Systemdek IIX or start again?

august18

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Apologies if this is a well worn path - the 'old' turntable versus the new - but given it was pretty good in its day (and still works) - and allowing a possible budget in today's terms of £4-5k - what should I do? I only want to play vinyl - lots of jazz and some 70s/80s stuff - but I want the best sound possible - so, add to the Systemdek or start again? Regards DC
 
august18 said:
Apologies if this is a well worn path - the 'old' turntable versus the new - but given it was pretty good in its day (and still works) - and allowing a possible budget in today's terms of £4-5k - what should I do? I only want to play vinyl - lots of jazz and some 70s/80s stuff - but I want the best sound possible - so, add to the Systemdek or start again? Regards DC

Is that 4-5k to spend on a turntable?
 

Lost Angeles

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Al ears said:
august18 said:
Apologies if this is a well worn path - the 'old' turntable versus the new - but given it was pretty good in its day (and still works) - and allowing a possible budget in today's terms of £4-5k - what should I do? I only want to play vinyl - lots of jazz and some 70s/80s stuff - but I want the best sound possible - so, add to the Systemdek or start again? Regards DC

Is that 4-5k to spend on a turntable?

Al, I reckon we could easily spend 4-5k on a TT for him. *diablo*
 
Lost Angeles said:
Al ears said:
august18 said:
Apologies if this is a well worn path - the 'old' turntable versus the new - but given it was pretty good in its day (and still works) - and allowing a possible budget in today's terms of £4-5k - what should I do? I only want to play vinyl - lots of jazz and some 70s/80s stuff - but I want the best sound possible - so, add to the Systemdek or start again? Regards DC

Is that 4-5k to spend on a turntable?

Al, I reckon we could easily spend 4-5k on a TT for him. *diablo*

Might just let him have mine. :)
 
august18 said:
Sorry, that's up to £5k on the system - but no cd/digital input - I only want to play vinyl.

Aha! How much would you propose to spend on a turntable out of that budget if it was deemed the better option?

The Systemdek was good in its day and could still be upgraded significantly should you wish to go down that road.
 

august18

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I didn't have a fixed amount in mind, just wanted to get the best all round system within the budget. If we assume £5k then I guess the turntable could be up to £1.5/2k depending on other variables - but would welcome advice on that.
 
august18 said:
I didn't have a fixed amount in mind, just wanted to get the best all round system within the budget. If we assume £5k then I guess the turntable could be up to £1.5/2k depending on other variables - but would welcome advice on that.

That's a good amount to spend on a turntable. Would you want new or settle for second hand? If you feel happy with the Systemdek then you could service that and upgrade tonearm and cartridge for less money (bearing in mind we don't know what it is fitted with at the moment, I'm hazarding a guess at a Rega RB250)

With a few modifications the Systemdek can be made to sound as good as anything up to £1500 on the market today.
 
Can I ask what tonearm / cartridge you currently have on the turntable.

The main reason I ask is that I can sympathize with your dilemma, keep well regarded old or get shiny new. As previously stated a well fettled Systemdek will give a new £1000 turntable a run for its money however much will come down to the cartridge employed.

How do you feel about keeping it?

Once front end is sorted your speakers will be next concern.
 

august18

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Without wishing to sound like an idiot - I have no idea! I have looked but it is obviously still the same original tonearm and cartridge but I don't know what they are.
 
august18 said:
Without wishing to sound like an idiot - I have no idea! I have looked but it is obviously still the same original tonearm and cartridge but I don't know what they are.

No, not sounding like idiot. Some are hard to determine and many arms were fitted to this deck. Should be something on there in the way of markings that might give a clue.
 

chebby

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Al ears said:
chebby said:
Al ears said:
The Systemdek was good in its day ...

And still is ...

http://www.audionote.co.uk/products/analogue/tt-1_01.shtml

:) Plagiarism at it's best. Well apart from the shape of the armboard.

The later Systemdek IIX 900 also had the rectangular shaped armboard. (I am pretty sure that Audio-Note bought the rights to the Systemdek design rather than just 'plagiarised' it.)

Many Systemdeks were supplied with their own arm (marked 'Profile' in red or 'Systemdek' in white lettering). Some other popular choices were OEM RB250s / RB300s and Mission arms and Linn Basik LVXs.
 

John Duncan

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The IIX was terrific, especially with Linn and Rega arms - rather than their own which was a bit **** - but it's no Gyro SE, which is what I'd be buying with this budget (with a rega arm). That leaves £3k+ for a fairly serious amp/speaker combo (though I'm out of touch in that regard, frankly).
 
John Duncan said:
The IIX was terrific, especially with Linn and Rega arms - rather than their own which was a bit **** - but it's no Gyro SE, which is what I'd be buying with this budget (with a rega arm). That leaves £3k+ for a fairly serious amp/speaker combo (though I'm out of touch in that regard, frankly).

I would have suggested the same should the OP buy new but with Technoarm A or Origin Live arm and Nagaoka MP200 cartridge. Cannot beat that combo for the money.
 

John Duncan

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OK, so there's £2.3k for the deck, where would you spend the rest?

I'd be tempted to save 400-odd quid on the arm (not the cart), add a Creek 100a and Sequel phono board (though even that is maybe overegging it price-wise), and still have £1k+ left for speakers (Starting with eg KEF LS50 as a minimum, Neat Motive, PMC Twenty.21, Dali Rubicon...).
 
John Duncan said:
OK, so there's £2.3k for the deck, where would you spend the rest?

I'd be tempted to save 400-odd quid on the arm (not the cart), add a Creek 100a and Sequel phono board (though even that is maybe overegging it price-wise), and still have £1k+ left for speakers (Starting with eg KEF LS50 as a minimum, Neat Motive, PMC Twenty.21, Dali Rubicon...).

About right for the combo I mentioned. With a bit of searching you could do it for 2.1k before haggling. :)

That's brand new, cheaper if prepared to go for second hand Origin Live arm ( which I would ) as you could find an Illustrious for the price of a new Technoarm.
 

august18

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Many thanks for your expertise gents. Sounds like the question I should be asking is - 'what should expect to raise from selling my Systemdek?'
 

John Duncan

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I bought mine for £100 iirc (though that felt like a bargain at the time, and I see somebody's trying to get £450 for one on the 'Bay at the moment, which is a bit shocking if you ask me...)

Might be worth seeing what a dealer will offer you as a trade.
 

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