Randy Bey Posted June 4, 2002 Share Posted June 4, 2002 has put me back in touch with the TT I bought when I bought my Klipschorns (1979(!)). This was a B&O 3400 with the MMC 20 cartridge. The box, which my brother carefully preserved, was dusty but still had the original receipt with my name on it circa 1979. Many moons ago I gave this TT to my brother, or maybe I sold it to him, dunno, but be that as it may he loaned it back to me since he never ever listens to vinyl anymore. Now I have also thrown caution to the wind and ordered a Radio Shack battery powered phono preamp ($19.50 including shipping) so that I can plug that puppy up and give her a spin! Of course, it still has the 1979 cartridge in it. And the 3400 was never a top performer to begin with, although easy on the eyes in that B&O type way. So, what kind of nut am I? (Filbert). I am at the strip mall and see a Half-Price Books store, so I go inside and scope out their vinyl selection. 98% crap, and high priced crap at that. But, there were two box sets of classical music that had a $3.00 price tag! Tschaikovsky's 4,5, and 6, and a 20 (ha!) record collection termed 'light classical' that is in MONO. A cursory examination of the records themselves show them to be clean and dust free, not to mention scratch free. So I will add these to the records my father-in-law gave me, some Sinatra, some Bernstein, and maybe by this weekend I will be able to crank them up and listen. Then, yes then, I will be able to put this 'any darn cheapest TT setup beats the most costly digital setup' thing that seems to come up again and again. I'm not expecting perfection at this entry level (maybe close though) so I will weigh the results accordingly. This coming from a man who has decided there's not a good Goddam between a $500 CD player and a $3000 one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted June 4, 2002 Share Posted June 4, 2002 Vinyl is cool..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted June 4, 2002 Share Posted June 4, 2002 I suspect you are in for a treat but you will likely find yourself upgrading the phono preamp PDQ once you realise the potential of the vinyl placback setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bey Posted June 5, 2002 Author Share Posted June 5, 2002 yeah, I don't doubt it. Well, I hopeI don't doubt it. But before I go out and buy a Manley Steelhead/Clearwater combo on spec, I thought I'd give this a try. Plus, the Rat Shack has been called the 'Little Wonder' elsewhere, in that it is supposed to be quite good. Certainly for the price one cannot complain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted June 5, 2002 Share Posted June 5, 2002 You have gone off the deep end.... From bad to worse. I will begin prayer sessions. kh ps- Rat Shack phono stage? B&O Phono? Dont ask for the life ring unless I'm in the area...heh ------------------ Phono Linn LP-12 Vahalla / Linn Basic Plus / Sumiko Blue Point CD Player Rega Planet Preamp Cary Audio SLP-70 w/Phono Modified Amplifier Welborne Labs 2A3 Moondog Monoblocks Cable DIYCable Superlative / Twisted Cross Connect Speaker 1977 Klipsch Cornwall I w/Alnico & Type B Crossover system one online / alternate components / Asylum Listing f>s> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whell Posted June 7, 2002 Share Posted June 7, 2002 You guys drive me crazy. You've now got me thinking about an old Sanyo turntable and some old disks that are in storage in my mom's basement. No strobe, and belt drive, have no idea about the condition of the cartridge, but I'm now tempted to pull it out and see if it still works. There! Are you guys happy now??!?! ------------------ Mike - Livonia, MI Klipsch RF-3 L/R Klipsch RC-3 Center Klipsch RB-5 rears HSU Research VF-2 Sub Marantz SR-19EX receiver Marantz MM-9000 Amp NAD T550 DVD Adcom GCD 700 CD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bey Posted June 7, 2002 Author Share Posted June 7, 2002 actually belt drive is good. And my Rat Shack phono pre came in the mail this AM. It's smaller than the average box of cigarettes. The PCB inside it is about as big as a big stamp. Nonetheless I'm thrilled and cannot wait to go home and pour over some vinyl. Literally. I need to wash them in the sink to get the crap out of the grooves since they (the vinyl I got from my father-in-law) are old, scratched, and dirty. Will post results when I have them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted June 10, 2002 Share Posted June 10, 2002 I have a B&O Turntable- 1602 that needs a new cartridge- MMC 20 E. One of the channels doesn't play, and it's not in the TT itself, because when I take the cartridge out and check the connections, I'll get a buzz in both channels, telling me sound is going through the tone arm to the outputs, it's just not getting through the cartridge. Any idea where you can get a replacement cartridge? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Jon ------------------ markvi82@hotmail.com 1981 Cornwall I's Yamaha DSP-A1000 integrated amp Acoustic Research AR3A's for Pro-Logic rears (Music only setup) Marantz CD Player Pioneer turntable with Audio Technica cartridge This message has been edited by Cornwalled on 06-11-2002 at 01:06 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted June 11, 2002 Share Posted June 11, 2002 The B&O tables are good to look at in some ways but for sonics are really not even as good as some of the lower costing tables out there right now NEW. You would be better off selling the unit on ebay and getting a new rig altogether. The tonearm is not very good and you are limiting yourself to cartridge selection as well. You could probably get enough money in the sale to go a long way in purchasing a good, well-designed, belt drive table. ps- Randy, same goes with your rig. IT is WELL WORTH it to go ahead and upgrade here, especially if your cartridge is 15 years old. ------------------ Phono Linn LP-12 Vahalla / Linn Basic Plus / Sumiko Blue Point CD Player Rega Planet Preamp Cary Audio SLP-70 w/Phono Modified Amplifier Welborne Labs 2A3 Moondog Monoblocks Cable DIYCable Superlative / Twisted Cross Connect Speaker 1977 Klipsch Cornwall I w/Alnico & Type B Crossover system one online / alternate components / Asylum Listing f>s> This message has been edited by mobile homeless on 06-11-2002 at 03:24 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bey Posted June 11, 2002 Author Share Posted June 11, 2002 Oh good heavens no, the catridge is from 1979! That surely is not fifteen years. Yeah, I have $100 (whew) burning a hole in my pocket, thinking about an MMF but might wait until I have another fifty (in two-three months) and go WHOLE HOG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted June 11, 2002 Share Posted June 11, 2002 or hold off until christmas and buy one of those neat new Project "kidney" TTs...a mid-level grado cartridge...black cube...all set to go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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