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The original Acoustic Research turntable. Celebrated for its minimalist design with belt drive mechanism using a low speed, low power synchronous motor. Its is nice looking turntable with its wood cabinet and black plinth. The two piece platter helps eliminate vibrations. This has been completely serviced. New belt, new 3d printed tonearm rest(also includes another replacement as well as the broken original), replaced belt pulley(also has 50 hz), has been recapped, and everything cleaned. Pretty much the only thing that hasn't been changed is the motor itself. The case does have wrap peeling around the lower edges. Nothing thats really bad and noticeable. There spotting marks on the dust cover. It does have that AR tick with the motor. It doesnt affect the playability and sound. If you know this table it takes a little bit of push to get started and helps take stress of the motor.
Should you pay US$600 for this, or wait for a cleaner deal? Against your own market anchors, it’s ambitious: the asking price sits above the 75th percentile of US$524 and well over the median of US$449, so this is not a value-priced buy.
That said, the XA is a genuinely respected belt-drive design and a classic if you want a simple, low-resonance platform with real vintage appeal. If this example is original, complete, and has been sympathetically maintained, the upside is in getting a cult-favorite table that can sound very refined with the right arm, cartridge, and setup. At US$600, I’d want strong condition, originality, and evidence it’s been serviced.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Acoustic Research (AR) emerged from Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1954, founded by audio pioneer Edgar Villchur and his student Henry Kloss. Villchur, an inventor, researcher, and educator, developed the groundbreaking acoustic suspension loudspeaker principle, patented in 1956, which enabled compact speakers with deep, distortion-free bass. Their debut AR-1 model, unveiled at the 1954 New York Audio Show for $185, revolutionized the industry by shrinking enclosure sizes by up to 75 percent while delivering superior performance, setting the stage for AR's rapid ascent.
The brand focused primarily on loudspeakers, pioneering acoustic suspension designs like the AR-1, AR-2, AR-3 series, and compact bookshelf models such as the AR-4, which appealed to students and families. AR expanded into turntables, including the enduring AR Turntable still prized by vinyl enthusiasts, alongside other stereo components. This emphasis on innovative speakers with flat response, wide dispersion, and extended bass defined their catalog, prioritizing engineering over aesthetics.
AR commanded peak dominance in 1966 with over 32 percent of the U.S. loudspeaker market—the largest share any hi-fi company has achieved—earning reverence for natural sound reproduction and robust build quality. Now owned by VOXX and shifted toward lower-end accessories, its vintage products remain collector icons, embodying mid-century high-fidelity excellence for discerning buyers seeking timeless accuracy.
See all Acoustic Research listings on RADAR.
