Acoustic Research AR EB101
Vintage & classic turntables · 1984–? Discontinued
$250–$450 typical US used price
AR's 1980s revival of the classic suspended-subchassis formula, sold strongly in the UK as a budget audiophile deck and often upgraded with Linn or Rega arms. Simple, musical and tweakable.
The 80s cult budget deck that punched far above its price, especially re-armed.
Good to know
- No built-in phono stage — use an amplifier with a phono input or add a separate phono preamplifier.
- This is a used-market purchase. Ask about condition, originality and service history, especially the belt, bearing and stylus.
Specifications
| Drive | belt drive |
|---|---|
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | manual |
| Built-in phono stage | No |
| USB output | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Platter | aluminium |
| Tonearm | AR/Jelco-style low-mass arm |
| Years | 1984–? |
Cartridge and replacement stylus
The fitted cartridge is not mapped to a verified replacement part. See the model-specific stylus guidance →
Where to buy the Acoustic Research AR EB101
4 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | View at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | View at Upscale Audio ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at eBay ↗ |
Compare it
AR EB101 vs Thorens TD 150AR EB101 vs Thorens TD 166AR EB101 vs Linn BasikAR EB101 vs Rega Planar 2 (original)
Compare the AR EB101 against any other deck →
