Best Turntable Mitsubishi LT-22 or Harman and Kardon ST-7 to Restore

This Grado would be a good choice!

https://www.lpgear.com/product/GRADBLKSTD.html

Keep and use the LT-22. An excellent linear-tracker! I have one.

I also have the ST-7 Rabco - before HK re-branded it. I think the drive/arm mechanism is better in the LT-22.

The Mitsubishi LT-22 is a Direct Drive, Linear Tracking, quite solid, I recommend it for an easy hands free start/stop setup.

I just listened to my friends again yesterday, I helped him get it/set it up a few years ago, still quite impressive, I have a Vertical version LT-5V which is belt drive, belt arm movement, and LED for arm tracking, works great,.

a belt and an led are involved with the arm’s movement/tracking.

easy to replace the arm’s belt, not so easy to replace the LED, however the LED does not age when just sitting around for years, so if it was not used a great deal, you can expect years of trouble free, just put a new small belt that moves the arm.

Thanks to everone for the input.  I will read the service manual and any forum posts for repairing the LT-22, then look inside.  I favored the LT-22 over repairing the ST-7 back when I bought it; but I could have been swayed by the sales literature.  Any particular part of the LT-22 set-up that is critical and easily missed?

Grado is a new name for me.  I remember A-T, Shure and Denon and remember  paying about half the turntable cost for the cartridges; so finding a recommended model for $100 is great news.

Grado has been making phono cartridges for over 70 years!

https://gradolabs.com/pages/about-grado-labs

jasonbourne71,

You state you have both; you recommend that I use the LT-22 but you think the ST-7 drive/arm mechanism is better.  Can you explain? 

I just glanced at a manual for the ST-7 and I see the the Location Gauge used for properly mounting the cartridge.  I remember it being nescessary to mount the cartirdge and mine disappeared long ago.  Are equivalent tools available today; or mine being missing makes the LT-22 the ONLY option.

yogiboy,

The fact I don't remenber a company means I am getting older and I have very selective memory according to my wife.  I value your recomendation much more than information that is in an ad.

The OP Stated:

"What is the opinion of the knowledgeable member as to which one I should refurbish?  Is this work possible for a meticulous engineer or would it need to be hired out?"

To help decide which one is worth keeping, may also be assisted by learning how much can be learned in advance about the undertaking.

On YouTube there is plenty of minutes of Video guiding one with the ST 7.   

If a Savvy Engineer or Adept Individual is presenting the Footage, and the Pictorial seems not too much of a challenge to use as a guidance, there is then a shortening of the list of options needed to be considered.