Most representative TTs of all time

The BIC 980 and 960, introduced in 1974, were the first belt drive automatics and were among the quietest tables, manual or automatic, at the time.

Although disparaged these days, for dubious reasons, they were a minor sensation in the audio publications back then and are fine turntables.

Doug
 
The BIC 980 and 960, introduced in 1974, were the first belt drive automatics and were among the quietest tables, manual or automatic, at the time.

Although disparaged these days, for dubious reasons, they were a minor sensation in the audio publications back then and are fine turntables.

Doug

Around the same time, maybe even earlier...:dunno:...the Garrard Zero 100 SB (automatic belt drive, single play) was introduced.

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/garrard/zero-100sb.shtml
 
Let us not forget the Garrard RC 88; truly representative of its era. Here are a pair; the one on the right is a MONO player, the one of the left is STEREO.

Nice pair RC 88 (640x372).jpg
 
If I may submit the sansui sr2050 , only because I saw so many of them at the time. Saw a lot of garrards too, zero 100 was what all my friends wanted. Later it was the straight line tracking beogram . After that a lot of folks went to the technics sl1200 .
If you had bucks you had a thorens, empire, lp12, . Then you wanted but couldn't quite afford the oracle or gyrodec.
I still have a very upgraded lp12 and a custom built lenco l75. Miss my old empire 598.
 
Stromberg-Carlson PR 499 (if you can find one)

I believe this was the first suspended sub-chassis turntable, predating all others of this type.

images






1959-stromberg-carlson-pr-499-turntable-498-tonearm_2.jpg
Hey I just bought a complete system from the late 50s McIntosh equipment and the turntable is the Stromberg Carlson you mentioned. Needs a belt but everything else is original and unmolested. I have no idea what it's worth and don't plan on keeping it. Don't know anything about them so anIMG_20180519_155405308_LL.jpg IMG_20180519_155359936.jpg ything you can tell me would help. Thanks
 
Hey I just bought a complete system from the late 50s McIntosh equipment and the turntable is the Stromberg Carlson you mentioned. Needs a belt but everything else is original and unmolested. I have no idea what it's worth and don't plan on keeping it. Don't know anything about them so anything you can tell me would help. Thanks

The most important thing I can tell you regarding this rare turntable is if you plan on selling it, please do so locally. Do not ship it, if you do, it will get ruined.
 
A super good one! Leslie West.

Rod Stewart in Singapore
David Bowie in Perth.
Bob Dylan Hurricane Carter concert in the Astrodome, Houston.

Seen at least 50 bands in the Filmore West & Winterland. All great concerts... but don't remember any of them. :)
 
Y82aWam.jpg


The Sony PS-X800 is probably one of the most sophisticated mass-produced turntables (if not the most) ever made it. I has a servo-controlled linear arm which takes care of the tracking and provides damping. The Hitachi HT-L70 next to it is one of the many "square" tangential trackers that were produced in the early-to-mid 80s. They were designed to compete with the upcoming CD player and could do things like skip to a selected track automatically. To me these represent the peak of turntable design. There were some cheap, plasticky linear trackers made during that time, but these two units aren't among them (even the fairly modestly priced Hitachi boasts some pretty impressive specs). There is nothing like these units on the market today.
 
Back
Top Bottom