Author Archives: realspin
Sony TC-177SD
Sony’s breathtakingly expensive TC-177SD was a bold product for 1974. Described as, “the most sophisticated cassette deck ever developed”, it boasted something that not even Yamaha’s beautiful ’ski-slope’ TC-800GL had – three heads. This had previously been the sole province
Sony TC-177SD
Sony’s breathtakingly expensive TC-177SD was a bold product for 1974. Described as, “the most sophisticated cassette deck ever developed”, it boasted something that not even Yamaha’s beautiful ’ski-slope’ TC-800GL had – three heads. This had previously been the sole province
Akai GX-625
Back in the nineteen seventies, Akai was a mighty brand, catering for discerning buyers of tape recording equipment. In the cassette field, it wasn’t quite up in Nakamichi territory, but its top decks weren’t far off, and one look at Akai’s reel-to-reel
Akai GX-625
Back in the nineteen seventies, Akai was a mighty brand, catering for discerning buyers of tape recording equipment. In the cassette field, it wasn’t quite up in Nakamichi territory, but its top decks weren’t far off, and one look at Akai’s reel-to-reel
Transcriptors Hydraulic Reference
It’s hard to imagine how the Hydraulic Reference was received when launched back in the early nineteen sixties. Unlike all other high end turntables of the day, it went against the established orthodoxy in almost every way. The brainchild of
Transcriptors Hydraulic Reference
It’s hard to imagine how the Hydraulic Reference was received when launched back in the early nineteen sixties. Unlike all other high end turntables of the day, it went against the established orthodoxy in almost every way. The brainchild of
Yamaha CT-7000
This tuner is legendary in the great scheme of radio things, with superlative design and ergonomics. It has timeless styling which Yamaha has recently resurrected for its range of hi-fi separates, only the slight patina of age on a CT-7000 marks it as being something
Yamaha CT-7000
This tuner is legendary in the great scheme of radio things, with superlative design and ergonomics. It has timeless styling which Yamaha has recently resurrected for its range of hi-fi separates, only the slight patina of age on a CT-7000 marks it as being something
ELP LT-2XRC
In the great pantheon of audiophile eccentricity, the Edison Laser Player laser turntable takes the highest prize. Unlike so many oddball products bashed together on someone’s kitchen table, this one cost vast sums of money to develop. Indeed, it’s a
ELP LT-2XRC
In the great pantheon of audiophile eccentricity, the Edison Laser Player laser turntable takes the highest prize. Unlike so many oddball products bashed together on someone’s kitchen table, this one cost vast sums of money to develop. Indeed, it’s a
Aurex microsystem
What to do if you’re a Japanese electronics giant with a worthy but dull range of electronics, and you want to make an audacious bid for the niche high end hi-fi market? Well, anyone in any doubt need look no
Aurex microsystem
What to do if you’re a Japanese electronics giant with a worthy but dull range of electronics, and you want to make an audacious bid for the niche high end hi-fi market? Well, anyone in any doubt need look no
Yamaha Soavo-1
Small specialist manufacturers have a great deal to offer. Their products are often more creative, more focused and more appropriate to the needs of a rapidly changing market. But big companies can do just as well, if not better, in
Yamaha Soavo-1
Small specialist manufacturers have a great deal to offer. Their products are often more creative, more focused and more appropriate to the needs of a rapidly changing market. But big companies can do just as well, if not better, in
Rogers A100
Back in the nineteen seventies, Rogers was one of the most famous hi-fi brands in Britain. Originally founded by Jim Rogers in 1947 to make speakers such as the Theatrical Horn Loudspeaker, the company later got the licence to build
Rogers A100
Back in the nineteen seventies, Rogers was one of the most famous hi-fi brands in Britain. Originally founded by Jim Rogers in 1947 to make speakers such as the Theatrical Horn Loudspeaker, the company later got the licence to build
Philips CD100
The Philips CD100 was launched on the 1st October, 1982 – and with it the new Compact Disc format – and as far as the music industry was concerned it was not before time. The once-mighty LP format was on the wane;
Philips CD100
The Philips CD100 was launched on the 1st October, 1982 – and with it the new Compact Disc format – and as far as the music industry was concerned it was not before time. The once-mighty LP format was on the wane;
Marantz Tt 1800
Here’s something you don’t see very often – the original 1979 Marantz ESOTEC Tt 1800. It never made it to market outside its native Japan, likely because it was too expensive to produce, and instead the Micro-based Tt 1000 appeared
Marantz Tt 1800
Here’s something you don’t see very often – the original 1979 Marantz ESOTEC Tt 1800. It never made it to market outside its native Japan, likely because it was too expensive to produce, and instead the Micro-based Tt 1000 appeared
Pioneer PL-L1000
Looked at from a British perspective, in the late nineteen seventies, high end turntables started with Rega’s Planar 3 and ended with the fully loaded Linn Sondek. That was it, end of story. But actually, any audiophile looking East in
Pioneer PL-L1000
Looked at from a British perspective, in the late nineteen seventies, high end turntables started with Rega’s Planar 3 and ended with the fully loaded Linn Sondek. That was it, end of story. But actually, any audiophile looking East in
Arcam Solo Mini
Several years after Linn’s Classik arrived, Arcam began to reinvent itself by adding a range of sleeker, less specialist, music making machines. The Solo came first, and was a kind of ‘next gen’ Classik with cleaner and leaner looks than
Arcam Solo Mini
Several years after Linn’s Classik arrived, Arcam began to reinvent itself by adding a range of sleeker, less specialist, music making machines. The Solo came first, and was a kind of ‘next gen’ Classik with cleaner and leaner looks than
The Strathearn Story
Many will remember the British Leyland Motor Corporation, the nineteen seventies state owned purveyor of such automotive design masterpieces as the Morris Marina and Austin Allegro. A decade of industrial strife and dreadful quality ensured that BLMC’s dalliance with disaster
The Strathearn Story
Many will remember the British Leyland Motor Corporation, the nineteen seventies state owned purveyor of such automotive design masterpieces as the Morris Marina and Austin Allegro. A decade of industrial strife and dreadful quality ensured that BLMC’s dalliance with disaster
Meridian 104
It’s amazing how some classic products have disappeared into the mists of time, totally forgotten – while others are talked about many decades after their demise. Meridian’s 104 tuner is an example of the former, but deserves to be the
Meridian 104
It’s amazing how some classic products have disappeared into the mists of time, totally forgotten – while others are talked about many decades after their demise. Meridian’s 104 tuner is an example of the former, but deserves to be the
Linn CD12
Built as a cost-no-object exercise in digital perfection, the £12,000 Sondek CD12 represented the cutting edge in precision digital engineering and Compact Disc replay performance at the turn of the new millennium. Every bit of the CD12 was original, including
Linn CD12
Built as a cost-no-object exercise in digital perfection, the £12,000 Sondek CD12 represented the cutting edge in precision digital engineering and Compact Disc replay performance at the turn of the new millennium. Every bit of the CD12 was original, including
Sharp Optonica RP-7100
The early eighties was a time when everyone was obsessed by new technology. From the video recorder to the ‘microcomputer’, it seemed like all the world’s problems could be solved by something with an LED display and an 8-bit silicon
Sharp Optonica RP-7100
The early eighties was a time when everyone was obsessed by new technology. From the video recorder to the ‘microcomputer’, it seemed like all the world’s problems could be solved by something with an LED display and an 8-bit silicon
Nytech CTA 252XD
Nytech’s classic ‘Calculator Tuner Amplifier’ is largely forgotten now, but made a great impression on the British hi-fi market when its star burned brightly in the late nineteen seventies. Its name was no mere whimsy – back when launched in
Nytech CTA 252XD
Nytech’s classic ‘Calculator Tuner Amplifier’ is largely forgotten now, but made a great impression on the British hi-fi market when its star burned brightly in the late nineteen seventies. Its name was no mere whimsy – back when launched in
Arcam FMJ CD23
Arcam hi-fi separates have always been aimed at the mass market, but have often ended up being just a little quirkier than most. Always well engineered, the company frequently takes brave engineering approaches, sometimes with great success – and this high end
Arcam FMJ CD23
Arcam hi-fi separates have always been aimed at the mass market, but have often ended up being just a little quirkier than most. Always well engineered, the company frequently takes brave engineering approaches, sometimes with great success – and this high end
Technics SL-P1200
Technics CD players were all were very ‘nineteen eighties’ looking and sounding machines, sporting big, fussy fascias festooned with facilities and vast, needlessly complex fluorescent displays. Players like the first generation SL-P10, for example, had real merit but they never
Technics SL-P1200
Technics CD players were all were very ‘nineteen eighties’ looking and sounding machines, sporting big, fussy fascias festooned with facilities and vast, needlessly complex fluorescent displays. Players like the first generation SL-P10, for example, had real merit but they never
Manticore Mantra
Another long, lost British belt-drive turntable, the Mantra sat between a Rega Planar 3 and a Linn LP12 in the great nineteen eighties vinyl scheme of things. It was a decently made and attractive design, and provided a good, stable platform for tonearms
Manticore Mantra
Another long, lost British belt-drive turntable, the Mantra sat between a Rega Planar 3 and a Linn LP12 in the great nineteen eighties vinyl scheme of things. It was a decently made and attractive design, and provided a good, stable platform for tonearms
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