Arm Identification - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

jamesperrett · 6th Sep 2018, 5:24 pm

I've been helping a friend sort out some of his late father's hifi collection and I've come across this arm that has no manufacturer's markings. I'm fairly sure that the cartridge is an Audio Technica AT91 but I was hoping that someone might be able to identify the arm.

Many thanks,

James.

RojDW48 · 6th Sep 2018, 5:28 pm

It's the 'flat' tonearm from a NAD 5120 TT. I had one for a while - quite nice. If I recall correctly it plugs in to the pillar - so not much use on other TTs.

jamesperrett · 6th Sep 2018, 6:27 pm

Many thanks - that looks like the one! Can't find a NAD turntable in the collection (yet) so it will be interesting to see if any of the other turntables were modified to use it.

RojDW48 · 6th Sep 2018, 11:29 pm

From the pics it looks like the pillar has been extracted along with the arm and fitted to something else - so that gives it a bit more flexibility. I remember when I realised the tonearm 'unplugged' how impressed I was by the ease with which I could change cartridges! It is, after all, rare for a manufacturer to consider things like that. I think there was a carbon fibre cylindrical tonearm that could be substituted for the 'flat' as well.

Beobloke · 7th Sep 2018, 4:12 pm

As an aside, I like the Gates turntable that it's sat on!

jamesperrett · 7th Sep 2018, 9:08 pm

Yes, the Gates looks good although I haven't got round to seeing if it works or not as it appears to be an unfinished project. There are quite a few interesting items here - mainly turntable and preamp related.

vidjoman · 8th Sep 2018, 9:07 am

Those arms were only fitted to one turntable as far as I know. Only around for a few months then reverted to a conventional tubular arm. Think they were made in Chech Republic.

unitaudio · 8th Sep 2018, 6:21 pm

I remember these arms being quite controversial at the time and the deck they were fitted to didn't sell well. I vaguely remember reading something about "Undamped resonances". I've never heard one in action though so I can't say whether or not the criticism was legitimate. I also read somewhere that a number of decks were recalled to be fitted with the tubular arm.

Regards,
Paul

RojDW48 · 8th Sep 2018, 6:56 pm

As I wrote above - I had one of these a few years ago. It performed pretty well for a budget TT - no problems with the flat arm, which ISTR I fitted with a Goldring Elan cartridge. I don't think they would have been recalled because, if I remember correctly, the tubular and flat tonearms were interchangeable.

jamesperrett · 8th Sep 2018, 8:09 pm

It certainly seems very flimsy in the vertical plane but there's a dial on the counterweight marked in Hz so I assume that there is some way of controlling the resonant frequency of the arm/cartridge combination. Not sure I'll get a chance to try it before it goes to be sold.

ajgriff · 8th Sep 2018, 10:09 pm

NAD 5120 manuals explaining the arm's spring loaded damping arrangement can be downloaded from here:

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/nad/5120.shtml

You'll need to register but that's free and the site might well prove to be a valuable resource as you go through the rest of the collection.

Alan

jamesperrett · 10th Sep 2018, 11:35 pm

Thanks Alan - I've used that site before but had no idea where to start looking with this arm.

6th Sep 2018, 5:24 pm	#1
jamesperrett Octode Join Date: May 2007 Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,876	Arm Identification I've been helping a friend sort out some of his late father's hifi collection and I've come across this arm that has no manufacturer's markings. I'm fairly sure that the cartridge is an Audio Technica AT91 but I was hoping that someone might be able to identify the arm. Many thanks, James. Attached Thumbnails

6th Sep 2018, 5:28 pm	#2
RojDW48 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 2,074	Re: Arm Identification It's the 'flat' tonearm from a NAD 5120 TT. I had one for a while - quite nice. If I recall correctly it plugs in to the pillar - so not much use on other TTs. __________________ '....don't go mistaking Paradise for that home across the road!' (Bob Dylan)

6th Sep 2018, 6:27 pm	#3
jamesperrett Octode Join Date: May 2007 Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,876	Re: Arm Identification Many thanks - that looks like the one! Can't find a NAD turntable in the collection (yet) so it will be interesting to see if any of the other turntables were modified to use it.

6th Sep 2018, 11:29 pm	#4
RojDW48 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 2,074	Re: Arm Identification From the pics it looks like the pillar has been extracted along with the arm and fitted to something else - so that gives it a bit more flexibility. I remember when I realised the tonearm 'unplugged' how impressed I was by the ease with which I could change cartridges! It is, after all, rare for a manufacturer to consider things like that. I think there was a carbon fibre cylindrical tonearm that could be substituted for the 'flat' as well. __________________ '....don't go mistaking Paradise for that home across the road!' (Bob Dylan)

7th Sep 2018, 4:12 pm	#5
Beobloke Heptode Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 824	Re: Arm Identification As an aside, I like the Gates turntable that it's sat on!

7th Sep 2018, 9:08 pm	#6
jamesperrett Octode Join Date: May 2007 Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,876	Re: Arm Identification Yes, the Gates looks good although I haven't got round to seeing if it works or not as it appears to be an unfinished project. There are quite a few interesting items here - mainly turntable and preamp related.

8th Sep 2018, 9:07 am	#7
vidjoman Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: East Sussex, UK. Posts: 3,326	Re: Arm Identification Those arms were only fitted to one turntable as far as I know. Only around for a few months then reverted to a conventional tubular arm. Think they were made in Chech Republic.

8th Sep 2018, 6:21 pm	#8
unitaudio Heptode Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 862	Re: Arm Identification I remember these arms being quite controversial at the time and the deck they were fitted to didn't sell well. I vaguely remember reading something about "Undamped resonances". I've never heard one in action though so I can't say whether or not the criticism was legitimate. I also read somewhere that a number of decks were recalled to be fitted with the tubular arm. Regards, Paul __________________ ...No, it's not supposed to pick up the World Service, it's not a radio!

8th Sep 2018, 6:56 pm	#9
RojDW48 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 2,074	Re: Arm Identification As I wrote above - I had one of these a few years ago. It performed pretty well for a budget TT - no problems with the flat arm, which ISTR I fitted with a Goldring Elan cartridge. I don't think they would have been recalled because, if I remember correctly, the tubular and flat tonearms were interchangeable. __________________ '....don't go mistaking Paradise for that home across the road!' (Bob Dylan)

8th Sep 2018, 8:09 pm	#10
jamesperrett Octode Join Date: May 2007 Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,876	Re: Arm Identification It certainly seems very flimsy in the vertical plane but there's a dial on the counterweight marked in Hz so I assume that there is some way of controlling the resonant frequency of the arm/cartridge combination. Not sure I'll get a chance to try it before it goes to be sold.

8th Sep 2018, 10:09 pm	#11
ajgriff Nonode Join Date: May 2004 Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 2,587	Re: Arm Identification NAD 5120 manuals explaining the arm's spring loaded damping arrangement can be downloaded from here: https://www.vinylengine.com/library/nad/5120.shtml You'll need to register but that's free and the site might well prove to be a valuable resource as you go through the rest of the collection. Alan

10th Sep 2018, 11:35 pm	#12
jamesperrett Octode Join Date: May 2007 Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,876	Re: Arm Identification Thanks Alan - I've used that site before but had no idea where to start looking with this arm.