FS: Classic 'High End' Turntable/Arm combination

[Snoopdog]

I am offering my Oxford Acoustics Crystal Reference turntable complete with mounted SME V arm for sale at £1995.00.

I have owned this turntable from new but due to being seduced by the ease of the wicked silver disc, It has not had much use over the years, albeit that I have carefully maintained it (main bearing oil recently changed) it is in immaculate condition and in full working order.

I have a copy of Martin Colloms outstanding review in Hi Fi news available to serious enquirers.

This turntable was a seriously innovative design, based on a non-suspension principle with high mass loading to achieve superior sonics. When released, the sound of the turntable was so good that Absolute Sounds was appointed as worldwide exporter. The only other turntable manufacturers they dealt with at the time were Goldmund and Oracle.

The Crystal Reference turntable is constructed with an integral mass-loaded stand which can be levelled via four threaded lock spikes in the base plate.

The plinth, supporting the high torgue synchronous motor controlled by an electronic power supply offering two quartz-referenced speeds of 33.3 and 45 rpm, is mounted on the top of the stand. Three sorbothane-type cones containg captive hollow head bolts isolate the sub-chassis, main bearing and arm mounting from the motor.

The high inertia platter (a combination of phosphur bronze and acrylic weighing over 15kg0 is chord driven and onec the whole assembly is levelled, setup remains constant.

The power supply and control electronics are built into a recess in the top of the stand which is concealed from view (please refer to the pictures on the link below for further explanation).

The inert mass-loaded stand weighs over 40kg and the whole assembly, including platter, arm and puck weighs in at around 65kg - a true heavyweight!

Interested forum members can contact Steve on 07725 874832 or 01252 695525 for further information.

Due to the weight, personal collection from my home in north east Hampshire is advised.
I am offering my Oxford Acoustics Crystal Reference turntable complete with mounted SME V arm for sale at £1995.00.

I have owned this turntable from new but due to being seduced by the ease of the wicked silver disc, It has not had much use over the years, albeit that I have carefully maintained it (main bearing oil recently changed) it is in immaculate condition and in full working order.

I have a copy of Martin Colloms outstanding review in Hi Fi news available to serious enquirers.

This turntable was a seriously innovative design, based on a non-suspension principle with high mass loading to achieve superior sonics. When released, the sound of the turntable was so good that Absolute Sounds was appointed as worldwide exporter. The only other turntable manufacturers they dealt with at the time were Goldmund and Oracle.

The Crystal Reference turntable is constructed with an integral mass-loaded stand which can be levelled via four threaded lock spikes in the base plate.

The plinth, supporting the high torgue synchronous motor controlled by an electronic power supply offering two quartz-referenced speeds of 33.3 and 45 rpm, is mounted on the top of the stand. Three sorbothane-type cones containg captive hollow head bolts isolate the sub-chassis, main bearing and arm mounting from the motor.

The high inertia platter (a combination of phosphur bronze and acrylic weighing over 15kg0 is chord driven and onec the whole assembly is levelled, setup remains constant.

The power supply and control electronics are built into a recess in the top of the stand which is concealed from view (please refer to the pictures on the link below for further explanation).

The inert mass-loaded stand weighs over 40kg and the whole assembly, including platter, arm and puck weighs in at around 65kg - a true heavyweight!

Interested forum members can contact Steve on 07725 874832 or 01252 695525 for further information.

Due to the weight, personal collection from my home in north east Hampshire is advised.




More pictures here:-
http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y76/crystalref/

[Marco]

What an absolutely beautiful turntable, and an absolute bargain too, if I may say!

How you can prefer using CD instead, "ease" or not, is beyond me

Marco.

[Snoopdog]

What an absolutely beautiful turntable, and an absolute bargain too, if I may say!

How you can prefer using CD instead, "ease" or not, is beyond me

Marco.

Marco,

The Reimyo CD player is a very 'special' digital source component

I am not giving up on vinyl, just having a swap around. The Oxford was taking up too much space and I thought it was time for a change. I have ordered a TW Acustics Raven 1 with Graham B44 Phantom MkII arm to indulge my record-playing fetish. I will install my Koetsu Rosewood Signature cartridge for the time being and the beauty of it is, it will sit on the top shelf of my Stillpoints rack!

Steve

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Snoopdog


If you sell this you will regret it for the rest of your life...If it were mine you would have to prise it from my cold lifeless hands....

If I had the money or the room I would PM you. The Oxford crystal Ref TT was back in 1988 one of those audio memories that haunt you. Was it really as good as you remember ? I know that it was ...weight, scale, massive soundstage and stability in spades WOW.

Snoop there is no way your Remiyo CDP is as good. As good as it is, it can't be better than an Oxford. I would remove the SME arm flog it and put a Graham Phantom B44 arm on it (Phantom with SME base) or if you can get an armboard cut and you can find one, an Air Tangent...now that would be truly amazing.

Snoop I sat here for a few minutes trying to work out if I could scrape the cash together (I always wanted one of these,my wife wanted to help me out) come to you hundreds of miles across the sea. But I can't afford it and I don't need an SME 5 arm, already have one (thats how I know this is a weak link on it) and I don't have the room. Shame as I have the concrete floor now that I didn't have when I worked in the trade and helped to sell these all those many years ago. there was little back then that I would have bought for about £2000 (not including arm) except for an Oracle Delphi (now got one) and the Oxford. As I told you on ZG awhile ago you are a lucky guy having one...dig out the vinyl and sit back and enjoy.

DON'T SELL IT.....DON'T DO IT.....YOU WILL CRY WHEN ITS GONE....YOU WILL

Regards D S D L-----Neil

[John]

Wow what a beautiful table
I agree with Neil lovely as the Raven is selling the Oxford Reference will be a regret in the future

[Yiangos]

Snoopdog,what can i say other than "Don't Sell It" ? Let me tell something that hopefully will change your mind.Being a bit lazy,i don't plays lps that often.Around 3-5 times per year(and this happens since 1990 and yes,i know it sounds crazy but it's the truth) i begin moving the loudspeakers around,changing cables and interconnects,add or remove
footers,cones and acoustic materials because something is not sounding right to my ears.
Mind you,i own a Cary Audio 306/200 cd player which even by today's standards is a hell of a cd player.Then after a few days and when nothing seems to work i pull out a lp and spin it on my turntable.Allways my first reaction is something like this "OMG and i thought something was wrong with my system" and don't think something is wrong with my Cary.
I tried all combinations i could (Denon dvd-a1xva , Audio Synthesis DAX decade/Theta Jade) and the end result is the same.As much as i want cd to sound better,nothing can beat a good turntable! True,the Reimyo is a good cd player and i believe better than my Cary,but honestly,how much better do you think it is that would make it sound better than a high-end turntable such as yours? Snoopdog,trust me on this,you will regret it and eventually you will start looking for a new turntable and nowdays they're not as "musical" as they used to be not to mention you will need a lot of cash to get comparable performance,plus,you won't own a classic such as an Oxford !

[Snoopdog]

Guys, Guys,

I admire your passion, but my mind is made up!

We have had 20 good years together, and like a marriage, sometimes you have to go your seperate ways.

It's like when you see a truly stunning woman walk down the street. Just remember that someone, somewhere is already bored with her!

Having grown up with vinyl since the mid 70's when I bought my first serious system (LP12/Grace/Supex, Meridian 105's, Nightingale, then Isobarik speakers) I have found that matching a GOOD digital source to a high end system can be as musically satisfying as listening to records.

The turntable was demonstrated to me with an Air Tangent arm and Koetsu RS cartridge and that was an outstanding combination at that time. However, don't let nostalgia obscure the modern day products which are every bit as capable and for my purposes, the Raven/Graham Phantom II fits the bill to indulge my craving for analogue.

The supplying dealer for the Oxford was our very own forum member, Howard Popeck (then of Subjective Audio fame).

I wonder if Howard will notice this post?

Regards

Steve

[nat8808]

I concur, don't sell it ..... until I've got the spare cash to buy it!

[Mike]

I concur, don't sell it ..... until I've got the spare cash to buy it!

Ditto!

[Yiangos]

Steve,since you have/want to buy a Reimyo cd player,i am sure you had a listen to other products from the same company.Did you have the chance to have a listen to their pre-amplifier,the CAT-777? There aren't any high-end dealers over here,so,it is impossible for me to go and listen to good equipment.One combination i have in mind is the cat-777 together with the top-of-the-line KR monoblocks.