Sony 1st Generation Biotracer Turntable
1. Sony PS-B80 (1978-79) J-shaped tonearm
Sony 2nd Generation Biotracer Turntables
1. Sony PS-X75 (1979-81) J-shaped tonearm, simplified PS-B80 with improved performance and (allegedly) much improved reliability, also much lower price (less than one-third)
2. Sony PS-X65 (1979-81) J-shaped tonearm. Horizontal movement damping only – Sony didn’t name this Biotracer as it didn’t include vertical damping, but it was ‘half a Biotracer’. Probably inspired the JVC QL-Y3F (1980) and QL-Y33F, which also both had horizontal-only servo-controlled movement and damping.
Sony 3rd Generation Biotracer Turntables
1. Sony PS-X800 (1981-?) linear tracking tonearm
2. Sony PS-X700 (1981-?) J-shaped tonearm, updated and improved PS-X75
3. Sony PS-X600 (1981-84) straight tonearm, Sony proprietary low mass headshell as used on many other 1980's models
4. Sony PS-X500 (1981-84) straight tonearm, Sony proprietary low mass headshell, similar performance to PS-X600 but lacking some auto features
Sony 4th Generation Biotracer Turntables
1. Sony PS-X555ES (1983-1992) linear tracking tonearm
2. Sony PS-FL77 (1983-?) linear tracking tonearm, p-mount cartridge, DD non-quartz – one of the few turntables where the mechanism and platter was in a drawer, which came out so that records could be changed, and then closed up to play the record, similar to a CD player, and several Pioneer turntables designed the same way. The advantage was that it could have other equipment stacked on top! It was often sold as part of a system, and although the wow and flutter and noise specifications aren't quite as good as all the other Biotracers, it was still a very advanced model, so would have been capable of excellent performance due to its excellent tonearm.
So that's the full list (as far as I know) of Biotracer tonearm models, listed in price order (best first) for each generation. As you can see, the PS-X700 and PS-X75 are quite similar, although the PS-X700 is probably slightly improved in performance, due to it being from the next generation. Arguably the PS-X800 was Sony's best-ever turntable for performance, but with linear tracking also the most complicated.
All models except for the PS-X500, PS-X600 and PS-FL77 use standard universal (Ortofon-type) headshells. However, it's relatively easy to find the headshell on the PS-X500 and PS-X600, as it was used on many other Sony models from the 1980's. It has also been mentioned by reviewers that some Sony universal headshells (e.g. PS-X75) lack sufficient room for overhang adjustment with some cartridges (including Sony models!) without severe bending of wiring clips to prevent short-circuits!
