I have been looking for an affordable turntable after many years away from audio.

I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with the
Systemdeck IIX table?

I think this table came with a Premiere tonearm, but I am not sure which model.

I understand some of the Premiere arms are not very good, or at least as good as a Rega RB-250.

Any feed back on the Systemdeck will be greatly appreciated.

Norris Wilson

I am trying to put together a good turntable arm set up for around the $300 to $500 range.

Both of you have mentioned experiences with Thorens tables.

Could you please give me some recomendations for a good combination, table, arm and cartridge that plays music.

I really am not into the hyper analytical sound character that can get fatigu'ing after a short time, I like vacuum tube based audio.

I have a Curcio Daniel preamplifier that has its phono stage set to the higher gain setting, around 53 db gain total with the line gain. I do not think that this phono stage will like any cartridge that has more gain than 2.5 mV with out overloading it.

My equipment stand is a very robust floor design, it is setting on my concrete slab, so foot falls are not an issue. The top section of my equipment stand has 2.25" of MDF and a .75" piece of marbel setting on top of that with a sheet of isodamp between the marbel and MDF.

Most of my research in looking for a bang for the buck turntable tonearm has zeroed in, leaning toward the Thorens TD-150 with a Rega RB-250 arm rewired to include an upgraded counter weight and VTA adjuster. Also, to top of this set up would possibly be to use a Grado 1.5 mV Reference grade cartridge , what do you guys think?

If you can think of something better, that is not more than $500, please let me know.

I have seen comments by many who think that a well set up tricked out Linn LP-12 is the most musical turntable in the world, but that is way more than $500.

Thanks

Norris Wilson

• KAB Tables

I have owned mainly floating suspesion type turntables in the past, so a direct drive table would be fairly new to me. I did hear a couple inexpensive Kenwood and Denon direct drive tables many years ago, I don't recal the models, but I was not impressed with them. Obviously, this has no bearing on a good direct drive table, but I think I would prefer to stick with what I am familiar with.

My last turntable was a VPI HW MKIII with an ET-2 air bearing tonearm. But I have been without a turntable close to seven years now, and that is to long. This has been long enough for my memory to dim some what, so I can use all the help I can get.

I found a Linn LP-12 with Vahalla power supply and Ittok MkVII tone arm for a $500 asking price. But they state that the unit needs a fuse, that concerns me.

I have done a little bit of research regarding possible causes that would blow out a fuse in the Vahalla.

It looks as the overwelming concesus, is that the unit needs to be completely rebuit with a kit sold through Linn dealers. The supply does not just need a capacitor change, but I do not know what the kit contains. I would assume that the clocking chips have shorted out.

Do any of you have any experience with problems associated with the Vahalla power supply, and could you guide with some advice?

Also, do you think this reltively clean LP-12 is worth the asking price, especially if I would have to rebuild or replace the Vahalla supply?

I have seen somwhere that someone has designed an Armageddon DIY type power supply that can be built for a few hundred dollars.
Does anyone know where I could find this supply design information? Again, have any of you had any experience with it?

And finally, to answer Maulablock's question about the Daniels input impedance, yes it does have a 47kHz impedance.

Thanks everyone for your help and guidance.

I hope you will be able to help me with these aditional questions?

Norris Wilson