Could the panel recommend a T.T. and MC and MM plus arm for my lab? please.

edited June 2011 in Analogue
Hi All, 

It has been 25yrs since I bought a TT and now I find we need one for the lab with, arm and MC + MM, as it is going in the Lab (not a dog) it needs to be cheapish and very robust. 
Suggestion please, 

Best Colin


Comments

  • hi Col,
    just my opinion here on decks i have spent a little time with,
    not sure of budget but if you have a well isolated place to put it the Michell tecnodec and tecnoarm would be a very good place to start, for a quick walk in and take home solution,
    if you have time to mess with plinth building a good clean Garrard 401 with audiomods arm is just killer if you like drive and bass power, slightly lacking at the top end but only very slightly !
    clearaudio.s budget emotion is also good but does seem to be better with music that requires finesse rather than grunt and seems to get a little lost with busy hard driving recordings,
    carts are difficult for me to recommend as i use a modded denon dl103 but if i had the cash i would jump for the ortofon 2Mblack, nagaoka mp500 for MM/MI cart and a benz wood s or ace (low output) for MC ,
    again mate , these are just opinions on what i have had chance to listen to,
    IMO TT's are like food and wine, something in the menu above may not be to your taste,
    all the best,
    matt
  • How cheap?
    Decca super gold is a cart I'm very happy with, but I didn't consider it cheap (£500+ I seem to remember).
    It sits in my pioneer PL-71 (I just follow the herd) and the sound, when the vinyl is clean, is surprisingly similar to my TFS. The PL-71 appears to be very robust, if 30 years old, and they pop up occasionally in the usual place.
  • edited June 2011
    It has to survive Geoff and the cats, in the lab, and be movable ,Garrard I like, I worked for them in my teen years are they still being made ? 
    What about a  arm with changeable head shell?
    I had a  Gyro and a Dais but long since gone, plus a Kesike (Something like that) Blue on a Audio Technic  arm.
    But they are not strong enough for bad treatment.
    I will have a look on X-Cove to see if I can find a 401 or one of Matts cast offs he he, has the Claymore arrived home yet??

    Best Col
  • i wish i had a cast off to give you, shopping for a garrard 401 myself at the moment, they are sadly no longer being made, but spares are still plentiful and there are even a few companies making replacement platter bearings ,
    removeable headshell? i think jelco would be the best option for that,
    the claymore is still with paul, he is having a play with it until the end of the week, not sure if he is going to replace those diods you mentioned that may be stressed with the new bulk caps, (over on the TQ Black thread),

    best  regs, matt
  • We found a 401 now for a simple arm a shell the cartridges.
    The 401 was on a old disco unit the second one was mangled a lots, the amp inside still worked and had Germanium Transistors OC25 and others, it was a loft. getting wet. will send pics of the mess.
  • Lots of loving care, then, Col? :-)
  • Not a lot, it was put there I think about 20+yrs ago, and the loft leaks, some beasty has also eaten odd bits of wire, but I also found some 45RPMs, and one I was looking for on the BAF label the Cats.And a few Trojan discs to, I am in for a treat after they are washed and permed.
    The old amp is made by Kingdoms of Southend on Sea, have you come across them ever?
    Back to the TLC
  • I've not heard of Kingdom amplifiers, how obscure! This is like a classic car in a barn - we need pics of this old gear Col.
  • edited July 2011
    Neverheardofem!

    Edit: And neither has Google...
  • hi guys,
    nice find Col,
    i had a kingdom amp with matching TT (rebadged garrard belt drive) and matching speakers (phillips full range driver's) , i was only 11 years old, drove my folks mad playing adam and the ants ,blondie , fleetwood mac, deep purple etc, ah those were the days!
    post a pic or two if you get the chance Col,
    best regs,
    matt
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