I've mused in the past about getting off the
audio merry-go-round, about buying that last audio system I will
ever buy in my life and then retiring to the countryside where
I'll spend the rest of my golden years listening to RCA Shaded
Dog LP's, UHQRs and Three Blind Mice LP's--the original
pressings, of course. In the vision I have for that last system,
my analog source is usually a gorgeously rebuilt vintage
turntable such as a Garrard 301 or a Thorens TD-124 or a Lenco.
It looks like the day it rolled off the assembly line, except
for the fact that it's been dropped into some giant wooden
plinth that's made out of some exotic wood with a name like
bubinga or wenge or padauk.
Or who knows--maybe I'll get a beautifully restored direct-drive
Technics SP-10 and piss off the 1200 Army for good. I'd
seriously put it on my short list.
At any rate, turntables like that are not that hard to find in
2014. They do, however, come at a price--a price that sometimes
has five digits in it. I like to think that if I had all the
money in the world, I'd probably spring for the granddaddy of
them all, the Shindo Labs Garrard 301, as that final analog
source. It's the price of a new Honda Accord, but at least
that's including the Ortofon SPU cartridge and Ortofon/Shindo
arm. I can easily picture myself with white hair, stooped
shoulders and a glass of Lagavulin in my left hand as my right
hand cues up my MFSL Doolittle LP (Ken Shindo of Shindo Labs
sadly passed away a few weeks ago, which means new Shindo 301s
are going to disappear and the existing ones will skyrocket in
price. That's too bad, because those were genuine works of art.
They sound absolutely wonderful, too).
 Fortunately, there are more reasonable options for perfectly
restored vintage turntables. For a long time, I've been
championing David Archambault and his Vinyl Nirvana site. Vinyl
Nirvana has been around for almost as long, if not longer than
the Vinyl Anachronist--Dave says he started the website around
2002. I forgot who originally turned me onto the Vinyl Nirvana
website, but I immediately bookmarked it once I saw all of
Dave's amazing restoration projects. I was particularly
fascinated with all of his AR turntable restorations--I've owned
both an AR-XA and an ES-1 and I'm still a big fan of these
designs. In fact, I never really gave Thorens much due until I
spoke with a friend about an old TD-160 Super that Dave
restored. That friend told me he preferred his Thorens slightly
over the Michelle Orbe SE/SME V/Koetsu Rosewood analog rig I had
back then. I thought he was nuts back then--now, I'm not so
sure. Vintage tables, in my opinion, have meaty, direct sound
that's a tempting alternative to the high-performance 'tables
designed over the last couple of decades.
Based out of New Hampshire, Dave's been restoring old Thorens
and AR turntables with uncommon attention to detail and
performance. He isn't trying to transform them into glowing,
jewel-laden machines that cater to the 1%--he's trying to get
them close to their original pristine condition as possible.
Like car restoration specialists, Vinyl Nirvana is all about
keeping it stock. Best of all, these beautiful turntables aren't
as costly as a new car--more like a new bicycle.
That doesn't mean David reins in his imagination while bringing
these beautiful machines into the 21st century. His plinths,
while beautifully understated, do sport such gorgeous hardwoods
as zebrawood , Caribbean rosewood and yes, paduak (needless to
say, those hardwood bases weren't available back in the '60's
and '70's). After Dave performs his magic, these turntables look
elegant, modern and as close to perfect as a complicated piece
of machinery built fifty to sixty years ago can be.
PSF: So tell us, how did your love for turntable restoration
begin?
Dave Archambault: From my early teen years, I've enjoyed
tinkering with electronics. Being the youngest of five, as the
older siblings would move on, I'd be the one to confiscate the
leftover broken audio equipment and repair it if I could. As an
adult, this transformed into early Saturday morning yard sale
expeditions looking for pieces to upgrade my system or to help
out friends. Eventually, with the advent of eBay, I was able to
purchase with less effort and more discrimination. That's when I
started to focus on mainly turntables. Their main appeal to me
has always been the mechanical aspect: how each small thing can
affect the sound in much the same way as tuning a musical
instrument.
PSF: How's business at Vinyl Nirvana? It seems like the word is
getting out about what you do, but are you still feeling the
effects of the latest Vinyl Renaissance?
DA: In June, it will be three years doing this full-time. Before
that I was a full-time educator and just ran the business as a
way to de-stress. Business has steadily increased since going
full-time. Due to some great advice early on, I resisted the
temptation to spread out into other areas, and I have kept the
focus on mainly the suspended sub-chassis belt-driven
turntables. I am the "AR and Thorens guy." With a little
research on the Internet, people researching turntables can
discover these are two quality brands, and then a couple of
clicks later they are on the Vinyl Nirvana website. It's hard
for me to discern whether my increase in business is due solely
to the "Renaissance" or because I am also offering many more
turntables on any given day. There is certainly no doubt that
this Renaissance is alive in the media, however.
PSF: It seems like you're a one-man show at times--buying,
selling, restoring and getting the word out about Vinyl
Nirvana--but you must have some kind of support staff... right?
DA: I definitely have great support. First of all, my wife who
has allowed me to almost completely take over the basement of
our home and who has been incredibly understanding of the time
needed to establish and sustain a small business. Then there is
my plinth maker Vinny Pace with whom I've been friends for over
30 years. His superb craftsmanship has definitely taken my
turntables to a new level. My web designer for both Vinyl
Nirvana and my sister website Vintage Thorens is Andre Gagnon,
another person with whom I've been friends my whole life. Then I
have a great relationship with my machinist Bill Fisher, and a
whole host of other small businesses in the Seacoast New
Hampshire. I sometimes joke that I am really a general
contractor for someone's turntable project, and in a sense, that
is really true. I have people with care and expertise working in
the areas that are not my strengths. And then I am the one who
does final assembly of all of the completed parts, and, of
course, I provide the customer service.
PSF: Over the years, I've received countless emails asking me
for specific recommendations for vintage turntables. The budget,
however is often miniscule. Which vintage turntables, when
properly restored, compete with entry level 'tables in the $300
to $500 range from the likes of Music Hall, Pro-Ject and Rega?
DA: There is lots of helpful info out there on getting the
maximum performance from an AR XA, the first turntable AR
introduced in the early '60's. It is very easy to work on, and
with a small amount of careful work, they can be made to perform
at a high level. In the Thorens line, often the TD-165, TD-166
MKII and TD-150 can be had for less than $300 and brought up to
snuff easily.
PSF: Outside of the usual Garrard 301s and 401s, Thorens TD-124s
and TD-160s and AR ES-1s, what vintage turntables should
prospective buyers look for? Any "diamonds in the rough" that
few people know about?
DA: I think the Dual top-of-the-line idler drives like the 1019,
1219, and 1229 are exceptional tables. However, in buying one,
you need to figure in the cost of sending it to someone to be
restored. They are known for getting gummed up and getting these
back in shape is no work for the weak of heart. So again, these
models can be had cheaply, but I advise speaking to one of the
great Dual restoring companies out there about the potential
costs before you do. Besides the Dual idlers, as I mentioned
above, the Thorens TD-150 is often overlooked among the Thorens
seekers.
PSF: Say someone just found an old Garrard, Thorens or AR
turntable at a yard sale for a few bucks and it's in terrible
shape--but there's definite potential. If they contact you to
get the turntable restored to as close to its original condition
as possible, what does that usually entail? How much does the
average restoration cost? How long does it usually take?
DA: At this time, I am just the AR and Thorens guy, but with a
few clicks it's pretty easy to find experts to work on the other
major brands. My typical restoration is $175 plus shipping each
way. I try not to nickel and dime people to death, so that price
includes most of the things I typically see that need
replacement on their specific model. There are certain models
which require work of a greater depth, and you can read about
those on my restoration page. Typical turnaround in the fall to
winter months is 5 to 6 weeks. In spring and summer, it's 3 to 4
weeks.
PSF: After spending a few minutes on your website, the average
Internet surfer will quickly learn that you champion the art of
proper boxing and shipping of turntables. What tips can you give
a turntable shipper so that it arrives at its destination
intact?
DA: The most important thing is to secure the heavy platter and
the tonearm. Before you ship, figure out how exactly the platter
is attached. If it removes easily, do so and wrap it in padded
material, placing it in the bottom of the box under a piece of
cardboard. With the tonearm, just use a bread tie or elastic
band to attach it to the armrest. Finally, it's important to
double box in sturdy boxes.
PSF: You've talked about shipping nightmares with improperly
packed turntables, and you've mentioned all the "horror
stories." What's the single worst shipping disaster you've
received at Vinyl Nirvana?
DA: About two years ago, a customer was sending their
top-of-the-line Thorens TD-125 with SME 3009 arm to me for
restoration. They had initially sent me pictures and the unit
was quite nice. I sent the owner packing instructions, but for
one reason or another they either didn't get them or didn't read
them. So, as warned above, they left the heavy outer platter in
place, as if by some magic it would stay there while handled by
conveyor belts and delivery persons halfway across the country.
Of course, the platter came off, shearing off the motor pulley
and causing cosmetic damage to the tonearm and the top plate. It
was a mess. After learning the cost of restoring the table, they
decided to sell it to me for parts. Sad.
PSF: What are some of the happy turntable stories, the positive
ones about why the customer is getting back into vinyl?
DA: My favorite stories are the family ones. Most often it is a
son who has inherited his father's turntable and wants to have
it restored to its former glory. To work with someone like that,
and then to get the final e-mail after the turntable is running
again in that person's home, is really gratifying. There have
also been many instances where a wife or girlfriend has wanted
to surprise their significant other with a restored turntable.
Often that involves an education process before the sale, and
then working through the details from picking the right
turntable to eventually helping with set up. Again, those
e-mails are incredibly gratifying that describe the surprise and
satisfaction of the recipient. Finally, I have had the luck and
privilege to sell to a couple of musicians with whom I have
great respect: Ben Folds and Ray LaMontagne. It is still surreal
to me that each of those artists is playing their LP's on a
Vinyl Nirvana turntable.
PSF: What, in your opinion, was the most satisfying turntable
restoration project you performed in terms of ultimate sound
quality? What was the single turntable you rebuilt that you
really wanted to keep for yourself and you hated to see it go
out the door?
DA: The most satisfying projects have been the Thorens TD–125
Long Base reproductions. In the late '60's and early '70's,
Thorens produced a very small number of TD-125 with a longer
base to accommodate 12 inch tonearms. I was made aware of this
about five years ago by a repeat customer for whom this was his
Holy Grail turntable. Well, after a year of fruitless searching,
I began to research exactly what were the differences, and it
turns out that the only difficult part to replicate was the
front fascia plate. So I worked with a local sheet metal
manufacturer and a silk screening company to get a quality
replica made.
Featuring 12 inch arms by SME or Ortofon, these have been the
best sounding tables I have produced. I started out capping
sales at just three in 2012 and 2013, but for 2014 we are going
to create a total of six. At some point, I will definitely be
keeping one of these for myself.
PSF: A properly restored vintage turntable can provide
incredible sound quality, and many people feel that they can be
competitive with today's modern high-end turntables. But to me,
as well as a few others, vintage turntables do sound
"different"--but not in a bad way. What differences do you hear,
and what can your audiophile clients expect when they make the
switch to vintage?
DA: Again, my focus is on the suspended subchassis, belt driven
vintage turntables. I personally believe this was the pinnacle
of turntable design. I believe that each of the main turntable
designs out there are capable of excellent sound, but only these
suspended subchassis, belt driven tables exhibit a
characteristic sound from the lowest model to the highest. What
I personally hear, that I don't hear to the same degree in other
designs, is an "airiness" around the notes of any given
instrument or voice. There is a musicality there I don't
consistently hear in other designs. Only those with a suspended
subchassis.
PSF: Here's the "kids" question I keep asking everyone in my
interviews--are you seeing a lot of young people buying your
vintage restored turntables? What do they tell you when they're
describing why they are interested in turntables that are older
than they are--or even their parents in some cases?
DA: Unfortunately, because most of my packages start over $400
these days, I don't get as many customers in their teens and
20's as I would like. I do get inquiries, and I try to steer
them in the direction of finding something on Craigslist that
will get them started. Most of them are not specifically looking
for vintage, they're just looking for an inexpensive way to get
into vinyl, and vintage often provides that. My guess is their
interest is piqued by the media frenzy around vinyl right now.
Turntables are pretty invasive at the moment: watching a recent
NFL game, I saw a turntable in an iPhone ad, a Toyota ad, and
then McDonald's! That's pretty amazing for 2014 when you
consider the medium was pretty dead just 15 years ago. So I
think there's a curiosity out there built by the sudden
appearance of them in so many places.
PSF: While you go into explicit detail on your website about why
your clients should invest in one of your restored turntables,
what's the single biggest reason to do so--in your opinion?
DA: Value. You simply can't get the machining quality today that
these turntables provide at their price point. For example, the
contemporary Thorens company offers a suspended subchassis, belt
driven turntable, but it starts at over $3000 without a tonearm.
When I looked closely at that table, the quality is good, but
still doesn't approach what you find in these tables from the
mid-60s through the early '80's. There was so much competition
in that era, every company trying to outdo the other. It really
produced exceptional quality, and that is shown in the fact they
are still going strong 40 years later.
DA: There must be a vast difference between owning your own
small business and being part of public education, What
challenges have you had in reconciling the two?
PSF: In reality, there is no reconciliation. As I mentioned
earlier, working on vintage turntables was a way for me to
relieve the stress of my educational career. Nothing would help
me to forget a bad day than getting my head lost in a project.
Though being a teacher and principal is a very public job, I
have always considered myself an introvert. That public part of
the job never came easily to me. Now, I spend the majority of
each day isolated in my workshop and that aspect suits me just
fine. I enjoy the interaction by phone and e-mail regarding
turntable projects, and I enjoy the small community that has
been created on Facebook and various audio forums. Also, I
recently did a presentation on the history of sound reproduction
for some fifth grade classes at a local elementary school. I'm
thinking that at some point expanding in that direction will
help to fill what once was a full-time career in education.
PSF: What do you have planned for the future? Any changes,
special projects or incredible deals?
DA: Two years ago, I introduced the VN-150, which is a Thorens
TD–150 with an extended base making it more Linn LP-12 sized.
Extending the armboard of the original unit, and placing it in a
three-quarter inch hardwood plinth, has brought that to a table
that's capable of extraordinary sound for its price point. An
LP-12 today sells for thousands and thousands of dollars, but
this VN-150, at just $1500 plus shipping with a nice Cardas-rewired
Rega arm, gives it a run for its money. Yet, instead of buying
from a giant corporation or conglomerate, you are getting the
individually tailored buying experience I provide, which
includes up to one hour of phone help in set up if needed.
The other change is I am working with a local semi-retired audio
tech to sell more tables in the $400 to $600 range. As mentioned
above, the Dual 1019, 1219, and 1229 models. He services them,
then I detail them and present them for sale.
If you would like to see the amazing turntable restorations
performed by Vinyl Nirvana, please check out Dave's website at
www.vinylnirvana.com |
