Audiophile Turntable TESTED: Acoustic Research AR-XA!

[@danieljanus9631]

This isn't just the best turntable demonstration video I have ever seen, it's the best tech video I have ever seen...period.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks.

[@joelstuart873]

This is the most comprehensive explanation that I have ever heard, about this legendary turntable. Thank you for posting it.

[@alexandermikhailov2481]

This is the best turntable review ever, hands down. It answers so many questions it's unbelievable! Bravo!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. Tell your friends. If you liked the video they likely will too.

[@damirhlobik6488]

absolutely right

[@jeffstake478]

I sold and demonstrated the AR turntables, including hammering on them while they were playing. And I have seen turntable demonstrations by others. This is the best turntable demonstration ever. Wonderful. Many thanks for taking the time to make such a wonderful video.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks.

[@ErnieNoa3]

I still have my AR turntable that I bought new in the ’60s Still works excellent. Nice explanation of the engineering that I never knew it had!

[@m.zillch3841]

Mine is also from that period and older than me yet it has never needed repair other than routine maintenance like cleaning, oiling, new cartridge alignment, and replacements for the organic parts which eventually wear out on ALL belt drive turntables (rubber belt, stylus, foam platter mat, etc.). Luckily other than (maybe) the cartridge these things are quite affordable and easy to find online.

[@deadcrow6888]

What a fantastic video! My better half hated it, about 1/4 of the way in I bought one an ar-xa on ebay.. I was already considering it anyway but this video helped pull me over the fence. Thank you for taking the time to make such an in depth video.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks, hope you like it. Seeing as they are a half century old, AR-XA's often need some restoration (if they were just stored in some attic/basement/garage for the past decades) but once properly restored, or if the previous owner actually kept it in good working condition all these decades, they can sound top notch.

[@stephencastro1437]

This is a MUST WATCH for AR XA owners and enthusiasts, and anyone else who wants to be schooled on the most historically important and significant turntable design ever! I thought I knew a lot about these tables, having restored many and own two. Well I was wrong, and I learned a great deal from this professional, well researched, well demonstrated, and very informative video. Our host does a fantastic job of not only teaching us why EVERY turntable manufacturer either copied or borrowed from the AR XA design. He also demonstrates these significant design characteristics to "Hammer" his point home (sorry, couldn't help that one)! This is an extraordinay table and I would like to see how the Linn, Thorens, and other tables stand up to these same tests! If you love your turntable and listening to your precious vinyl as I do, then we all owe a debt to Edgar Villchur! Watch and learn from this great video. Thank you again Z, I keep coming back to this one! Enjoy!!!!!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks!

[@stephencastro1437]

@@m.zillch3841 and thank you. I have referred your video to many as a must see! Please keep up the great work. It is much appreciated and needed.

[@tjet500]

I'm a proud owner of an AR-XB turntable and a Shure M91ED. I paid $113.00 in 1974. It is still going strong.

[@MeZillch]

~47 years is pretty darn good. Hope your next 47 go just as well.

[@johnnytheg]

This is such a great in depth look at this legendary table. I loved it so much I went and bought one. Villchur was a true genius. He said in an interview that it's ridiculous to think that a turntable can enhance the soundstage and in fact, the job of the turntable is to get out of the way. Not only was he an innovator, he was practical.

[@m.zillch3841]

Yes indeed, he got it. Turntables don't (or at least shouldn't) make ANY sound; it's the CARTRIDGE which makes the music! All the turntable/arm does is silently propel the medium along and hold the cartridge - in the exactly correct position and with the exact amount of tracking force, even on warps. - with the platter rotating at a very exact and unwavering speed, regardless of conditions (heavily modulated passages, for example, have more friction and can temporarily slow rotation on lesser brands) - rotating without any eccentricity (it should rotate in a perfect circle, not an ellipse) - without any vibration migrating to the platter/arm from the motor, platter bearing, nor room - without any motor EMI hum field being picked up by the coils in the cartridge (hence AR's use of a plinth with a steel top plate to block EMI/RFI from below) - without any audible warp wow (hence the use of a very low pivot point height)

[@reneneron2971]

Best turntable video I have ever seen. What an exceptionally well engineered turntable.

[@tomshaw6373]

Well that does it. My father gave me his AR-XA several years ago. It needs a dust cover and a little TLC. He listened to the first Led Zeppelin album on it in his office while Peter Grant was visiting. He also listened to Chicago acetates with Al Kooper using the turntable. I am going to restore it and make it my main turntable. Thank you for this video!

[@doodahdavesrecords4319]

Who was your Dad? Great stories! Thanks for sharing

[@triples4good]

This has to be the definitive AR XA review and technical analysis of 5his great turntable. Very nice work.

[@hallieboy]

I bought an AR-XB turntable back in 1975 when I was a teenager, simply because it was the cheapest "serious audiophile" turntable available at the time. I quickly fell in love with it! One day, a friend of mine bought a table, with all the bells and whistles, costing 10 times what I paid for the AR. I brought the AR over to his apartment for a side by side comparison. We did many of the tests shown in this video, including cranking up the volume to induce acoustic feedback, tapping on the plinths, jumping on the floor and of course just playing records.The AR put my friend's turntable to shame! He was so pissed! It was the only turntable I ever owned since the day I bought it, until it was lost (along with everything else I owned) in a tragic house fire. Besides priceless family photographs and memorabilia, the loss of the AR hurt more than anything else. One day I'll get another.

[@samhall3444]

I just came across one new in the box from the same era. Only thing wrong with it is the foam rubber pad has disintegrated to crumbs, but everything else is there and in the original condition. It is still in the original shipping packaging. Check out www.audiokarma.org in the turntable section, the topic is 'What TT's do you folks have'. My username is Sumfish.

[@matt.pma.kresnaputra5458]

What table did ur friend have?

[@hallieboy]

@@matt.pma.kresnaputra5458 A Technics SL-1200

[@452steve452]

Excellent! I learned more about turntables than I have ever known! Thanks

[@trystrat]

Purchased an XA turntable in 1971 when I graduated high school plus an AR amplifier. Still have them and they still work in 2019. This video made me smile. Dang I was a smart kid !

[@stephencastro1437]

Yes, you were s smart kid. Its remarkable that this table STILL stands up and out classes everyone else. Keep spinning.

[@antonioborzillo255]

This is gold: deep knowledge exposed. My congrats! Best of the best on the net

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks

[@markfischer3626]

I have one of these in a box in my basement and it drives me crazy that I can't find it. There are many hundreds of unopened boxes in this house since I moved in 21 years ago. I bought it at a church bazaar for $2. It really was a landmark table. Fantastic performance, fantastic price. Just like everything else Villchur did. He's what I call and intuitive inventor. He was not a scientist or an engineer but he got right answers, was very enterprising, and sold his products at affordable prices. You're right, the AR-XA turntable was a landmark. Many others copied his spring suspended subchassis including my best turntable Empire 698. Like the 598 it has the same design in that respect. They also used the outer trim ring design which I think was originally copied from Thorens. But Empire has a massive 8 pound individually balanced platter on a huge journal bearing in individually machined pairs to +/- 1/100,000 inch giving it a claimed unweighted rumble of -90 db. What AR calls neutral balance Empire called dynamically balanced, that is the center of mass of the tonearm at the pivot point, the pivots in their case being sapphire bearings. In the Empire arms tracking force is applied with a long clock mainspring, not a weight imbalance. In an earlier embodiment of the concept without the suspension, 398GA a small weight is used for aniskating just like SME. In 698 it's set with a dial. The indicated applied tracking force markings on the adjustment are dead on correct according to my guage. Anyway Villchur had to build one hell of a turntable to prevent rumble and acoustic feedback from the likes of AR3. I actually met him and saw him perform the hammer demo at a hi fi show when I was a teenager. My best speaker system is Teledyne AR9. I've got a lot of other AR equipment.

[@petersammon8771]

Purchase this turntable in January of 73 but never could quite get it right when setting up especially the tonearm. If I had paid closer attention to detail I would have had one of the all--time greats! Thanks for the video!

[@johnwerner4925]

I bought one in '73 and it was one of the best bang for the buck audio purchases I ever made. It was about $80 mail ordered from the now defunct Illinois Audio which was on of my favorite sources of high value hi-fi in my youth (I was about 13-year old then). Your video really reinforced my excellent experience with this table. I always thought the AR turntable was an excellent design all-around save the headshell perhaps...now I get the hidden beauty of the "box" plastic head shell. I don't know about you but once you've had a well-made turntable with a suspended sub-chassis you kind of have contempt for the plethora of modern tables that saw both low and high mass bases with vibration absorbing feet. You have also educated me on the beauty of the AR tonearm's pivot point. I find your way of both audio and electrical measuring of the isolation and tracking of the AR a real window of this simple machine's brilliance. I couldn't agree with you more when you state that the AR turntable is one of the most important turntable designs of all-time. And this point brings us a question. Why in the day and time where vinyl is experiencing a resurgence has the AR Turntable not been re-introduced? If you look a bit you can find some references on the net to the fact that around 2017 it was rumored to be coming back. It didn't happen however and I'm scratching my head. Perhaps the closest thing made today with at least a floating sub-chassis is the Linn LP-12 which is at a minimum north of $2.5K. There is a real need for a newly minted AR Turntable and your excellent video should be all the proof any rational soul needs to come to this conclusion. I don't count the Project Classic as such as I don't think it has a T-Bar sub-chassis and it certainly seems to only sorbothane puck under the top plates. I also imagine the tonearm isn't supported on a common under plate support with the platter (I"m not certain of this I admit). Please someone at AR either re-introduce this excellent front-end or license it. Thanks for your absolutely eye-opening real-world proof of just what an amazing piece of audio history this fine turntable really is. Fremer can keep all his mega-money ruminating for his elitist fanboys who must have butt-wiping money to burn. You have hit the soul of true audio brilliance here.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks

[@johnwerner4925]

@@m.zillch3841 Thank you for the fine video!

[@robertmcbeth4147]

I have an AR XA in a box waiting to be rewired. It hasn’t been a high priority because my daily driver is an AR The Turntable. Thanks for the inspirational video. I hope to find the time to get it running soon.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thank you for your comment. These turntables often need a bit of work to get them back to good working condition but once you do so they are every bit as good as new designs, in fact even better than most affordable stuff on the market.

[@ReyciclismoMTB]

I’m watching your video again, since I got back to a full restoration of a couple of XA I have. I love the haters, they can accept facts but the love complicated designs that can better something done 60 years ago. I love the interview he did, “if they put a gun to my head “ I can’t build what they ask.

[@m.zillch3841]

I like his statement in that same interview: "The job of the turntable is to stay out of the picture." I agree. If everything is working optimally then it's the CARTRIDGE making the music for us, not the spinning platform holding the record against its stylus.

[@1962Klaas]

This video is a great addition to other videos, not to say the only one!!!. It's thoroughly and....... I have no more words for it as a foreign person 😉. It's a great video which shows you why this AR is just such a great design! Thank you!

[@googulisevilscum]

I'm amazed at what I have always known was a great table, now elevated to "MUST HAVE" status! This was an astonishingly well well-produced and intelligent video!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. Tell your friends online to help me spread the word. I have one of the only KZbin videos explaining, by demonstration, the SCIENCE of good turntable performance.

[@lenco7578]

Thankyou for your effort and demostration i learn alot from this video.,keep the good work while we can share.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks

[@2012JHL]

Thanks!!!!!!! Great and complete testing. From an AR-11 and AR Amp user in the 70's! I knew AR was excellent, its speakers, amps and record players!

[@timothylangenback7961]

I own a 40 year old A R XA. I'm inspired by your video to clean and upgrade the turntable and keep it. Thanks and great job!

[@TheFibtastic]

This is the finest audio/turntable demonstration video I have ever seen. Thank you.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. Please share a link to this with your friends. This channel is 100% UNmonitized and I don't sell anything, so my only reward is seeing my viewership grow! 😀

[@chrisvonderforst2653]

The very best practical turntable tests ever!!

[@davidhardy7356]

WOW ...I have been a Hi Fi enthusiast and record collector for 50 years + . Tonight i just got even more education and information regarding this legend of an iconic turntable . A big thank for the demonstration and sharing this with us all . I was at one time the owner of both Linn LP12 and Thorens TD 160 turntables .

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks.

[@kevinfestner6126]

excellent analysis. I had a chance two years ago to get one of these for free. But, I wanted my friend to get a good price for this same exact turntable. Instead, someone gave her 25 bucks for it. I tried to tell her what she had, but she refused to listen. She was too intent on shredding her vinyl and turntable, said it was obsolete and the future is in digital. Her xa was in pristine condition with the original tonearm and plastic headshell. I guess I should have accepted her gift.

[@m.zillch3841]

I hear lots of stories of people finding these for dirt cheap at flea markets or in their parents' storage room. With just a little oiling and replacement of the parts that deteriorate over time they can be restored to performance that is "State of the AR-T".

[@m.zillch3841]

@@alanrogs3990 Yes I agree with your assessment. I think one of the main reasons the XA died off (although it was in production for a quite long 17 years, I believe) was people were more impressed with the flashy looks of the competitors and assumed "If it looks flashy and costs more it must BE better."

[@alanrogs3990]

@@m.zillch3841 AR also did very well in designing the AR-X4 speaker. I have the XA and the X4 and both are great designs.

[@metzwax5021]

Best video on best turntable, AR forever ! This fella would make a jam up HS physics teacher 🤙

[@universe9496]

I just bought one of these at an estate sale. Watching your video has convinced me to keep it. That was an AWESOME video. Extremely informative!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. Mine needed a bit of restoration and my original video showed this hence it was much longer, but I realized I was just repeating other info which was already out there so instead I decided to concentrate on the end result's measurable performance.

[@hallieboy]

Keep it!!!! Absolutely!!!

[@arnaldostudio]

I would love to watch your extended video on your restoration project! Please consider posting it as a separate video if it makes the original too long. Thanks!!

[@AudioFileZ]

Amazing video to get across the amazing performance of the AR-XA in ways even non-technical folks can see and understand...and hear! Here's hoping some young-buck engineer in an audio company takes note and is inspired to re-create a high-value turntable with the all-important attributes and construction of the AR.

[@andrewcrossley2448]

Thank you so much for this exceptional engineering review of a hi fi masterpiece. I was about to sell on my XB1 that is pristine ( bought when I went to Uni in the late 70s) and spend $1000+ on a Rega 3. However, due to my new room layout the turntable needs to be within 4 ft of my right hand speaker and a REL subwoofer knocking out nearly 200 W RMS ave. I think it is the only solution to my room challenges and you just saved me $1k. I’ll now upgrade my cartridge and preamp instead.

[@m.zillch3841]

Good to hear. For the best possible sound/vibration isolation it may be necessary to replace the rubber grommets (washers) at the base of the three suspension springs. This rubber can harden and get stiff over the decades which compromises the performance. Amazingly my local hardware store had them in stock in their large "nuts and bolts" drawers section and people also sell kits for it on line. Apparently the designer had the forethought to use some existing, generic, easy to find spring/rubber shock mount. I show a close up of it at 28:47

[@andrewcrossley2448]

@@m.zillch3841 thanks for the advice I’ll look out for those. I’ve now got it all set up with an AT VM 540 ML (about $300 ) tracking at 2g. I took a lot of care on aligning it with a very good protractor and invested in the fantastic iFi ZEN phono preamp which was about $200. This uses top quality components and is also built to last. Overall this is a great combination and my vinyl has never sounded so good. What amazes me is the perfect tracking especially on classical music where most inner grooves are very loud and brassy endings. For a simple looking arm this is outstanding. Now I just need a top quality amp to complement the system. Got a budget of between $1000 and $1500 and need typically 75 to 100w per channel into 8 ohms. I was considering the Cambridge Audio CXA 81 as it has won awards in the U.K. and has no compromises (no tone controls, no balance control, no phono stage) so it can exploit the iFi’s full talents. Any other suggestions or should I go vintage too.....?

[@m.zillch3841]

@@andrewcrossley2448 I personally wouldn't go vintage for an amp. They sometimes work just fine but they also sometimes have dried out electrolytic capacitors. I'm not a believer in modern day, solid state amps making much difference if they have low noise and are kept within their operational range (below clipping). I find name brand AVRs make a good choice because they are friendly to integration with video devices and what's becoming the defacto communication connection: HDMI.

[@TomnJudy]

Wow what a great video. This must be the most detailed and informational video on turntable design on the KZbin website. I have been using AR turntables for over 45 years and have three of the XA models and one of the 1980s Resurrection models. I would note that the AR's are susceptible to footballs on a wooden floor. This is due to the resonance frequency of the suspension coinciding with the resonance frequency of the floor. Thank you.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. The susceptibility to footfall often comes from placement on a shelf/rack with lateral motion/sway. The key to getting the best shock immunity on the XA is to understand that the three internal springs protect in ONE direction only: up and down. The springs provide very little protection from vibration that's side-to-side or front-to-back. [The hammer test I show at the end, for example, will completely fail if the XA is struck on a side panel instead of the top plinth.] People found it hard to believe but AR insisted that often the most solid location was to mount the XA directly on a hard floor (with no rug/carpet)! It has little lateral sway compared to a stereo rack.

[@TomnJudy]

Dear Mr. Z, Thank you for your thoughtful reply to my comment. The AR"s springs have a natural resonance frequency of around 4-8 Hertz and will filter out vibrations above that frequency quite effectively However, vibrations that enter the plinth, (especially vertically) with a frequency at or below the spring's resonance frequency well excite the spring and can often cause the tonearm to jump from the groove. This has nothing to do with lateral movement from a wobbly rack. I have been using AR tables for over 45 years and they have always been much more susceptible to footballs than any non suspended table but this is a small price to pay because on the other hand they are much more effective at filtering out frequencies that are produced by the speakers, whereas the other tables do not. Nevertheless, I love your video and hope to see more from you in the future. kindest regards.

[@stephencastro1437]

Thank you. Thank you. I own 2 AR XA turntables and have done a great deal of research on these. However, your video gives the most comprehensive analysis and demonstrations I have seen. I have visited many websites and I am member of several on line forum communites, but none of them have ever demonstrated what makes this table so special or the design characteristics that changed turntables forever. Through all my research I had never seen a demonstration of the "Neutral Balance Tonearm", nor did I know this applied to the AR. Now, I have adjusted the arm accordingly and it is a marked improvement. Thank you again, for what is the most thorough analysis of this great turntable. I am now a subscriber of yours!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. This design was revolutionary and top rated by nearly everybody during its years of production, yet despite AR clearly publishing why it performed so spectacularly well only a handful of the competitors correctly implemented the basic principle properly. Today people seem more impressed by cost rather than performance. Sad.

[@stephencastro1437]

@@m.zillch3841 The reputation and design of this turntable was the reason I purchased it. I had done a great deal of research and this was my first choice. And at $125.00 I couldn't turn it down. However, like I said in my email, I have never seen or read anything (and I researched a great deal) that explained exactly what made it so special, especially the neutral balance arm. So thanks again and I look forward to seeing more from you. Keep up the great work!!!!

[@donaldolson8737]

I sold AR Turntables in the late 60's early 70s. Couldn't beat them for the price. Had one and gave it away when I bought my SL-1300 which I still have and use. Wish I would have kept the AR. I was never a big fan of AR speakers but the turntable was great.

[@thenorthcrown2144]

Excellent description - you can tell the experience and knowledge and the excitement. I wish every test was like this - thank You!

[@donk1822]

I had the great grandson of this deck, an AR Legend with an RB300 arm and an AT-F5 MC cartridge. Absolutely fantastic value for money. The motor unit was finished in walnut and looked like it cost twice the asking price. Great video BTW.

[@jhareng]

I have heard stunning stuff from a cheap Rega Planer 3, RB300 tonearm and Koetsu Red Signature. Had an AT F5 on a Linn arm on a Pink Triangle then upgraded to the AT 9, worth while improvement. AT 9 went on a Roksan Xeres with Artemis, even better but still lacked detail. Then changed to an Ortofon MC2000 with Audionote arm rewire, truly awesome.

[@MrVinylObsessive]

This video expertly demonstrates how deceptively simple a belt-driven turntable is. Although the basic mechanics are indeed very simple, the physics and science behind it are very complex, and hard to grasp by the average user. Great job.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks

[@kairokabir9696]

i dont mean to be so offtopic but does someone know of a tool to get back into an instagram account? I was dumb forgot my account password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me.

[@collinwillie6262]

@Kairo Kabir Instablaster ;)

[@kairokabir9696]

@Collin Willie Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site thru google and I'm in the hacking process now. Takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@kairokabir9696]

@Collin Willie it worked and I finally got access to my account again. I am so happy! Thanks so much, you really help me out :D

[@jogmas12]

This is the turntable that started it all with the Thorens and Linn lp12 designs. Edgar Villchur certainly was a audio genius.

[@m.zillch3841]

Yup. Commendably Thorens, Ariston, and others fully acknowledged their designs were greatly inspired by the AR-XA whereas Linn didn't and tried to pass off their design as being entirely their concept. I therefore never recommend Linn.

[@matt.pma.kresnaputra5458]

@@m.zillch3841 thats heavy! I always considered the only table worth spending money on having a modded ar xa already is lp12! What table would you recommend thats worth the money if u already have an ar xa in good condition?

[@m.zillch3841]

@@matt.pma.kresnaputra5458 When I sold turntables, although this was decades ago, the brand I typically sold to my friends was Thorens, such as their affordable TD-316 and TD-318. Unfortunately now their current ones with the important three point floating sub-chassis [with a low frequency of resonance (i.e. they're floppy)] are their top "Reference series" and much more pricey. [TD-903, TD 905, and TD 907?] . I don't follow their lines closely so there could be others I don't know about too.

[@technology4617]

​@@m.zillch3841How effective was the suspension system on those Thorens units in comparison to the AR design? Audio Magazine's review of the TD-320 measured a suspension resonance of 6.12Hz, in contrast to the claimed 3.5Hz of the AR system.

[@scottyhughes9179]

this is a great video, thanks for posting. I am in the midst of restoring two AR-XA tables that a friend found in the garbage, and gave me. This really helps me realize that they are worth the effort.

[@spursmvp]

Nailing a piece of wood on the plinth? Wow…I can’t wait for my Acoustic Research XA to arrive 👍👍

[@m.zillch3841]

They used to show off this feat in their showrooms, at trade shows, and in this ad: www.audioholics.com/audio-technologies/turntable-history/ar_turntablehammer.jpg The AR turntable must be placed on a dead solid, immovable surface with absolutely no sway for it to work so most affordable stereo racks won't do. I used my kitchen's rock solid countertop. And the rubber grommets at the bases of the three internal suspension springs should be new, soft, and supple, not the undoubtedly-now-dried-out, stiff, half-century old stock ones they installed back in the 60/70's when the turntable was originally built. I was lucky and found new ones in the nuts and bolts department of my local hardware store but there are online sources too. Have fun!

[@meinbur]

This demonstration nailed it! Thx a lot.

[@m.zillch3841]

HA. Thanks.

[@swinde]

I used this turntable for many years on my main system. It is very good. I currently Have a Thorens 125 with a Rabco SL-8E straight line arm. This was also purchased in the early 1970s.

[@m.zillch3841]

Long after AR was a major player I sold turntables. Although my store had brands costing thousands more what I actually sold to my friends looking for the best performance and the best value were Thorens.

[@juliocubias9600]

I call this video the most comprehensive turntable scientific documental that makes me appreciate the fascinating accomplishments possible with science applied to industrial design, not the most expensive and exotic of it's time but yet the one in most harmony with the laws of physics to perform the best record sound reproduction even to this day. MARVEL OF INGINEERING AVAILABLE TO THE COMMON MAN BACK THEN AND TODAY. THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO.

[@woodpecker8546]

What an impressive demonstration! Thank you very much.

[@OrganNLou]

THIS WAS FANTASTIC!!! THANK YOU!!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. Help me to spread the word by sharing a link to this with people who are into vinyl. My KZbin page is 100% NON-monetized and my only reward is seeing my viewership grow. Thanks again.

[@furyofbongos]

Back in the day I owned 2 of these. I swore by them. I bought a 2nd one used after they stopped making them as a backup. They have the best suspension system. I purchases a Phillips turntable when I was 16 back in 1976 as an "upgrade" to my AR. My bedroom was on the 2nd floor. I could literally jump downstairs and hear it come thru the speakers. If I jumped in my room it would skip horribly. Glad I hadn't got rid of the AR. You can literally rap your knuckles directly on top of on one of these ARs and no skip no sound no nothing. That is what I valued the most about them.

[@jacksonurenmusic]

I’m very soon to receive one of these, and this video is making me so psyched. I can’t wait. As someone who has perfect pitch and notices just about every pitch change, I’m excited to learn that the speed is incredibly accurate and the warps as so well taken care of. While I will miss my previous turntables auto return and cue lever, I’m very excited to have one of these.

[@m.zillch3841]

Wow-and-flutter, WnF, come from many sources and sometimes is embedded in the music in the grooves themselves (the cutting lathe's rotation as it cut the disc can be at fault, or the master analog tape deck may have had issues too), however the AR has the best shot of eliminating or at least reducing all the other problem areas, namely platter rotation, off-center or sloppy spindle hole location, and warp wow, as I explain in the video. As for exact speed, be sure to clean out the platter bearing hole and apply just a couple of drops of oil, ideally sewing machine oil or light machine oil. The thrust plate at the base of the shaft may need to be replaced, or if you are lucky, as I was, simply flipping it over gets you to a new, nice flat surface. Also, test the speed with a strobe disc. [Although I show the use of a cellphone's gyroscope sensor and the use of the RPM app in the video, I no longer trust this method because of the considerable weight of the cellphone being added to the platter. I fear it will add drag and skew results, at least on this turntable, which was specifically designed to have the weakest possible motor to get the job done, because weak motors have weak vibration. This minimizes motor rumble being picked up by the stylus.] It will never be perfect speed (33.33333. . . . rpm), however you can tweak it slightly by ever so slightly tilting the motor towards, or away from, the platter's rotational plane,with a thin shim, or conversely, adjusting the front and rear suspension springs slightly so the platter tilts either ever-so-slightly towards or away from the motor's rotational plane. This is described in the AR's service manual, which you can download for free after signing up to become a member at Vinyl Engine. You also can download a free strobe disc there, I believe. (I use the free app True Note as my strobe light.) By doing all this I was able to get incredibly precise speed on mine, in fact it slightly beats a $500K turntable I compared it with. Recheck the speed periodically because it can drift over months (not perceptibly, but the strobe disc is very revealing) and also be advised that if you are being really, really picky you may need to tweak it for unusually heavy LPs or if you add the weight of a record clamp [not really an important tweak on the AR, in my estimation, but YMMV]. Belts wear out after years so be sure yours is in good shape, the correct one, and AR recommends you talc it yearly. AR encouraged the use of strobe discs so consumers could see for themselves how accurate their AR turntable was, factory tested and guaranteed to meet or exceed NAB broadcast equipment Standards.

[@ReyciclismoMTB]

Wow, the best tech explanation I seen about anything in forever. I also own two, of them. Thanks

[@m.zillch3841]

It's a keeper. It's not perfect and it has some weak points like the durability of the tonearm rest and headshell threads, both of which are delicate and can eventually snap/crack, but the overall sonic performance is an outstanding value hence the rave reviews it [s]received[/s] receives in the audio press and consumer magazines.

[@ReyciclismoMTB]

@@m.zillch3841 Considering is already a 60 year old design and performance says a lot. They are becoming very hard to find, at least a nice a reasonable price.

[@m.zillch3841]

@@ReyciclismoMTB I can't say it is guaranteed to work out for everyone, but one approach to getting one up and running is to buy 2 or 3 inexpensive "broken" ones sold "as is, for parts" and to put one good one together from parts from each of the broken ones. I like that everything on the AR-XA is put together with simple hand tools so unlike a cellphone it is easily serviceable by the user with not much is needed beyond a set of screwdriver and an adjustable wrench (spanner).

[@nenadkojic7125]

Wow!!! Good stuff. Impressed.

[@marvieachanzar2513]

HONORABLE M. ZILLCH, your detailed explanation; even to a layman's language is transparently clear. No media journalist can execute a better presentation unless they like (or "understand") MUSIC and yet can't get any closer. Only a Guru like Michael Fremer [are you there?] can... period. Ordinary Mortals who can do the same are not born yet. My grandson won't be ordinary - he will be a devout, if not obsessed AUDIOPHILE! I am so lucky to own that over half a century old AR turntable which he'll wake-up to. Saving those Mercury Living Presence, RCA Living Stereo, HMV, Larita, Nimbus, Chandos, RR, remastered Mobile Fidelity, Chad Kassem's collection and Philippines' LR Villar Records. Mr. Zillch, your presentation, simple, yet so profound I consider it a STATE of the ART; that it must be published in the annals of anything AUDIO publications/journals. Thank you for what you are doing. Stay safe and long live !!! -marvie A.

[@thecomfortablecactuscouchc7725]

Wow! I did not know this about AR turntables. Thanks for teaching us about science and audio. Very informative. By the way, I bought my first AR in high school because that’s all I could afford on my after school job’s salary. Now I have 3 of them. Now I now why they are so good and reliable. Thanks for this video.

[@DJWenlowe]

What a brilliant and comprehensive review. I had no idea that going back as far as this there was this floating sub - chassis tech. This is effectively what we see on the later Linn Sondek LP12. Thank you for this review.

[@JulianBunn]

Thanks for documenting this illuminating set of tests in such an entertaining and amusing way. First class!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thank you for the compliment! My channel is 100% un-monetized so my only "reward" is seeing my viewership grow. If you liked the vid then it's likely your friends will dig it too! Please help me out by sharing a link to this with your friends, forums, and social media platforms. Thanks!

[@lawrenceseddon]

You are a fountain of knowledge sir , really enjoyed video and the information you have shared 5***** presentation🎓

[@m.zillch3841]

Thank you. Tell your friends by dropping a link to this, so I can spread the word. Thanks.

[@andrevdm6406]

not often i'm WOW'd (excellence/exceptional), this design/engineering/build/demo definitely deserves it - thanks for sharing !

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks.

[@damirhlobik6488]

Great presentation Mr. Zillch, enjoyed every minute of your video, thank You

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks

[@georgerivas9395]

Great educational video- thank you!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks

[@gearbox7043]

Kudos on the great job in interjecting easily understood scientific methods on a too often subjectively quantified subject. Now it makes so much sense. I had recently re found my teen years fascination with HiFi and finally put together a high end system that I sweated over back in the 70's. While I completed the system using all the top of the line models for the specific brand, I was always intrigued why the TT I bought was only considered Mid Fi, and most of my audiophile friends and community in general always gravitated towards the AR XA/XB, Linn LP12, and Thorens TD124, with the later two a copy of the AR floating platter design. Whenever I asked what makes them so different, all I got was subjective statements of sound quality, dynamics, and other reasons that I couldn't pin down. Looking at the AR, it reminded me of the Heathkits I built in the day and couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. So I bought a clean XB just to see and hear. I don't have an educated ear as some audiophiles have or claim to have, but it did sound good. But now with your video it makes it clear on what I should be listening for and what the differences may be. Thank you for that and clearing up the murkiness for me. I am sure there is so much more to be learned, but great video.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks.

[@alessandrograldi4334]

Wow! what a test! thanks for sharing this, it's a graduate school lesson to me

[@lastweekslightning]

What an impressive video! Thanks for sharing!

[@spalkin]

My dad gifted me one of these, a perfect specimen. I knew what this was but never to this level.

[@jdfarkash]

Absolutely fascinating. I've been dipping my toe into the audiophile world for at least a couple of years now, and it can be really hard to differentiate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to just about anything, including turntables. This is a really educational and valuable video. Thanks M. Zillch!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. Tell your friends. MANY people are starving for real science in audio instead of just hype and advertising. I do my best to provide it.

[@enochhammer70]

Love my modified AR XA. You’re right, the arm is excellent!

[@panosadgr1]

Mr Zillch First of all many many congratulations for this informative, technical video that I would call it reference video. I'm so impressed of the absolute perfect way you explain everything in a way which is easy understood containing at the same time all the scientific data behind. It s clear that this is the unique reference on the cutting edge technology of this turntable at its time that was presented and made. Implemented in state f the art simplicity, functionality and extreme efficiency f the technologies applied in it. It is not only the the information that you are aware of it is also he way that you master this turntable in adjusting it in its optimum state! What surprised me is the floating chassis suspension and the wa it isolates exterior vibration. I'm an owner of two Thorens TD160 which have floating chassis as well but implemented in a slightly different way with identical springs suspension system. What is highly interesting is the efficiency of thensuspension. It would be very helpful if you share some of your knowledge in how someone optimises the suspension to perform the best way. We thank you for sharing all these knowledge with us! Friendly Greetng Panos

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. On the AR the springs are adjustable once you scrape off some factory glue used to lock the bolts in place. You can then adjust the tightness of the 3 springs, known as "tuning". Depending on the record's weight [think those audiophile "200 gram" pressings, for example], plus the cartridge, mat, and any record clamp you may be using, you want to tighten them so the platter is flat/level and has about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch (IIRC) clearance above the base plate. Check the manual. If all goes well the resonance of the entire floating section when pressed down and released should be around 3.5 to 4 Hz. Not sure if this is also true of the Thorens but I know they are similar.

[@panosadgr1]

@@m.zillch3841 Thank you very much for the reply. I now have one TD160 and one TD124. In the TD160 I have installed new springs and I've adjusted the suspension in its optimum state and I'm very impressed by its quite playback.

[@m.zillch3841]

@@panosadgr1 I sold Thorens around the time they made the floating sub-chassis TTs (ala AR-XA) models TD-316, TD-318, and TD-321. Great TTs and at reasonable prices! NOW though their prices have sky rocketed to get this key feature!

[@aldente80]

I have a later version of the turntable, in an ES-1. It is interesting to see the tonearm on the XA is actually very sophisticated.

[@m.zillch3841]

It initially looks quite simple but that's rather deceptive, because its engineering and performance are top notch. They are fragile though and people often break the threads because they assume it is like most other bayonet style designs where rotating the outer fastening collar will "pull" the headshell inward, towards the tonearm. Instead that action can break the delicate threads! Proper use is explained in the owner's manual: Insert fully and ONLY THEN tighten the outer collar to secure it in place! Doing so properly and they can last over half a century, like mine. AR warrantied them for initially 1, then 3, and finally 5 years, as well as the rest of the 'table, and replacements for the headshell after that were a mere $2, including shipping.

[@pstock49]

I concur what the last poster, Joel, said. Thanks for posting it.

[@nicksundby]

Outstanding video

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. Tell your friends.

[@editorjuno]

Great educational video about the turntable I owned and used from 1969 well into this century -- too bad it explains an obsolete technology that at this point in history amounts to a pricey nostalgia craze. BTW, as delivered the XA had felt feet which tend to compress flat under the weight of the turntable and fall off after a few years as the adhesive dries out -- I replaced them with aftermarket tape recorder pressure pads when that happened to mine. Another weak point of the design is the cheap, off-the-shelf clock motor -- such motors have accurate rotational speed but are not designed to operate under the tension of a drive belt, so their front bearings will wear out much faster than a purpose-built counterpart and need to be replaced at an interval determined by the number of hours they spin under that tension. Thank you for an excellent presentation!

[@rochcoulombe2248]

WoW WoW ! You are the best 👍

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. Please help me grow my viewership by linking to this video in your social media.

[@hitechrr]

I bought my AR turntable in 1977 and it still works fine. The one thing that I don't like is the cartridge shell. I still have the original belt on it.

[@m.zillch3841]

Are you still on the original platter mat, too? I've seen some hold up but others turn to goo and/or dust. The cartridge threads break too easily, yes. Back then you could buy new ones for only $2 with free shipping, but I'd assume finding an original one now is difficult and pricey. The trick to preserving the threads is to push the headshell in all the way and while holding it in firmly you only then tighten the outer collar.

[@hitechrr]

I had to replace the mat years ago with a mat from radio shack. One of the shells has bad threads on it. I bought an extra shell with the turntable.@@m.zillch3841

[@alap4381]

The most informative video on TT. Thank you so much for such a wonderful video and your effort.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks

[@zacharymays4194]

Throughly enjoyed this. Thank you!

[@greatpix]

Very informative Video! I have "The AR Turntable" I bought new and if you ever get your hands on one, I'd love to see you do a comparison of the two.

[@saverioricchiuto5386]

An incredible piece of beautiful engineering. And and exceptional explanation: thank you!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks! Help me spread the good word by sharing a link to this with your buds. I'd appreciate it since my KZbin channel is unmonetized and my only reward is seeing my viewership grow.

[@alanrogs3990]

I have 8 turntables, some are kind of expensive, the AR-XA is my favorite. It's so simple and sounds great, very open sound.

[@leyland9999]

Very revealing test this is. For the most part, but not everything, I’m pretty convinced. However, the absense of anti skate is a serious problem. I have been around long enough that even the lightest of the light tracking carts need anti skate. Tests that I carried out myself using all kinds of test records and ultra light tracking carts prooved that over and over again. The distortion that occurs without anti skate may not always (but often it will be) be audible, they surely are measurable. Also, the wear and tear of the side of the stylus towards the spindle will be higher. I have carried out my tests with all kinds of tone arms available back in the days. And the cart that I used were ADC XLM’s. By today’s standards a real pain for many tone arms. In fact, the mass of todays’ tone arms means they can’t accommodate the ADC XLM. I still own a new in the box XLM by the way. Kind regards from Hekelingen, Holland. Bye, Willem.

[@MeZillch]

The photographs of the oscilloscope in the linked to Audio article prove that with the ultra low mass of the AR-XA' turntable's arm/headshell [the lowest of any ever made at the time] and the proper tracking force distortion is not a problem without the use of anti skate. This doesn't mean this is true of other turntables however. If it were true that the lack of anti-skate prematurely wears down one side of the stylus in a significant manner then how do you explain that there's not a single photograph of such a worn stylus in the entire history of modern, stereo LP use? The XA was a popular design in production for over a decade so there are many (hundreds of thousands) of them out there "wearing the stylus unevenly", plus other designs from VPI and others similarly don't have anti-skate, yet we have no photographic examples of this supposed, uneven wear. [Psst: diamonds are extremely hard. Rubbing one side of it with the pressure of a feather, even if for a thousand hours, doesn't do much to it.]

[@girishkukadia9916]

Excellent video.

[@aanon2550]

You're a "details man" and I just want to say I appreciate it!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. Please tell your friends so I can increase my viewership :)

[@samratjpatil]

I was looking for objective reviews of the turntables, youtube pointed me to the right video i was skeptical but this video is so underrated. Now i want to know which latest turntables have built/improved upon these design elements, just can't trust their marketing blurbs, carbon fiber this and ortofone that. You should do full blown objective tt reviews with patreon subscription model.

[@m.zillch3841]

I used to be a high audio dealer for over 20 years but not anymore, so I no longer have hands on experience/access to current production gear and therefore can't review/measure it I'm afraid.

[@turiddu9]

MASTERFUL!!!

[@coreyfellows1945]

I got two sets of ar3a speakers running off a full pioneer spec 1 and 2.. I have a pl530 Table but moments ago just for a ar table . Excited to check it out

[@theredon2]

What an amazing video. The suspension really works I have a Technics sl 1700 mk2 and it has suspension is dead quiet I think I like it better then the 1200 I had the mk2. I can tap hard on the plinth and the stand and there is no feedback sound on my speakers when the stylus is on the record with the turntable off. Plus it’s has an auto return. With the subsonic filter is on my preamp I don’t hear the rumble. But when is off I barely hear the rumble.

[@russputin6294]

Absolutely superb video; thank you!!

[@zacksainz1368]

Thank you so much for this video! I'll be picking one up next week!

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. Unless it was previously used by a person who kept it in tip top shape they usually need some tender loving care/restoration if just left in some parents' basement for the past few decades. Check out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHqrmoCodpJgrNk

[@zacksainz1368]

@@m.zillch3841 Thank you very much for the link!

[@buskman3286]

Excellent test! Here's a further "test" you can try that I have personally performed: install a top-quality Shibata-stylus cartridge that you are using in your Oracle Delphi or your Rega Planar 8 into a restored but unmodified XA and discover that the AR can track the cannons in the original Telarc 1812 Overture at the cartridge's recommended tracking force of 1.7 grams. The Delphi or Rega cannot. Bump the tracking force up to 2.3 or thereabouts in those two TTs to achieve the same tracking ability of the same cartridge in that allegedly "poor quality" AR tone arm. ;) I've owned several expensive TTs over many years and none of them could (can) actually out-perform an AR XA as far as JUST playing a record and "staying out of the way."

[@m.zillch3841]

Good to know. Thanks. Edit to add: I just looked up the price of the Rega Planar 8: $3095 !

[@dpla9752]

I've always been skeptical of the multi-thousand dollar boutique brand turntables, it looks like all you need is good engineering. Imagine that. Beautifully simple too!

[@johnberard330]

Very nice presentation. But to set the record straight, the 1955 H.H. Scott 710-A pioneered the 3 point floating sub-chassis (platter/tonearm combo) but it had a conical gear drive. The real pioneer of the 3 point suspension with belt drive was in 1958 with the Stromberg Carlson Perfectempo. AR, Thorens and others then followed suit.

[@m.zillch3841]

Villchur cites the Stromberg Carlson (and Scott? Weathers? I forget.) in his Audio paper but as I understand it the AR was the first to make a careful analysis as to where to place the three springs so that they would be equidistant to the floating sub-chassis' center of gravity. This improves stability greatly and when jostled it comes to a rest more quickly whereas some of the imbalanced designs wobble about for much longer when agitated. I also know some floating designs stupidly use four springs, not three, so they lose the "inverted, self-leveling camera tripod supported from the ceiling" effect. Not sure but I think some SOTA work that way.

[@Hyjy0]

I visited a vintage audio store yesterday and picked up an AR-XB1. Really cool to see this video afterwards, no buyers remorse here! I wonder where I could find a replacement belt tho, I reckon it might be a bit old. The needle is the only part that was replaced by the store-owner recently. Excited to get to test the turntable out as it's my first foray in this ''rabbit hole''.

[@m.zillch3841]

Unfortunately AR belts are no longer in production. They were specially manufactured by freezing them on a rotating drum (with liquid nitrogen?) and then they were precisely machined (ground to a dead flat, uniform thickness). This was said to minimize platter rotation speed fluctuations, aka "wow and flutter". I just bought one on Amazon which specifically mentioned it was the correct size and tightness for the ARs and it seems OK. . . . Another thing to consider upgrading are the three rubber "washers" at the base of the suspension springs. Sorry, I haven't been able to find/locate a good, low cost source for them to recommend, but they are sold as part of a complete "spring kit" you can buy on line. I amazingly found some ala carte at my local ACE hardware store in their "nuts and bolts" drawers in their "various cone springs" drawer, but when I returned a year later they no longer had them. 😕

[@m.zillch3841]

Here's the belt specs of the one I bought www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EDW35IK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@hungvlv]

This is great video. Thank you very much.

[@khemshet]

fantastic video

[@m.zillch3841]

Thank you. My channel is completely UNmonetized and my only reward is seeing my viewership grow, so please share a link to this with your buds in forums and social media to help me out. Thanks.

[@khemshet]

@@m.zillch3841 your video is what convinced me to pick one of these up. It's been a year of great listening! I love the simplicity of this turntable and the modding culture around it is interesting. The shop I bought it from drilled into the headshell so they could mount an ortofon blue cartridge hahah maybe that is less than ideal but sounds great to me cheers!

[@m.zillch3841]

@@khemshet Good to hear. Drilling the top of the headshell is indeed a common mod and maintains everything that's good about the headshell yet improves the selection of possible cartridges one can use.👍

[@breauxp]

I was recently given an XA and have just started research as to what it might need to make it the best it can be. Given the information in this video, it looks like a good cleaning, a quality belt and stylus and DONE! Now that it’s been ~2 years, can you share links for best options on those parts? Also, a standard speed version of the setup you did after your restoration would be helpful, please share. Thanks and keep up the awesome!

[@m.zillch3841]

For restoration I followed the advice from Vinyl Nirvana kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHqrmoCodpJgrNk m/Turntable1.html I also joined the forum dedicated to it, vinyl engine, to ask picky details that came up and used John Weather's page on the AR-XA: www.johnsweather.com/Turntable.html I flipped the thrust bearing plates (small hard plastic discs) over at the base of the platter and tonearm shafts because they seemed slightly pitted. The new belt, ~$10 on Amazon, was nothing special, so not as good as what AR supplied which was machined dead flat on both sides on a rotating drum, once frozen solid with liquid nitrogen (I think), in order to minimize flutter. My current mat is Hudson HiFi Silicone Rubber I bought at Amazon. The rubber grommets at the base of the suspension springs were found at my local Ace hardware store. The AR manual and service manual, found on line, discuss platter leveling (spring tensioning). Other than defeating the arm drop damping mechanism discussed in the manuals and on one of Weather's pages, (you simply remove a pin), because I couldn't find a replacement washer and silicone, my unit is 100% stock. My cartridge is a Shure M97xE but they are discontinued and the remaining ones are pricey. Some other restoration details here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZOxp3aBeMacjK8

[@danedewaard8215]

Great, just GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@billinrio]

A very thorough review and interesting tests. After AR had announced their XA turntable but months before they released it I put in an order at my local hi-fi shop. When it did finally arrive the serial number was 00047. I paid $78. I agree with you that it was indeed ground-breaking. The tonearm did have a couple of weak spots, however, that you fail to mention. The teeth of the coupler of the headshell to the arm were of the same plastic as the shell itself and tended to suffer wear over time I never understood why AR didn't make that coupler from metal, which would have avoided a big problem. Also, the headshell coupling design could have been made standard so that other headshells could have been fitted to the arm. As it was, no other shells could be fitted, and as the years went by, it became more and more difficult to find an original headshell for the table. By the way, you don't mention the snazzy little kit that AR supplied for adjusting the tracking weight. That hammer pounding on the table was one of the ads that AR used to market their product. Never tried it myself.

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. The hammer test only works on a solid surface, like my kitchen countertop I used. Attempting it on a rack doesn't always work well and of course the internal springs provide protection ONLY from vertical shock (and room rumble) but do little for lateral shock, nor front to back shock. In order to put out the lowest mass tonearm ever released on a TT, AR abandoned their metal headshell design and converted to acrylic at the last moment before release. You are right that the "teeth" of the threads are easily broken but in AR's defense they show in the instructions that the headshell should be fully inserted with one hand FIRST and then held in, pressing against the spring, while the other hand simultaneously tightens the outer collar to lock it in place, hand tight only. Any attempt to suck the headshell into position via the screw threads, like one can on a Technics TT, can snap the delicate, low mass acrylic teeth. New headshells were a bargain, by the way, at only $2 each with free shipping back then!

[@louismcfarlane3866]

I have owned an AR-XA for ever. 1979-2021. Chromed the plinth, Repkaced the arm with a Mayware Formula 4 . I also have n Oracle Delphi Mk 1. This video and the AR is the best. I would show kff using a hammer.

[@Mundo-Analogo]

Wonderful video!, Thank you very much...

[@m.zillch3841]

Thanks. I've noticed a big uptick in viewers recently. Out of curiosity how did you stumble upon my video? Some forum?

[@Mundo-Analogo]

@@m.zillch3841 Nop, I am a LP-Vinyl guy, so I browse a lot on the subject. Your video was among all the KZbin's recommendations, and given I have a friend that is a real fan of this model I watched it. I am really impressed by its performance and your knowledge on turntable's physics.

[@m.zillch3841]

@@Mundo-Analogo Oh OK, thanks.

[@jwise7114]

I had these turntables and thorens and the dd technics units in the 70's. The AR were great and yes we used to hammer them while the record was playing. Nothing new. Still pretty neat shit.

[@someonesusingmyname]

You sold me. My next turntable will be an XA.

[@m.zillch3841]

They can be hard to find in good working order but they're out there. This one I inherited only needed the decayed organic materials replaced (rubber belt, mat, and shock absorption grommets under the three springs], a new cartridge, a little oiling, and it was ready to go!