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ukbobboy
Legend

Old Hi-Fi System

@caseyb1993 @Andy @GraphiteGB @mark_suff  @commanda6

 

Hi Guys 

 

I was bouncing around YouTube when I came across this video, it shows the Thorens turntable and SME tone arm I used to use back in the day.  Before marriage and children, I used to be (well) into Hi-Fi (high fidelity) systems and the Thorens turntable combo used to be the head/start of my system.

 

I know this has absolutely nothing to do with NowTV etc. but I'm sure there are a few older fans out there that still remember the days when Hi-Fi was king.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaMn20oJ4Bc

 

 

UK Bob

 

Pink Floyd - Time from the "Dark Side of the Moon" 180 Gram LP Thorens TD 160 Super / Audio Technica AT440MLa / Shure SME 3009 Series 2 Improved tone arm / Pioneer VSX-9500s (Pre-Amp) / White Oaked Phase Linear (WOPL) 1000 Power Amp (530 watts per channel into 8 Ohms), 108.7 Volts on the Main ...
310 REPLIES 310
schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

@ukbobboy

 

Hi (UK Cyber Man) Bob Smiley Happy

 

I reckon you should use that above emo picture has your aviator photo under your user forum member name, it fits your profile and personality perfectly Smiley Very Happy

ukbobboy
Legend

@schnapps @SeeMoreDigital

 

Guys

 

I wonder if you remember this;

 

SME Damping System DS200 for SME 3009 Tonearm

 

   SME Damping System DS200 for SME 3009 Tonearm.jpg

 

 

This little fiddly attachment added a "dampening bath facility (filled with a viscous fluid)" to the SME 3009 tonearm.

 

Who would bother with something like this now, but back in the day I did.

 

This gadget completed what was my hi-fi turntable, which was.

 

1) Thorens 160 Mk2 Belt Drive Turntable (without tonearm)

 

2) SME 3009 Mk2 Tonearm

 

3) Ortofons VME20E Mk2 Cartridge

 

4) SME Damping System DS200

 

5) Felt Turntable Mat (can't remember the manufacturer)

 

Looking at the list now seems that I must have been an enthusiast or a little bit crazy.

 

Either way, catch you later.

 

 

UK Bob

 

ukbobboy
Legend

@schnapps @SeeMoreDigital

 

Guys

 

I almost forgot, the SME damping fluid came in this "handy-dandy" use once only dispenser:

 

SME Damping Fluid.jpg

 

If I remember correctly, you had to cut the tip of  the container off and squeeze or drain the fluid into the bath-type device.  There's a bit more to it, like attaching the damping paddle to the tonearm, but the more I think about it the crazier it seems.

 

 

UK Bob

 

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

@ukbobboy

 

Hi UKBob,

 

The only item that i can remember from your list is the felt Turntable Mats (i think a few companies offered these mats) .

 

These are the two Accessories that i used to keep my stylus and vinyl records in "tip top" condition.

 

Thinking back now it was such a pain going through all the effort Smiley Very Happy

 

Audio Technica ultrasonic stylus cleaner.

 

 

image_1080.jpg

 

 

 

Vinyl record bath solution cleaner.

 

 

th753AQKJM.jpg

 

 

 

 

ukbobboy
Legend

@schnapps

 

Yeah Schnapps

 

It was a pain, to think the nonsense we went through back then, it just seems silly now.

 

You know, I had something like your "vinyl record bath" it spun the record while it removed dust and static from records.  Oh no, I'm now starting to remember other daft accessories, like the sticky roller which was used to remove dust from records and there was also an anti-static gun.

 

                                                      Anti-Static Gun.jpg

 

I could only find this current picture of an anti-static gun, it still looks daft and at £54.00 it's head-examiningly daft.

 

                                                      Head Bandage.png

 

 

 

All these so-called devices, in the long run, caused more harm than good.

 

Catch you later.

 

UK Bob

 

PS. I must admit, I've never heard of an "ultrasonic stylus cleaner", did it ever work?

ukbobboy
Legend

@schnapps

 

 

Hey Schnapps

 

My felt turntable mat looked something like this:

 

    Grey Felt Turntable Mat.jpg

 

You know, the asking price for these things nowadays are "nothing short of" outrageous.

 

 

UK Bob

 

 

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

@ukbobboy

 

Hi UKBob,

 

The ultrasonic stylus cleaner worked really well from removing any grunge or fluff on the stylus, however you had to be extremely careful not to push to hard against the tip of the needle otherwise there was a chance you could damage the stylus tip (ouch very expensive) Smiley Embarassed

 

If my memory serves me right i think the ultrasonic cleaner cost me around £50 back in 1989.

schnapps
Legend 5
Legend 5

@SeeMoreDigital wrote:

Saw this this morning: http://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/technology/33-obsolete-technologies-that-will-baffle-modern-generatio...


That linked article brings back a few nostalgia fond memories, where all 33 obsolete technologies listed i have either come across, used or owned in the past Smiley Happy

 

Must be showing my age Smiley Very Happy

 

 

caseyb1993
Legend 5
Legend 5

@ukbobboy @ukbobboy @Andy

I feel I need to add to this as I have discovered how amazing vinyl is!

I always thought it would sound scratchy like in movies. How wrong I was! 😄

I am not staff, I am a customer that likes to help,
so please click the Thank You/Thumbs Up button if I helped you out and maybe even accept it as a solution? 🙂
Andy
Legend 5
Legend 5

Alas it's no use dragging me into this thread exclusively for audio connoisseurs ... I was a child of the cassette age and was always into films and TV more than music ... What little taste I have in music you definitely wouldn't want to hear about! 😄