Reason for buying old/classic turntables

I might not be as experienced as others posting in this thread by here is my 2c on the subject.

*The best yesterday's v.s SOTA today (in stock form)*
IMO/IME Vintage is inferior. Today's knowledge, technology, new composite materials implementation and innovative techniques used to accomplish remarkable results in analog reproduction are 'LY' ahead of what was considered state of the art in 60's or 70's.

However ( from my recent experience ), it is possible to rebuild and tweak the vintage turntable to perform astonishingly well. It takes time, effort and patience, but can be rewarding.

As to my personal reasons...................I guess its was the curiosity and satisfaction from DIY-er/tweaker point of view.
Of coarse there is also the pride of ownership as the icing on the cake.

Regards and
Marry Christmas to all

Mariusz

I am not or will not try to debate this issue since my knowledge is limited .......so I'll leave it to others.
My message however was plain & simple:
best of 60's or 70's can not compare with today's SOTA turntables.

Lenco is wonderful turntable but far from engeneering marvels in the stock form.

At the moment, I own three TTs from which two are belt drives and one is vintage idler. All modified, tweaked and replinthed using different techniques.
Why.....?
Simply because I can not afford megabuck dream analog rig.
Besides, I am tweaker in heart and love what I do.

Happy Holidays to all
Mariusz

Lewn , I agree
analog is plain fun and for those who love it.
There are some who just want it or heard about its qualities - those minds are to shallow to understand it.

As to the value...................well my TTs combine cost me somewhere around 2K.
I paid almost full price for my MMF7..............the rest was scrap metal that needed a lots of work. Lenco was the most time consuming and needed the most tweaking and tuning tho. Plinth materials are as fallow:
MMF 7 - bamboo 4" butcher block and Walnut arm-board
Lenco - Soapstone top - 2" seated on combo of Baltic Birch and MDF (4 layers sandwiched )
Red Devil (DIY belt) 9 layers MDF & Baltic Birch (sandwiched) with dedicated stand/base.

Merry Christmas
Mariusz

I would not think of vintage setups in the stock form to be anything but average at best........like I said earlier - they need work, love and patience to sound their best.
Example - Lenco 75
-needed a whole bunch of tweaks, speed calibration, break removal as well as any unnecessary parts which weren't needed and introduced/transmit/resonate noise and vibration.
-plinth is the essence to successful Lenco setup
-stock tonearm is crap
-top metal plate needs some dampening
etc, etc, etc, etc.........

Sure with some work and experimentation it can sound really , really good but at what cost........(time, frustration, experimentation ). It's definitely not a project for someone who just wants to listen Vinyl without getting down and dirty.

I would love to see a blind listen test, but we know that no one in the audio community ever wants to go there.

Who told you that?????????
I can do that ..............in fact I will in the near future.
In january/February I am planing to have a little get together for few audiophile friends but not only.
I'll have two analog setups-
this DIY belt drive with parts found on 4K tables/dedicated marble/aluminum stand
and this idler
with specially design plinth.
Phono stage:
Consonance Ref40
RWA prototype battery powered tube phono

Arms/carts:
Moarch Up4 arm and Musicmaker III cart with Isolator for belt drive
SME 3009 II Imp. arm with Shure V15 cart for idler to keep things vintage

Speakers:
Single Driver speakers of my own (modified Fostex eF206)

Amps:
Modified Consonance Cyber 800 monos (PP 78wpc, EL 34)
Melody M300b monos ( 8wpc SET amps, 300B)

I will send the info to those who would like to come over for a listen and good time.
Two dates will be open - one for AC members of "NY Audio Rave" club and second for AgoN members and few of my friends.

Please let me know if you are interested and forward your contact info.

Cheers
Mariusz

Brooklyn - 5 minutes from Manhattan ( I can pick you up from wherever you will be staying or you can call for other info - I think we should confirm the details in PM ).
It is going to be at the end of January and mid February.

Hey Macdadtexas,
I do not know about:

"I'd love to do the blind listening test, that sounds AWESOME "

but it should be a lots of fun and opportunity to socialize with good as well as interesting people.
It will probably be a whole day event..........most likely on Saturday.

Cheers and PM if interested

Regards
Mariusz

What I had in mind was to compare yesterday's average analog setup ( turntable, cartridge and tone-arm ) v.s something of the same caliber that is currently manufactured.

Use of the same arm & cartridge for both tables would be inaccurate when comparing vintage to present technology in my opinion.

Also two vintage integrated will be used - one Solid State and the other tube.
Both made around more or less the same time as Lenco L-75, SME 3009 II Imp. arm and Shure V15 series carts.

Present analog rig -
Machined 67mm acrylic contoured to match record surface
Bearing: Large diameter inverted fixed spindle with polished ceramic ball on teflon thrust plate.
Motor: Belgium manufactured precision hi torque DC motor.
Moarch Up-4 tone-arm
Cartridge Man - Musicmaker III with Isolator
Phono - Consonance Ref.40

Both TT in DIY plinths