Funky Ariston RD-40 Turntable Restoration - Will this EVER sound good?
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- This video is covering my restoration of an Ariston RD-40 turntable - alternatively known by some as the 'biscuit tin'!
This is the upgraded version of the turntable with the extra heavy platter and the DC motor.
I wanted it to look a certain way so follow my progress with a repaint, a new tonearm, belt, and even 3D printing an armboard to fit my Rega arm.
Details of the turntable:
www.vinylengine.com/library/a...
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I have the same turntable and the same task in front of me. I bought it new in the late 80s and used it until the early 2000s. It has been in the attic ever since. I don't know when I'll get around to restoring it, but at least now I know a little more clearly what to expect :)
I have one of these, i bought it new about 40 years ago, played it for years, trying all sorts of mods, weights , clamps and plinths to set the deck on etc.
Along came CD's and slowly the deck became dusty.
It is now in its original box in a cupboard in our house since we moved in here 28 years ago, and I recently began to itch to revive it, hence finding your video.
I am fortunate to be a toolmaker giving me access to lathes and milling machines, so before i retire, a restoration project should be no bother, I just hope none of the electrics are damaged from age,
also I don't recall my RD40 having speed controls or switchable 33/45 (I remember changing the belt position on the motor) I'm sure it was just on or off. so there may have been different models available at the time.
Well if you want to move it on to an appreciative person (IE me 😅) give me an email!
The one thing I'll say is it took some very frustrating adjusting to make it level. Very frustrating at times!
First class restoration on the old Ariston.
This is very cool looking turntable. 👍🏻
I had one of these but when I bought it the brass mass weights were missing. Tweaks I did were to put it on sorbathane pucks for clearance and isolation and to use dynamat on the inside of the platter which made a big difference though with the even heavier platter will sit lower so needs adjustment assuming the springs still have spring in them.. With a very good if vintage tonearm like a SME3009 and good cartridge it comes to life. Started to develop some AC motor hum but got a really tight yet open sound out of it. A new belt can be easily bought as well as springs (Linn replacements). Getting it level was very time consuming. Overall it has a good amount of mass and the bearing is precision engineering. Added bonus is you can take it apart and put it in your suitcase if you travel
I eventually solid be because to be honest it was a total pain to get it level, and have it stay level
@@pwrestoration Yep, I can see that. I enjoyed it's engineeredness but once you start to see the platter wobbling beyond a 'tolerable' amount you have to attend to it. That's your listening session kaput! Too much plate spinning. I didn't even know about the brass weights until now but don't know how much of a difference they actually make. It does serve to show though that turntables aren't an easy solution and that in part the attraction of digital is getting away from the maintenance and juggling of various aspects. Even an LP12 might seem more straightforward but how do you get to the springs if you have to set up again after moving? new Technics decks look set and forget. In addition, vinyl 'ain't cheap' but ebay cds go for the price of a coffee
Great job.
Did chuckle at the "like a Linn" comment!
Interesting story - my old boss bought a container of shop tools (compressors, lathes, pillar tools, etc) from a local auction here in Ayrshire quite a few years back. As well as tool stuff we found loads of Ariston hifi parts and some complete items all marked up with labels like Prototype 001, etc. Funky looking CD players, tuners and parts for decks like yours. Nobody cared (we were a truck workshop) so it all got binned. What a shame.
I was lucky enough to get an older version of this and paid next to nothing for it at an estate sale. Covered in dust and mouse crap! Got it home started cleaning in, polishing the aluminum bits realized it was really good quality. Is is the center piece of my system and the reason I started my vintage audio hobby. Meet some of the nicest people! If I ever do a full restoration this will be my go to video. Thanks for the great video! Cheers
The one downside I have with it, is it's really difficult to setup and balance, so that the belt doesn't rub on the inside of the motor pulley and cause noise / flutter.
Is your belt flat or square shaped?
Mine has a round belt. I think mine is the RD-11 single speed motor so to change the speed you move the belt manually on a pulley with 2 sizes.@@pwrestoration
There is a "captive" ball bearing in the oil cavity. The original tables came with a measured amount of lube.
It's such a cool turntable. I almost bought one a few years ago. I feel some regrets now 😅
Just sold it! It was a little impractical with little kids around as the arm was offered no protection
If you check on line you will see there is a spring that goes from the switch box to the turntable frame to counteract the the pull of the belt on the turntable. I have the same unit with no spring and no counter weights and it sounds great with Ortfon red cartridge.
I've actually fitted a cassette belt, doubled over in place of the spring. It counter acts perfectly as the deck belt is rubber anyway. Not entirely convinced the counterweights Dona lot though, and it took a lot of twiddling to get the platter level!
With the RPM app, if you sit something fairly light over the spindle... Toilet Roll! and then sit the phone on top of that - directly over the spindle, it seems to produce a more accurate reading, depending on the phone. And also, yeah, the static numbers blows my brain.
Ive found the number slowly rotates to the wrong angle eventually, then it's like an episode of takeshis castle trying to take the phone back without disturbing the speed 😅
@@pwrestorationsomeone else has probably already reminded you that 33 is really 33 1/3 and 16 is half that (16 2/3). This slowest speed was
particularly popular
with guitarists, in years gone by, as it would play an LP at half speed (an octave lower) but in the same key!
Really like the look of that tonearm i dunno what you mean :D
Hey each to their own, I was just after a more modern look 😁
@@pwrestoration youre right the Rega looks prefect easthetic for this
A good video. Much appreciated!
I would love to have one of these turntables. It looks brilliant.
Mind you, had I had been in your position and then had to read the comments made by @exenx2995 then like you, I would most certainly have NOT have given him the satisfaction of you giving up and effectively 'slashing your wrists'. Please keep up the excellent work with your videos!
Missed that comment whatever it was 😅
It was 6 days ago and @exenx2995 was very cruel - he says he was 'honest'. I very glad you have not seen it. I am strongly minded to report this to youTube
That’s a shibata needle?
Yes AT VM95SH
@@pwrestoration how does it sound?
Tested it vs; 2M
Ortofon is so expensive
These were good decks if you couldn’t afford an LP12
Don't like em. Far too boring to look at!
What's happened to the original arm that's a lot better than the Rega why why not put it back?
It was awful! It was a 50s broadcast arm and didn't belong on this. Sold and paid for the rega.
Surprised you don't favour S-shaped arms. Cute deck, but man I hate belt drive. For the money I'd rather have an SP-10.
That's interesting, what's the price on an SP10? £1K?
@@pwrestoration HA ha, yeah they aren't cheap, you make a good point. Sure you got a good deal on that one. Still a cool resto.
hi the price of records is now got silly went over to 1/2 tape and bigger reel to reel please i did £50 for one i have seen there was a shop in london i could get a record
50p each was along time ago there was a place in the shop they had them that you call them 2nd bad covers and small things made them hard to sell
i watched the cassette deck one as well with the big gears you had to make
I thought Ariston made stoves and washing machines. Ariston ... and on ... and on
And Ariston!
HOW did you get the spring pods apart and install the new foam in the springs?
I can't remember 🤠🦉
Bummer