Tangent Turntable

Tangent Turntable

It's conceivable that even if you have been collecting gear for a long time, that you have never seen this table. They're pretty rare. Rarer still is it to find one with an intact glass lid because apparently when they were initially sent to Canada for sale, many of the lids were damaged in initial transport.

This table came with a full set of disclaimers... needed work etc. Still, if you HAVE ever seen one, there's something exceptionally unique about it's look.

I had two of the biggest experts I know on turntables look at it, and they both told me to run for the hills... that it was a decent table but not earth shattering... in working condition. In not working condition, it might be a project and a half because of a lack of availability of ANY parts.

I admit that despite the advice, I laboured long and hard over what to do. In the end, I decided that I would offer it up to a couple of people that I knew would be interested, and see what they offered.

A quick word of advice here on flipping... know your buyer. I knew this was a fairly eclectic piece, so I called the most ostentatious collector I could think of and tweaked his buttons. "You won't find another." "It's a showpiece." "I might keep it."

It worked.

The haul for the table was solid...

2 Denon POA-800 power amps

1 Rotel RTC-850 Pre-Amp / Tuner

1 Graco cartridge (new, but entry level)

$100

Gulp.

I sold the Denons for $175 a piece.

I sold the cartridge for $30.

Ultimately, I sold the Rotel for $150 too, but not before I used it for a full 2 years with an SAE power amp.

Add it all up, that's $630 for the Tangent table. Double gulp.

Nakamichi 581

Nakamichi 581 Cassette Deck

One of the most attractive tape decks that I ever did see. I toiled long and hard about wether or not to get rid of it, but in the end, I got a good offer and knew that I would be lucky to ever play 5 cassettes ever again in my life. I have played one since then, so I think the logic was sound. And it's a LARGE piece. Over 19" wide if my memory serves me correctly, so it wasn't very stand friendly. Still, gorgeous deck, and a great performer (3-Head, 4-track etc)... in hindsight, I would have liked to have kept it despite it's obvious obsolescence. 

Pioneer SX-950

Pioneer SX-950 Receiver

This whole week at AudioFlipper will be dedicated to probably my most lucrative flip ever. It involved several transactions, several fellow gear heads, money, gear, and a whole lot of fun.

And all of it over this incredible Pioneer SX-950 that I picked up at a thrift store when you could still find such things. Admittedly, it was flawless and I pretty much pooped when I found it. It is doubtful that I will ever see a finer example of either a Pioneer "50 Series" or "80 Series" receiver; but when you flip gear, sometimes somebody makes you an offer that you just can't refuse. Sometimes it happens twice within the framework of one "deal" as this week's blogs will bear out.

Some more shots of this incredible silver beast.

For me it was fairly "disposable" because I have a 1280 in the collection, but if I'm honest, it doesn't look as minty as this 950 did.

Argos Trapezoidal Speakers Restoration

Argos Trapezoidal Speakers Restoration

I have to admit, the "original" version of these was one of the ugliest sets of speakers I have ever seen. Wrapped in bad vinyl... horrid speaker grille cloth... they really were an eye sore. But those boxes... maybe they COULD look cool.

Sony PS-1350 Turntable

Sony PS-1350 Turntable

I always liked this table more than I thought I should have. It was solid, had a great-looking plinth, and had a really nice quiet "background" when fitted with any half-way decent cartridge. You may fetch a decent penny flipping it because it is a nice looking, solid table; but if you can't, it's a good back-up rig.

KLH Model Seventeen

KLH Model Seventeen Speakers

I like a lot of the things that Mr. Kloss did with KLH before starting Advent, including the Model Seventeens (as well as the Model 32s). Unfortunately these are not the original grilles, but I prefer them naked anyway. They don't always carry a lot of value, and are thus better to buy on a flip than sell, but they often make a very nice fatigue-less speaker for somewhere in your house.

Luxman R-113

Luxman R-113

Not a lot of Luxman's enter my flip world. The R-113 and R-117 are both beautiful pieces. Unless you need the cash, find a home for them somewhere. Very modest power ratings.

Marantz 2220B

Marantz 2220B Receiver

Ahhh, the beloved Marantz 22 Series. The only thing smoother than their sound is their cool blue lights.   My personal opinion is that the low power versions in this series are a little over-priced, but that's just a factor in wether you're on the buying or selling end of the flip. 

Optonica Integrated Amplifier and Tuner

Optonica SM-1400 Integrated Amplifier and matching ST-1400 Tuner

Beautiful looking pieces. Below average value because people aren't familiar with the Optonica brand name, but it was Sharp's high end equipment - designed to compete with the bigger named brands.

Elac Miracord 650

Elac Miracord 650 Turntable

Gorgeous.

Tank.

Boston Acoustics A70

Boston Acoustic A70 Speakers

A nice pair is always worth keeping. They don't hold much value despite being a very solid speaker.

Sansui Seven

Sansui Seven Receiver

I hear many people compare different receivers of the 70s to the Marantz 22 Series, but the Sansui Seven and Eight are the only receivers that I personally ever thought had the same warm sound.

Realistic STA-52

Realistic STA-52 Receiver

Really handsome little receiver from the classic Radio Shack days.

Marantz 6150

Marantz 6150 Turntable

There are definitely better tables out there, but this Marantz' table's low profile makes it a very pretty piece. I sold it with a generic Audio Technica cartridge on it, but it performed beautifully for a while in one of my rigs, with a Shure V15 on it.

Harman Kardon 230e

Harman Kardon 230e Receiver

Not a world beater for sound, but good low power receiver with honest sound, and a very cool, unique look.

Paradigm Monitor 3

Paradigm Monitor 3 Speakers

Shown here in both Rosewood and black - these speakers are some of the easiest audio you will ever flip if you don't get greedy. Neutral speakers and the Rosewood cabinets are lovely, but they are kind of "average" in my opinion - despite their awesome mass appeal. Still, always an easy flip!

Concerto Receiver

Concerto Receiver

Never saw one before this... haven't seen one since. It was a small box receiver, but that case cleaned up really nice with a bit of elbow grease and spit, and despite being slightly "audio challenged" - it was a lovely looking little bookshelf receiver.

Thorens TD-166

Thorens TD-166 Turntable

Great table. They have great value for flipping if you get one on the cheap, but you might always wish that you'd never parted with it. Marries up great with a lot of cartridges, and if you can get a second headshell, you can easily have a "good and bad cartridge" set up for ALL your vinyl needs. And ALWAYS be on the lookout for Thorens lids... they fetch a long dollar... usually $75-100 in good condition.