Vintage vs. Modern tables

Wolfgang -- Wed, 05/21/2008 - 21:17

I've been toying with the idea of experimenting (again) with a restored vintage table like the Thorens 124, Garrard 301/401, Lenco, or Empire 208. I was wondering how their performance, if restored and hot-rodded with an after-market plinth, compares with modern tables (e.g. VPI TNT, Sota Nova, entry-level Galibier, etc.)

Is this a case where nostalgia overrules reason or is there really something to idler wheel and other types of classic tables? My experience with the direct drive Technics SP-10MkII & Fidelity Research arm combo for several years suggests that there's something there "there."

Thanks for your kind assistance,
Wolfi

Steven Stone -- Thu, 05/22/2008 - 09:25

You will get surprisingly good performance.

The issue becomes does your time and the money required to do the job right make such an effort worth it?

If you love tinkering the answer will be yes.

If listening to music is your primary thing I think that all the modifying will get old pretty fast.

IMHO of course...

Steven Stone
Contributor to The Absolute Sound, EnjoytheMusic.com, Vintage Guitar Magazine, and other fine publications

Wolfgang -- Thu, 05/22/2008 - 11:11

Unfortunately, I'm not much of a tinkerer and would be looking for something already refurbed if I were to go vintage.

However, my SP10MkII (wish I had kept it!) was pretty much a "set-it-and-forget-it" table, once put on an appropriate isolation stand. Any others like this that give much higher performance than their prices suggest? (Unfortunately, the prices on SP10MkIIs have gotten out of hand).

Thanks,
Wolfi