• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Realistic Lab 400 turntable - who made it?

Johncan

Johncan

Record collector
Register to hide this ad
At first, I thought Technics, but the more I look at it, the less confident I am about it being a Technics. I can't find any pictures of Hitachi's with S tonearms on Ebay or via google to compare it against.
 
I referenced all the material at my disposal and after hours of careful research and meticulous analysis of the assembled evidence, I'm pretty sure it was a guy named Eddie.
 
All I can add to this is that I've had mine for 27 years now with nary a problem. Enjoy.
 

Attachments

  • LAB-400.jpg
    LAB-400.jpg
    49.7 KB · Views: 243
The thing about RS....

was that they would commission audio gear to produce a lineup then they would put out bids for contract manufacturers to produce them. As a result, anyone from BSR to Benjamin/Elac to Sanyo to Onkyo would participate since they did sell quite a few tables in their day.

About the only way to determine who produced these would be to open them up and start looking for logos or other indicators of who might have built them.

These look like Sanyo/Onkyo sort of items.

Cheers,

David
 
An awful lot of japanese tables from various companies were actually made for them by CEC (Chuo Electrical Company or something like that). I think they may have sold some things under their own name in the US but only later on, but I think did all along in places like Australia.
So points of similarity with tables from various companies may simply be a result of the use of common parts in different combinations for those various companies.
 
A good buy. I have the Lab 400 and a Sansui 535 and very pleased with both. The Sansui has a slight edge on quality IMO. I kind of sense there are some similarities although I have never opened either up.
 
Johncan said:
I just picked up a Realistic Lab 400 turntable for $20. Does anyone know who made it for Tandy? I found very little doing a google search. One web page suggested it may be an rebadged Hitachi. I will post pictures tonight, but in the meantime, here is a link to one that sold recently on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/REALISTIC-LAB-4...itemZ5820530365QQcategoryZ48649QQcmdZViewItem

and here

http://cgi.ebay.ca/REALISTIC-LAB-40...QitemZ5843167054QQcategoryZ3283QQcmdZViewItem

John
Click to expand...

I have one of those and it is in storage right now. One day I'll get around to having it fixed. It has a major popping sound on one channel when it returns and shuts off and I was afraid it might damage my speaker. I believe it is a Hitachi because I have a Hitachi PS15 and although the arm is a little different they look sort of similar
 
Jazzwolf this TT has a switching operation that disconnects the signal from the amp so you don't have a thump or pop when the tonearm is setting down and lifting up from the album. It maybe be the switch is dirty kinda like a balance or tone control on a reciever. My guess is that its a open switch inside the TT. I like to burnish the switch contacts with a supper fine auto finish sand paper. I have used a dollar bill to do this in a pinch but its not as effective. Hope this helps.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom