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fletchdirect
23-09-2018, 19:14
Hi,
Just purchased a lovely Toshiba SR-370. It has the SME cut out.
I know that a few of you have already enjoyed this turntable and have mated it with the Mission 774 tonearm among others.
I do have a spare SME that I could mount but am thinking of other arms as well. I read on another forum an old post stating that this model should without doubt be best suited to a unipivot arm, I think the user had already tried Rega and it sounded 'as dull as ditchwater with ploddy bass'. So, I basically have a couple of questions on this.
a) The SR370 has a resin plinth, similar to the resinamic stone plinth of the Sony TTS8000 (probably not quite as substantial) - are some tonearms better suited to this sort of plinth than others?
b) Why would someone be dead against regas for this Toshiba, and reco in quite a staunch manner a unipivot ?

Your help would be much appreciated!!

Many thanks indeed.
Cheers
Julian

Ian7633
23-09-2018, 19:28
Hi Julian,
I have used an SME 3009S2 improved on my 370 and although it did sound nice switching to a Mission 774 made a big difference. There is a definite synergy between the 370 and 774, I would definitely recommend it.
I think most 370 plinths were cast for the SME type mounting but there are some with the Rega pattern, perhaps that is why the OP was experimenting with other arms with that mount.
Walpergis ( Geoff ) is the man to ask as he knows these decks very well.

Bigman80
23-09-2018, 19:48
I had a Toshiba and thought it was a superb Turntable. The key to getting the best performance out of it is isolation. Of all the bits i've used, this turntable has responded the most to proper isolation. Without proper isolation you will likely get boomy bass and at my house, the feet were the culprit. I managed to fit some "boing" feet and they made a hell of a difference.

As far as arm matching goes, I used an Alphason HRS100, SME 3009, Mission 774 & AT1010. The SME and the Alphasson didn't work out, the Mission and the AT1010 did.

I can't tell you why but i just didn't like what i heard. It was mush, blurry, whatever the right word is but with the AT and the 774, it was a very synergistic match. The SME was cleaner than the Alphasson IMO. Whether a Rega arm would work, i don't know. The ones i have heard (202, 250?, 300) have been decent enough but if you can find a 774, for the money it's pretty much unbeatable by any arm up to about £500. They still come up for sale and usually are around £300 which is a bloody bargain. Just check the bearings out. If there is any play in the arm, you'll need it repaired and there aren't many folks who do it.

I rewired my arm with silver, loved it then hated it. Rewired it again with KABUSA superflex, loved it and that's whats in my modded Phonomac AT1010

Change the feet, fit a Mission 774 and rewire it. Add a decent MC cartridge and laugh in the face of the little investment v performance you are getting. If you need any help, let us know!!! decent fan base here.

Few pics of my last one (I've had 3) on this thread: https://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?53605-Toshiba-SR-370-turntable-spares

walpurgis
23-09-2018, 20:25
OK, I admit it. It was me who started the little craze for the SR-370 and 774 arm combo. It's a pretty special pairing and works superbly. I've been using this set-up for many years and have seen no need to move on.

http://i63.tinypic.com/9vkr4i.jpg

walpurgis
23-09-2018, 20:31
By the way. I had a Techie SL-1210 with an upgraded RB300 on it at the same time I started using this. I got rid of the Techie/Rega set-up, it sounded pretty dull next to the SR-370/774.

Bigman80
23-09-2018, 21:27
OK, I admit it. It was me who started the little craze for the SR-370 and 774 arm combo. It's a pretty special pairing and works superbly. I've been using this set-up for many years and have seen no need to move on.

http://i63.tinypic.com/9vkr4i.jpg[emoji23] yes it was your fault but to be fair, you were spot on!!

Great combination that just works.

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fletchdirect
24-09-2018, 05:47
thanks for some great help and advice so far.

I am truly out of my depth to answer this, but what is it about the arms that only sound so-so and with the Mission 774 that makes it such a good match? Is there anything mechanical or structural that could provide a clue to why there is much better synergy with the Mission? It may be tough to source one of these arms. Is there anything out there that would have similar properties that is more readily available?

Bigman80
24-09-2018, 07:02
thanks for some great help and advice so far.

I am truly out of my depth to answer this, but what is it about the arms that only sound so-so and with the Mission 774 that makes it such a good match? Is there anything mechanical or structural that could provide a clue to why there is much better synergy with the Mission? It may be tough to source one of these arms. Is there anything out there that would have similar properties that is more readily available?I have a suspicion that it was the arms themselves that I didn't like rather than the Turntable it's mounted on or matching. Unfortunately I can't test that theory as I don't have the arms any more.

What I can tell you is certain arms just perform way above their pricetag and the Mission is one of them.

What's your budget for an arm?


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mikeyb
24-09-2018, 07:08
I'm tempted to sell my 774 with Cardas wiring but it needs a little work ( some soldering on the 4 pin cable/connection tidied up) I have it on my Michell Focus One just now which isn't being used.

Decisions to be made on my part as to whether I can give it up.

walpurgis
24-09-2018, 08:01
I have a suspicion that it was the arms themselves that I didn't like rather than the Turntable it's mounted on or matching.

Quite likely I'd say.

walpurgis
24-09-2018, 08:20
Why would someone be dead against regas for this Toshiba, and reco in quite a staunch manner a unipivot ?

Which unipivot arm are you referring to?

fletchdirect
24-09-2018, 11:41
here is the original text - it came from an old thread in World Audio Designs forum from 2006 (used to be the DIY arm of Hifi World Magazine in the UK) - here it is:

http://www.world-designs.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=196

its not a very long thread, worth reading it and all the replies/conversation

Bigman80
24-09-2018, 12:20
I'm not convinced the turntable needs a Unipivot but it would be cool to have one on it.

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walpurgis
24-09-2018, 12:52
I suspect a Mayware Formula 4 might be decent on the SR-370, but the 774 is guaranteed to be and is far more versatile.

karma67
24-09-2018, 16:08
Quite likely I'd say.

there's no way a 774 out performs an alphason hr100 in my opinion,ive had 3 774's and tested the last one back to back against an alphason,it was simply better,dont get me wrong the mission is a great arm,i wouldn't have had 3 of them if it wasn't.
looks also come into play with me to a point and some cartridges just look daft mounted on that tiny brick like headstock.

Bigman80
24-09-2018, 16:31
there's no way a 774 out performs an alphason hr100 in my opinion,ive had 3 774's and tested the last one back to back against an alphason,it was simply better,dont get me wrong the mission is a great arm,i wouldn't have had 3 of them if it wasn't.
looks also come into play with me to a point and some cartridges just look daft mounted on that tiny brick like headstock.Did you have them on a Toshiba, Jamie? I can't remember what TY it was you had.

I prefered the Mission to the Alphasson and felt a mistake was made when I sold my 774 in favour of the Alphasson.

That was just my feeling at the time.

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walpurgis
24-09-2018, 16:42
there's no way a 774 out performs an alphason hr100 in my opinion.

I didn't mention the Alphason. I wouldn't have made any comparison as I've not used one.

Bigman80
24-09-2018, 16:45
I did.
I didn't mention the Alphason. I wouldn't have made any comparison as I've not used one.

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karma67
24-09-2018, 17:13
Did you have them on a Toshiba, Jamie? I can't remember what TY it was you had.

I prefered the Mission to the Alphasson and felt a mistake was made when I sold my 774 in favour of the Alphasson.

That was just my feeling at the time.

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i used one on an AR turntable, a heybrook,an lp12 and a pioneer plc-1700 oli,so all 3 had a fair crack,if you want to trump the lot id say get a zeta which ive also had 3 off! lol,1 left and that will be replaced by the PMAT1010.:cool:

Bigman80
24-09-2018, 17:59
i used one on an AR turntable, a heybrook,an lp12 and a pioneer plc-1700 oli,so all 3 had a fair crack,if you want to trump the lot id say get a zeta which ive also had 3 off! lol,1 left and that will be replaced by the PMAT1010.:cool:That's the one!! Pioneer. I remember now.



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fletchdirect
25-09-2018, 18:34
anybody seen these?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MISSION-774-tonearm-wand-upgrade-from-XAD-stiffer-and-higher-mass/401086154604?hash=item5d6299076c:g:jp0AAOSwoudW4Yy 4

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MISSION-774-XTC-088-UPGRADE-COUNTERWEIGHT-HEAVIER-THAN-ORIGINAL/400972155350?hash=item5d5bcd89d6:g:V4YAAMXQ-alQ4rxC

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MISSION-774-tonearm-NEW-DAMPING-PADDLES-from-Xad/113049634930?hash=item1a52488872:g:aEkAAOSw-W9bG7iV