Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Automatic turntables/record changers

For the most part these have always represented a compromise in quality, taking a backseat to convenience, (read CD).

Dual, Garrard, BSR, Miracord, and a few others offered fully automatic tables/changers throughout the years.
A number of reasons these were bad for sound and your records, stacking, VTA off, resonance, etc. Even Thing  above is getting fingerprints on them!

Sunday, May 12, 2013

One man's junk........




I have been staring at this small paper plate full of busted phono cartridges on my dresser for about a couple of years now. A Goldbug Mr. Brier (the only one of these I actually damaged myself, taking it out of a cartridge case and my fingers slipped), a Monster Cable Genesis Sigma 2000, a Sumiko Blue Point Special, a Benz Micro Glider, and a Denon 103s that the diamond came unglued. With the advent of the new US Audio Mart, I decided to advertise a few of them for sale in need of re-tipping. After all, the ads are free. There are places like the Soundsmith that do this, it is not cheap. With the cost of a new quality low output MC cartridge knocking on the $1-2000+. mark today, this is a viable alternative for many. For myself, having 20+ working quality cartridges still, it is something I probably will not bother to do. A simple matter of making sure the coils are good (not shorted or open) with a meter, and someone can make something out of these. Five emails on the Goldbug in the first two days, the guy in Tennessee who simply said "I would like to buy this" won. The Monster is on its way to Portland Oregon to a guy that has always wanted one, and some interest in the Benz. So far the little paper plate full of busted phono cartridges has generated about $600. A couple more to list. Maybe if I clean them up I can sell my used toothbrushes?