bevwil Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 I have one since new in 1984. With their dedicated arm and a Denon 103 mm cart. Looks great ,goes well. I sounded out the Vintage TT store in King St Newtown. He'd never heard of it! Anyone have any idea how much these are worth these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian McP Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 https://www.vinylengine.com/library/townshend/elite-rock.shtml https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=78884 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telecine Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 @Batty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wimbo Posted February 13, 2020 Share Posted February 13, 2020 @bevwil Yes. @Batty has one. It was very well known back in the 80's. Townsends an Aussie from Queensland I think. Also released cartridges. Don't understand why that store has never heard of it considering its name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bevwil Posted February 13, 2020 Author Share Posted February 13, 2020 Thanks Wimbo. Yes surprised me too, although it was a young voice on the phone. He said he 'd getback to me. ( hasn't yet) When i said make sure the name Townshend has an "h" in it , he kind of gave me short shrift and hung up. Perhaps he thought i was a nutter. But if your'e running a vintage turntable shop , dealing with nutters would be par for the course , wouldn't it? Yes the Rock has given me much pleasure for the best part of 40 trouble -free years, but I'm in my mid -70s now and need to simplify my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnwes Posted February 15, 2020 Share Posted February 15, 2020 (edited) It was considered one of the best tables at the time. It means it's still a very good table. Clean it up, take some good pics of it & sell it privately s/b worth $1.5-2k I would think if everything, incl motor are in good shape. FYI hifishark.com is always a good site to get a current selling price from. Edited February 15, 2020 by shawnwes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bevwil Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 3 hours ago, shawnwes said: It was considered one of the best tables at the time. It means it's still a very good table. Clean it up, take some good pics of it & sell it privately s/b worth $1.5-2k I would think if everything, incl motor are in good shape. FYI hifishark.com is always a good site to get a current selling price from. Thank you shawnees. I'll follow up on this. It would include a Denon 103 R MC Cart . !0 years old but hardly any use...100 hrs maybe. Thats right! 10 hours a year ! Heresy, I know, to say this on a turntable forum , but digital is just easier for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graceman Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 Great turntables - I use mine most days! I have an Origin Live modded RB300 on mine and (at present) an Empire 600LAC. Never spilt a drop of fluid or had any other problems. Love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bevwil Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 1 hour ago, Graceman said: Great turntables - I use mine most days! I have an Origin Live modded RB300 on mine and (at present) an Empire 600LAC. Never spilt a drop of fluid or had any other problems. Love it! Good to hear Graceman. MIne got a lot of use from 1983/4 for around 5 years...then ashamed to say digital sort of took over. In those days I was using a Grace f9e and then an Audio Tech ATC9 ( Townshend Excalibur Arm). I saw a Denon 103 R whilst in Japan. Couldn't resist. Nice cart...but that old ATC9....wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiofeline Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 Quoting from the "Cheap Isolation fix - Vast Improvement" thread on the General HiFi forum. Slightly off-topic- a presentation by Max Townshend, who probably designed your Townshend turntable. On 15/02/2020 at 9:55 PM, Aperalim said: Q.1 Ethafoam (open cell foamed polyethylene) Q.2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Macfarlane Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 (edited) The original Rock was designed as a joint exercise by Max and the Cranfeild institute of technology. It looked gorgeous and nothing like the Rock most of us recognise save for the trough. The Cranfeild Rock was too expensive to produce so the important elements were distilled down to the 'Black Rock" over time. First pic is one of the prototypes , second the first retail version and 3rd the Black Rock. Edited February 17, 2020 by Ozcall 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPSHELF Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 I was looking for one of these for ages having heard one a few years back. I like the idea of the damping trough having used a Well tempered classic for the past 5 years. It has some great reviews out there and would make a new owner very happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bevwil Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 On 13/02/2020 at 2:06 PM, Ian McP said: https://www.vinylengine.com/library/townshend/elite-rock.shtml https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=78884 Thank you Ian McP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bevwil Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 21 hours ago, audiofeline said: Quoting from the "Cheap Isolation fix - Vast Improvement" thread on the General HiFi forum. Slightly off-topic- a presentation by Max Townshend, who probably designed your Townshend turntable. Yes, Audiofeline, Max Townshend designed the original Rock 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bevwil Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 17 hours ago, TOPSHELF said: I was looking for one of these for ages having heard one a few years back. I like the idea of the damping trough having used a Well tempered classic for the past 5 years. It has some great reviews out there and would make a new owner very happy. Hi Topself. I really shouldn't be using this forum as a "market feeler" I'll be moving over to classifieds shortly 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bevwil Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 22 hours ago, Ozcall said: The original Rock was designed as a joint exercise by Max and the Cranfeild institute of technology. It looked gorgeous and nothing like the Rock most of us recognise save for the trough. The Cranfeild Rock was too expensive to produce so the important elements were distilled down to the 'Black Rock" over time. First pic is one of the prototypes , second the first retail version and 3rd the Black Rock. Yep, Ozcall, that's mine at the bottom. Interesting pics . Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOPSHELF Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 1 hour ago, bevwil said: Hi Topself. I really shouldn't be using this forum as a "market feeler" I'll be moving over to classifieds shortly If I hadn't bought a Well tempered Amadeus last week you would have read a P.M. from me by now!.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graceman Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 I also have a Townshend 'Avalon' which was known as the baby Rock. It was cheaper as it used a less complex manufacturing process but retained the damping trough and was supplied with an RB300. It gives about 85% of the performance but was easier on the wallet! I fitted an Origin Live DC motor and controller which was a step up in performance. I must look it out as I don't have space for both of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batty Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 Sorry I didn't reply earlier. I have just got back from holidays. Yes, I have had my rock since 86 when I bought it new in Glasgow fro some guy who builds PU7 tonearms now. If the OP wants to move it on and it has the original Excalibur arm, I would be asking around 3k, more if it has the external Merlin power supply. I would buy the Excalibur if in good condition for 1k. maybe 400 for the Merlin too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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