Build quality. DC motor. Arm combination floored but can work brilliantly. Sound quality. Looks great.

Will take some fiddling to get right.

I recently picked up this deck at a very reasonable price on ebay. Everything that people say about the fiddly set up is true- this is a challenging deck to get right, but probably not too much effort for suspension deck owners used to fiddling with their turntables. nevertheless, even when the deck is going right, I have found that on occasion the arm will lead or trail depending on the material on the disc. This could be frustrating for some users. I got mine going with the help of a ruler to ensure that the stylus lined up with the midpoint of the record. I have found that the verticle (height) adjustment is important but not as critical as aligning the stylus to the midpoint. When set up properly you should be able to set the downforce low and still track comfortably - I managed to get my OM 30 to track reliably at 1g, below the recommended tracking force. Of course it is not neccessary to track your records with such low force, but I think it is a sign of a well designed tone arm that this is possible. Sound quality is excellent. In my experience it is well above the standard of Thorens suspended decks, and manages to shame even my Thorens td 124 Mk 2 with SME 3012 tone arm in many areas of performance. It will also comfortably surpass most Japanese DD linear trackers, even if it is nowhere as easy to use. Bass extension (up to Japanese DD standards), timing and midrange clarity are all excellent. DC motor adds to the silence of this deck during quiet passages. It is only let down by a veiled treble response, and an occasional lack of 'musicality.' (My theory is that linear tracking encourages 'centre channel imaging', thus reducing the stereo effect in comparison to conventional arms). Definately sounds miles better than it should at the price. Definately recommended, but probably it is best not to consider this deck unless you are willing to be patient during set up.

Proformance, durability, Super good looks, and of course, the sound quality

Some rumble if not isolated.

I have had this turntable from new in 1977. I have NEVER stoped using it. It has given me no trouble other than a broken hinge on the top plexi cover. I still use an Ortofon cart. and the sound is fantastic.My choice back then was the ST 7 or the B&O. I chose the Rabco due to less cost and I must say I'm not dissapointed. Modern styling still looks good today. I guess I've been lucky as I havn't needed any parts other than a belt about seven years ago. Tone arm stays on track and no problems with the rubber turning to glue(from lack of use maybe?). I still recomend this unit to anyone and again have had great luck with it.

Similar Products Used:

Revox reel to reel, Mac system.

It took many heavy strokes of my steel hammer to smash its frame.

Piece of garbage.

I purchased this Harman Kardon ST-7 Linear Tracker from ebay with very high expectations. I installed my top of the line Shure cartridge in the unit so to transfer my irreplaceable vinyl to CD. This turntable has given me more headaches than I’ve had in my entire life. It has made my blood pressure go through the roof, my hairline recede a few more inches, put me on Zoloft, and almost ruined my marriage! The freakin sensitive low-mass tone arm cannot be adjusted properly, ever! I couldn’t tell how many freakin grams I was laying in my precious grooves because it has no freakin tone arm weight markings printed on its “1970’s mod-style tone arm” (give me a freakin break), and the stupid que lever never worked right. I needed to push it down 2 or 3 times before I could be sure it would stay in the freaking record groove. So I removed my expensive Shure, got out my hammer, and smashed this “too many moving parts” piece of crap into a beautiful pile of brushed aluminum rubble. Now I’m back to my Harman Kardon T-60. I’ve lined-up my Shure as best as possible and will not ever waist my time and ruin my health on another ST-7 again! P.S. It felt so good smashing the ST-7!

Similar Products Used:

My $70.00 all-in-one Soundesign that I got for my 12th birthday.

Well built and sounds great.

Does have many moving parts but works well.

I love this turnatble. It has linear tracking to eliminate anti-skating and to reduce record wear. Took this piece out of storage 2 years ago. Needed a new belt which (Alpha Tech) here in St. Louis had on hand. In fact, they carry many parts to the Rabco turntables. They bought all these parts prior to discontinuance. This table has great sound and is very well built. Would probably sell for around $2,500 in today's dollars. Performance is wonderful. Forgot how good vinyl can sound over the CD format. My table is in great shape other than a scratch on the dustcover. I am using a Rega Elys cartridge on this table. I have 5 turntable at home currently, and my wife calls me insane. Therefore, I am sure I will regret it, I may put this table on e-bay or on audio gun to make more room and make my wife happy. A classic table that (enhances sound)

Similar Products Used:

Dual 701, Rega p-3, Rega p-25, and Denon 47-F

Aethetics, sound

Belts

I bought a Harman-Kardon ST-8 in 1978. I don't have the technical knowledge I've read here, but I just started using it again after years in storage. It definitely needs a new platter belt (don't know where to get one.) It's a beautiful turntable. I've been recording some of my 1,200+ record collection on it, including an outstanding recording (in my limited knowledge) of Steve Vai's Passion and Warfare album. Sounds great on cd. I've also dug out my 1978 Technics SL-1400MK2, but it needs a cartridge. Love it though.

Hello,I have a Harman Kardon Rabco ST-7, that Ihave to change the the tracking roller on.Questions: is spare parts avialable or it maight be possible to put on a rubber belt, is it possible to get a discription how to take it apart to be able to change rubber belt?
Thanks for a quick answer, I can´t make much longer without all my 33`s albums....

Thord Ogeryd

After having problems with the tracking roller that simple turned into glue on my ST-7,I found the way to fix it. Just use ordinary o-rings in a size that fits to replace the rubberparts that transforms into a gluish mess. Then you´ll have to adjust the speed of the tracking arm as the new diameter might differ. It takes some time to fit it as it is such small pieces, but it is well worth it.

As long as I can remember,tape decks and turntables had been the main source for my listening pleasure. Then in the early 80s' came "digital compact discs".Before that format that spoiled me,and made me alittle less involved, I had a Harman Kardon Rabco ST-7 linear tracking turntable,and a Rotel RP series table,sourced from I suspect "Micro Seiki" but not certain on that one. Of the 2, the H/K ST-7 was a love hate relationship. It was a belt drive turntable. One belt for the platter drive,and one for the tonearm tracking drive. No tiny miniature motors here. What a pain.!! You had to keep the linear tracking bearings clean,you had to keep the adjustments just so. I was surprised I put up with the whole mess. I had various cartridges on the ST-7,none of them of any real importance. The ST-7 deserved better,but budget constraints dictated otherwise. A modified Audio Technica AT13ea was the last cartridge on the ST-7. Once the pain of cleaning setting up,and getting those records clean....as possible at the time for me. The sound was very good. It was fun to watch that cartridge just seem to float across the record effortlessly. Bass response was good,midrange abit etched and foward,and the highs abit harsh too. I didn't understand proper cartridge loading in those days. Capacitance,resistance etc.
It still had a good time with my half speed direct to disc masters,and digital masters too. A warmth that digital cds' still hasn't got quite right yet. Its' wow and flutter were good,though not outstanding. Just good. I would have liked better isolation too. Though the precision cut and milled aluminum is a beauty to look at. It just lacks good damping and isolation. H/K blew it here. Well everybody designs within their given budget I guess. A Townshend seismic sink platform would do wonders here. Or similar. All carping aside. The ST-7 played my friends Mobile Fidelity Beatles black box collector series just fine. I still have the dbx encoded reel to reel recordings done on that day. It was amazing the depth,warmth,and palpability a great recording on records has. I don't have the ST-7 anymore,the servo,or crystal ocillator controller the speed went wacko. I didn't want to fix it. Just getting lazy I guess. I want to get back to records again and find that warmth again. I am looking into a Basis turntable or the VPI,or a Linn. The last 2 hopefully used(not abused). We'll have to see about that one. Until then, CDs' are my source until I start making my own tunes and dump on ADAT,DAT,or minidisc,CD-wr, who knows. Though I want to build a nice small analog system,just to go back listen to music with the warmth and soul that only records can do. (until HQCD comes out...oh man.) Take care,and keep the warmth spinning at 33 1/3 rpm. V.C.

Linear tracking, belt drive, beautiful brushed aluminum

Parts not available, requires constant adjustments,

The previous reviewer had it right -- a love hate relationship with this turntable. Harman Kardon made four linear tracking tables using the rabco linear tracking tone arm. I owned an ST-5 from 1978 until 1997. I bought an ST-7 about 6 months ago, and just bought an ST-8.

The first thing you notice is that the ST-7 is very attractive. 25 pounds of brushed aluminum -- not the plastic or wood veneer used by so many turntables. It has the neat touch sensitive blue and red glowing bar which you touch to start the turntable. The carriage assembly just looks neat. The engineering is almost romantic. And it sounds good when adjusted properly.

Herein lies the problem. This is not easy. The tone arm assembly is linear tracking. In order to work properly, it must be adjusted just so. First, the phono cartridge must be adjusted in two planes. The headshell for the tone arm slides in and out and is locked in place with a screw. The position should be adjusted so the needle hits the record at the midpoint, half way from the front to the back, straight out from the center spindle. The second adjustment uses little plastic spacers of various thicknesses that go between the cartridge and the headshell so that when the needle touches the record, the tone arm is parallel to the record surface. HK provided a plastic adjustment thing-a-ma-jig which helped allign the cartridge correctly, but everyone has lost both that adjustment tool and the little plastic spacers. You have to eye-ball it -- that is if the spacers aren't lost. I had an Azden cartridge which needed no spacers and sounds great -- if you can find one.

Next, you have to get the tracking correct. The tone arm rides in a "carriage assembly." The assembly rides on two beams, called a slide bar and a tracking shaft. The tracking shaft is connected to the turntable spindle by a pully attached to a large rubber "O-ring" When the turntable goes around, the pully/o-ring turn the tracking shaft. A rubber wheel "tracking roller" is inside the tone arm carriage assembly and sits on the tracking shaft. The angle of the wheel to the tracking shaft determines whether the carriage assembly leads, trails or properly follows the tone arm. If it leads or trails, the tone arm is not tangential to the record, the needle is not at a right angle to the record and tracking is not linear. The angle of the wheel is controlled by a little screw on the back of the carriage assembly. If the turntable is moved you may need to readjust it. And if the turntable is not on a level surface, forget it. And when you change to a record where the grooves are further apart such as a direct to disk recording or some digital records, the tracking is likely to be wrong. And you have to keep the whole assembly clean and dust free.

And with all of this, I have owned three of them. When set up properly, a record sounds better. Once adjusted, you probably won't have to fiddle with it too much. The positives are in the sound. The sound field is better defined than on a conventional turntable. No anti-skating device is needed to keep the needle properly in the center of the groove. The tone arm is shorter and has less effective mass than a conventional arm which helps the needle track better, and respond more accurately to the information in the record. And it is "cool" to watch the cartridge bob up and down and just seem to float on the record.

Because of improvements in the tone arm carriage and tracking assembly, I prefer the ST-5 and ST-8 to the ST-6 and ST-7. On the other hand, I've seen only one ST-8, one ST-6, no ST-5s on e-bay. One or two ST-7s show up each month on e-bay and sell for between $150 and 200. The ST-8 went for over $400. If you can find one in good shape at under $200, this table is a steal. 25 years ago, when money was worth three or four times as much, the ST-7 was about twice as much money.

Similar Products Used:

Harman Kardon ST-5, Harman Kardon ST-8