A Picture Of My Heavily Modified AR XA Turntable

[Neonknight]

Took this picture with my tablet, unfortunately it is not the sharpest. But it is the best rendition I have had of the color of the top plate and the base. When you expand it, it works a bit better. But its still not a well focused picture. Apparently the camera in the Surface RT tablet leaves a lot to be desired.

The base is a lace wood frame, with 14 or 16 coats of hand rubbed varnish. The top plate is a metallic cream auto paint. The suspension is rebuilt with Linn springs, newly designed perches, and dampers. The sub chassis has had down rigger weights to move its center of balance lower, and have the springs inclined to travel in a vertical motion rather than a horizontal plane. The spindle and bearing get an improved polish, and the motor is rebuilt and isolated. The arm gets the vertical pivot pins replaced, and new v blocks with sapphire lining to improve friction. The arm tube is replaced with a Technics tube that is damped, and this allows for a standard head shell. Arm is wired with the KAB internal wire, and I added an Ortofon Hi Jack cue device so its not hand cued.

The cartridge is a Denon 103M that I had retipped with a line contact stylus. It is a higher compliance cartridge that likes the lighter arm on this table. The head shell is an ebony wood one from Yamamoto. Adds a bit of mass to the whole set up. The 103M is a remarkable cartridge, not really related to the 103 or 103R cartridges at all. However the .12 mV output voltage is a challenge to deal with.

I use tis as my casual table, playing my pop and rock albums. Truth is it does not sound very far off from my refurbished TD 124/Eminent Technology II/Transfiguration Spirit III set up. I can listen to my good jazz and folk records and be quite content with it. Given what it costs, its just an awesome deal on good analog playback.

[jammy395]

Well it looks cool NK.
I kind of like the minimalist looks.
Thanks for sharing.

[Neonknight]

The AR XA is one of the first suspended tables, and had a lot of success due to its modest price. There is a bit of debate, but from what I read Stromberg Carlson is credited for inventing the belt drive/suspended table. But I certainly could be wrong about that. Although the AR XA was the most successful one. Edward Villichur was given the credit for this one, although there is information out there that said Mitch Cotter is a contributer on the early design.

But the AR XA was the fore runner to the Ariston design, and in turn the LP 12, and the belt drive/suspended versions of the Thorens tables like the TD 125.

It has the two piece platter, a metal t-bar sub chassis with springs and adjusters on the under side. Static motor with fly wheel pulley system. For all intents and purposes it set the blue print for the turntable builders that followed.

The person who built mine and implemented the updates is a retired mechanical engineer from the auto industry. He does a nice job, but if you look under the hood it looks like the work of an accomplished DIYer. But that is fine with me, I like small audio companies and the folks that are passionate about their offerings. As I said, the sound quality is on par with my TD 124, although I suspect the arm has some limitations. If you put a cartridge with too stiff a suspension the sound gets a bit disjointed. Too much energy into the arm assembly I suppose, so its best to stick with higher compliance cartridges. Many owners use a Denon 301 MK II, or they hot rod a Grado body with an 8MZ stylus.

In the end I think its a very capable table for a decent price. But the AR XA donor tables are getting harder to find. The DIY crowd has them on their radar now, and the prices are starting to climb dramatically. A donor table used to be had for $50 $75 for parts, and are now $150 to $200 in "unrestored" condition. Supposedly restored models are $350 or a bit more. But are plagued by the arm problems that the original table had, which sowed up after a few years of steady use. Now if you do the arm mods you get a surprisingly capable arm, but don't expect a stock one with miles on it to be the same way.

[jammy395]

Should have got a Jap DD mate...........would have saved you all that grief NK.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

The AR wasn't a bad TT Jammy in fact in some ways it is one of the best belt drives. I would definitely prefer it (with its very underated arm) to a Thorens 150 or 160 any day, and obviously to a Linn LP12 which as you know I think is shite. Much is said about the LP12 being based on the Thorens well those that say it never met Hamish, well I did and arranged for him to buy a AR TT at trade when I worked there, and that was at least a major part of the ref he was using, pity he didn't get his design as good.

Though of course you are right about Jap DDs, but the better ones were so hard to find in the UK at the time. The astonishing thing is that belt drives were sold as better and direct drives were looked down on, and the rim drives, Lenco 75 and Goldring Lenco G99 and Garrard 401, well they were old hat and laughed at. Oh how little *the experts* really knew.

[Flatpopely]

Would be interested to know what design elements make the AR 'not bad' as opposed to the LP12 as 'shite'?

[jammy395]

Fuk off flat....it's universally known ....LP12 = SHIT.
Ask anyone who knows about hifi or anyone whos actually owned one mrgreen:
Stupid prick......

[Neonknight]

Should have got a Jap DD mate...........would have saved you all that grief NK.

Oh but I got one old friend. And I am going to give it a try once I get a proper chassis built for it. A Technics SP 10 MK II. We will see how it sorts itself out, as some people think its the cats meow. I will find out in good time.

I do enjoy my TD 124 though. Funny story, I rescued it from a friends garage. I use it in the apartment next to the AR XA, my Serac is packed away. As is the SP 10 MKII and the Garrard 401. The arm is butt ugly, but I do like the package as a whole.

[Flatpopely]

at Jammy

This thread isn't EOTW.

Your post is ad hom.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Flatty - £10k a day for lessons in turntable design, I have a day free next week. BUT I will give you a clue it didn't (doesn't) behave like an upside down pendulum always trying to find some stability for a start, a major reason why it always implants its own character on the music that unfortunately has to go through it.