Harman Kardon Rabco ST-5 Turntable, excellent cosmetic and mechanical condition
- Condition: For parts or not working
- Price: 413.82 EUR
- Status: unsold
- Item number: 305492548565
- Bids: 0
- Seller: hekickedme (884|100.0%)
- Seller information: non commercial
- Item location: Seattle, Washington
- Ships to: US
- Shipping: 0,0 EUR
- on EBAY
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Description
Vintage Harman Kardon ST-5 Rabco turntable - excellent condition. Linear tracking with a Rabco arm. Last model in the line of iconic ground-breaking turntables. If youre looking, you probably know about these beautifully designed machines. If you arent familiar with these, or if you are not mechanically inclined/interested, this may not be for you, it is nicely tuned right now, but these vintage turntables sometimes required TLC.This one is in excellent overall condition, one of the nicer Ive ever had. And, it is priced accordingly, but I may well except a reasonable offer so it goes to a good and caring home :)Timeless modern look, puts MCM in its place. Vintage Audio, Vintage StereoNot perfect, but very, very nice, and note, this is about 40 years old.Sold without cartridge - cartridge in it seems dead, but the turntable has been tested. Jimi Hendrix record not included.Please, please (!), ask any questions.And, please, take this process seriously, it is your time and my time. As I have learned from previous experience, if you have zero or low feedback, please message me before bidding.The cosmetic condition:1) The brushed aluminum tops, covers and side walls are in excellent condition, wonderful brushed aluminum.2) There are a few very, very light scratches on the aluminum base and top panel, visible in the photos, almost need a magnifying glass. There is one ding above the H-K logo, visible in pictures.3) The dust cover is original clear, has some light wear, with one repair around the left hinge.4) The cueing and speed control plastic trim pieces are original (!)5) The leveling bubble is a replacement, better than the original.Mechanical:1) The tonearm tracks as desired / expected, this is completely adjustable.2) The cartridge descends nice and controlled.3) The speed is spot on, the strobe shows the speed as steady.4) The electronics are completely untouched, original, same for the motor, wiring, circuitry, etc. - it is it came from the factory, and as I bought it.5) The feet are very nice adjustable replacements.6) Two of the belts are replacements, work as original.7) If I can find one fault, it is that it doesnt switch to 45 RPM very easily. The mechanism is mechanical (meaning the motor runs fine), its that the belt doesnt move very easily to the 45 RPM part of the motor pulley. Misc: Listed locally on CL, strongly prefer local pickup.The black spring clips visible in the pictures are the plastic trim retainer clips; they has sprung, doesnt effect any functionality. I have included them. Will be packed very well with platter secured as originally packaged by manufacturer, tonearm and restrictor removed for safe shipping, and the carriage secured and protected by cardboard spacer. I have included them, scotch taped to the top to keep them safe. Will be packed very with platter removed and tone arm secured Sold as is and no returns. Please understand that the above description is very detailed for a reason, to help you in your buying decision. But you will not be able to return this unless you pay postage both ways. Update: Someone asked me my opinion of which was better, the ST-5 or the ST-8. Here is my opinion: There are tradeoffs. Both are very cool looking machines, and the linear tracking appeals to the engineer in me. The ST-8 looks cooler, the electronic speed switch is visually more interesting than the mechanical switch on the ST-5. The contrast of the brushed aluminum and the black anodized aluminum is more visually appealing to me than the all brushed aluminum. The ST-5 is much less complex, and so will last longer, and be easier to service. For example: a replacement motor for the ST-5 is $40; for the ST-8 - if you can find one - is about $300 - $600; and another: The ST-8 is a single motor, with two speeds, and two potentiometer speed adjustment controls, while the ST-5 has a single speed motor, with a two diameter pulley and a mechanism to switch the belt between the two - simpler. The air-pot in the ST-8 is still being made, but costs $180 new; I dont know about the one in the ST-5. The ST-8 has the audio cueing/shut-off mechanism, the ST-5 does not - simpler. Much else is the same between the two. I am paring down my systems to a single ST-7 and a single ST-8, they are a matching set, and look fantastic next to each other. To me, the ST-5 is a slightly better choice for the long run, the ST-8 looks better - and better suits the tinkerer in me.
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