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From: greg@olivej.UUCP (Greg Paley)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Turntable suggestions wanted
Message-ID: <111@olivej.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 29-Dec-83 13:28:53 EST
Article-I.D.: olivej.111
Posted: Thu Dec 29 13:28:53 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Dec-83 11:38:34 EST
Organization: Olivetti ATC., Cupertino, Ca
Lines: 48

I've followed the various commentaries on high end turntables with
great interest.  Based on my own listening experiences, my first
choice would be the SOTA Sapphire, probably with the new Premier
arm and an Accuphase.  However, with a wife, two kids, and a single
income, I simply can't afford it.  Does anybody have suggestions
in the $500 range?  I currently have a ca. 1976 Sony 2251 (seems
much better than their current models - it was a $500 manual
turntable in 1976 and we all know what inflation has gone on 
since) with integrated arm, and I'm using a Grace F9-Ruby which
I'd like to keep with a newer turntable.  Since the Sony is
direct drive, I would probably do better with one of the newer
high-quality belt-drive units.  Also, what was considered a
low-mass arm in 1976 is probably no longer in that category,
relatively speaking.  The following seem to me to represent the
viable choices in my price range:
	
    Thorens 147 - looks beautiful, sounded great from what chance
        I had to try it out (limited) and has the automatic
        shutoff (important when you have to run to change a 
        diaper just before the end of the side).
    Harmon-Kardon T-60 - Absolute Sound and Fanfare liked it.
        Has the main advantages of the Thorens but looks and
        feels much flimsier, which makes me wonder about its
        long-range durability.
    The "new" AR - haven't been able to test it out firsthand,
        but have seen good reviews.
    Thorens 160 w/ Grace 707MkII - apparently same basic table
        as the 147.  Might be a better match for the Grace
        cartridge, but goodbye to auto shut-off and perhaps
        more tweaking necessary to tune the suspension to a
        non-integrated arm.

If anyone can supply additional insights, information, or
alternative suggestions I'd be very grateful.  For the record,
the rest of my system consists of a Telefunken TRX-3000 receiver
(of which I'm only using the tuner currently), Hafler 110
preamp and 220 power amp, Nakamichi 480 cassette deck, and
(brand new) Vandersteen 2C speakers.  My primary music listening
is classical (symphonic, operatic, chamber) and jazz (mostly
30's, 40's and 50's).

Greg Paley
Olivetti ATC
Cupertino, Ca.
(408)996-3867 X.353