Turntable advice sought.

[Dave]

My current turntable is a B&O TX with an MMC2 cartridge, the one with the r=
uby cantilever. It has served me well since 1985, just replacing the cartr=
idge now and again, but is now showing its age. The record turning and lin=
ear tonearm are working like new, but some bits, held on with a double-side=
d tape, are coming adrift, including the cover over the tonearm and the mai=
n plate surrounding the turntable. None of these seem to affect the sound.=
The automatic operation still works properly. The other age issue is tha=
t B&O no longer make cartridges and the Soundsmith ones are rather expensiv=
e. I am probably overdue for a new cartridge.

My thoughts have been running to replacing the table with a Project Carbon,=
have read very good things about it, or getting another automatic table, l=
ike a Denon 300, probably with a better cartridge than the AT one it comes =
with, maybe a Shure 97.

Here is where I need some advice. Local shops, like QAudio, claim to have =
tables in store, but I doubt that I would be able to tell by listening if t=
hey sound as good or better than the B&O. Everything would be different - m=
ounting shelf, amplifier and speakers. My options are to fix the B&O with=
automotive double sided tape and get a Soundsmith SMMC2 (maybe SMMC1?) or =
get a new table. I like having the fully automatic feature. My previous t=
able was an Linn LP12 with a Grace 707 and Dynavector cartridge, think it w=
as a 103, but that was nearly 30 years ago. I loved it, but it needed cons=
tant care and the fully manual operation caused my wife some problems.

Ancillary equipment is Pioneer SC-37 receiver with very quiet phone preamp,=
good thing as the MMC2 is low output and Spendor S5e speakers. I have bee=
n checking local (Boston area) Craiglist for turntables, but have not seen =
anything in the last several months that looked appealing.

Any thoughts out there?

[Dave]

Well, the fever hit me bad while at Qaudio yesterday and I bought a used Te=
chnics SL-1600 mk2 with a new Denon 110 cartridge. No regrets so far and i=
t seems a lot better than either the Denon or Pro-ject decks I was consider=
ing The low output Denon is not much lower than the B&O MMC2, but it seems=
to track worn records better, or maybe the MMC2 was just aged out.

About a dozen records down now and still happy.

[Peter Wieck]

On Thursday, May 1, 2014 8:02:34 PM UTC-4, Dave wrote:
> My current turntable is a B&O TX with an MMC2 cartridge, the one with the=
ruby cantilever. It has served me well since 1985, just replacing the car=
tridge now and again, but is now showing its age. The record turning and l=
inear tonearm are working like new, but some bits, held on with a double-si=
ded tape, are coming adrift, including the cover over the tonearm and the m=
ain plate surrounding the turntable. None of these seem to affect the soun=
d. The automatic operation still works properly. The other age issue is t=
hat B&O no longer make cartridges and the Soundsmith ones are rather expens=
ive. I am probably overdue for a new cartridge.
>=20
>=20
>=20
> My thoughts have been running to replacing the table with a Project Carbo=
n, have read very good things about it, or getting another automatic table,=
like a Denon 300, probably with a better cartridge than the AT one it come=
s with, maybe a Shure 97.
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Here is where I need some advice. Local shops, like QAudio, claim to hav=
e tables in store, but I doubt that I would be able to tell by listening if=
they sound as good or better than the B&O. Everything would be different -=
mounting shelf, amplifier and speakers. My options are to fix the B&O wi=
th automotive double sided tape and get a Soundsmith SMMC2 (maybe SMMC1?) o=
r get a new table. I like having the fully automatic feature. My previous=
table was an Linn LP12 with a Grace 707 and Dynavector cartridge, think it=
was a 103, but that was nearly 30 years ago. I loved it, but it needed co=
nstant care and the fully manual operation caused my wife some problems.
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Ancillary equipment is Pioneer SC-37 receiver with very quiet phone pream=
p, good thing as the MMC2 is low output and Spendor S5e speakers. I have b=
een checking local (Boston area) Craiglist for turntables, but have not see=
n anything in the last several months that looked appealing.
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Any thoughts out there?

Stick with linear. I have a 'since 1978' HK/Rabco that has served me well a=
nd spoiled me thoroughly - but I recently restored a Revox and have another=
Rabco in reserve. The benefit of the above is that they will accept any gi=
ven cartridge you choose - not limited to the B&O stuff for which the world=
is sought in price and barely a small asteroid is delivered in performance=
..=20

Best of luck with finding a replacement!

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA