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The Almost Audiophile
United States
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 22 ก.พ. 2024
Journey before destination. Tales of an almost audiophile.
My Hi-Fi journey began when I was a teenager, but I took an unintentional break for many years as priorities shifted. But several years ago I started to build a vintage Hi-Fi system that sounded like the ones we had at home in my youth (better even). It’s been a journey but it’s not over yet. In fact, it’s just getting started.
Additionally, TheAlmostAudiophile participates in the Amazon Associate program and may earn an affiliate commission if you purchase something through recommended links. #commissionsearned
Thanks for watching!
My Hi-Fi journey began when I was a teenager, but I took an unintentional break for many years as priorities shifted. But several years ago I started to build a vintage Hi-Fi system that sounded like the ones we had at home in my youth (better even). It’s been a journey but it’s not over yet. In fact, it’s just getting started.
Additionally, TheAlmostAudiophile participates in the Amazon Associate program and may earn an affiliate commission if you purchase something through recommended links. #commissionsearned
Thanks for watching!
Jazz dogs!
My dogs love jazz. Or I like to pretend they do.
#jazzdogs #musicdogs #jazz #charlesmingus
#jazzdogs #musicdogs #jazz #charlesmingus
มุมมอง: 105
วีดีโอ
Is it worth the upgrade? The ATVM95ML (link in description)
มุมมอง 3.8K4 หลายเดือนก่อน
This is a review of The Audio Technica VM95ML turntable stylus. I've wanted to upgrade to this stylus for a while but was hesitant to pull the trigger until now. #commissionsearned #audiophile #audiotechnica #atvm95ml #hifi #acousticresearch TheAlmostAudiophile participates in the Amazon Associate program and may earn an affiliate commission if you purchase something through recommended links b...
Dual 1229 - Restored - Sold - Big mistake?
มุมมอง 2.5K4 หลายเดือนก่อน
This is the story of my brief encounter with the Dual 1229 Turntable from United Audio. Did I make a mistake? #dual1229 #vintageaudio #audiophile #vintagehifi
The Acoustic Research model XA
มุมมอง 3K5 หลายเดือนก่อน
This is an overview of how I acquired and restored my Acoustic Research model XA turntable as well as how it performs for me. (Correction: In the video I say that later models had 2 motors, but I was mistaken. It was the earlier models that had two motors) Acoustic Research Model XA video description links (The Almost Audiophile is not affiliated with any of the creators or sellers linked below...
Django Reinhardt Unchained - ASMR
มุมมอง 5565 หลายเดือนก่อน
Just a little ASMR fun getting ready to play some Django Reinhardt. Hope you enjoy. #audiophile #djangoreinhardt #vintageaudio #nuages #asmr #acousticresearch
The Evolution of the Almost Audiophile System
มุมมอง 3165 หลายเดือนก่อน
When I started this video I originally intended it to be focused mainly on my AR XA turntable. But it seemed to naturally evolve into an abbreviated story of my almost audiophile journey so far. I plan to do a follow up video soon featuring more details about the AR turntable and my overall experience with it. Hope you enjoy this video. Like, subscribe, and comment for more content.
The Almost Audiophile system and brief introduction (001)
มุมมอง 3926 หลายเดือนก่อน
Welcome to The Almost Audiophile! This first episode is a brief tour of The Almost Audiophile system and introduction to the channel. Like, subscribe and comment for more content. I want to know what you’re into and what you want to hear about next. Thank you for tuning in. (Video note: In the video I misspoke the model name of my speakers. They are actually Polk Audio Monitor 10 Series 2)
Coming soon - The Almost Audiophile
มุมมอง 3366 หลายเดือนก่อน
Trailer for The Almost Audiophile. Like and subscribe for upcoming stories and antecdotes of an almost audiophile.
Hey, where did you get the pad from?
Walmart, it’s just a basic felt platter mat. Haha.
Your going deeper on the groove with also more contact More details and info being transported from the Micro Line stylus ❤
Have an XB with a hum. Can you share the source for those new cables. If you already have provided a link, just ignore the question.
There is a link in the description if you scroll down to Custom RCA Cables. I reused the old ground cable because the hum was coming from the RCA cables in my case, but I bet if you message the seller he’d be willing to make you a new ground cable as well if you ask nicely and give him a detailed description with photos. The ground cable has several connection points that can’t be ignored.
@@TheAlmostAudiophile AH! The penny drops. Thanks for the fast reply... What a gr8 video... Enjoyed the whole thing start to finish. Love the platter mat! will look for link on that. Are you willing to reveal the auction site you used to find the AR and the receiver?
The platter mat is so basic. I found it at Walmart. Haha
Auction Ohio I think. Unfortunately you almost always have to pick up in person. But well worth it for this one.
Thanks for sharing, I use a 95E also because it was cheap and was wondering how much of an upgrade to the ML would be, I like to swap cartridges to learn the differences, and needle replacement is easy with this AT.
Check out the links in the description.
Yes, I think it was a big mistake to sell it. I have a Dual 1229 also, that I completely overhauled. I was the original owner, so my Dual was in better cosmetic condition than yours but it was not in working condition at all. I had to remove all the old grease, relube everything, replace steurpimple, refill silicone damper fluid and several other parts, but it works like new and sounds great with a new AT540ml cartridge! I will never sell this Dual, not after all the sweat I put into it.
VM95E causes a lot of sibilance in the vocals for me. Is it improved or removed here in the ML?
I have not experienced excessive sibilance in either the 95e or 95ml. Although I admit my experience is anecdotal, I’ve not heard anyone else comment about 95e or ml excessive sibilance issues.
The ML does a great job of reducing/ removing sibilance distortion. If you still have problems, blame it on either 1) the condition of the disc, or, 2) the mastering engineer allowing it to be too sibilant to begin with.
The sibilance on that “e” could most likely be from a wrong set up not the cart Ck the overhang and VTA and especially the azimuth geometry it’s super critical and it’s usually what causes this plus the VTA at 92 degrees (no more than that) and start at the middle range of the tracking force and adjust up heavier until base and vocals are as clear as possible and the base is punchy and not rumbling or missing. Good luck
I had one years ago and it was a surprisingly great sounding deck. Mine had a nice aftermarket arm lift. Wish I hadn’t sold it.
In my experience the VM95ML is one of the best budget cartridges since its release some years ago. It needs relativly low load capacitance around 200pf tho,but it is not overly picky about the tonearm (mass) as long as its not a ultra light or ultra heavy one. Imho a ideal replacement cartridge for many vintage turntables with medium mass S-tonearms. But it also works fine for example in lighter pre ULM straight Dual tonearms from the seventies. Soundwise its a tonally balanced cartridge with a slight tendency to the analytical side.
I still use my older turntables when I upgrade and keep them in my main system. My new Linn has an expensive cartridge so I use an older one with the K9 cartridge for older worn records. This cartridge accepts the ATVM95 series stylus’s so is cheap to replace. A third turntable a Rega P3 has a dedicated mono cartridge.
Nice review! Looks like a nice example of the original AR turntable you have there!👍🏻
I agree absolutely brilliant cartridge and stylus. I love it
The most fun thing about my new hobby of playing with hi-fi equipment is luck and serendipity of finding valuable things that other people didn't want. The other day I hadn't planned on stopping by a Goodwill outlet but I really had to pee and I knew they would have a bathroom. , had a pair of JBL 100 speakers for sale for $40 for the pair. They probably hadn't worked for a long time because the pots needed to be cleaned and the speakers weren't playing. After about 15 minutes of TLC they work perfectly. I have also rescued several turntables from the Goodwill bins. Somewhat would require a lot of labor to get them going again but others just needed a belt and a little bit cleaning of the pots. I enjoy seeing what other people find as well... like your turntable.
Great cartridge. It’s worth sourcing an alignment protractor which has two sets of parallel lines marked on the sweep across the record. It will help optimise the tracking across the whole record, not just the inner grooves. By the way, the AR turntable is fine with this level of cartridge. It’s simple looks disguise its quality.
Those aiwa must go ( It’s plastic )
I agree! Got rid of that months ago!
Nice turntable but that blue and silver plastic component on the floor must go it doesn’t belong there it’s ruining the vintage looks but over all good video
Thanks! I was using it for CDs until I got a dedicated CD player. Now it’s gone.
Nice video May I suggest that you place your amplifier in an area where it can breathe with better ventilation
Great suggestion! Thank you!
"Under $30"?! Wow, great score! Even finding an XA dustcover alone (in good shape) at that price is a deal! In the very early ones the 2nd motor had only one purpose: to bias the main motor to start spinning in the proper clockwise direction. This was because the best (i.e. quietest) drive motor AR could buy at the time spun in whichever direction it was initially nudged to do so and the various direction biasing mechanisms to solve this, at the time, also generated their own noise so were still objectionable. The second motor provided this initial direction "nudge" to the main motor via a tiny rubber belt to it. Later a single motor was found which was also equally quiet yet consistently only spun clockwise, so the "direction to start" motor was dropped. I know it seems odd but the failure to start spinning on its own with yours is possibly due to a failure to talc the belt annually. I know, you'd think: "But wouldn't the talc make it slip more and have an even HARDER time coming up to speed?" Yes, intuitively that would seem to make sense to me also, but for some odd reason it doesn't work that way. Another reason startup can be is slow (over 5 seconds) might be either that the bearing isn't clean and oiled or the thrust plate (the small, hard plastic disc at the bottom of the bearing hole) is worn out. After years/decades of use the spinning shaft drills a divot into this hard plastic so rather than a teeny tiny contact area (with almost no friction) the contact point turns into a larger bowl shaped depression with lots of friction on the shaft. If you are lucky the other side of this existing thrust plate disc is unused, unworn, so simply flipping the thrust plate disc over will get you back to the proper flat surface it should be. Otherwise you'd need to buy/fabricate a new one. [On a side note: XA tonearms that don't rotate freely might be missing their ball bearing under that shaft but the platter shaft has no ball bearing]. Good luck.
Thanks! Yeah, after putting talc on the belt again recently, it starts up so much better! Thanks! And thanks for the input on the bearing. I’ll keep an eye on that as well. I cleaned and lubed it when I first started restoring it. Doesn’t seem to be much of an issue at this point but good to know. By the way, I love your video about the ARXA. It really made me appreciate what I have. I found it early on when I started getting it fixed up.
Great video, I’m guessing you seen the M. Zillch required watching for anyone who owns or plans to get one.
I have! Great video! It definitely helped me really appreciate what I had as I was working on fixing it up.
@@TheAlmostAudiophile I’m finally getting around to restore the two I have. One mostly stock, which pretty much looked just like yours and the other was rough awful plinth and the infamous melted platter matt.
Good luck! Sounds like a lot of fun with a little frustration mixed in. I’m sure it’ll be worth it when you’re done.
You want to be interesting? Be distinctive from the others who came before you. Be different. You want to talk about the ARXA? What do you have to say that hasn't been said hundreds of times before. Anecdotal or stories of how you came to own average equipment, mmmmm, aaaaah, not that interesting unless it's some uber cool product. Try to be distinctive like an AT ML cart on a ARXA, that was different. Dump the 482 CD player and the dual cassette deck. They're junk. Look for early CD players utilizing the Philips TDA 1541 DAC or Sonys with BUI laser transports(made of metal). You might find one in mint condition for a hundred bucks. Sites like Dutch Audio Classics lists all the decks with 1541vDACs. Mechanical devices like tape decks are expensive. No way around it. Avoid being like 99% of the doofuses on the web; Cheapaudio man, Jay's iyagi and their ilk who review the latest junk from China every week, with another "is this best thing or what" videos. Also making comparison videos where we're supposed to glean sonic differences over the internet. So, go forth and conquer or as a physics Professor I had in college used to say, "Or Someting Like Dat".
Okay, so I have watched, perused I think all of your videos and I appreciate that they're not vey long. Since I'm on the AT ML cart review, it is an excellent cartridge and honestly wonder if it's not too good for that turntable. The ARXA is a nice turntable. It's just not that special anymore. Yes, it might be better than the tables you have owned, but that's not saying much. I'm still amazed that you found your path to that cartridge because that cartridge and the entire Audio Technica line I think represents about the best bang for the buck at most price points. The contact line stylus is press fitted(nude) to the cantilever without a shank with fewer resonating parts, lower tip mass equals improved sound not to mention the superior polish on the stylus and better than say any offering from someone like Ortofon which I think are overrated. Simply put, this cartridge will work on a ten, fifteen, twenty grand turntable setup and just as important a better phono preamp. In other words, it will sound better and better on better equipment, it's that good. I don't think you ever see a cartridge like that on a table like that. So kudos to you.
Thanks for the comments and advice. I have no doubt that the stylus I’m using could be better maximized with higher end equipment. For the time being I’m pleased with the audible improvement it gives my system. I intend to make upgrades to my system down the road as I continue on in my journey.
Was the cartridge new when you bought it?
Yes, brand new at the time of repairs. But I did recently upgrade the stylus to the ATVM95ML. I’m really loving it.
I've owned four over the last forty years from just cleaning one up, to modifications and complete restorations of others. The last and prettiest ARXA I owned I rebuilt motor with new lighted motor switch. All bearings redone with main platter bearing given a Lap polish plus the platter was brought to a mirror finish at a local machine shop that I have used for years, plus rewiring arm with a magnesium headshell that removes any breaks in the signal from the cartridge tabs to the RCA cables using a cotton wrapped wire(expensive). A couple of things about the table; Did you check the cartridge geometry is correct? The connections between the tonearm wire and the RCA leads out are attached poorly to that tin metal strap. It's better to solder the tonearm leads directly to the RCA cables and bypassing that tin strap. Why they did that I guess is for convenience at the expense of performance. Make sure the platter is level to the plinth and that the whole turntable is perfectly level. You can use a 4mm hex wrench as a guide to level the platter by placing it between the platter and base at the three points where the springs are. Adjust the platter height until it just clears the 4mm wrench at all three points. if you're feeling adventurous you could rewire the arm. I think why this turntable makes all these lists is Edgar Villchur's three point sprung sub chassis design set the trend for most highend turntables in the ensuing decades. I'll add the 1957 Quad ESL's and Futterman's OTL amp designs. from the fifties. Add a modern high end phono preamp to the three components and in a lot of ways you're making music few systems can muster today.
Yes, geometry measured spot on, including the overhang. I didn’t even have to make any adjustments. Which surprised me. I’ll have to look into bypassing that tin strap for the RCA leads. But I did clean it very well and the leads feel tight. I haven’t had an issues with noise or poor ground connection (not since I replaced the original RCA cables with new). I have no doubt that I could make improvements to it. I did everything I thought needed to make it perform well. I usually go by the general rule “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, I’ve made stuff worse when not following that rule. I actually have somewhat limited experience making repairs to equipment and generally have to do lots of research and watch lots of videos to make sure I’m doing it right. Example: I removed the cartridge once to fit another turntable I was repairing because I was impatient and didn’t want to wait for a new cartridge to test it. I accidentally broke a lead wire at the solder point and had to resolder it. Worked fine afterwards but I couldn’t get the wires back up under inside the headshell nice and neat, so I’ve just left it that way because it still sounds great. I’ll probably get around to either fixing it or replacing the headshell at some point when there’s a problem. But I’m not great with soldering tiny wires so I try to avoid it if possible. I really appreciate your advice. You’ve given me some helpful information to research and consider.
01:15 it is pronounced "Stoiarpimpel". you got the "Pimpel" right. "eu" is pronounced like "oi" in 'oi mate' or like the oi that oi-punks keep saying. "er" is pronounced as "ar" with a soft r. kind of like in the word 'car'. you could get away with just using "a" and just dropping the r. "a" pronounced as in 'car' not as in 'had' i've been watching a couple of 1229 vids this afternoon and noticed the common weird pronounciation of the Steuerpimpel. Just like your 1229 you were 90% there ;)
Thanks for the comments.
@@TheAlmostAudiophile i just noticed: 'oi' just like 'oy' on the word 'toy' might be more easy to understand
I like your presentation of this vid, I'm a born again vinyl listener, I gave my vinyl to a charity shop in the 90s, my wife bought me a audio-technica turntable for Christmas just gone and I love it since then I've amassed about 70 albums, I'm addicted I'm loving the listening experience again. Subscribed
Thank you for sharing and subscribing!Glad you’re enjoying your listening experience! That’s what really matters. There’s nothing quite like putting a record on and dropping that needle down. It is quite addictive for some reason. Cheers!
i have used the shibata version of this cartridge for a couple of years and its a keeper, also they are very easy to fit and set up.
Next time I upgrade my stylus I plan to try out the shibata.
@@TheAlmostAudiophile it has kind of a wider, fuller sound with softer more rounded highs. From the soundtests I heard I went with the shibata.
Of these, the shibita brown cartridge is the best,.Get a decent head on the arm.!This is catastrophic!
I am not noticing a problem with the head. Would you be able to explain further?
I just got one, solid turntable 👍🏻
Nice! Was it already in good shape or did you have to tweak it?
@@TheAlmostAudiophile it needed a new belt and to oil the motor, now it is running good
@@AudioElectronicsChicago it’s amazing how often vintage equipment just needs a little TLC to get up and running again. I considered taking mine into a professional to restore it but I’m sure I saved hundreds of dollars by doing it myself.
I found one on the curb awaiting the garbage pickup back in the early 80's, fixed it up and gifted it to a coworker along with some KLH -9 (?) found in the dumpster, I really enjoyed the pre-internet research, and used it until I bought a Thorens TD-146. The arm bearings were a bit of a mystery - and hum with a Grado cartridge can be an issue. The suspension works best on a rigid base - not happy with floors that bounce - I wall-mounted a shelf. Rest of my system at college (UIUC, mid-70's) was an early AR table w/ Grado F3E cartridge, Dynaco SCA-35 integrated (kit-built), and custom speakers I designed/built with parts from CTS (KY) and McGee of Kansas City. I usually crafted 2-way sealed box, but then discovered 10" passive radiator / 8" woofer that were matched by mfr.
Nice! Just sitting on the curb! And KLH speakers in the dumpster! Wow! I’d love to test out some good KLH speakers, either vintage restored or some of the higher end new models that are out there. I’d also love to test out a Thorens turntable if ever given the chance. I know what you mean about a bouncy floor. I originally had my AR near an outside wall on a very sturdy stand. It never had an issue with the suspension until I moved it to a better location for the acoustics of the room. But now I have to tread lightly because the floor moves a little. Been considering how to fix that issue. Maybe I can try a shelf built into the wall like you did. Bet it would work.
the 1229 was my first turntable back in 1973 when I was in the Marines at 29 Palms. Played like a dream
I like the idea of following someone's system building journey from scratch. Everybody on TH-cam likes to pretend they are an expert. A warning, though, once you start it's hard to stop. My wife describes it as a form of mental illness. An incurable one. The symptoms can only be controlled by buying more kit, though I see you have young kids, so that should keep the worst of the obsession at bay..
I’m definitely already experiencing some “not wanting to stop”, but thankfully several audiophile channels I subscribe to (Steve Guttenberg is maybe my favorite) have influenced me to be happy with what I have for the moment and only make purchases of new equipment when you can afford it and have a genuine need for it. I did recently upgrade my stylus to an ATVM95ML which was no small investment for me. But I needed a new stylus and I’m really happy with it. I don’t know what my next upgrade will be but I’m very content at the moment. So thanks again for the feedback. I also commented back on the other video.
The big mistake was starting to use misleading, click bait titles when you only have 57 subs. It puts people off. I expected a juicy tale of fixing woe and instead got a predictable yawn. What I would have liked was to see some of the work you put into it. Despite that massive, and frankly hurtful, betrayal of trust I have subbed. Call me a glutton for punishment. I have recently got into vintage tables, particularly the Technics fully automatic linear tracking tables of the early tables and have discovered the first rule of vintage table buying. It doesn't matter how perfect the seller says it works, there is always something wrong with it. With amps. 50% of sold as faulty amps just need Deoxit on the pots, and the rest take weeks. Good luck with the channel, but mend thy click bait ways, my son.
I genuinely appreciate your feedback. Regarding the Dual, I wish I had documented better the work I put into it. I probably could have found images online to show/demonstrate the work I put into it. I’m sure you can tell I’m pretty new at both TH-cam and vintage audio. I’ve researched quite a bit but have only actually owned several quality components, most of which I’ve featured in videos already. I never want to pretend I’m an expert, just sharing my experiences and enthusiasm and hopefully learning from others along the way. Regarding the Technics. I’ve never played a linear tracking turntable. I know Technics has put out some high quality turntables over the years. Do you find the linear tracking to be better? Does it have drawbacks? Thanks for watching!
I subbed precisely because you don't regard yourself as an expert. I think it will be fun learning along with you. I have not noticed a significant improvement in sound quality with the Technics, but they are of course 40 year old tables. My Clearaudio and MoFi decks beat them by a bit, but both have better cartridges so not a fair fight. What I love is the engineering and simplicity of use. My SL7 is tiny and can play vertical or upside down, and my QL15 allows you to program which tracks to play and in what order. Lots of fun.
Sounds fascinating! I’ll have to look into those models a little bit.
Funny comment
Yes, you did make a big Mistake, selling it! I still got mine, that i bought for 15€ at eBay. It is up and running, and it is a lot of fun!
Glad you still have yours and that you’re enjoying it. I still have some regrets selling mine but hope I can find another one down the road. In the meantime, I’m still very happy with my ARXA.
@@TheAlmostAudiophile ARXA? Did not know that one! Locks greate! By the way: You did a great Job on the Dual! Here in Germany, they are still all over the place. Dual was the standard Recordplayer of the 50s and 60s and 70s. So it is quite easy, finding some on eBay. It also happend to me, to get one from my neighbor. For free.. Right now, I own one 1225, a 1019, 2 x 1219, 1229 and a newer model, the 604. Oh god, I've got to sell some! *g* I wish you luck, finding another one.
Thank you for the reply. I have seen some on eBay. Considering trying to get one that needs a little work for cheaper than one that is refurbished. I think I could fix it now having some experience. If you don’t know much about the ARXA (Acoustic Research model XA) it is worth researching a little. I found one and fixed it up before I found the Dual 1229. It is my main turntable. I wouldn’t have sold the Dual if I hadn’t already had a vintage turntable that I love.
Molte persone si liberano di apparecchi fantastici a causa della mancanza di spazio. Ma con piccoli suggerimenti si può eliminare qualsiasi problema. Basta comprare alcuni trasmettitori/ricevitori bluetooth e collegarli ai connettori di uscita dal giradischi, dal lettore CD, dal sintonizzatore etc...etc...ai connettori degli ingressi dell'amplificatore. Io ho posizionato il giradischi e i dischi in libreria e da 4 metri di distanza ricevo il segnale nell'amplificatore. Mai nessuna perdita di segnale, Il costo dei trasmettitori/ricevitori complessivo di trasporto e consegna può essere 4/5 euro l'uno, comprandoli nei negozi cinesi tipo Wish,Temu etc...etc.... Funzionano perfettamente per tutti gli apparecchi. Saluti da Roma.
Thanks for the comment!
I had a Dual 1229 for about twenty years from the mid 1970's until the 1990's. I wish I still had it. I had it paired with some nice Dynaco components. I miss those too!
I bet it sounded great!
Twist the cartridge when you mount it. twist it in a little bit up to probably 2 mm start off at 1mm that will help with your inner groove distortion plus the arm is too high designed to be lower the pivot point is meant to be at the height of the mat
Thanks for the tip!
When I look at the tonearm and headshell from a direct side view they appear to be parallel. Could I be missing something? Several others have also commented about it appearing that it isn’t correct on my setup. Any advice is appreciated, thanks.
Thank you! I will look into this. Though when I first looked into headshells for the AR I ran into a problem, the connection is not standard, that’s why I purchased a replica of the original. Standard 1/2” headshells are not compatible with the original AR tonearm. I’ll check to see if the Ortofon will work with it.
Actually, it’s the threads on the nut that holds the headshell in place, they don’t work with standard mounts. Maybe there’s another headshell design that’s compatible but I haven’t found it yet.
No worries. Thanks for the input regardless.
Yes, you made a big mistake. Most of us would kill for that Dual.
Ugh! I know! But I also know I will be able to find another one and fix it up even better than that one! Cheers!
I have a Dual 1229 I got from my Dad. Bought it through PACEX while in the army. Circa 1973. It has a nicer case than the one you have. Works extremely well. (I too was buying stereo gear while overseas - I was in high school & went through 3). Who would have thought I would end up with the single turntable my dad would own for the rest of his life.
Cheers to that! Thanks for sharing! And thanks for watching!
I love it too! It was a big noise in the late 60's early 70's, great buy.
And still relevant today!
@@TheAlmostAudiophile agreed, it’s a practical item of hifi
If the gimbal is loose and not moving with the single/multiple lever, it means the the locating pins on the outer gimbal ring that move the gimbal up and down are probably broken. It's a common problem caused by someone forcing the single/multiplay lever on a turntable that hasn't had that assembly degreased and relubed since it was new. The rubber retainer washer gets very hard as well causing great stress on the assembly, and the pins break.Unfortunately, this is a very tough fix. Usually, some method of disabling the whole assembly by locking it down is required. There are some guys 3D printing the part, but it's a real bear to replace it.
I’m pretty sure that both of those parts needed attention. Part of me still wishes that I had taken the time to take it apart further, diagnose better and replace those needed parts but it seemed like more work than I had time to commit to. But I learned a lot and if I get the chance with another Dual I think I would do a more complete restoration after doing some more research.
No Dual turntable is a total mistake. Some are better or worse, though: I would avoid those with all-plastic housings. Your problem with arm movement was caused by the single/multi selector, specifically the two steel balls and the rubber ring that holds them in. Refer to the service manual for details.
Yeah, I looked into it a little and decided not to tackle it. But if I get the chance with another dual in the future I hope to do a more detailed restoration.
My old turntable. Thanks.
You're welcome!
Welcome to youtube, its realy nice meet someone thats thinks like me and other people that not into the "most expensive" or "most rare" stuff, i love the ideia of someone with a nice system and a lot of time into the hobby to share some historys and facts learn with the time, i deeply hope that you keep that ideia !
Thank you for the welcome! And thanks for watching!
Okay, but what you have gained was the knowledge, experienced, and any a combination of experience, and skill that you possess to purchase another vintage Dual 1229 Turntable. Or if you buy a similar Dual turntable you are more capable to make an easier, and more effective rebuild! A thorough, descriptive lecture, and practical demonstration; thumbs up easily, and I subscribed. In my case from a couple of years ago I restored, repaired, and upgraded a Rega Planar 3 that I bought that was mostly a plinth; it is connected to my second audio system. Long story. Another long story was a Sony PS-LX3 Direct Drive Turntable, manufactured in the early 1980s, that was in very good condition in the photos of the advertisement; except for the big dent to the left side that was hidden. This Sony LX3 is a direct driven turntable that has received very good reviews on vinylengine; as I had done a bit of research. When the Sony LX3 was delivered to me the seller had neglected to remove the Platter, and Mat; and to enclose Platter in a separate box, or place! Sony LX3 Direct Drive's condition was a disaster! The Dust Cover that was in top condition had a broken hole to the left side; cause by the Platter inside, as it was not at least taped down. Only thing that was taped down a bit was the Dust Cover, and as I've explained the LX3 was almost destroyed! It was a miracle that I restored it, I did shallow repairs, and also bought a new stylus; with the help of vinylengine dot com. With a Harman Kardon T25 Semi Automatic belt drive, of 1983, that I bought more than a couple of years ago, all I had to do was re-align the cartridge, lubricate the main spindle bearing with a special oil I bought on Canadian ebay. I later mounted a used Denon DL-80A Moving Coil cartridge, high output. I'm going to re-mount the original Audio Technica AT70 MM with a new nude elliptical stylus from turntableneedles dot com. In conclusion I do not believe that you made a big mistake on not keeping that Dual 1229; maybe there is another Dual turntable more preferable.🔉🎵🎶
You are so right! What a great perspective! The experience was well worth it. And I do think I’ll have the chance to get another Dual down the road. Thank you so much for sharing about some of your experiences. That’s exactly why I’m here on TH-cam, to hear and learn from people like you and to share my experiences. I’ve always been interested in HiFi and very much drawn to vintage equipment. Probably in part because of youthful nostalgia. But I’ve only been getting my hands dirty with it very recently. Thanks for watching! And for sharing!
@@TheAlmostAudiophile Thank you very much for noticing, and replying.
I think most ppl regret selling their vintage tt, always a space problem😂
Very true! Haha!
I found the AR turntable to have too much friction in the tone arm bearings.
I had an issue with the vertical pivot bearing not releasing and it wouldn’t lower to the record all the way when the vertical shaft was tightened to the gimbal (I think that’s the right word). There were two small washers inside that had completely worn out so I removed what was left of them and put a new plastic washer on the outside. I think they were supposed to keep the stylus from crashing down hard on the record or plinth. Now mine works fine but I have to be careful because it will drop straight down on the plinth or record if I let go of the headshell too soon.
Mine doesn't have that problem.
My friend Mick got his new in the early 1970s !I think his was the later version and it is a fantastic sounding turntable!
That’s really cool! Was it a later version of the XA or later model like the XB? I made a mistake in the video. The early XAs actually had two motors but mine only has one. That leads me to believe mine is actually a later XA. I’m not sure how many versions were made.
@@TheAlmostAudiophile XB version got the arm lift ! He still uses it with his Quad amps and JBL speakers! Sounds so good!
I’ve heard the XB performs about as well as the XA if not better. I’m not sure if it was quite as popular. I don’t hear as much about it as the XA. I’ve wondered why that is.
It is an XB my AR ETL 1 turntable is its grandson which was more pretty and electric speed switching!But the guts are similar! AR we’re great and it was a sad day when they closed!
Indeed! Thanks for sharing!
I bought one f those at the PX in Korea and ran it for a lot of years. It was an absolute steal back then. I used a Shure M97 cartridge back them. I now use a Rega RP3.
Nice! The owner of the local record store in town had a Rega P3 setup with a vintage McIntosh system for a while. Sounded pretty amazing. I’ve never had the privilege of hearing a Shure M97 cartridge but I’ve heard great things about them. I don’t think they make them anymore. I had read somewhere that they were often sold together with the Acoustic Research turntables. I’m looking to upgrade my stylus soon. Thinking about the ATVM95ML because I already have the compatible cartridge.
The 2 motor tables were earlier than the one motor tables.
Thank you for this information!
I had this turntable for many years. I bought it new.
I would love to hear more about that experience. I am embarrassed to admit that I had never even heard of this turntable until 2022. But I am in love with it now, 43 years after its initial release.
@@TheAlmostAudiophile I used to visit the AR demonstration room in Grand Central Station in NY when I was a kid where they let you listen for a long time and sold nothing. It was a really peaceful place with all AR equipment. Eventually I saved up enough to get my first system. Funny thing was I listened to Dynaco A25 speakers in Sam Goody's and like those best. So I got an AR Receiver, the AR XA turntable, a Shure V15 tyoe-2 cartridge, and the Dynaco speakers. The A25 drivers seem to disappear and they just seemed more natural and more "of a piece" than all the AR speakers, even the 3A. I painstakingly installed the cartridge in the head shell (I had never done anything like that, putting in the tiny shims that came with the AR and was nervous that I would get things wrong, carefully set the tracking force at 1 gram using the primitive little tracking force gauge, and was amazed that it worked. I put on my favorite album, Carole King's Tapestry and was floored by the resonant piano and sweet vocals. I loved my Beatles and Stones and Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder (Innervisions!), etc.. I had that system for about 10 years and remember how it sounded in vivid detail. It led me into a long audio journey. Thanks again for your great videos.
You’re welcome! Thank you so much for sharing! I love to hear stories like this!
Welcome
Thank you