit techno and used to have a small set up at home - 2 Citronics DD TTs, 2 Channel Mixer and couple speakers enough to give the neighbors sleepless nights. The thing about owning a TT is, vinyl's records are expensive.

Spent so much money buying vinyl records , that my mum really didn't understand the logic of spending money something which is really yester years - well thats her opinion. But then its the buzz you get playing a vinyl and the audio quality in my opinion is far better than mp3 quality.

I gave the TTs to one of me mates, but i still treasure the vinyls, all of them