The Most Beautiful and Ugliest Turntables

**Mike Reed** · 07-09-2018, 16:17

Originally Posted by Marco

Here ya go:

Yes, those appeal, but can sometimes look a little 'cluttered' with multiple arms attached!

Marco.

Very kind of you, and I now realise that I meant the AC1; sorry 'bout that. Yes, the 3 does indeed look cluttered (and does it REALLY need three strong motors?)

**Vrajbasi** · 07-09-2018, 16:51

Originally Posted by Mike Reed

Very kind of you, and I now realise that I meant the AC1; sorry 'bout that. Yes, the 3 does indeed look cluttered (and does it REALLY need three strong motors?)

I like the multiple arm bit as great for someone like me who likes to experiment with tonearms, as this thread about decks beautiful that does not count as its certainly not that. I had the black night at home some time back and its no doubt an amazing deck superb build etc,I overall found it a bit bright for my taste and a little dry I really wanted to buy it but overall not to my liking as the saying goes you pays your monies etc. The raven decks have never appealed to me but then I have a Sme all be it with a non Sme tonearm, and many have a love hate thing with Sme turntables. Interesting not a single sme pic on this thread

**Barry** · 07-09-2018, 18:20

Originally Posted by jandl100

There's an elegant simplicity to some of the Luxman turntables that I like a lot

The Lux was one of my choices (to be precise the PD121 (for 12" arms) or the PD131 (for 9" arms)).

Referring back to the Braun TTs, whilst I admire their Bauhaus styling, I do prefer the look of TTs that have a shallow plinth, for example the Lux above, the Thorens 125 and the Linn LP12. Unfortunately shallow plinths means small motors, so one is largely obliged to consider DD.

**gninnam** · 07-09-2018, 18:36

One of my all time fav's is the Orbe (sorry Marco - acrylic) - I admin the Gyro does look better but I always hankered for the Orbe.

**Barry** · 07-09-2018, 19:06

Originally Posted by speedracer

I don't disagree with any of that Marco, but I feel that if I want to criticise something I have a responsibility to articulate why I am doing the criticising it, either from a functionality or design point of view.
I am an ex graphic designer & now an artist so that probably explains where I am coming from, I don't think that just blurting out "I don't like that & that is my opinion" goes far enough, but if you can describe the reasons you don't like it then everyone learns something & it becomes positive not negative.

Articulating why you like something is quite difficult, whether it is the visual arts, music, audio gear, clothing, styling of cars, or as we are discussing here, turntables.

As some would say: "I don't know much about art, but I know what I like". So to with the appearance of audio gear.

It also admits inconsistency - in my case I find the appearance of much of B&O gear beautiful for example, yet I'm attracted to the industrial/laboratory look of a lot of professional audio gear. Again some more inconsistency: I love the look of EMT gear, yet strongly dislike the look of QRK/Rusco/RekOKut designs.

So no accounting for taste.

**mightymonoped** · 07-09-2018, 19:19

Originally Posted by gninnam

One of my all time fav's is the Orbe (sorry Marco - acrylic) - I admin the Gyro does look better but I always hankered for the Orbe.

Bit of a red herring this but the aluminium chassis for both the Gyro and the Orbe is likely to have been made at my workplace as we cast said item for Michel Engineering

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**jandl100** · 08-09-2018, 04:29

Originally Posted by Barry

The Lux was one of my choices (to be precise the PD121 (for 12" arms) or the PD131 (for 9" arms)).

Ah yes, so it was. The stretch limo version.

I had to go back and check your first posting as I missed the Luxman amongst all the hideous clunkers that you also posted under your "ugly" heading (all of which I do agree with, mind). I have to say that the stretchy one is the worst looking Luxman tt I have ever seen.

That vast expanse of bare top to accommodate the longer arm is ludicrous to my eye. Most 12 inch arm turntables strike me that way. I do understand the technical benefits of the longer arm, though.
I think we are just going to have to agree to differ on a lot of the aesthetic stuff, Barry.

**Gazjam** · 08-09-2018, 07:07

Originally Posted by Vrajbasi

I was never a fan of the Rock 7 I actually purchased one for a bit of fun not very well made I had to get a replacement twice, I liked the Rock V though I should have bought one as not many were made.

Glad I opted for the Michell deck now!

**Mike Reed** · 08-09-2018, 07:32

Originally Posted by Vrajbasi

I like the multiple arm bit as it's great for someone like me who likes to experiment with tonearms, ...

A.f.a.I.k, the Raven only takes two, as does my Dais, though there are some decks which can accommodate more than two, as 'multiple' suggests (to me). If my experience with trying to set-up cart's properly on my rear arm is anything to go by, taking the alternative route of detachable head-shells seems tempting. Mind you, good eyesight would help ! Those underslung styli and another arm in the physical and visual way make for real p.i.t.a procedures..

Surely a high-end version of the Dansette style turnover cart. is long overdue.

**paulf-2007** · 08-09-2018, 07:34

Originally Posted by jandl100

Here's an interesting implementation of a DP80

My ptp lenco was shaped like the top layer of that

Thread: The Most Beautiful and Ugliest Turntables

Thread Tools

Display

Posting Permissions