Bruce,
A seventies kid? Pulsing blue glow? Hmm. that seventies music, some LSD and a
little color organ? Ha Ha.
I am older than you, I did not say wiser. (grin)
I would strongly suggest you get a newer turntable, forget the changer. They
were not that dependable in their new state decades ago. Sometimes they worked
fine and other times, kerploop on the tone arm. Oops! Drilled the groove a few
mils deepr. I straighted more than one needle with a pair of tweezers!
The Sony/Marantz turntables of the early to middle seventies performed very well
and were quite dependable. I know, as I am still using mine from 1974. I have
replaced the drive belt once in twenty-eight years! Please note the operative
term, "using". Not stored. Not sitting. But using. Electronics, like cars, do
not store well, they need to be used.
this era turntable will track down to .5 gram and will not grind out the grooves
of the old vinyl. Some companies used quality materials in their records, others
were el cheapo. Twenty plays and the grooves were gone. A decent record would
last at least forty. That is, without noticable tone and audio loss, including
pops, crackles, snaps and hissing. Like a bowl of Rice Crispies on steroids!
Bruce, I still have my first stereo album. Al Hirt's Honey In The Horn. The RCA
Nashville studio was without a doubt the best in the business in the sixties.
The studio musicians; Floy Cramer, Boots Randolph, Chet Atkins, Charlie McCoy
and on and on. This is why Elvis Presley, Johnny Tillotson and many many others
sounded so great. With that kind of back up group behind you, who could ask for
more? This studio managed to put some absolutely knock the walls down fidelity
on those albums.
The better pressed albums will track down to .75 gram without skipping or loss
of fidelity. The older changers, such as the AT-100 and back tended to grind
grooves even when tracking at 1 gram. Remember adding a penny, 3.11 grams, or a
quarter, 6.5 grams on the end of the tone arm? Groan.
Duane W8DBF
---------
From: Bruce - KB6LWN/rcc <kb6lwn@qsl.net>
To: Chuck and the Group <vintage-audio@mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] Speaking of Garrard Changers
Date: Monday, May 06, 2002 9:49 PM
Thanks Chuck,
Yup.. Kinda figured it was a bit on the 'mature' side ;)
But then that's why we're here... Right ? <g>
Probably won't make much difference when I go to play an
album (original press of: Meet The Beatles) that I haven't
been able to listen to for almost a decade :) And then
there's the Rascals, Rip Chords and Daytona's to boot.
My receiver is a little on that side as well (Marantz 2230),
but it's recent enough to be sand-state instead of toobes.
Not that THAT is necessarily a "good" thing :)
I have an old Eric amp here that still sounds choice when
fed (not the govt type) a decent signal, and it uses mini's
in the output stages - still not a REAL old design...
And the McIntosh rack (with the Jade Green 'blackout' panel)
and the B&O Beogram, is still on my wish list ;)
(what can I say... I'm a 70's kid ;)
The stuff that I really enjoy are the ones that use the
vintage bottles like 807's etc. Luv that pulsing blue glow!
Trouble is I don't have anything that era in audio equip :(
Well... That's not actually accurate. I have a modulator
for an E.F.Johnson 6N2 transmitter that uses those, but
nothing for Hi-Fi listening.
-=-
Back to the Type-A... The platter seems to spin fine, and
the linkage seems to be 'cement free', test will be when I
get a new cartridge and try spinnin' some tunes. (ex-DJ ;)
I haven't figured out just how to remove the platter for
an inspection of the soft surfaces under, but maybe some-
one here can relate that info this direction. It doesn't
seem to fasten on the way the other TT's I've owned in
the past (eg locking device in center). The spindle
turns but doesn't seem to release anything... <puzzled look>
Thanks for your post,
Bruce
On Mon, 6 May 2002, JM/CO wrote:
> At one time, this was one of the best changers on the market. That time,
> however, was long ago<G>. If I were setting up a rig to play LP's today, I
> would not chose one of these.
> Mechanically, these are a nightmare to repair, although the usual symptoms
> are often the result of the lubricant turning to cement from age. The big
> issue in getting one up and running is the idler wheel. These have not been
> available for at least 20 years, and the only solution, if you need one, is
> to send the original out to a rebuilding service. Should cost somewhere in
> the neighborhood of $35 plus shipping. The original cartridges for these
> were magnetic types with "standard" 1/2 inch mounting. Any modern magnetic
> with the same mounting should work fine. Shure and Pickering made most of
> the cartridges during the "changer era" and many are still around. Styli
> should be no problem. Audio Technica makes some decent units also. Grado's
> are fine also.
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