Idlers - The Good, Bad & Ugly

[Ammonite Audio]

Having rather rudely thread-crapped the turntable shelf thread, I thought that it would be fun to show off our idler decks, link to delights and monstrosities that exist elsewhere on the web, etc.

So, here is my TD-124, lovingly updated and serviced, but definitely showing its near 50 year old cosmetic scars. I love this old thing.



I do have an original and deeply lovely 1960s Ortofon plinth for it, but that's almost too precious to use.

[Gordon Steadman]

[IMG]Dual 1019 by Gordon Steadman, on Flickr[/IMG]

My Dual 1019. Being me, it has been got at a bit and all the auto gubbins has been removed. I have always hated non manual tone arms. It's a cracking TT and sounds remrkable for its €50 price tag.

[Ammonite Audio]

I'm probably wrong here, but I seem to recall that those old Duals had rather good motors - likely better than the shaded pole types used by Thorens and Garrard.

[Gordon Steadman]

I'm probably wrong here, but I seem to recall that those old Duals had rather good motors - likely better than the shaded pole types used by Thorens and Garrard.

I think so. Certainly this one is completely silent and smooth. I did take it apart and lubricate it but there was absolutely no sign of wear on the thrust plate although I did turn it over anyway. It all weighs a ton and the platter is a lump on its own. The surprising thing is the arm. It doesn't look that great but seems to be up to tracking almost anything. I tried the Technics in it at just over a gramme and it sailed through everything. It has a M75ED in at the mo and even that sounds very good.

I could quite happily listen to this if my main deck stopped working for any reason.

[Barry]

Having rather rudely thread-crapped the turntable shelf thread, I thought that it would be fun to show off our idler decks, link to delights and monstrosities that exist elsewhere on the web, etc.

So, here is my TD-124, lovingly updated and serviced, but definitely showing its near 50 year old cosmetic scars. I love this old thing.



I do have an original and deeply lovely 1960s Ortofon plinth for it, but that's almost too precious to use.

Would love to see a photo of that plinth.

The TD124 looks nice, but I think a black finish for the armboard would look much better. What cartridge are you using?

[Ammonite Audio]

Would love to see a photo of that plinth.

The TD124 looks nice, but I think a black finish for the armboard would look much better. What cartridge are you using?

I rather like natural wood armboards, both for looks as well as sonic performance - that one is Brazilian Cherry from Jim Campbell in the States. There's no reason why a hardwood board cannot be stained black, of course. I'm having a small batch of walnut TD-124 armboards made up by a local CNC-enabled cabinet maker and the fine walnut grain would look really good through a black, sort of silky ebonised, finish. So, I'll sacrifice one for experimentation.

Cartridges depend on which tonearm is fitted, but my favourite is the Ortofon Kontrapunkt B, whether fitted to the Audio Note Arm 3, Jelco or SME 309. That's an Audio Note IQ3 in the photo, and I have a Benz Wood SL too.

[Barry]

Agree with you regarding wood vs. any other material (such as acrylic) for the armboard, but a black finish compliments the pale grey of the deck itself (IMO).

Looks like your Ortofon plinth is a badged version of the ash plinth designed for the 124.

[helma]

Another Dual 1019... a bit of a crappy photo, but the 2nd tonearm on the back is a Denon DA-305 and both arms currently have Esoter Azzurras mounted on them (a rebranded Glanz MFG-11 I believe). The plinth is made of 5 layers of pine with a stone made for pizza baking at the bottom The plinth was kind of a trial run, I plan to build a bit different one from birch ply sometime in the future, but in the mean time this one is more than sufficient.

[Ammonite Audio]

Agree with you regarding wood vs. any other material (such as acrylic) for the armboard, but a black finish compliments the pale grey of the deck itself (IMO).

Looks like your Ortofon plinth is a badged version of the ash plinth designed for the 124.

It's actually made up from individual beech blocks, and has a lovely patina about its lacquered finish. Ortofon Japan still use that old scripted logo!

[wiicrackpot]

@kai- Lovely TT's those Duals, could happily live with one if i hadn't gone Garrard route.

@Hugo- Are those Jap produced logo's comparable to original items?, my ST104 is missing it's logo and would be interested in a replacement.