Non-Altec topic ...hartley woofer...thorens turntable

**Steve Mac** · September 12th, 2010, 11:26 PM

Came into possession of a couple of nice pieces.
In case you guys haven't seen one, the hartley woofer was pretty cool.
22" ? and sounds great in a horn...dont know what to do with it yet...
Here's a couple of pics:
http://www.superbadcat.com/images/audio1.jpg
http://www.superbadcat.com/images/audio2.jpg

This other guy is a Thorens TD-125 turntable with what I believe is a Sonus cartridge
that needs a stylus. If one of you guys knows what the tone arm is that would be cool.
http://www.superbadcat.com/images/audio3.jpg
http://www.superbadcat.com/images/audio4.jpg

**bowtie427ss** · September 13th, 2010, 07:50 AM

Looks like an Infinity Black Widow, but i'm not sure if it's a series I or II, nor am i sure how to tell. Note the Infinity monogram on the mounting flange.

As with most things TT related, it seems to be a "love it or hate it" item. I'd probably mount a D-103 on it and live happily ever after.

**Altec Best** · September 13th, 2010, 12:04 PM

Hey Steve, PM sent

**Cal Weldon** · September 13th, 2010, 05:52 PM

I would love to hear what you think of the Hartley when you put it into something.

**Steve Mac** · September 13th, 2010, 07:47 PM

Cal, I had this Hartley in a Jensen Imperial type horn that I built for my Dad years ago. I'm not sure what to do with it but had to destroy the sub and the 1000 pounds of sand that was in it...but the woofer remains!

Bowtie... The real question is what would be the most appropriate cartridge for the table and arm...maybe one of the brilliant in tune folks here could help focus the decision process.

A-best thanks for the link!

**Ronald Lee** · September 13th, 2010, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by bowtie427ss

Looks like an Infinity Black Widow, but i'm not sure if it's a series I or II, nor am i sure how to tell. Note the Infinity monogram on the mounting flange.

As with most things TT related, it seems to be a "love it or hate it" item. I'd probably mount a D-103 on it and live happily ever after.

I have one of those Infinity Black Widow arms. The "I" version has two aluminum tubes joined together, a thinner tube inside a big tube. You can see the joint very easily. The later and improved "II" is a single piece of carbon fiber. I can't tell which version you have because the pic is a bit too dark. The "I" version had a bending/drooping problem, I sent mine to Infinity for repair, and Infinity sent me a brand new arm. I have a Shure V15 Type IV cartridge in mine. Infinity is now part of the Harmon Group.

**Steve Mac** · September 13th, 2010, 11:51 PM

This is always the case when you ask for opinions...you actually get them! Thanks guys!
The 103 is according to the research I did the last two nights may be the worst candidate of all for this tonearm. It is a tube in tube but it's straight as an arrow...sorry you had problems with yours Ron and thanks for the tip on how to tell the difference. I have no desire to engage too deeply with whether or not I should get this or that regarding the table and arm...they are both well above average...I believe I need to focus on the right phono cartridge for the arm...high compliance MM and it must be less than 400...maybe 500 hundred bucks...and I have no problem paying much less than that.

I've got twelve boxes of very good records from the 50s and 60s that need spinning!

**bowtie427ss** · September 14th, 2010, 10:34 AM

The 103 is according to the research I did the last two nights may be the worst candidate of all for this tonearm.

Could very well be. Not a TT expert here. Outside of a uni-pivot, i've never had DL103 on a straight arm. I've just had such great sonic results with DL-103 for it's entry fee that i had to mention it.

**Steve Mac** · September 14th, 2010, 09:24 PM

Made a mad purchase...bought the audio technica at150mlx... Pricey but what the h e l l. As I think back to the old days I remember light arms were all the rage and there were lots of high compliance carts out there to choose from. And it was important to minimize tracking force and mass to reduce lp wear. Maybe new info discredits this but between .75 and 1 gram was it for all the audio dudes and shure rocked. Whatever...but the debate rages on! Which is heartening that people still have a care for good audio. I have not heard vinyl on the big stereo so this should be a treat. I wonder whats next...nice tube amp on the 288s? I just remembered somewhere packed away is a shure sme tonearm...I need to dust it off. Anyone know where I might find a lift handle for the sme?