Realistic TT
- Thread starter HWF1
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
MarkAnderson
Addicted Member
The LAB-400, I believe, was TOTL in it's day. Fully automatic, direct-drive deal. Dad bought one new in.....well, when they were new...and it's done fine ever since. The LAB-420 may have been a new and improved version of it. Fotno's got a LAB-440 that I found at a thrift - same deal, I think. I have no idea about the LAB-500. IMO, none of their TOTL tables were all that TOTL, but good tables (like I'm some kind of expert 
) - Mark
) - Mark
fotno
Lunatic Member
That little LAB-440 is a solid performer. I'm like Mark in that, it's not like some sort of expert, but it does everything I ask it to do, and sounds good doing it. Plenty enough to satisfy my TT needs. It's sitting in for my own Akai TT right now, and there's no comparison, the Realistic is way nicer.
MarkAnderson
Addicted Member
Yeah I agree with Strawman they do look nice. I was always under the impression that Realistic was rubbish perhaps I should start to rethink this tact. To be honest I havent taken a close look at one. Whats the cartridge like in these? Would it be a waste to upgrade them slightly to say a Shure MM?
Thanks for opening my eyes and nice pics too.
cheers
Ray
Thanks for opening my eyes and nice pics too.
cheers
Ray
Hilltroll67
Marginally Competent
Ratty4040 said:
I still have a Lab 440 that I used for several years with a Shure M91ED cartridge. Thought it sounded fine at the time. Pulled it out recently and set it up with an Ortofon Super OM10. The TT still functions well mechanically. Auto return is not defeatable, and it parks the arm a ways away from the rest, but that's no big deal. What may be a big deal is arm resonance - I think there is some. Maybe the Ortofon isn't a good match? :scratch2:
Bob
fotno
Lunatic Member
Hilltroll67 said:
Bob, when Mark first brought this LAB-440 up to my house, it was having a problem with the tonearm stuttering at certain points on the LP's surface. It would move smoothly through it's arc until, randomly, it would begin loading up the stylus and eventually jump back approximately one full revolution. Repeating this over and over again, until the stylus was cued off the LP. He left if for me to play with (thanks Mark) and I decided to dig into the bottom of the TT looking for the problem. When you mentioned where yours was parking the tonearm, my experience came to mind. This thread deals with the great advice I got (thanks guys), and the eventual solution to the problem that I found. In short, it turns out that there's a rubber bit (like a brake actually) that the anti-skate mechanism uses, that deteriorates over time becoming sticky, thus impeding the intended movement of the tonearm. Sounds like you may be having a similar problem with yours. It's a fairly easy fix (it'd have to be if I pulled it off) so if you're reasonably good with basic tools, you should have no trouble fixing yours. As a side note, Mark's Shure M35S Dj cartridge works and sounds better than the OM-10 I tried on it, I think the OM-10 is just too light to truly work well with the 440's tonearm.
Check the link out if you get a chance, and I hope it helps.
madpioneer
Super Member
A cousin had the 400 new in 79'. He would not sell it too me ever! I heard it play some vinyl on more than one occasion. The Realistic name kept alot of people away from the gear but I tell you that 400 was no slouch. It had the feel, look and sound of a real quality TT. It was not exactly priced cheap new but you got what you paid for and then some. I think he eventually sold it in the early 90's but neglected to contact me about it. :sigh:
Hilltroll67
Marginally Competent
fotno said:
I followed that thread when it was 'new', fotno. I seem to recall that my tonearm always parked in the wrong place. I should have mentioned that it goes all the way to rest position, then moves back out an inch or so before stopping.
I think you're right about the Ortofon being too light. I may mount a Stanton 881 I have on hand, and see how that works.
Bob
