Category Archives: turntables
Sony PS-8750
1975, one decade into the widespread use of stereo LP in this country, and vinyl was living through in its harvest years. Sales records were constantly being broken as the likes of Mike Oldfield, Pink Floyd and Electric Light Orchestra
Sony PS-8750
1975, one decade into the widespread use of stereo LP in this country, and vinyl was living through in its harvest years. Sales records were constantly being broken as the likes of Mike Oldfield, Pink Floyd and Electric Light Orchestra
Goldmund Reference
Hi-fi’s pantheon is packed with products that aspire to be ‘the ultimate’, and turntables are a particularly hotly contested area. Some swear blind that Linn’s LP12 is the best deck ever made, others say it’s a Garrard, Roksan, Oxford Acoustics,
Goldmund Reference
Hi-fi’s pantheon is packed with products that aspire to be ‘the ultimate’, and turntables are a particularly hotly contested area. Some swear blind that Linn’s LP12 is the best deck ever made, others say it’s a Garrard, Roksan, Oxford Acoustics,
STD 305D
Launched in 1978, this was one of the swishest British turntables around at the time. In a sea of Japanese direct drives that worked with riflebolt precision, the STD 305D was an attempt to bring convenience and ease of use
STD 305D
Launched in 1978, this was one of the swishest British turntables around at the time. In a sea of Japanese direct drives that worked with riflebolt precision, the STD 305D was an attempt to bring convenience and ease of use
Pioneer PL-112D
Rather like the first Volkswagen Golf, the original Pioneer PL-12D was the start of a generation of affordable, high quality products that did their job without a moment’s fuss, and did it well. It was a turntable to rid budget buyers of
Pioneer PL-112D
Rather like the first Volkswagen Golf, the original Pioneer PL-12D was the start of a generation of affordable, high quality products that did their job without a moment’s fuss, and did it well. It was a turntable to rid budget buyers of
Ariston RD11
Ariston was once one of hi-fi’s illustrious brands. The proud name on one of Scotland’s finest turntables, it was revered by many a well-heeled nineteen seventies audiophile. Nowadays though, the brand is a shadow of its former self, long gone
Ariston RD11
Ariston was once one of hi-fi’s illustrious brands. The proud name on one of Scotland’s finest turntables, it was revered by many a well-heeled nineteen seventies audiophile. Nowadays though, the brand is a shadow of its former self, long gone
Michell GyroDec Spider Edition
Now over thirty years old, the Michell GyroDec has become a great British vinyl icon. When launched in 1981, it was one of the very first ‘skeletal’ designs with a vestigial sandblasted aluminium chassis rather than a conventional wooden plinth.
Michell GyroDec Spider Edition
Now over thirty years old, the Michell GyroDec has become a great British vinyl icon. When launched in 1981, it was one of the very first ‘skeletal’ designs with a vestigial sandblasted aluminium chassis rather than a conventional wooden plinth.
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
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
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
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
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
Linn Axis
Billed as ‘Son of Sondek’, as Linn’s second-ever turntable design always had much to live up to. Launched in 1987 when Compact Disc was finally taking hold, it was Linn’s attempt to lure silver disc purchasers back to vinyl. This
Linn Axis
Billed as ‘Son of Sondek’, as Linn’s second-ever turntable design always had much to live up to. Launched in 1987 when Compact Disc was finally taking hold, it was Linn’s attempt to lure silver disc purchasers back to vinyl. This
Thorens TD 160 Super
It’s almost forgotten about now, but warp back thirty years and there weren’t many serious audiophiles who hadn’t owned a Thorens TD 160 at some point – usually on their way up to a Linn LP12. It was a thoroughly middle
Thorens TD 160 Super
It’s almost forgotten about now, but warp back thirty years and there weren’t many serious audiophiles who hadn’t owned a Thorens TD 160 at some point – usually on their way up to a Linn LP12. It was a thoroughly middle
JVC QL-70
The Victor Corporation of Japan was a fully committed hi-fi manufacturer in the nineteen seventies, making a range of very clean sounding amplifiers, tuners, cassette decks and turntables. The 1977 QL-70 was one of its very best vinyl spinners, being
JVC QL-70
The Victor Corporation of Japan was a fully committed hi-fi manufacturer in the nineteen seventies, making a range of very clean sounding amplifiers, tuners, cassette decks and turntables. The 1977 QL-70 was one of its very best vinyl spinners, being
Technics SL-1200LTD
For the DJ who had everything, in 1997 Technics brought you the SL-1200LTD, a thousand pounds’ worth of piano black lacquer and 24-carat gold plating affixed to probably the biggest selling, most long lived turntable in history. And as if that
Technics SL-1200LTD
For the DJ who had everything, in 1997 Technics brought you the SL-1200LTD, a thousand pounds’ worth of piano black lacquer and 24-carat gold plating affixed to probably the biggest selling, most long lived turntable in history. And as if that
Mission 775
Everyone knows about Mission loudspeakers – for a long time in the nineties the brand was ubiquitous, omnipresent and virtually synonymous with ‘speakers in the way that Wharfedale was back in the seventies. Some people know about Mission amps too
Mission 775
Everyone knows about Mission loudspeakers – for a long time in the nineties the brand was ubiquitous, omnipresent and virtually synonymous with ‘speakers in the way that Wharfedale was back in the seventies. Some people know about Mission amps too
Dual CS 506
Back in the nineteen eighties, if you were serious about sound on a budget, then vinyl was your only choice. For most of the decade, Compact Disc was the province of the rich – in today’s terms, even the cheapest
Dual CS 506
Back in the nineteen eighties, if you were serious about sound on a budget, then vinyl was your only choice. For most of the decade, Compact Disc was the province of the rich – in today’s terms, even the cheapest
Technics SL-10
Poor old Technics didn’t have an easy time of it in the UK when it launched the company’s first parallel tracker, the SL-10, back in 1979. The British high end scene had little or no time for Japanese products, and
Technics SL-10
Poor old Technics didn’t have an easy time of it in the UK when it launched the company’s first parallel tracker, the SL-10, back in 1979. The British high end scene had little or no time for Japanese products, and
Marantz Tt 1000
Back in 1979, vinyl was the only serious music carrier this side of open reel tape, and – if you believed the UK hi-fi press at least – the only serious LP spinner was the Linn Sondek LP12. Elsewhere however, this
Marantz Tt 1000
Back in 1979, vinyl was the only serious music carrier this side of open reel tape, and – if you believed the UK hi-fi press at least – the only serious LP spinner was the Linn Sondek LP12. Elsewhere however, this
zStereo 