Who built this Realistic Lab 500 Turntable

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marantz7luva

New Member
I was wondering if anybody could help me by informing me as to who built this turntable. It has a part that makes it inoperable and Realistic (Radioshack) doesn't supply them. So if I knew who made it, I could find the schematics and possibly see if the part is still made! Thank you! BTW this image is not of my tt but it is the same tt.
 

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markshan said:
Likely CEC, but I can't say for sure.
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That's a likely guess since CEC made a number of the Realistic LAB series. On the other hand, I'm not seeing some of the "hallmarks" of many CEC tables in the LAB 500. In fact, I'm not seeing any of them.

But I don't have an alternative to suggest. :no:

John
 
boreas said:
That's a likely guess since CEC made a number of the Realistic LAB series. On the other hand, I'm not seeing some of the "hallmarks" of many CEC tables in the LAB 500. In fact, I'm not seeing any of them.

But I don't have an alternative to suggest. :no:

John
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Agreed. In fact, if I were to "eyeball" it as being from a particular company, I would be tempted to say Technics, but I don't know that they rebadged their stuff. I said CEC based on the company's relationships.
 
markshan said:
Agreed. In fact, if I were to "eyeball" it as being from a particular company, I would be tempted to say Technics, but I don't know that they rebadged their stuff.
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They did. They made some of the MCS tables for J C Penneys. Maybe they made some Realistics too.

John
 
This is a CEC-Chuo Denki made turntable. They made most of the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer or Private Brand) turntables. I don't see any Technics in it. The front panel is very unlike Technics. The J.C. Penney MCS tables do have similar styling and are based on period Technics models in the consumer line. I once owned the MCS version of the SL-Q2 which was virtually identical to it.
 
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That arm board looks very Technics and not very CEC to me, but again I do think that CEC is more likely. I think that a bit less now based on the info boreas provided, but I still find CEC to be more likely.
 
Hhhmmm, my first thought was "Technics", just because it "felt" like one, esp. with that "ledge" along the front... but CEC did make a lot more OEM tables, far more than Technics, and some of theirs were "ledged", too. Yet neither one of those companies is really satisfying as an answer. Now that Fernando mentions it, the materials, color, etc... look an awful lot like some of those made by Micro Seiki (I'm thinking of the Marantz-badged ones in particular). The knobs could be any, including Micro, but the tonearm base looks more rounded, more Technics-like.

Tough to say, without more detailed inspection and research. Anyone have a three-sided coin to flip? :D More close-ups and nudies might help in spotting some/any recyclable/identifiable parts that could pin it down further.
 
Bob_in_OKC said:
Are we sure now that Hitachi didn't built that? :)
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Dang it! As if the list of suspects weren't long enough already, you've introduced another seriously plausible contender. I think some serious research is due, to whittle down the guesswork.

Look closely at each part of the TT, and especially at any markings, such as the suggested marks under the platter (if any). Then compare the parts to a variety of roughly similar-period TTs from the suspected companies, until a pattern of matches or an unmistakable match/giveaway is found. Tiresome and difficult work, but it can probably be done. Companies tended to recycle parts, and even when they didn't, they tended to use a limited range of materials and parts sub-suppliers, that may allow an ID.

Unless someone KNOWS something the rest of us don't...
 
It has similarities to some Hitachi models, particularly in the arm mount. However, CEC did make turntables for Hitachi, and again the mounting does not look dissimilar.
 
Arkay said:
Dang it! As if the list of suspects weren't long enough already, you've introduced another seriously plausible contender. I think some serious research is due, to whittle down the guesswork.
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Maybe the most plausible so far.

Look closely at each part of the TT, and especially at any markings, such as the suggested marks under the platter (if any). Then compare the parts to a variety of roughly similar-period TTs from the suspected companies, until a pattern of matches or an unmistakable match/giveaway is found. Tiresome and difficult work, but it can probably be done.
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Sometimes they make it easy for you. This is a Fisher "Music Center" made by Sanyo with a "guess who" turntable.

FisherMCE-4050006.jpg


Companies tended to recycle parts, and even when they didn't, they tended to use a limited range of materials and parts sub-suppliers, that may allow an ID.
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That's why I lean away from Technics on this one. Some of the parts are very similar to Technics parts - the gimbals for instance - but why make up a new part for an OEM order that's virtually identical to an off the shelf part?

Unless someone KNOWS something the rest of us don't...
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Not this guy! I'm really intriqued by this.

John
 
I hesitate to say this, but even if you determine exactly who made the turntable, you won't be able to acquire repair parts for it, other than a belt (if it is belt driven), and you don't even need brand name for that, because belts are sold by length. If you need parts for a 1970's, or early 1980's turntable, you're just going to have to find a donor turntable.
 
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