SOLD SOLD SOLD: AR ES-1 turntable with Merrill mods and SME 3009 series 2 improved tonearm

lehmanhill · Jan 3, 2023

SOLD: Let's start this year off right! The table without the Merrill mods is going for $700 and up. The tonearm itself is going for at least $600. In the spirit of the season, I will offer this turntable and arm (no cartridge) for $600 to friends and contributors and $700 to members. BTW, this is a good reason to make your contribution to SBAF.

You pay shipping. The big box (original packaging) is 30 pounds and 20.5" x 18" x 14". The small box is 1 pound, 10 ounces and 13" x 6" x 6". Paypal only. Ships from Chelsea, Michigan, usa or postal code 48118. Local pickup is welcome, of course.

About the AR;

This is turntable is in very good condition, an 8/10 on the US Audio Mart grading scale. I am the second owner and it was well cared for by both owners.

There are one or two minor scratches on the plinth (see pictures).

The dust cover looks fine from a few feet away, but there are a few dust scratches visible if you look closely. The dust scratches are just visible above the headshell in the picture with the dust cover. These scratches could easily be polished out. The dust cover is still optically clear with no hazing.

The tone arm is an SME 3009 Series 2 improved and is in excellent condition. This arm made the biggest improvement on what was already an excellent turntable.

The Merrill acrylic/lead platter is well damped and works perfectly, but there are a few minor cracks in the lead top from aging.

The platter bearing runs smooth with no perceivable play. The motor runs smoothly and very close to ideal speed.

Included -

Original platter and the Merrill platter

Merrill motor pulley on what I believe is the upgraded Hurst motor

A Merrill tone arm mounting plate for the original tone arm. I never got around to modifying the tone arm mount for the SME tone arm, although that would probably be the best combination because the Merrill mount is heavy, stiff, and well damped.

Q' up automatic tone arm lifter

SME tone arm in a separate box.

All of the modifications listed below

The cartridge is not included.

The original owner loved to experiment and he was modifying and improving this turntable until he upgraded to a Vpi. From that point, he put this one away until I bought it about 8 years ago. Significant modifications include damping the sub-chassis with rubber and balsa wood, DIY feet made of cork and multiple rubber compounds, constrained layer damping on the sub-platter and motor plate, and about 3/8” of butyl rubber on the bottom of the plinth. Linn springs are used on the sub-chassis to support the increased mass of the Merrill platter and damping materials added to the sub-chassis and sub-platter.

The platter bearing is supported vertically by a small ball bearing. The current one is steel. Two carbide bearings are included if you want to try them.

If you are not familiar with these vintage AR turntables, they are a very good low mass, suspended sub-chassis turntable. These mods, especially the Merrill platter, pulley, and tonearm mount take it up a notch.

Thanks for looking.

Jac