Hi everyone. I wanted to get some expert advice / opinions re: some turntable questions.

Until very recently I’ve been using an old Sony PS-X500 turntable with a Stanton cartridge installed in the bio-tracer tone arm. I’m not sure of the exact model of the Stanton; I’m at work right now so I don’t have access to it. Anyway, the Sony has served me well for many years (I bought it new sometime in the 1980’s) and I have no complaints re: its performance. At a yard sale over the weekend I picked up a B & O RX2 turntable equipped with an MMC5 cartridge all in apparently mint condition for, get this, $5.00. Swear to god. I didn’t need a new TT but was not going to pass up that B & O for a fiver so I picked it up. I’ve hooked it up to my components at home and sure enough it looks and works great. My question is this; which TT should I now keep and use as my everyday TT? I understand that most of the answer to that question hinges on the cartridges that are installed but let’s just say for discussion sake that both cartridges are equal in quality and sound. Assuming that, which one would you keep?

My next question deals with the means by which I “sweep” records while they sit on my TT’s platter. The Sony TT is a direct drive design so the platter sits on top of the motor, there is no suspension system under the platter so to clean records I just put a record on the Sony’s platter and spin it gently with my finger on the label of the record and sweep the record’s surface gently with my Discwasher brush. Been doing exactly that for years with no harm done to the Sony TT or records. When I tried that procedure on the B & O I discovered that the platter sinks down into the body of the turntable (the plinth?). I didn’t push very hard but did experiment just a little and discovered that the harder I pushed (not hard) the deeper the platter would sink into the body. So I’ve surmised that there is some kind of suspension system designed into the RX2 and that because of that I can no longer employ my Discwasher the way I do with the Sony. So assuming that’s correct, someone please tell me if that’s not correct, how do you B & O Beogram RX2 owners brush off your records?

Lastly, can any provide a user / owners manual for my Beogram RX2?  Many thanks in advance to anyone willing to help.

Hi Enoch, and a warm welcome to Beoworld.
What a great deal you got!
I have a similar problem deciding which deck to use, I have 5 but they are all B&O.
The user guide and service manuals are on site, but you need to be a gold or silver member to get to them. Well worth it in my opinion.

I use a RX-2 as well, but with an MMC3 cartridge.  It's an awesome TT but if we're considering that the cartridges are equal, it really just comes down to which one you like more. 

 

As for cleaning, I do exactly what you are describing, I use a discwasher brush and just gently let it run over the record as it's cueing.  Just don't push too hard that the motor is no longer able to spin the platter.  

Hi and thanks very much for your reply.  So am I correct in understanding that you use your discwasher brush while the motor is spinning the platter and doing so has no adverse effect on the motor?

Yes, this is what I do and I have seen no adverse affects on the motor.  Just make sure you are gentle about it.