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Some Empire Turntable History

empirelvr said:
Considering Empire pretty much disintegrated soon after the launch of the 698 it might have not been a bad thing you ignored it. You don't know the pain of trying to find headshells or other parts for that arm!
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Yeah. I have several separates systems from the 70's and my Soundcraftsmen amp has a hum issue. Honestly, it's not worth fixing, sadly. I'm kinda over that stuff. I had turned my mancave/rehearsal room into a bit of a 70's hi-fi museum. I'm sort of over it. And since I now wear hearing aids, Frankly, any modern class D amp will do me well now. I'm also getting rid of a couple thousand vinyl records. Slowly... ;)
 
Last lap said:
When I sold hi-fi back in the 70's, my store got in the "new" Empire 698. I was personally all about high compliance tonearms and direct drive. I saw it as recreating the Checker Cab. in a "new" version.

I've learned a thing or two since then. I'd love to have one now. But that was my take back then. I considered it old and obsolete tech for people that also worshiped "tube warmth" in their amplifiers.;)
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Wow...

10 or 15 years ago I also was all about direct drive... And on a garage sale I saw this very nice Rek-o-Kut professional belt drive, similar in conception to the Empires, with a big synchronous motor driving the platter from the outside. I passed it on because of my silly beliefs, I still repent it to this day.
 
flavio81 said:
Wow...

10 or 15 years ago I also was all about direct drive... And on a garage sale I saw this very nice Rek-o-Kut professional belt drive, similar in conception to the Empires, with a big synchronous motor driving the platter from the outside. I passed it on because of my silly beliefs, I still repent it to this day.
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I still prefer DD. Three of my TT's are DD. One is belt drive and I do not enjoy using it at all. It's about convenience. Torque, no belt to fall off or rot, etc. Back in the early 70's I had a Technics Sl-23 semi-auto belt drive. I liked that one. But it had a "hidden" belt and speed controls. I didn't have to worry about knocking the belt off like I always end up doing with my U-Turn.

For me it's not about sound quality at all. It's about convenience - and "coolness". Hence my appreciation of the Empire - and a friend's Vintage Thorens (Bob Baily channel on Youtube). His is idler drive. :p
 
I have a DD Technics ( I had a pair of 1200 MK2 for a while but sold them & kept this ) and it's a solid, great sounding TT that is very easy to use

But I gotta say I enjoy using the Empire more
 
bolero said:
I have a DD Technics ( I had a pair of 1200 MK2 for a while but sold them & kept this ) and it's a solid, great sounding TT that is very easy to use

But I gotta say I enjoy using the Empire more
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Frankly, I would too! That's why, though I HATE idler drive TT's, I LOVE my friend's Thorens. It's great in the same ways that playing vinyl in general is great! I see the Empire's as really in the same league as that thorens. Beautiful stuff. Like enjoying a beautiful spring day in your MG TC. Not as fast as a new Porsche, but a whole different experience - in the good way!
 
That fellow spaketh the truth!

Agree I'd rather have a 70s 911 ( RSR! ) than any of the new Porsches. Or an MG. Or a Miata.
 
Last lap said:
I still prefer DD. Three of my TT's are DD. One is belt drive and I do not enjoy using it at all. It's about convenience. Torque, no belt to fall off or rot, etc. Back in the early 70's I had a Technics Sl-23 semi-auto belt drive. I liked that one. But it had a "hidden" belt and speed controls. I didn't have to worry about knocking the belt off like I always end up doing with my U-Turn.
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It depends on the belt drive. My PL-41 belt drive seems to have more torque than my beloved Sony DD turntables.

A SL-23 has a tiny motor, that thing deos not have any torque...

Last lap said:
For me it's not about sound quality at all. It's about convenience
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Well, i understand. But causally my daily TT is a PL-41, since it doesn have speed controls, i just don't worry, i just turn it on and i know it will be more or less close to 33.33 RPM speed.
 
Yes, the empire troubadour line has an incredible amount of torque. More so than even the Denon "flying saucer" models. According to old brochures the earlier Empire, ROK, and Thorens models cost roughly the same. Me? I'd never bother with an idler turntable (I do have a lenco though). The Empire 208 was marketed as a replacement to these idler tables as well with "zero rumble".
 
Is there a consensus about what belt is the best out there nowadays for an Empire 698? I bought a cheap one from Amazon and it's running an rpm too fast?
 
I doubt it very much. Probably it will run way too fast. Just like evey other belt being offered for these tables. Esoteric is the way to go.
 
I would not have predicted that good belts would be harder to get than idler wheels. But here we are.

What do you folks do with the belts when you put a table in storage?
 
Belts should be taken off and placed so they aren’t bunched up in any way and perfectly circular.

I have gotten perfect speed with just the generic belts , the thumbscrew allows a large range of adjustment. If too thick I file the belt down slightly
 
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