Vintage Czech Turntables - which to get?
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Kylejones89
Active Member
Pro-ject has a lot if good offerings, but I don't know of any other manufacturers there. I'd cruise the audio shops, it's pretty easy to spot a well made turntable. Just be sure to pack it well. I would be tempted to partially disassemble before shipping. Make sure you find one with relatively available replacement parts!
NoTransistors
Dual Turntables Super-Restorer
Hey Kyle, in what month was the O.P. visiting The Czech republic? 
Kylejones89
Active Member
Hey Kyle, in what month was the O.P. visiting The Czech republic?
Lol! July 2017?
NoTransistors
Dual Turntables Super-Restorer
That'll work.
BTW, the O.P. has three posts and has not been back to this group since who-knows-when.
BTW, the O.P. has three posts and has not been back to this group since who-knows-when.
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T.O.S.
Active Member
People in Central and eastern Europe under Soviet rule more or less , you might be astonished, had the habit to listen to music as well as those in the free world. For that , they needed turntables Certainly the best manufacturer of turntables in Eastern Europe was Tesla They collaborated also with some western supplyiers for some parts , I found that on the web somewhere .I had idler drived and belt drived Tesla machines Tesla NC430 was one of their good models but not their best .There was a 450 model . Search the web .
PS And the soviet occupation began just after the war when the Eastern Europe countries fell under the influence of USSR .In ''68 tCheckoslovakia was occupied by Warsaw treaty troups , just because they wanted to get rid of the communist rule .
On the other hand it is real that the Czech turntables are in generally of medium to good quality , haven't heard until now of high end from them to beat the great japanese producers.But still there is a heritage , even that plant where Project produces uses their tradition and know how
http://www.vinyloveplatne.sk/www-soularock-sk/eshop/0/0/5/1588-gramosasi-TESLA-NC-450
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Jadran
Off The Record
Why? Because the first Pro-Ject turntable Pro-ject 1 is actually rebuilt original Czech's TESLA N55, made in Litovel factory!
Yes, Pro-Ject is Austrian registered firm, but they have no facilities to build turntables, and b.t.w. Litovel's production manager at that time, Jiri Kroutil, has been with the Pro-ject project from the very start.
Just as T.O.S. mentioned, Litovel's Tesla NC450 is quite nicely and quality built turntable. Austrians knew very well where to find the real (European) ''heritage'', and not to start from 0 point and move to China, as many other famous companies did!
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I lived in the Czech Republic for five years 1998-2003. The used Hi-Fi shops in my city sold all the well known brands from Germany, Japan, UK, etc. I don't recall ever seeing a Czech made TT. Never heard about any being particularly noteworthy. My friends referred to TESLA brand as "technitsky shlaby" meaning technically pathetic. I had a TESLA VCR that was a POS.
But look out for Czech records. Lots of good stuff from that country!
But look out for Czech records. Lots of good stuff from that country!
Jadran
Off The Record
Yes, everybody in the ''eastern'' Europe wanted Japanese devices, but how many were able to afford some of those most famous or expensive actually, back then in the 70's!?It is possible , maybe the biggest part of production went for export .Not uncommon in those times in eastern Europe .Anyway ,everybody wanted German or Japanese gear , for shure
Cheers!
However, saying: ''not heard, not seen, my friends told me so,...'' is simply silly for a serious discussion about ''heritage'' or past time production of electronic devices in the ''eastern block''! If our ''western'' friends have ''never heard, never seen'' something that simply doesn't mean anything.
But if someone wants to learn about such large production, especially in the former Czechoslovakia, it's not that hard. Google is our universal friend, me think
Czechoslovakia gramoplayers
One can find there, for example, an interesting model - Tesla NC470, which was ''discovered'' by NAD (and Lenco) back then, and later ''reinvented'' a bit improved by British, got another name NAD 5120, and still manufactured in Litovel's factory, but - what a wonder
, NAD never mentioned that ''little detail'' in their official papers (manuals, etc.) However, they proudly undersigned it - NAD International London/Boston, ROFL. Even this place has 10 y.o. thread about this TT!
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muovimies
Super Member
The Tesla P1011 tonearm at least looks like no joke, I almost bought one once for around 100 euros, eventually the non-standard headshell put me off. But from photos it looked like a well built piece and from what I was able to gather it was supposed to have sapphire bearings. Could be a relative bargain at the prices they go for.
Obviously the economy was very different in Soviet Union and any other country that was under the influence, but that doesn't mean good things weren't made there. Most of it just never made it to the west and I think was looked down by local people because stuff from the west was supposedly so much better and it symbolized freedom and all that. In many cases I'm sure that was true, but the economic reality also meant in a free market companies try to cut costs, in the communist countries that wasn't necessarily always the case, so I'm sure there are some real gems there.
Obviously the economy was very different in Soviet Union and any other country that was under the influence, but that doesn't mean good things weren't made there. Most of it just never made it to the west and I think was looked down by local people because stuff from the west was supposedly so much better and it symbolized freedom and all that. In many cases I'm sure that was true, but the economic reality also meant in a free market companies try to cut costs, in the communist countries that wasn't necessarily always the case, so I'm sure there are some real gems there.
T.O.S.
Active Member
That tonearm wasn't imported in my country (as the 470 was under the name NAD 5120) because of the silly economic policy of the "ruler" wich cut down the imports in all sectors - but that is another matter.
Yes, everybody in the ''eastern'' Europe wanted Japanese devices, but how many were able to afford some of those most famous or expensive actually, back then in the 70's!?
However, saying: ''not heard, not seen, my friends told me so,...'' is simply silly for a serious discussion about ''heritage'' or past time production of electronic devices in the ''eastern block''! If our ''western'' friends have ''never heard, never seen'' something that simply doesn't mean anything.
But if someone wants to learn about such large production, especially in the former Czechoslovakia, it's not that hard. Google is our universal friend, me think
Czechoslovakia gramoplayers
One can find there, for example, an interesting model - Tesla NC470, which was ''discovered'' by NAD (and Lenco) back then, and later ''reinvented'' a bit improved by British, got another name NAD 5120, and still manufactured in Litovel's factory, but - what a wonder
I had that NAD built in Tesla factory , but the variant with that flat tonearm .Got it to replace my Sanyo that developped a speed issue.
Didn't liked as much as teh 450
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T.O.S.
Active Member
It depends what are you comparing with and wich is your standard.They didn't produced high end .But reasonable priced mid quality gear they did
T.O.S.
Active Member
Their RTR machines with valves for home use were very popular here in the sixties as were the small portable turntables.Then , in the seventies and eighties they were sought after but considered a bit flimsier than the russian RTRs .But clearly better than the polish telefunken licensed ones wich were very pricey and unreliable .The western gear was unobtainium so nu comparisons.
Jadran
Off The Record
Really?!
So, living somewhere for 5 years, and watching a video makes you an expert to talk about a 100 years old industry and its devices? Wow, that's a least very brave!
I live here since ever, also many years abroad, including The Netherlands, but it doesn't justify me to be the ultimate Philips critic, or critic of domestic made electronic devices, for example!
My comment how '', saying: ''not heard, not seen, my friends told me so,...'' is simply silly for a serious discussion'' didn't mean that you, or anybody else IS silly but you dare to respond how I AM! WOW another ''brave moment'' in discussion about history and devices made in one of the largest European electronic factory.
T.O.S.
Active Member
T.O.S.
Active Member
http://www.vinylengine.com/library/tesla/nc-450.shtml
That Lenco 450 was produced by Tesla and labelled Lenco for the western market for marketing reasons .Nothing more .
That Lenco 450 was produced by Tesla and labelled Lenco for the western market for marketing reasons .Nothing more .
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Jadran
Off The Record
Please STOP trolling this thread!
You did insult me calling me silly. Read again. Instead to pull out guns immediately
I though this is an international forum, and not your own property!