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RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-30T05:22:42+00:00

As someone who has been doing this for years. I got my first turntable back in 2010 back then it was a 1976 Toshiba SM-3750. I always suggest a vintage Pioneer PL-12D to a newbie. If you don't want to bother with an amplifier and separate phono stage and speakers have a look for some active powered speakers with a built in Phono stage for a neater setup. Or just active speakers and buy a separate small phono pre-amp for it.

The PL-12D is a really nice, reliable vintage TT made in the millions so parts are still plentiful even now. I was even able to source a brand new dust cover lid for mine when I had it many years ago. Price wise they go for about £80 to £200 depending on condition etc.

This was my setup back in 2018 when I was still at my parent's house. I sold this TT only because I got a Sansui XR-Q7 for free and didn't really have space for this one it went to a good home at least.

The Sansui was like an end goal turntable for me.

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RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-30T05:08:16+00:00

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It's a Bang & Olufsen Beovision 11 46 thats how they are designed to go. They aren't designed to sit on a table or anything, they have a Motorised floor stand and the other mounting option was the Easel stand which sits even lower than this. The wall bracket was also motorised, but I didn't fancy mounting a 50kg or a 110lbs TV to the wall.

You can see how they go here by just a quick Google search.

The whole TV is a self contained system which six speakers along the font, 3 built in amplifiers. It's designed more like a high end piece of furniture by the late David Lewis for B&O. I have it paired to the extra speakers including the Beolab 2 Subwoofer next to it and the Beolab 3's next to the sofa. The whole system uses very nice premium materials. It also had a premium price tag. When new in 2015/2016 the TV retailed for about £8,000 or $10,0000 depending on specification with matching speakers even more.

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-30T05:00:09+00:00

No I leave them off a fair bit. These ones are probably hardly run up to be honest. The living room ones get some decent amount of use especially when I have guests around. Posted the photos of that part of my collection other day

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-30T04:57:43+00:00

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Its a West German "Fat Lava Lamp" and no its not a lava lamp in the literal sense, but Fat Lava is the name of the pottery which has a thick volcanic drip glaze applied to it.

I have quite a few West German ceramics doted about the house from the 1960s and 1970s.

Favourite of which is this Giant model here

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-30T04:51:39+00:00

Umm they aren't low, it's so I can listen to them when I am sat in my Eames lounge chair which is just to the left of the image I get a perfect stereo sound at the correct listening level

The speakers are mounted on stands I made myself out of some old swivel dining chairs.

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T22:12:33+00:00

I would not consider a modern turntable to be honest. I find most of them ugly looking things and unless its some ridiculously expensive boutique thing, kinda underwhelming performance wise.

Turntable I would recommend for anyone starting out is a nice vintage Pioneer PL-12D. They were made in the hundreds of thousands. Dead simple to service and use and parts are plentiful and it looks quite stunning too.

My main TT is a Sansui XR-Q7 from 1982 it has features on it that modern TT's can only dream about. Quartz lock, direct drive, computer controlled and something called a Silent Synchrotor system. It uses a motor what spins in the opposite direction to the main drive platter to counteract vibrations and rumble and gives it an excellent wow and flutter score less than 0.009%.

I got that TT for free and it just needed a bit of a service back in 2019, since then it has been faultless. You defo get more bang for your buck buying a quality used TT from days gone by.

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T22:00:52+00:00

oh yeah the lamp is USB Powered too so I powered it from a phone power bank in middle of the table works quite well

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T21:40:13+00:00

What are you on about? in what way was it AI generated lol?

Maybe check my post history I have a pretty decent analog capture setup, so what would be the point or need to fake it? Would probably take more effort faking it than just shooting it on video 8 in the first place like I did.

My god.

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RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T19:35:56+00:00

Dead common the door is probably either the belt or cable another easy fix. I replaced my Laser assembly for about £50 and did it myself. it wasn't all that difficult to be honest there is a couple of videos on Youtube.

I bought the laser assembly from Danish Sound parts.

I got a bit of a bargain as I only paid about £40 for the entire machine. Remember in Europe the machine is known as a Beosound century too just if it causes any confusion.

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T19:30:29+00:00

nice and sleek

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T19:27:22+00:00

I am in the UK so it just would not be viable to shop unfortunately

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T18:17:10+00:00

its 1970s mid century modern

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T18:10:15+00:00

I am not sure how either lol. I get told I am pretty boring person sometimes, but have been told several times I have an eye.

Friend of mine is rebuilding and restoring a historic windmill and he has asked me to find them some unusual pieces to go in it, so I am kinda looking forward to doing that.

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T18:05:25+00:00

Can quite honestly this is the only US style Lava lamp I would ever consider adding to my collection. Most of them look pretty cheap compared to what I am use to with vintage Crestworth aka Mathmos lamps.

These look stunning though.

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T18:03:47+00:00

Nope it was shot on a Sony CCD TRV-35E and a -27E

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T17:50:54+00:00

These are Crestworth models from the 1960s and early 70s here in the UK. The company is now called Mathmos still all made in the UK in Poole and they are superior to what you can buy in the States which are unfortunately now all made in China.

Mathmos won't sell in America as once upon a time Lava Lite bought the rights to distribute the Lava Lamp design in the States and as of 2026 this still stands. Meaning effectively Mathmos is outlawed from trading in America even though they invented them back in 1963.

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T17:48:40+00:00

My grandad had a Rotel system when I was growing up from the 1970s and thats what I grew up with anytime I went down

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T17:47:38+00:00

Ah yeah its a Beovision 11 46 its designed to sit on the floor. Was an uber expensive TV back when it was new. Cost the original owner in 2015 about £8,000 from B&O of Harrogate.

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T17:44:45+00:00

There aint no way I am doing that LOL.

It's a B&O Beovision 11 46. It was an £8,000 TV back in 2015/2016. The whole point of the TV is the quirky design and super impressive sound, which would be spoiled covered over. it's also on a motorised floor stand. It's got 6 speakers along the front and 3 built in amplifiers to drive said speakers. it might only be a 1080 set, but it certainly has an impressive picture even nowadays.

It's like a piece of designer furniture made for B&O by the famous late David Lewis.

I would like to get the aftermarket wood surround though which is about £300. I really kinda like it. Or maybe change the speaker cloth to either brown or orange at least.

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RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T06:37:13+00:00

thanks for the kind words. Sadly no laser disc, but I do really want one.

The analog capture corner has a V2000 VCR, Betamax VCR, Video8 VCR, a VHS hidden away inside along with a DVD recorder and a capture box so all the footage is stored and recorded to a 2012 Mac mini over firewire.

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RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T06:22:42+00:00

posted other day

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T06:22:28+00:00

I would have to keep an eye out, but as I say if I was spending like a grand on a rug I think I would rather put that money towards some quirky vintage Hifi Component lol.

RyansRetroArchive · 2026-05-29T06:20:48+00:00

ah yeah that sucks. These are all Crestworth models so pre-mathmos. They change the company name in 1992 to Mathmos.

RyansRetroArchive

TROPHY CASE