Choosing a new turntable

 

pindac

I can understand your recommendation for Panzerholz or other variations/names of the material as being great for TT plinth, Seems as you say, some makers are ’rushing in’ to get on board.

however, if TT’s with other materials have already achieved excellent recognition as superior, then I would look to other factors, (or my suggestion, features), to choose, not the least of which is appearance.

btw, Dr. Fiekert Analogue 12, every time I see it, I am impressed by it’s compact two arm design as well as appearance. Sadly it is nearly double the price of the Woodpecker.

if you are doing a search, the spelling is e before i   Dr. Feickert

Let’s assume all 3 are acceptable for ’quality’

for me it come’s down to functionality:

1. 2nd tonearm possible?

2. removable headshell (on one arm at least)

3. dust cover. (removable during play preferred, plan on a place for it when off).

different model, 2 arms

 

only one arm, fixed cartridge

 

 

two arms

 

 

I would choose the Dr's, and have a dust cover made

A search on hishark

The following arm makers have models with removable headshells, some removable plates secured by only 1 screw

Hifishark 3-16-24 tonearms with removable headshells

SME

Technics, all the beloved 1200’s, S arm for BP-500 Base

Thorens

Micro- seiki

SAEC

Fidelity Research

EAT

Glanz

Ikeda

Ortofon

Dynavector

Garrard

EMT

Audiocraft

Reed, detatchable plate, (several others have detachable plates, allowing pre-mounting of cartridge, then secured, often by a single screw).

Schroder: separate plate attached with one screw

Pro-Ject Signature 12”

Sumiko

……………………….

Others? I stopped looking

Thorens/SME similar appearance to your 3 options

ebay, search for:

Vintage Thorens TD520 3012-R Turntable With Power Adapter Operation Confirmed

2 out of 3,

2. removable headshell, the renowned SME 3012 arm (I loved my 3009 on Thorens TD124)

3. dustcover

drilled or undrilled armboards readily available.

 

mijostyn

 

"@elliottbnewcombjr I hate to pop your bubble,

You are not popping my or anyone’s bubble, just exposing your different beliefs/preferences.

My preferences:

"but one great tonearm is way better than two cheap ones"."

NO one said CHEAP Tonearms. However, the arm with REMOVABLE Headshell is the one for MONO Cartridge AND Alternates. The main arm, preferably long, can be fixed or removable.

3 Tonearms, one dedicated to MONO, that arm does not need to be ’superior’ relative to the others, just a respected arm to have a MONO cartridge ready to play mono lp’s in seconds. FAR better than a single arm, playing Mono LP’s with a Fixed Stereo Cartridge, even if your Preamp has Mono Mode. Easily heard by anyone.

"Dust covers should be isolated and hinged so they can be used during play. A good thick acrylic dust cover can attenuate sound up to 10 dB at some frequencies further isolating the cartridge from sound."

Who in their right mind would want to 'attenuate' SOME frequencies by 10db? Attenuate various frequencies to various extent????

Right? Wrong? MANY people say ’dust cover off’, to avoid reflected microphonics. No way do I believe a dustcover down is either proper or better. How many of these crazy looking expensive turntables of great renown even have dust covers? And if the do, they are custom monster ’surrounds’, certainly not hinged. Not played when on, actually impossible to start an LP and put those monster ’surrounds’ in place.

 

"Removable head shells are a terrible thing to do to a cartridge and it’s meager signal. Every contact degrades the signal just a little."

Soooooo many great highly respected tonearms have removable headshells, this argument is theoretical, ’purist’ in nature, not evidenced by those many hi-end makers. In another thread, a quick look at hifishark tonearms for sale: I listed a long list of ’famous’ tonearm makers with removable headshells. The current batch of mid-priced TTs with arms with fixed cartridges do a dis-service to their owners IMO.

"The right way to wire a tonearm is a single cable cartridge clips to RCAs or XLRs at the phono stage end. The Schroder CB is an example of such an arm."

Yes perhaps, at least ’purist’ thinking: but no way are the MAJORITY going to purchase the limitations that involves. I had wires soldered to phono cable, a total pain, and when re-wired to VPI mini-din junction box, I heard no degradation.

I seriously doubt two absolutely identical setups, totally revealing: the only difference not having a joint in-line that a difference could be heard. Even by a bat.

"The Thorens TD 1600 is a turntable with an isolated dust cover done the right way. The dust cover is mounted to the plinth not the chassis carrying the tonearm and platter."

I would lift it off for play, hope the hinges are the drop in type.

Perhaps many of you have read that the majority of stylus sent in for checking or re-building are worn on 1 side. IOW, anti-skate is/was off enough (too little/too much) for a long enough time to wear one side (and put more force on one side of your LP’sgrooves).

Who sends these stylus in? Us, not the normal dude.

Extract: the majority of us could not hear it, or be aware of the imbalance and improper imaging that condition causes. Can the majority hear a joint in a wire? I certainly cannot. I certainly can hear proper anti-skate and balance and imaging.

Reed and Schroeder are ones with separate plates for easier cartridge mount, then attached by a single screw, then delicate wires inviting trouble.

 

lewm

you are correct, it also occured to me they are old designs, many on that list are making fixed these days

my point is they all made their reputations with these removable headshell designs. reviewed, recommended, on approved lists ....

I think it  is based on a technical truth, competing with current trends, but they might shift again.

How in the world can they make a wooden tonearm, yet persist in fixed cartridges, yet some mount to a plate attached with a single screw, then subject us to exposed delicate wires.

modern trends change like preamp and amp should be separate: change back to integrated which is a receiver without a radio (and no features often).

receiver, integrated: true advantage: less interconnects, the purist separates add a  'joint' or two, or three: far more subject to trouble than a tightly fastened headshell.

everything is relevant, to what extent?

I advocate not giving up flexibility for a theoretical difference you probably cannot hear.