Maybe late to the party here, don't know if anyone will see my post, but at least I will post it. Bought my AR (NOT AR XA!) turntable while in Vietnam back in the late 1960's, somehow had it sent to me here in the US. Still not sure how that happened, but it did, lol! And today in August of 2023, I still have it. After a long hiatus from vinyl during the cd era, I yesterday brought it out of storage, hooked it up, and it plays flawlessly! I think I bought a new drive belt for it maybe 10 or more years ago, but other than that, it is as stock as the day I bought it 50 years ago. I could only listen to it on one speaker, need to re-wire the other speaker cable. But once that is done, I will seriously enjoy listening to my collection of over 300 records from that 70's/80's era! Thank you for posting this, it has re-kindled my love for this turntable!!! :D
Currently servicing my XB1 that I bought as a student in 1978 I think. I was about to invest close on £1000 on a new Technics but realised that this old faithful was probably better for putting close to a speaker and subwoofer. It will need a new belt and cartridge as my beloved Fidelity Research 101SE needs a new stylus and they don’t make them anymore. Any suggestions? I quite fancy a mid rage Nagaoka for ease of set up. There is an excellent hour long video on CZcams where a very good engineer explains about all the key design aspects of the XA whilst refurbishing it. At the end he hammers a nail into some wood on the top deck whilst playing a record. Takes me back to my student party days. Knock the table ...and the deck plays on.
I think it's worth mentioning that he believed in treating his employees fairly. An honest days pay for an honest days work. Truly cared about the product he put out and the price it sold for. The AR3 are my favorite speaker and I've had speakers from DCM, Klipsch, Wharfedale, JBL, Advent. I love vintage!!
Thanks AES and thanks Edgar. It's great to hear from the designer and it confirms my views about audio reviewers having their hands down their trousers, much like the w(h)ine people. I've still got my XB and I love it.
Oh my goodness! I owned two of these wonderfully simple turntable. Love, love, love the AR XA. So beautiful, and economical. Wish I still had mine. The designer achieved the perfect balance!
I bought one when it was $78...best $78 I ever spent and an astounding bargain. This turntable gets a lot of praise and deservedly so. All of Villchur's design decisions still stand up today. I'm guessing the reason we don't see clones is this kind of design is more costly to produce in today's world. We have the quite expensive LP-12 and the less costly but still expensive SOTA turntables, but check me if I'm wrong, whose tonearms are isolated and not floating so they're not really the same at all. I think that was as important as the floating platter myself. I never missed the lack of anti-skating either, to me the only thing I'd change would be to make the plastic cartridge shell less boxy and fitted with the more universal SME screw-on fitting. This turntable, from my start in the early seventies, remains the single highest value purchase I ever made in audio gear. Absolutely fantastic design someone needs to bring back out today at a similar value.
I own one of these AR turntables. Very simple, the XA model. I put a newer cartridge and it's great. I never intended to be a "vintage gear guy", but I run a Sansui au 7700 with vintage Tannoy Gold 10" concentric's and the AR.The most modern piece is a Sony CD player I picked up 30 years ago lol! oh and Maverick "Tubemagic" DAC, it's ok...not as good as a higher end one but it's not bad. Sounds pretty great, my only complaint is my room setup.
So true. And this "english magazine" continued successfully to BS millions of peoples during decades. Whatever, I had, recently, crossed one of this man's work. It's a magnificent turntable.
One of the masters...They just don't make em like yesteryear and if u can get one of these..DO SO quickly before u spend 400.on a PROJECT or REGA entry level tables......no 3 point suspensions on em...That makes a world of difference!
Just got me one in fair shape .Have to remake cabinet with real wood . Purchase a cart head and stylus has to be done also. Can't wait till it is done. It is an xb.
I bought one of those $78 turntables and it changed my young life at the time. It is still to this day the best money I ever spent on any audio component. Someone needs to reintroduce the AR turntable. I'm sick of Rega type designs of low mass and no suspension even if Rega has raised that philosophy to a high level. I am sad that perhaps no turntable at any cost exists where the platter and the tonearm are underhung by springs from a solid plinth...except see below? Yes it's important to me that the tonearm be underhung as well which, I believe, the Project Classic fails to do using a mounted on the plinth tonearm that isn't suspended at all. I think Sota turntables might be the only one with a underhung suspension for both platter and tonearm??? All the above said in this market why isn't someone faithfully recreating the AR turntable. I wouldn't change much except to offer an updated tonearm and even the original one would be just fine.
I have a systemdek 11X which was probably the best example of this design. It gets better reviews than Linn's LP12. I also have an AR XB which I just took out of "mothballs" 2 days ago. I have a Sumiko Bluepoint on the Systemdek and a Pickering XSV 3000 in the AR. I didn't feel like remounting the cartridge. One thing I found is I took the lambs wool mat off of the systemdek and put it on the AR and the sound was more alive than either cork or rubber. The Pickering is truly an incredible cartridge.
very cool . . . it strikes me that if a turntable does its job, 99.9% of the acoustic qualities people claim for turntables must, at that end of the signal chain (i.e., not the amp or speakers), be about the stylus. I see many reviews now that recur to what Villchur discusses here--claims for "tight, masterful bass " and "clever upper mids" and "spacious, elegant atmospherics" claimed for *turntables.*
What a man.. He and Kloss.. of whom with the AR-1, 3, the KLH-5-6, then even moreso with the Lrg Advents being the 1st to bring REAL high-fidelity to us, you all and I, the poor working stiffs.. $200(+?)/pr if buying wisely for the Lrg Advents?.. The 201A that opened the road to affordable, high-end casstte record/playback?.. under $80 for a turntable exceeding broadcast quality?.. Real men, real heroes.. making their findings freely available to the common people. I have to say it and get it off of my chest.. ..the exact, cool opposite of what i despise:>:Sarnoff, Bose, Fried, and all such pretentious shysters, shafting the public by playing off of the their ignorance as to what counts in true sound reproduction, hiding behind mysterious philosphies promoting their bare minimum investment for exohrbitant returns policy. Bose:>.. "I bought my 1st system based on spec.. was so dissapointed.. decided to go a different route in design".. When was that?.. sometime early/mid 50s?.. there were only a few pioneering firms then, and they've ALL been proven down through the test of time.. Why didn't he use that story in an ad campaign,?.. All the while making his "new" findings available as did Edgar and Henry.. That would have made him king, A-No1.. Instead of "this is why Mr. Bose doesn't believe in publishing specs".. No, it's because there weren't any "NEW", undiscovered sonic boundaries, were there Amar.. Couldn't you foresee how you would come off appearing in knowledgable peoples eyes?
I bought my Large Advents new and I still have an Advent 201. I used to have an Advent 300 receiver and I currently have an AR XB. I also have a Systemdek 11X which is probably the best version of this design. I still have a pair of cambridge ensemble (Henry Kloss) for my computer. The one company you forget to mention was Dynaco. Another great company who didn't break the bank.
Maybe late to the party here, don't know if anyone will see my post, but at least I will post it. Bought my AR (NOT AR XA!) turntable while in Vietnam back in the late 1960's, somehow had it sent to me here in the US. Still not sure how that happened, but it did, lol! And today in August of 2023, I still have it. After a long hiatus from vinyl during the cd era, I yesterday brought it out of storage, hooked it up, and it plays flawlessly! I think I bought a new drive belt for it maybe 10 or more years ago, but other than that, it is as stock as the day I bought it 50 years ago. I could only listen to it on one speaker, need to re-wire the other speaker cable. But once that is done, I will seriously enjoy listening to my collection of over 300 records from that 70's/80's era! Thank you for posting this, it has re-kindled my love for this turntable!!! :D
This turntable is one of the most beatiful mechanical innovations of all times.
Currently servicing my XB1 that I bought as a student in 1978 I think. I was about to invest close on £1000 on a new Technics but realised that this old faithful was probably better for putting close to a speaker and subwoofer. It will need a new belt and cartridge as my beloved Fidelity Research 101SE needs a new stylus and they don’t make them anymore. Any suggestions? I quite fancy a mid rage Nagaoka for ease of set up.
There is an excellent hour long video on CZcams where a very good engineer explains about all the key design aspects of the XA whilst refurbishing it. At the end he hammers a nail into some wood on the top deck whilst playing a record. Takes me back to my student party days. Knock the table ...and the deck plays on.
I think it's worth mentioning that he believed in treating his employees fairly. An honest days pay for an honest days work. Truly cared about the product he put out and the price it sold for. The AR3 are my favorite speaker and I've had speakers from DCM, Klipsch, Wharfedale, JBL, Advent. I love vintage!!
Thanks AES and thanks Edgar. It's great to hear from the designer and it confirms my views about audio reviewers having their hands down their trousers, much like the w(h)ine people. I've still got my XB and I love it.
I still use my AR XA to this day. It does exactly what Edgar says. It stays out of the way. Thanks!!!
archivestereo yes it should stay out of the way to let the more important components (tonearm and cartridge) be able to do their thing.
Oh my goodness! I owned two of these wonderfully simple turntable. Love, love, love the AR XA. So beautiful, and economical. Wish I still had mine. The designer achieved the perfect balance!
AR turntable very cheap in the US , but " XB " might be expensive in Asia back in the 1970's.
So nice to hear him tell. Thank you. 😎👍
I had one in the 70's. Good turntable. No bells and whistles.
Had one. One of the best Manual turntables ever.
Villchur was a genius.
I bought one when it was $78...best $78 I ever spent and an astounding bargain. This turntable gets a lot of praise and deservedly so. All of Villchur's design decisions still stand up today. I'm guessing the reason we don't see clones is this kind of design is more costly to produce in today's world. We have the quite expensive LP-12 and the less costly but still expensive SOTA turntables, but check me if I'm wrong, whose tonearms are isolated and not floating so they're not really the same at all. I think that was as important as the floating platter myself. I never missed the lack of anti-skating either, to me the only thing I'd change would be to make the plastic cartridge shell less boxy and fitted with the more universal SME screw-on fitting. This turntable, from my start in the early seventies, remains the single highest value purchase I ever made in audio gear. Absolutely fantastic design someone needs to bring back out today at a similar value.
Honesty and physics
I own one of these AR turntables. Very simple, the XA model. I put a newer cartridge and it's great. I never intended to be a "vintage gear guy", but I run a Sansui au 7700 with vintage Tannoy Gold 10" concentric's and the AR.The most modern piece is a Sony CD player I picked up 30 years ago lol! oh and Maverick "Tubemagic" DAC, it's ok...not as good as a higher end one but it's not bad. Sounds pretty great, my only complaint is my room setup.
So true. And this "english magazine" continued successfully to BS millions of peoples during decades.
Whatever, I had, recently, crossed one of this man's work. It's a magnificent turntable.
So good, i have TWO !!
One of the masters...They just don't make em like yesteryear and if u can get one of these..DO SO quickly before u spend 400.on a PROJECT or REGA entry level tables......no 3 point suspensions on em...That makes a world of difference!
Just got me one in fair shape .Have to remake cabinet with real wood . Purchase a cart head and stylus has to be done also. Can't wait till it is done. It is an xb.
Get a Pickering XSV 3000 with original stylus. It is a great cartridge.
I used to have a Linn LP12, now I see that the design was very largely copied from this guy. Hope they paid him some royalties lol
My first turntable. So sorry, I traded it in, for an automatic...although a very good automatic...Thorens TD 125.
I bought one of those $78 turntables and it changed my young life at the time. It is still to this day the best money I ever spent on any audio component. Someone needs to reintroduce the AR turntable. I'm sick of Rega type designs of low mass and no suspension even if Rega has raised that philosophy to a high level. I am sad that perhaps no turntable at any cost exists where the platter and the tonearm are underhung by springs from a solid plinth...except see below? Yes it's important to me that the tonearm be underhung as well which, I believe, the Project Classic fails to do using a mounted on the plinth tonearm that isn't suspended at all. I think Sota turntables might be the only one with a underhung suspension for both platter and tonearm??? All the above said in this market why isn't someone faithfully recreating the AR turntable. I wouldn't change much except to offer an updated tonearm and even the original one would be just fine.
I have a systemdek 11X which was probably the best example of this design. It gets better reviews than Linn's LP12. I also have an AR XB which I just took out of "mothballs" 2 days ago. I have a Sumiko Bluepoint on the Systemdek and a Pickering XSV 3000 in the AR. I didn't feel like remounting the cartridge. One thing I found is I took the lambs wool mat off of the systemdek and put it on the AR and the sound was more alive than either cork or rubber. The Pickering is truly an incredible cartridge.
very cool . . . it strikes me that if a turntable does its job, 99.9% of the acoustic qualities people claim for turntables must, at that end of the signal chain (i.e., not the amp or speakers), be about the stylus. I see many reviews now that recur to what Villchur discusses here--claims for "tight, masterful bass " and "clever upper mids" and "spacious, elegant atmospherics" claimed for *turntables.*
What a man.. He and Kloss.. of whom with the AR-1, 3, the KLH-5-6, then even moreso with the Lrg Advents being the 1st to bring REAL high-fidelity to us, you all and I, the poor working stiffs.. $200(+?)/pr if buying wisely for the Lrg Advents?.. The 201A that opened the road to affordable, high-end casstte record/playback?.. under $80 for a turntable exceeding broadcast quality?.. Real men, real heroes.. making their findings freely available to the common people.
I have to say it and get it off of my chest..
..the exact, cool opposite of what i despise:>:Sarnoff, Bose, Fried, and all such pretentious shysters, shafting the public by playing off of the their ignorance as to what counts in true sound reproduction, hiding behind mysterious philosphies promoting their bare minimum investment for exohrbitant returns policy.
Bose:>.. "I bought my 1st system based on spec.. was so dissapointed.. decided to go a different route in design".. When was that?.. sometime early/mid 50s?.. there were only a few pioneering firms then, and they've ALL been proven down through the test of time.. Why didn't he use that story in an ad campaign,?.. All the while making his "new" findings available as did Edgar and Henry.. That would have made him king, A-No1.. Instead of "this is why Mr. Bose doesn't believe in publishing specs".. No, it's because there weren't any "NEW", undiscovered sonic boundaries, were there Amar.. Couldn't you foresee how you would come off appearing in knowledgable peoples eyes?
I bought my Large Advents new and I still have an Advent 201. I used to have an Advent 300 receiver and I currently have an AR XB. I also have a Systemdek 11X which is probably the best version of this design. I still have a pair of cambridge ensemble (Henry Kloss) for my computer. The one company you forget to mention was Dynaco. Another great company who didn't break the bank.
The suspension was brilliant- the arm was mediocre
Not exactly. The arm is much better than most folks realize, and is in fact very good.
The arm works well. Is it an SME? nope but it can be tweaked to sound quite good.