front-loading turntables.......who's best?

[Muckelroy]

In the interest of space and sleekness, and not wanting to give up my analog roots, I'm considering getting a front-loading turntable. I've seen a few models made by Pioneer, that seem pretty nice. Does anybody know of other manufacturers of front-loading turntables? And if so, what make/models are best?

Thanks a bunch in advance
-callie-

 

[The Ghost of FM]

I think this would be a "case" for building your own slide our shelf if you don't have an open top shelf to place a turntable on.

Most of the space saver models that I remember seeing and selling in the 80's and early 90's where mostly on the cheap side, very light weight and very plastic.

Cheers!

 

[technoplayer]

Ive got a Pioneer V-71 front loader sitting in the rack. I Havent used it much and it needs a belt now, but it worked good when I used it. It has a really complex servo motor driven linear tracking arm, which I was always a little skeptical about. This mode does NOT have a power drawer....its spring loaded to open and push to shut. If you are serious about a front load turntable, see if you can find one with the power drawer. The slide shelf is a good idea, but make sure you can get to the controls withthe drawer IN. You waold want to drop and raise the arm with the unit IN, and not want to move the drawer witht the arm down...or risk trashing the stylus.
>>>>>Years back I saw someone who had a turntable where the platter was vertical ...find one of these!!!

 

[N7SC]

I'll second what Ghost said. Also, what Technoplayer noted - make sure you can get to the controls from the front while it is playing.

And I'll add a few opinions of my own: If you want the best sound and protection you can get for your vinyl, get the best turntable you can afford. While the prices may not be as low as a Pioneer unit, there are Revox (made by Studer in Germany), and Bang & Olufsen (Denmark) units out there that can be had for reasonable prices. Say around $150 to $200 or so for the Revox models, and $200 to upwards of $500 for the B&O ones. Both were top of the line in their day and when new cost an arm and a leg, like well over $1000 for the Revox B791 and some B&O models. You can certainly get to the controls of the Revox B791 and B795 (a 791 without variable speed) from the front while they are playing. Access to the controls of some of the B&O units may be a bit more difficult, but a few models were available with remote control. The Revox turntables and the better B&O ones are all tangential tracking units, and are superbly built.

Come to think of it, there was a Revox or Studer model that did have remote control, but it was pretty rare. That does not mean high price now, but just that you are unlikely to come across it anytime soon.

Caveats: To mount a cartridge on the Revox turntables you are going to need the Revox Cartridge Mounting Kit. These used to pop up on eBay once in a while. Until I bought my 791, that is. Haven't seen one in quite a while and would kill for one by now. The B&O turntables take ONLY B&O cartridges, so are an option only if you like the sound of the B&O carts. Also, most, if not all, B&O cartridges were either moving coil design or were designed so that the stylus assembly was part of the cart., and had to be changed by the factory or an authorized service center. No pop-out stylus assembly like a Stanton or Shure, etc. This equals mucho $$$ at stylus replacement time, on top of a very expensive cartridge to begin with. Also, quality of design and build were not consistent across all the B&O turntable models.