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My Turntable Collection.....

B&O 8002 with an MMC1 and a Sound-Smith SMMC1.

Dual 1219 with some sort of Grado Gold Series.

My favorite - a Garrard Lab 80 MkII with a Grado Silver-Blue Series.

Then a Garrard Type A strictly for 'kitsch' factor. I fitted it with a Grado DJ cartridge because of the weight of the arm.

The Lab 80 fully functions, cycles automatically and drops records properly ( I know its sacrelige {sp?] but I have 12" singles) It's really hard finding a fully functional Lab 80. I really like the heavy platter and the sound that comes out of it.

1219 is a great unit, touted to be comparable to the better units of current day but I'm sorta indifferent to it.

The B&O works fine but the sound is a bit edgy - probably a combination of the light platter and the cartridge.

Aside from the B&O, these units represent things that I lusted after in my youth but was somehow unattainable. A brand new Lab80 or Dual 1219 was a real big deal.

Thoughts or comments on this? Just rambling really.
128x128tobaccoleafpie

Showing 2 responses by lewm

lewm
12,562 posts
 
I am more embarrassed than proud:
Technics SP10 Mk2A
Technics SP10 Mk3
Lenco L75
Kenwood L07D (x2!)
Denon DP80
Don't ask about tonearms.
Once you start saying to yourself "it's an investment", you are screwed. That's the road to perdition.
lewm
12,562 posts
 
Morgenholz, I tend to agree with you that the Kenwoods are overlooked and under-appreciated. I think it's the coreless, slotless motors plus the clever and rather unique way that the servo drive system is engineered that makes them special. Have you tried shielding the underside of the platter? I made an EMI/RFI shield using "TI Shield" (bought from Michael Percy), and I inserted it between the alu platter and the alu platter mat of the L07D. This was based on a tip from other L07D owners. It improves the sound in a subtle but important way. Possibly radiations from the motor are adding a very subtle bit of hash which is worth eliminating.
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