Panasonic SL-880 Quadraphonic Turntable???

[Kahoona]

I recently came across this turntable and some other items. The folks I got it from recently bought a house and in the attic there were boxes full of old electronics. They were packed in newspaper dated from the 70's. This was one of them. I can't seem to find out anything at all. It is marked as 2 or 4 channel and seems to be a nice mid-fi turntable in a heavy wood base. I would really love to know more about it (and if it is worth anything too.) I think that the records were encoded and the turntable had a decoder. I wonder if any Quad records are left?
The other stuff included a Technics SA6800X Receiver and an Akai 202D-SS 4 chan reel to reel tape machine. All quad, all working.

 

[audiojones]

Most Panasonic turntables were built for them by BSR, usually entry level rim drive type machines. That one looks like it has a pretty decent build though, not sure if it's a BSR as it has an unusual control layout, kinda looks like a P.E. or Dual. Best way to tell is to get a shot of the mechanism underneath. Probably not worth a bunch but it's kind of nice looking anyway.

There were a few different quad systems but they all involved decoding at the receiver end of the audio chain. The turntable had to have a very good cartridge with a sharp needle to pick up the encoded signal (or front and back channels depending on the quad system used) and it had to have very low rumble/flutter so as not to interfere with the quad decoding, but the decoding was done at the amp or receiver. Nice tape deck there too, pretty cool find!

 

[markdi]

There is a youtube vid showing your table
I think the cd4 decoder is built into the turntable

 

[Kahoona]

Yes. Rim drive with Idler wheel which seems to still be round. Decoder is built in.
That info about BSR is good to know.I'd love to fins any sort of manuals and poss there is a BSR that will cover the guts. It doesn't have the short spindle with it and it needs to have one with a flange on it so it does not fall into the spindle hole. I can check BSR spindles to see if there is one to fit. The only problem it had was that the mechanism inside the auto spindle was full of dried out grease and needed to be disassembled and cleaned out.
I have not done anything with the Reel to reel yet. Waiting for a tape and take up reel to come in the mail. The reels do move and there is no slip and the capstan and roller turn with a lot of torque so I wonder if it is direct drive. That would be nice given a 30 year storage boxed up in an attic. The less rubber the better. I'll poll the covers off and post some nudies later.
Thanks
Rob

 

[KentTeffeteller]

This is a Panasonic made changer (far superior to the BSR, more along the lines of a Dual or Miracord in quality) and has the Panasonic Strain Gauge CD-4 cartridge fitted with that built in CD-4 decoder. Not ordinary, quite a fine machine. It is idler driven.