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Hitachi HT-466

David_NC

David_NC

Super Member
I picked up this turnable yesterday at a local GW. It's in nice shape and seems to work well, other than needing a new stylus and some rumbling noise when the automatic functions are in operation. Oh, it's also missing a hinge. It seems to be a fairly uncommon model, as I really can't find much on it. Online manuals don't seem to exist, either.
I'm curious if anyone here knows this 'table or has any experience with it. It seems to be well equipped: quartz lock speed control, direct drive, fully automatic, photoelectric sensor for end of record sensing, and a 'Unitorque' motor. I hope that cleaing and lubrication is all that's needed to quieten things when using the automatic functions, including cuing. I hope the search for a hinge isn't too disappointing!
 

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David_NC said:
I picked up this turnable yesterday at a local GW. It's in nice shape and seems to work well, other than needing a new stylus and some rumbling noise when the automatic functions are in operation. Oh, it's also missing a hinge. It seems to be a fairly uncommon model, as I really can't find much on it. Online manuals don't seem to exist, either.
I'm curious if anyone here knows this 'table or has any experience with it. It seems to be well equipped: quartz lock speed control, direct drive, fully automatic, photoelectric sensor for end of record sensing, and a 'Unitorque' motor. I hope that clanking and lubrication is all that's needed to quieten things when using the automatic functions, including cuing. I hope the search for a hinge isn't too disappointing!
Click to expand...

https://audio-database.com/Lo-D-HITACHI/player/ht-466-e.html

I was looking at Hitachi tables awhile back and another AKer mentioned that Hitachi marketed some of them under the Lo-D name. A quick search found this, I'm not sure if you had already found this. Appears to be a top notch turntable with amazing specs.
 
Isaac C. said:
https://audio-database.com/Lo-D-HITACHI/player/ht-466-e.html

I was looking at Hitachi tables awhile back and another AKer mentioned that Hitachi marketed some of them under the Lo-D name. A quick search found this, I'm not sure if you had already found this. Appears to be a top notch turntable with amazing specs.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I did find that one, thanks. I removed the bottom panel earlier to see about lubing the mechanism, and the insides are very tidy. There's a separate motor for the automatic functions. I cleaned the old dark grease from the gears and mechanism and replaced it with white lithium grease, and it is much quieter now. I suppose the noise from the automatic motor is just how it's gonna be, and it operates very smoothly. It's completely quiet when playing, and that's the important thing.
 
I have used white lithium grease for various projects over the years, great stuff. For my Thorens I used 3 in 1 sae 20 motor oil for the main bearing well and motor bearings and it reduced the noise significantly and resulted in smoother operation.
 
I have the HT-460 and 463. Great tables! Mine are 1977 vintage, yours '79. They are precise, quiet, reliable, and great tracking and sounding! I've had 0 problems. You can get a hinge by looking for vintage Hitachi TT parts, such as the 350, 354, and others.

HT-460
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HT-463
IMG_E4049.JPG

IMG_4560.JPG

IMG_4562.JPG
 
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Looks like you have an AT11 or AT1100E cartridge. That's what came standard with my 1977 HT-463, the lower photo above. That pic is from when I first got it, and cleaned it up.

IMG_4056.JPG

IMG_E4128.JPG

IMG_E4127.JPG
 
I’m not an AT expert, but there were many part numbers given to the same cartridge. It’s a good cart, if your stylus is still sharp. IMHO, it bests most starter cartridges, such as the Ortofon Red or AT95, even the Shure M97xE.
 
Wolfie62 said:
I’m not an AT expert, but there were many part numbers given to the same cartridge. It’s a good cart, if your stylus is still sharp. IMHO, it bests most starter cartridges, such as the Ortofon Red or AT95, even the Shure M97xE.
Click to expand...
This one definitely needs a new stylus; an old M95 something and an SC39EJ both sounded better (the M95 the best), but I've had these for years, so who knows how many miles are on them. I used them for testing, as they are all mounted in headshells. I'll have to decide if I want to keep this TT or pass it on. I have a Dual 506-1 with an Ortofon LM 10 that I like and currently use and a 1219 that I need to have serviced. I have a new M97 for the 1219. I don't know that the Hitachi is an improvement on these.
 
The Hitachi is a great improvement over those tables, if it is working properly. It’s speed control is second to none, even the SL1200 MKII. In its specs, for instance, it list speed stability over time and temperature changes. Technics doesn’t dare list that; any table can have correct speed for a short (unlisted) time frame. And it’s very quiet if lubed properly. The arm is very precise, jeweled bearings, stainless bearing shafts. Your Dual can’t compete, neither the rim drive nor the 506. I have 9 tables; the Hitachis more than hold their own against the Technics, Denon, JVC, tables I have.
 
Which M97 cart do you have? The M97 Era IV, or Encore, or the M97xE? If not playing Empires or ADCs, I run a Shure M97HE. I have 2 M97xE carts; they're not bad, just a rolled off top end.
 
Wolfie62 said:
The Hitachi is a great improvement over those tables, if it is working properly. It’s speed control is second to none, even the SL1200 MKII. In its specs, for instance, it list speed stability over time and temperature changes. Technics doesn’t dare list that; any table can have correct speed for a short (unlisted) time frame. And it’s very quiet if lubed properly. The arm is very precise, jeweled bearings, stainless bearing shafts. Your Dual can’t compete, neither the rim drive nor the 506. I have 9 tables; the Hitachis more than hold their own against the Technics, Denon, JVC, tables I have.
Click to expand...
I'll have to give it some more listening time, though I def. think I need a new stylus for all the cartridges I mentioned. I have the Hitachi's AT N-20-110 and a Shure M95 something, a SC39EJ, and a new M97. I've also got one of the cheap Chinese AT's that I haven't done anything with. One thing I will say that the Duals will beat the Hitachi and other 'tables I've owned is that they just don't skip. Even tapping on the stand with those two.doesn't generate any noise through the speakers. The 506-1 (with an Ortofon LM10) also really good in tracking badly warped records, though this isn't something I normally do. A friend gave me a Stevie Wonder album that won't play on his 'table as a test. I can't remember the model, but it's a Rega of some sort. The 506-1 played it as easily as it plays the flattest records. They're all fun and different. I'll need to settle on replacing the stylus on the original AT or using some of my others. Then, I'll give it a place in my system for a while to see how I like it. ;)
 
Wolfie62 said:
Which M97 cart do you have? The M97 Era IV, or Encore, or the M97xE? If not playing Empires or ADCs, I run a Shure M97HE. I have 2 M97xE carts; they're not bad, just a rolled off top end.
Click to expand...
It's a M97xE. Does the xE and HE suffix identify the stylus, or are the cartridges entirely different? The M95 did have a good top end I thought, in the hour I listened to it (in an less than ideal environment).
 
David_NC said:
It's a M97xE. Does the xE and HE suffix identify the stylus, or are the cartridges entirely different? The M95 did have a good top end I thought, in the hour I listened to it (in an less than ideal environment).
Click to expand...

xE is a newer completely different body, as is the Encore series. The M97 Era IV is the one to have of the three. There were two versions, the M97ED (Elliptical) and M97HE (HyperElliptical).
 
Though not a turntable, the Hitachi receiver that I scored for $30 is extremely underrated. If I had as little as you did in the table, I would try it for awhile. Turntables are getting hard to find, especially for cheap. The catalog that I looked at for 1979 shows the 466 being second to the 860.
 
Wolfie62 said:
Which M97 cart do you have? The M97 Era IV, or Encore, or the M97xE? If not playing Empires or ADCs, I run a Shure M97HE. I have 2 M97xE carts; they're not bad, just a rolled off top end.
Click to expand...
EngineerNate said:
xE is a newer completely different body, as is the Encore series. The M97 Era IV is the one to have of the three. There were two versions, the M97ED (Elliptical) and M97HE (HyperElliptical).
Click to expand...

Without buying a bunch of styli to test all these out, I'm curious as to which will give the best performance on this Hitachi (realizing I'll have to replace the stylus on each them). I'd just like opinions as to which one or two would be the best to start with.
Shure SC39EJ
AT N-20-110
Technicraft TC3000
Shure M95ED​

I know some can take an improved stylus over what originally came with the cartridge, so I'm open to that, too. Thanks!
 
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