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a Nak BX-100 is probably nice/valuable enough that I’d pay a knowledgeable dude for at least an hour of his time instead of trying to fat-finger my way thru trying to service it myself, but I also understand how terrible the state of vintage audio repair is right now in terms of availability/cost/wait time/actual expertise/etc in most places
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Jun 11, 2023 16:12
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We've recently had reason to buy a second turntable. The record store we frequent recently had a sale on a bunch of gear they'd had sitting around forever. I picked out a Hitachi HT-51 that looked in reasonable shape and what little I could find online suggested it's at least decent. The guy asked $15 for it while making it clear it was basically rolling the dice because he had no idea if it worked and it at least needs a new stylus. The old needle looks like it snapped or something. Definitely not just worn down because it's past the level of the surrounding cartridge. Our first turntable I got from my parents and it was in perfect condition outside of needing the belt replaced. Meaning I know just about nothing about refurbishing these. I plugged the Hitachi in at home and it at least works, but obviously I need to get a new stylus for it. The stylus on it says it's an ADC XLM-II. Googling around, I can find what seems like the same thing, or close to it, but it's like $70 which I'm really loathe to spend on this. My question basically is, is it possible to replace it with a more budget-friendly stylus or cartridge and, if so, how do I find one that will work? For example, would this potentially work? It comes up when I search for the model, but I'd like to get a second opinion before ordering.
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Jun 11, 2023 18:50
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z0331 posted:We've recently had reason to buy a second turntable. The record store we frequent recently had a sale on a bunch of gear they'd had sitting around forever. I picked out a Hitachi HT-51 that looked in reasonable shape and what little I could find online suggested it's at least decent. The guy asked $15 for it while making it clear it was basically rolling the dice because he had no idea if it worked and it at least needs a new stylus. The old needle looks like it snapped or something. Definitely not just worn down because it's past the level of the surrounding cartridge. If you buy a new stylus that fits your cartridge you’ll have a second, functional cart in case your other one goes down, even if the new turntable is fried. I have no idea if that Onkyo stylus will fit your ADC cart (maybe not) or if it’s any good (probably not). Short of buying the right stylus, I’d suggest buying a brand new cartridge that’s an upgrade for your existing deck’s, and move that one to the hitachi.
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Jun 11, 2023 19:16
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z0331 posted:We've recently had reason to buy a second turntable. The record store we frequent recently had a sale on a bunch of gear they'd had sitting around forever. I picked out a Hitachi HT-51 that looked in reasonable shape and what little I could find online suggested it's at least decent. The guy asked $15 for it while making it clear it was basically rolling the dice because he had no idea if it worked and it at least needs a new stylus. The old needle looks like it snapped or something. Definitely not just worn down because it's past the level of the surrounding cartridge. just get one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Techni...772514603&psc=1 or, if you’re feeling extra lazy and your TT can take this headshell connector: https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Techni...782888118&psc=1
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Jun 11, 2023 19:46
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Ok Comboomer posted:just get one of these: Thanks for this. I literally wasn't even sure if there were standardized formats, or how many, or if most manufacturers had their own thing. But it seems like there at least are some options. I guess there's no getting around anything that's not trash will be pretty expensive. Spending $100 to fix a turntable not even worth that is kind of eh, but I guess it's that or get rid of it and look for something else. BigFactory posted:If you buy a new stylus that fits your cartridge you’ll have a second, functional cart in case your other one goes down, even if the new turntable is fried. I have no idea if that Onkyo stylus will fit your ADC cart (maybe not) or if it’s any good (probably not). My main turntable is a Thorens TD-160 with (afaik) everything original. My guess is that upgrading that will be way more expensive than I'm willing to do, and I'm not sure whether I'd notice enough of a difference. 
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Jun 12, 2023 14:59
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So this brings up a question: IF the head shell is replaceable, are they mostly standardized? Like the connector that plugs into the tone arm is the same? The two cheapass turntables I have, the tonearms/headshells are not replaceable so I have nothing to compare against. But the later plan is to get like a AT-LP120 and then buy another head shell so I can play any record from shellac 78s (using one of those flip-around stylus) to all modern stuff
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Jun 12, 2023 16:33
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z0331 posted:Thanks for this. I literally wasn't even sure if there were standardized formats, or how many, or if most manufacturers had their own thing. But it seems like there at least are some options. I guess there's no getting around anything that's not trash will be pretty expensive. Spending $100 to fix a turntable not even worth that is kind of eh, but I guess it's that or get rid of it and look for something else. Having a decent spare cartridge is never a bad thing.
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Jun 12, 2023 16:36
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namlosh posted:So this brings up a question: IF the head shell is replaceable, are they mostly standardized? Like the connector that plugs into the tone arm is the same? Yes kinda. The connector you'll find on Technics turntables was also used by a bunch of other makes, mostly Japanese. But that doesn't mean you can just plop a headshell adjusted for one turntable onto another. I have an old CEC turntable and that needs the stylus 5mm back from where it should be for a Technics. Same headshell connector.
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Jun 12, 2023 16:41
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z0331 posted:Spending $100 to fix a turntable not even worth that is kind of eh, but I guess it's that or get rid of it and look for something else. Turntable value, especially vintage turntable value, is much more flexible than that. Adding a new $70 cartridge to your $15 table, assuming it’s a good table and works well and isn’t broken, arguably turns it into a $75 table. Like there’s a very good chance that your TT cost $15 out of opportunity/situational cost, because the dude selling it didn’t want to invest $40-70 in a replacement cartridge + his time and whatever other repair/service it may or may not need, and then have to jack up the price over $100 to make it profitable (ie, I think he sold it more or less sight-unseen “as a fixer”, with the intended buyer either servicing it themselves, possibly using it for parts, or paying him to get it working again) The market for new turntables is much much different to how it was a decade ago, especially at the “budget” level. I’ve noticed a lot of resellers just don’t want to deal with lower end vintage TTs as much anymore when a newbie is arguably better off with one of many new-in-box options and collectors want higher end poo poo. Plus, worst case Ontario—you take your decent new cart and you put it on pretty much any other turntable trilobite terror fucked around with this message at 16:56 on Jun 12, 2023 |
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Jun 12, 2023 16:42
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z0331 posted:Spending $100 to fix a turntable not even worth that is kind of eh
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Jun 12, 2023 16:47
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Sorry to just drop in here, not sure if this is the right place to be asking. I've searched all around and I'm tearing my hair out at this point. I've got a Steepletone BT SMC386 Pro hifi system turntable thing, and the rotary on/off switch is broken - it's not clicking any more. I've taken it apart, got to the switch mechanism itself. Is this just a case of getting a new part, or is it fixable? The rotary switch is apparently a LJV switch thing peachy... fucked around with this message at 09:40 on Jun 16, 2023 |
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Jun 16, 2023 09:31
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peachy... posted:Sorry to just drop in here, not sure if this is the right place to be asking. I've searched all around and I'm tearing my hair out at this point. If you can get a part number off of it I’d look into ordering a replacement
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Jun 16, 2023 10:24
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Thanks - I'll give that a go
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Jun 16, 2023 10:50
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Djarum posted:An SL-1310 is a great turntable. First thing first is to plug it in and see if it spins, which since it is direct drive it should, you are 90% there in terms of testing. You can plug the RCA inputs into something to see if there is at least signal but it will be too low to hear anything without a phono preamp. My only challenge now is that it's a little bit quiet. It's totally audible but I can't crank it up. If I flip the speakers over to the same song on the computer input it's probably almost twice as loud. The post above mentions a preamp. Is that a separate piece of hardware I can buy, and I could chain from the turntable to the speakers? Or are there better solutions?
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Jun 23, 2023 16:03
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Those speakers have a built-in phono preamp, you just have to make sure it's turned on. Don't have it on if you plug your PC into the analog inputs. If the phono preamp is on, it may just be that the signal is quieter. Cartridges and phono preamps vary in output levels and some LPs are kinda quiet. On my receiver I have to boost the input from my turntable by 6dB or so to match my other sources.
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Jun 23, 2023 16:15
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I found the preamp switch and turned it on. I take it back. Everything is beautiful and nothing hurts.
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Jun 23, 2023 16:55
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Grifter posted:I found the preamp switch and turned it on. I take it back. Everything is beautiful and nothing hurts. Glad to hear it man. Those speakers are incredible for the price. I have the unpowered models myself and they really perform way better than they should. Everyone that hears them remarks about how great they sound, which if you get that from “normal” people unprompted generally is a good sign in my book.
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Jun 23, 2023 17:04
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Yeah I had a set of the old but similar RB-51 II's that I used for years, they're Klipsch sound through and through. I ended up moving on from them but they sat in my system happily for years. Isn't it awesome when you put together a system and sit back on the couch and just listen? I love CDs and vinyl for that, there's definitely something to the ritual of setting it all up and then sitting back
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Jun 23, 2023 17:40
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Mederlock posted:Yeah I had a set of the old but similar RB-51 II's that I used for years, they're Klipsch sound through and through. I ended up moving on from them but they sat in my system happily for years. Isn't it awesome when you put together a system and sit back on the couch and just listen? I love CDs and vinyl for that, there's definitely something to the ritual of setting it all up and then sitting back Yeah I have the R-15Ms and I got them open box in which they don't even look like they were ever removed from the box in the first place for like 80 bucks shipped which was a steal. If I ever move to a larger place, preferably detached I'd look into a pair of nice floor standing speakers but for now this is more than enough for me. And yeah it has been fantastic to just sit and listen to music again. Vinyl really makes one have to commit to listening to a record where digital and even CDs give you that option to just listen to a single song or skip around. I listen to the radio a lot as well, although I live in one of the better markets in the country. Most Friday nights and weekends I just sit around listening to music now. The closest record shop has been clearing out a lot of great stuff on CD for .50 cents a pop so I have been amassing a lot of stuff that is out of print and never been on anything but CD for almost nothing.
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Jun 23, 2023 19:28
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I pretty much just hunt for CDs now, records are too much and see the same titles over and over.
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Jun 28, 2023 18:06
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I saw a record store where they'd just added a zero to the $1 Bin sign to make it 10. People were happily shopping it. I would never tell anyone to get into vinyl now unless they got a big pile for free from a relative dying or something. Beat to poo poo albums that sold millions of copies are going for $25+ Buy all the CDs you want now while they're cheap, IMO. I'd guess they're going to go up in price once streaming gets even fuckier than it is now and record labels will only continue printing new versions of Thriller, Dark Side of the Moon and Bob Marley: Legend. A bunch of my bargain bin finds of 5-10 years ago are $30+ on discogs now.
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Jun 28, 2023 22:06
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I only buy classical records on vinyl these days because the local record shops have $1 bins for those, maybe up to $4-$6 for some really nice ones, for records that were very lightly used and well looked after that often sound really great. I've been frequently surprised at the quality of some of the recordings, particularly some out of the CBC recording studios. CD's at the thrift stores and music store bargain bins are where it's at too
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Jun 28, 2023 22:58
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I have gotten pretty lucky with dollar bin records in the last couple of weeks but yeah stuff that is printed and then reprinted to hell and back you see shops charging an arm and leg for. The plus side is I think in the next couple of years the bottom is going to fall out of the trendy market so the prices will likely come down as the market will be flooded with the same junk again. Right now, buy new vinyl and used CDs. There is plenty of good stuff getting pressed for the first time or rare stuff getting repressed right now. It is worth getting it, especially on sale. Otherwise get every CD you might possibly want now while you can get them dirt cheap. This is also the time to acquire a good CD player since you can get good units still for very little. There is a very high probability that we will see a compact cassette situation in the next few years where if you want even a acceptable deck you will have to go used since no one will be making them anymore.
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Jun 28, 2023 23:13
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Our 2 year old niece KO'd the woofer in a 35 year old Infinity SL30 bookshelf speaker yesterday. Any suggestions for where to get a replacement? And should I replace the one in the other speaker at the same time, or is it possible to get an exact replacement? I haven't pulled the woofer out of the enclosure yet, but here are the markings on the outside of the speaker if that helps at all. 
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Jul 5, 2023 18:39
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What exactly is the damage? Some repairs aren’t too hard and simplyspeakers has a ton of parts. I was even able to get new red surrounds for a pair of cerwin vegas.
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Jul 5, 2023 21:47
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She managed to pop out and shred the cone from the woofer.
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Jul 5, 2023 22:41
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keep an eye on u-turn in the coming months 
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Jul 6, 2023 16:34
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got some cheap tape-decks. (One new, one older one I put new belts in). its fun to record things on tape. doesn't sound as good as vinyl or most streaming, but if I'm about to read a book its nice to just slot in a cassette rather than get a record ready or mess around with a streaming app. highly recommend.
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Jul 26, 2023 18:06
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I want to get a tape recorder so I can make a janky rear end loop tape and make a tape delay out of it
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Jul 26, 2023 18:26
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Mederlock posted:I want to get a tape recorder so I can make a janky rear end loop tape and make a tape delay out of it Do it, it's fun. One of the belts is still not seated right on mine, so one the left deck its currently on vaporwave mode.
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Jul 26, 2023 20:01
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Found a cool jazz collection on cassette at the Salvation Army. Some of the felt needed glueing back on, but other than that they play great. 
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Jul 31, 2023 18:42
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SerCypher posted:got some cheap tape-decks. (One new, one older one I put new belts in). Tape is weirdly convenient. I really started liking them when I had a kid and didn’t have the hands to put on a record or didn’t want to have to turn streaming on and off if I left the room. A tape can be put in and turned on with one hand, paused, then resumed with a single button. Recording with nice, type ii, cassettes you can barely tell the difference in quality at regular listening levels.
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Jul 31, 2023 21:44
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Hi Thread! So I inherited a really weird Class A amp with an inductor the size of my head. I don't know what to do with it, as I don't think I'll ever need a simple amplifier with no volume control with what I'm guessing is 20+watts of bias current. It's a "Belles 150a." I think 100 watts per channel stereo, which to the eye seems ridiculously specced like a detuned V8 from Ford's malaise era. It looks pretty clean inside, but I cannot see any solder work having been done on any of the components so cannot answer whether it's been maintained. It was owned by a very close friend of our family who passed, so I am not parting with it. It weighs about the same as a toddler, and I could guess is as overbuilt as a F-22 jet. Does anyone here have any experience with this sort of thing? It powers my cheap Daytona Audio bookshelves to the breaking point and I don't have the hearing left to enjoy whatever magic they might have. Is there a recommendation I could nix from the thread on a pair of bookshelves that might enjoy the juice? I don't care about angering neighbors. I don't think I'll be challenging this behemoth with nuanced music more complex than Primus.... Edit: it'll be connected to a music hall mmf1.3 with an aging Shure M97xE, if that matters. A Bad King fucked around with this message at 17:40 on Aug 1, 2023 |
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Aug 1, 2023 17:34
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A Bad King posted:Hi Thread! What's your budget? What pre-amplifier are you going to use with it? Are you set on using bookshelves, or would you be down to going to floor standers? Are you willing to buy used, or from overseas(ie. China/Korea)? What are your musical tastes? Would you listen to the system more if you added a digital music source ie. Streaming/Bluetooth/etc.?
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Aug 1, 2023 17:47
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just going to say if you want the cheapest possible original model of uturn orbit, get it soon
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Aug 1, 2023 17:52
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Mederlock posted:What's your budget? What pre-amplifier are you going to use with it? Are you set on using bookshelves, or would you be down to going to floor standers? Are you willing to buy used, or from overseas(ie. China/Korea)? What are your musical tastes? Would you listen to the system more if you added a digital music source ie. Streaming/Bluetooth/etc.? Whoops. Should have included that! -~$350-400, I'm thinking? I don't want to get beyond myself here. - The preamp is the built in pre amp on my mmf1.3. edit: I have a left-channel failed NAD PP2 from the mid-10s, but it's broken and I don't want to think about fixing it. Is it worth the trouble, in the future? Or stick with built in? - I'm using stands. Aluminum, I think? Cheap ones from Amazon at the moment for Daytona Audio 35 watt'ers. - I'm willing to shop on Ali Express I guess... No timetable here. - Country, R&B, Alternative, TMBG kid's music, Andrew Bird, bands similar to Big Thief and Wilco, I guess? - Google Chromecast Audio will be fixed to the A/B passive switch/volume knob, via RCA. Then the turntable. Thank you for your time, I really appreciate it. A Bad King fucked around with this message at 18:13 on Aug 1, 2023 |
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Aug 1, 2023 18:05
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Friend of mine has a uturn and not sure why they are popular. It's expensive and doesn't even have a tone arm lifter. Also to change the speed you have to physically move the belt, and sometimes it doesn't stretch back to it's smaller size.
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Aug 1, 2023 18:06
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SerCypher posted:Friend of mine has a uturn and not sure why they are popular. those will be taken care of by the end of the month
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Aug 1, 2023 18:13
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Oh, nice.
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Aug 1, 2023 18:38
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ferroque posted:those will be taken care of by the end of the month I hope you guys made a DD table I loving hate belts
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Aug 1, 2023 18:52
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