What, in your system, have you owned the longest?

A few years ago I found a nice example of the earlier Ariston RD11 on eBay. This first version is virtually identical to the Linn Sondek. It has the long arm-mounting board and red power switch on the front left. Plinth is teak, while the LP12's are afromosia. Underneath, the same stamped steel keel and 3 spring suspension with Sorbotane foam. Two piece massive alloy platter driven by a low-torque AC motor. I added a vintage Fidelity Research FR29 arm and a Sleeping Beauty (Coral 777) lomc cartridge. And a black-anodized magnesium platter mat.

Ariston RD11S bought new in 1977! Still in use! It has had a variety of arms - and cartridges - on it. In order: SME 1009IMP, JH Formula 4, Keith Monks, Lustre GST-1 and at present a Grace 707 with a Denon 103. Record mat is the Hiraoka Diskmat SE22 I bought in 1977 at Harvey Sound (NYC, 48th Street) for $20! Still an amazingly fine sounding TT! The RD11 and RD11S are the Scottish cousins to the Linn Sondek. Actually, the progenitors! Ariston made the early LP12's before Ivor Tiefenbrun set up his own factory. He just copied the RD11 and marketed it as his own original design! Hamish Robertson was the owner/designer of Ariston who got HIS inspiration from the earlier - and wildly successful - Acoustic Research AR TT from 1961.

While not the original two pairs of DCM Time Windows I had back in 1977, I am using a pair of late-production TW -1A's. Again, found on eBay in excellent condition!