Latest Vintage Turntables Available at Vinyl Nirvana

I haven't promoted the Vinyl Nirvana site in a while, but I figure it's time for a couple of reasons. First, when I started distributing The Wand tonearm from New Zealand, I instantly though about putting the 12" version on one of Dave Archambault's long-base Thorens TD-150s, which he calls the VN-150. (Pic above.) Second, my next column for the Vinyl Anachronist will talk about some of my favorite turntables of all time, and I instantly starting thinking about my old interview with Dave on Perfect Sound Forever where I asked about his favorite 'table and he picked the long-base Thorens he builds.

That puts me into a bit of a quandary, however. I really want to include his long-base Thorens on my list, which will be called something like "Ten Turntables to Lust After." But after putting all my favorites down I realized the list was too long and I had to start cutting some 'tables out, which was tough. I decided that one of the criteria for these turntables had to be "seat time"--I couldn't put the 'table on the list unless I had actually spent time listening to it. And I haven't actually heard the VN-150 yet.

Hopefully I can rectify that in the near future--I'm trying to send Dave one of The Wands ASAP, and since I moved to Central New York I'm actually just a few hours' drive from his workshop in New Hampshire. So while I want to put the VN-150 on the list because I DO lust after it, I'll actually have to give it some special honorable mention status until I can hear it.

But just look at this one. It's beautiful. I could easily imagine retiring with one of these. It's a super 'table that doesn't cost super 'table dollars--it retails for $3195 with the 12" SME M2-12R tonearm (which is $1800 by itself). You can also step down to the M2-12, or add the Origin Live DC200 outboard motor. This is just an outstanding 'table in so many ways.

I've also been lusting after Dave's "Midnight Edition" TD-160 Supers that he's been offering of late. A more modest analog rig than the long-base Thorens, this is nevertheless an excellent vintage 'table that can compete with modern 'tables at the same price point. The "midnight" refers to the black anodized top plate as well as the black powdercoat finish on the platter, which gives it an undeniably sexy look. It comes with a Moth RB-202 arm (OEM from Rega) for just $1579. I'd add an Ortofon 2M Blue for a couple hundred bucks and have an awesome vinyl rig for under $2000.

Visit the Vinyl Nirvana website for more restored vintage turntables--some of them start at under $700 and will offer you plenty of years of enjoyment.

An "Embarrassment of Riches" at Vinyl Nirvana

I just spoke with Dave Archambault of Vinyl Nirvana, and he told me that he has a wide variety of restored AR and Thorens turntables now available--an embarrassment of riches so to speak. After my recent interview with Dave in Perfect Sound Forever, it's clear that Vinyl Nirvana is taking off and has become one of the premier turntable restoration services in the entire world. As a result, Dave is able to offer more completely restored turntables than ever before...more proof that the 21st century vinyl surge is still peaking.

This particular turntable caught my fancy. I'm a sucker for a beautiful wood surface, and this solid zebrawood plinth on this Thorens TD-150 sent a chill down my back. Looking closely, however, you may notice that this TD-150 looks more like a Linn LP-12 than a traditional Thorens. Dave extended the base of the turntable, much like he's been doing for those unique long-base Thorens TD-125s with the 12" tonearms, so that this TD-150 can accommodate a Linn-sized tonearm. He then added a Music Hall Cruise Control to stabilize the platter speed--Dave feels that this $295 unit "makes the music jump right out of the groove." You also get the Bren record clamp that Dave includes on many of his beautiful creations.

Finally, Dave has installed the Moth RB-202 tonearm--an OEM Rega arm--which has been rewired with Cardas Audio tonearm cable. The result is a turntable that has been influenced by the Linn LP-12, and comes close to achieving the same level of performance according to Dave. The price for everything? Just $1495 complete plus shipping.

Dave's success with the long-base TD-125 (there's only one more available this year) has led him to tackle this more modest project. Hopefully, he'll keep creating more of these unique vintage turntables--I can't wait to see what he'll do with an AR ES-1. If you're interested in one of these TD-150s, contact Dave at Vinyl Nirvana immediately.

New Vinyl Anachronist Column Available at Perfect Sound Forever

My latest Vinyl Anachronist column is now live on the Perfect Sound Forever website. In this installment I interview Dave Archambault of Vinyl Nirvana and ask him about the art of vintage turntable restorations in 2014. You can read it here. Enjoy!

Last Day for Free Shipping at Vinyl Nirvana

I just spoke with Dave Archambault of Vinyl Nirvana, and he told me that for the first time in a long time he actually has quite a bit of stock on hand. (It's the slow time of the year for everyone.) In order to clear out room for future products, Dave has been offering free shipping--but it ends tonight, February 17, at midnight. If you've been thinking of buying one of Dave's beautifully restored vintage turntables from Thorens, AR and more, today is the day.

You might think that free shipping isn't a big deal, but as someone who ships high-end audio for a living I can tell you that Dave's offering a significant discount. No one is better than Vinyl Nirvana when it comes to safely shipping these somewhat delicate machines, so this is a very valuable service Dave is giving away.

Dave has plenty of amazing turntables on hand for sale. First, he has another one of his Thorens TD-125 long base turntables with 12" SME arm, which you can see at the top of this page. Dave builds a handful of these amazing TTs each year, and this one is still available at $2995. Dave even offers this turntable in a variety of exotic wood plinths, so you can customize it to your heart's content. If you're looking for a great, classic turntable that none of your audiophile buddies also have, this is the one.

The second photo is of an old-fashioned AR XA turntable--one of the best-selling turntables of all time--it was the king throughout the '60s and '70s. I owned one for a while in the late '90s, but it was terribly beat up and I never got it working perfectly. I should have sent it to Dave! If you're looking for a solid, beautiful vintage 'table that doesn't cost a lot of money, you should look into the AR XA. This one is just $695, and that includes a Rega RB-250 arm. This is an AR that was modded by Steve Frosten, and it even has a Linn power supply.

Finally we have a beautiful Thorens TD-160 Super with a custom zebrawood plinth and a new SME M2-9 arm for just $1995. Dave is also a dealer for Ortofon, Dynavector and Grado cartridges, which means you have great plenty of great choices for any AR, Merrill or Thorens 'table Dave restores. Plus, Dave will mount the cartridge for free when you buy one of his turntables!

Once again, the free shipping deal ends today, so visit the Vinyl Nirvana website for more information!

Another Beautiful Long Base Thorens TD-125 at Vinyl Nirvana

Dave Archambault at Vinyl Nirvana has just finished another one of his custom long-base Thorens TD-125 turntables--this one with an utterly gorgeous morado (Bolivian rosewood) plinth. The morado isn't just a veneer; it's made from 3/4" solid wood all around with several coats of tung oil used to bring out the beauty of the grain. Dave only makes three of these each year, so they're definitely one-of-a-kind.



The long base design allows for 12" tonearms to be used on the TD-125. Dave has included the SME M2-12R tonearm, which is a new version of the classic 3012 arm. What's amazing about this turntable package is that the arm itself retails for $2000. That means you're getting this custom, fully restored Thorens TD-125 for less than $1500--an insanely low price.



When you buy one of Dave's fully restored vintage turntables, it's almost like getting one brand new out of the box. In most cases, it might actually be better! This TD-125, for example, comes with a top plate that has been sandblasted and refinished to look better than new. All the caps and resistors in the speed control unit have been replaced, and both the armboard and the metal faceplate is brand new. Once everything is completed, Dave ensures that the performance is fully up to spec--just like the day it was made.



The cost of this table and arm is $3495 plus shipping. As Dave says, the TD-125's performance is good enough to warrant any modern $500 to $2000 cartridge. Again, this is a turntable I would love to own. It's definitely unique in every way, and rivals or even exceeds the performance of modern turntables in its price range. For more information, check out the Vinyl Nirvana website.

New Affordable Merrill Turntable at Vinyl Nirvana

With the arrival of the stunning VPI Traveler turntable earlier this year, there's suddenly a lot of activity in the $1000 to $1500 TT market. At the end of 2012, you'll discover three spectacular analog rigs at that price point: the VPI, the Rega RP6 and the Clearaudio Concept. All three of these 'tables offer the kind of performance that were once only available from a $2000+ set-up, and all three are selling like hotcakes.

Now you can add a fourth 'table to this group of over-achievers, and it comes from an unlikely source: Merrill. Just recently announced by David Archambault of Vinyl Nirvana, the new Merrill Replica ES-R1 is based on George Merrill's now-legendary modifications of the classic AR turntable. Merrill has gone on to create some great--and sometimes very expensive--turntables of his own over the years, so it's exciting to see him offer his excellent designs to those who are just getting started in this fascinating hobby.

The ES-R1 offers the same type of suspension used in such decks as Linn, Thorens and of course AR, and for a very reasonable price. Two versions of the ES-R1 will be available: an unfinished wood version without arm or cartridge for a mere $995, and a "ready to play" model that comes with a beautiful wood finish, a Jelco SA-250 tonearm (a favorite of the Technics SL-1200 crowd) and an Ortofon 2M Red, which is probably the best $99 cartridge available today. This latter version will be available for an amazing $1595 plus shipping.

Both versions come with the following features:

*33/45 RPM
*Decoupled inner and outer poly platters.
*Oversized record support platter that can be configured to accommodate a clamping ring.
*Spring suspended poly sub-chassis with arm board.
*Poly drive pulley
*Laminated Plinth
*Oil well bearing
*Level Adjustable Damping feet
*Rubber cork mat
*Handcrafted wooden base
*Custom manufactured motor
*Base top black

Dave has been testing out the first model he received and is excitedly reporting the results on the various analog forums. He bought the unfinished version, and he is taking videos of the project as he completes each step. (You can see the progress here.)

If you're a fan of AR or Merrill turntables and you're looking for an analog rig that won't cost you a fortune, check out the Vinyl Nirvana site and then shoot Dave an email at dave@vinylnirvana.com!