('75-'78)  $400  (pristine, one owner + extras)

In excellent cosmetic condition and working perfectly, this Technics SL-1500 was obtained locally from the original owner.  It also comes with Technics' "better" dustcover; this one is fitted into slots with screws; it has none of those nasty plastic tabs that eventually always break. Additionally, the custom color-matched feet offer excellent anti-resonance.  The original box and packing materials are included.

Back story:
Matsushita Electric, using the brand name Technics for their top line products, has been making direct-drive turntables since their original SP-10 in 1971.  This simple yet well-designed, manually operated SL-1500 seems to have carried the principle to even higher standards.  Common sense dictates that while most vintage turntable buyers prefer some type of auto-shut off, in reality, manual units are almost always the best.  Why?  All the technology involved in the build quality of a manual Technics turntable is designed for simplicity, accuracy and long life (without all the bells and whistles needed for automatic arm movements.)  

The motor:
The DC brushless motor means that running speed is independent of mains voltage and the power consumption is a mere 0.1 watt, or about one hundredth of that of a conventional AC motor. This reduces the risk of hum effects due to stray electromagnetic fields. Total power consumption is only about 4 watts and so heat generation, and possible drying out of lubricants, can be forgotten. 

The platter:
The aluminium diecast platter is dynamically balanced and measures 13 inches in diameter including the tapered outer edge which carries the four rows of raised dots for stroboscope indication at 33-1/3 and 45 rpm with 50 or 60 Hz mains lighting. The dots are illuminated by a plastic prism over the neon lamp, which is lit when the motor is switched on, to give a good visual check of the running speed from any angle.

The tonearm assembly:
The S-shaped pickup arm is a little longer than usual, at 9-1/16 inches, and consists of a statically balanced hollow tube. The gimbal suspended pivot uses four pairs of bearings and, while this gives the unit a large and ponderous appearance, it nevertheless results in very low friction and low inertia which are the things that matter. The diecast aluminium headshell weighs 9.5 grams, has the widely used 4-pin plug connector, gold plated contacts and a slotted spacer which allows accurate setting of the stylus/spindle overhang dimension for minimum tracking error distortion. 

On this SL-1500, the Stanton headshell comes with an essentially new Ortofon Super OM-10 cartridge and stylus.  However, any cartridge weighing from 4.5 to 9 grams can be accommodated, extending up to 13 grams if the auxiliary counterbalance weight is added. The main counterbalance has a helical fitting so that playing weight can be set, by simply turning the weight itself, within the range 0-3 gram. There is a separate knob for setting the anti-skating (bias compensation). The output leads are low capacitance types and there is a generous length of mains lead.

Alongside the speed selector switch are separate knobs giving about ± 5% fine speed control at each nominal speed setting. The turntable quickly reaches its proper speed, in about half a revolution from switching on, and the speed is then electronically stabilized so that drift is virtually zero.

Basic specs:
Type: manual turntable
Drive method: direct drive
Motor: ultra low speed brushless DC motor
Control type: servo control
Platter: 330mm, 2.5kg, aluminium alloy diecast
Pitch control: 10% (mk1), 20% (mk2)
Wow and flutter: 0.03% WRMS
Rumble: -70dB
Dimensions: 6.5"H x 14.5"D x 17.8"W
Weight: 17 lbs

('84-'88)  SOLD

In stunning (pristine) cosmetic condition and fully operational, this luxurious Technics SL-M2 turntable was obtained locally from the original owner.  The original factory box and owner's manual is included.

The SL-M2 is a two-speed semi-auto/manual model with one concession to *automation:  At the end of a record side, the arm lifts and the platter stops. Cueing is manual, though the arm is raised and lowered with a large touch plate rather than a lever near the arm pivot. This plate and the other controls are arrayed along the front of the base, beyond the dust cover's front edge, so that they can be operated without opening it.

The most unusual of the controls is the one for pitch. To alter speed-over a range that amounts to a little more than a half-tone either direction-you must both adjust this control, which is calibrated in approximate percentages, and press a button marked (rather confusingly) "reset," extinguishing its pilot. You can switch between the selected speed and the nominally correct one by means of this button; if you frequently have recourse to a nonstandard speed, leave the pitch control set for it and engage RESET to return temporarily to normal. As test data showed, the standard speeds couldn't be more accurate. 
*NOTE:  In the beginning, the P-Mount plug-in cartridge system was associated exclusively with the Technics tangent -tracking turntables for which it was developed. The fuss-free format proved so attractive, however, that it quickly caught on with other manufacturers-first of pickups, then of tone - arms and turntables. And here we have come full circle: This is the first turntable we have tested with a high-performance pivoted arm designed for P -Mount cartridges.

The base, which is finished in a handsome glossy Rosewood pattern resembling Formica, is constructed of particleboard fabricated with TNRC (Technics Non -Resonant Compound) and mounted on resilient feet. The owner's manual cautions that if the cover must be raised during playback, a delicate touch is in order, and even pressing the controls can induce slight audible instability when the stylus is in the groove.

The straight pipe tonearm is gimbaled, with a partially decoupled counterweight to minimize the severity of the low-frequency arm/cartridge resonance and the warp-tracking problems that go with it. In the arm base are adjustments for cueing height and automatic lift -up position. Vertical tracking force (VTF) is set with a threaded-weight system just behind the pivot.  Included and mounted on the headshell is a new (NIB) **Ortofon TM-14 cartridge and stylus.
**NOTE: When Technics approached Ortofon in 1980 with the proposal to develop a series of cartridges exclusively for use with their new range of turntables including the SL-M2, we willingly agreed. The Technics SL turntables, with their special lightweight tracking tonearms, represented an entirely new concept in design and technology.  It was a challenge hardly to be resisted.  Ortofon set about developing two entirely new magnetic cartridges that could plug directly into the tracking arms of this new generation of turntables. The resulting TM 30 H and TM 14 magnetic cartridges set the seal on the Technics/Ortofon joint venture. Later, two new models were added to this special series of cartridges, designed exclusively for Technics: the TM 20 H magnetic cartridge and the Moving Coil TMC 200.

NOTE: Because P-Mount cartridges are standardized in key parameters (including weight), counterbalance and tracking-force adjustments are almost redundant. Nonetheless, Technics has provided a limited adjustment range of ±0.25 grams. The standard VTF (1.25 grams) is indicated by a triangle at the center of a scale calibrated in tenths of grams and extending from 1.0 to 1.5 grams.

Unquestionably, the SL -M2 is a very fine turntable. Rumble was (at -713/4 dB) very nearly the best that Diversified Science Laboratory (DSL) had ever measured by conventional means at the time; with the Thorens Rumpelmesskoppler (a special test instrument that can't be used on all turntables), the figure was an astonishingly low -761/2 dB. Flutter also is among the lowest DSL has found. And control operation is superb in its very straightforward way.

Even if you're not specifically looking for a traditional auto-manual model with the radical virtues of P-Mount, we suggest that you don't pass this one by.

About TECHNICS / MATSUSHITA / PANASONIC...
Founded in the 1920's, the huge Japanese conglomerate Matsushita had interests in many electronics companies.  The most well known would be Technics and Panasonic. Technics was introduced as a brand name for premium loudspeakers marketed domestically by Matsushita in 1965.  Eventually, Technics became a premium brand bringing classics like the SL-1200mkii turntable and the absolute monster receiver at the top of the list: Technics SA-1000 (330 watts per channel)

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('81-'83)  $425

In excellent condition and obtained from the original owner, this Sony PS-X500 is an electronically controlled turntable with a direct-drive motor system and *Biotracer electronically controlled tonearm.  A copy of the owner's operating manual is included.

Upon it's release in 1981, the retail price (without cartridge) for the PS-X500 was about $300 (today, that's equal to around $1145 with inflation).  In our opinion, Sony made the smart decision to make this turntable operate in an essentially trouble-free semi-automatic fashion; at the end of play the arm lifts up and the unit powers off.  This design eliminated the need for the arm to return thus avoiding additional and unnecessary electronic functions.

The piano gloss black finish is simply stunning.  Beyond it's visual beauty, it has some really neat features such as an electronic stylus force and anti-skating adjustment and a muting system. Plus, the PS-X500 is easy to handle, simple to set up, and very user-friendly. An intricate engineering marvel, this turntable was built to last for many years beyond it's initial release in the early 80's.  Today, some 44 years after it was introduced, this turntable still looks new and operates as if it just came out of the box.

The servo arm allows increasingly precise tracking, and allows benefits in greater stereo separation from a constantly monitored and corrected anti skate and reduced feedback (up to -3db) of when the stylus is making its way up and down edge warps, or poorer pressings (increasingly common with recent pressings). One of the great advantages of the Biotracer arm is its ability to adjust the weight electronically for just about any cartridge.  The VTF (vertical tracking force) is also optimized and this results in much better overall bass response from the included (high end and highly regarded)  ADC QLM 34 MKiii cartridge and new stylus tracking at an optimum 2.25 grams.  Along with the needle in the down-position, the table has a muting-relay that kicks in when the needle is set down and lifted up from the record - saving your speakers and ears from unnecessary noise and feedback.

The plinth on the PS-X500 is made of dense resonance inert material that Sony pioneered specifically for dampening purposes SBMC (Sony Bulk Mould Compound), and the entire unit is placed on anti-resonant foam & felt pads.  Essentially, the PS-X500 really has everything in all the right places, with a direct-drive motor (BSL) and a wow/flutter that measures 0.015% WRMS.  

Complete specs:
Platter 12"aluminium alloy die-cast
Motor: Linear BSL motor
Drive system: direct drive
Control system: quartz lock control, magnedisc servo
Speeds: 33.33 and 45rpm
Wow and flutter: 0.015% WRMS
Signal to noise ratio: 78dB
Tonearm: electronic
Stylus force range: 0-3 grams
Cartridge shell weight: 5 grams
Cartridge weight range: 7.5 to 12.5g (17 grams with extra weight)
Dimensions: 17"W x 15.2"D x 4.73"H
Weight: 19 lbs

*Biotracer tonearm tech info:
The true novelty of the Sony PS-X500 is its Biotracer tonearm. It is a conventional J -shape tubular arm fitted with a universal four-pin plug-in headshell. Within it are the various drive motors and sensors that control arm motion. 
When Sony designed the Biotracer tonearm, the purpose was to reduce/eliminate arm resonance electronically, as opposed to the mechanical damping methods employed by other arm manufacturers. The Biotracer arm movements are entirely controlled by coils (motors). Other coils within the arm are used to detect vibrations caused by unwanted resonances. If such vibrations occur, an electrical signal is generated by the coils, sent to a feedback circuit and an opposing force applied to the arm electronically to counteract the unwanted motion. This has the effect of controlling low frequency resonance to a great degree, with consequent associated benefits throughout the frequency spectrum, including providing extraordinary stereo separation.  

Think of it like multi-axis image sensor stabilization for a camera except it's for the tonearm.

('77-'78)  SOLD

Obtained from the original owner, this Sony PS-X7 is a fully automatic, direct-drive turntable with a carbon tonearm.  As many have claimed, the PS-X7 is one of Sony's best mid-fi designs. 

It's in absolutely pristine cosmetic condition and fully operational.
It has been completely and thoroughly serviced; that included all the internal controls checked, cleaned and lubricated.

The carbon arm has the original (and unique) factory headshell sporting a new, high quality AT-102P cartridge & new ATN-102P stylus.

At first glance, you might think the PS-X7 looks like a lightweight turntable. However, after you pick it up and feel that 25 lbs of solid engineering, that thought goes out the window.  

The dark gray satin plinth is made of Sony's Bulk Molding Compound (BMC).  Long a fixture in Sony's anti-resonant design, BMC is carefully formulated for high strength and high internal loss.  Like steel, it has the rigidity required for its structural purpose. But unlike steel, BMC steadfastly resists vibration and resonance. BMC consists of calcium carbonate (a principal component of marble), glass fiber reinforcement and unsaturated polyester.  To securely and safely keep that heavy plinth rock-steady there are Sony's patented anti-resonant, gel-filled, fully adjustable feet. 

Some of the PS-X7 features:
~Sony's tried-and-true speed locking technique which is a barium-ferrite magnetic imprint
~8-pole reading head
~X'Tal locking by phase loop 
~Very reliable brushless / slotless motor.
~Dynamically balanced diecast aluminium platter, 
~Optical end-of-disc detection and mechanism,
~Non-resonant SBMC enclosure (Sony Bulk Mold Compound) 
~Original factory height-adjustable gel-filled feet.

The controls are at a minimum and very easy to operate. 
First, there's the "power on/off" push button.
Right above the power button is the dial switch which lets you choose the record size (7" / 10" / 12") or, if you wish, you can select "manual" which lets you move the arm onto the record wherever you want it instead of the auto setdown.  Even in manual mode, the arm will still return at the end of play and the unit shuts off.
NOTE: We always prefer the "manual mode" for two simple reasons:  it saves the auto-start mechanism from wear and it just feels good to DIY.
A slight touch to the capacitive "start/stop" control (on the front edge) starts the motor and activates the arm onto the record; it gently sets down at the exact starting groove of the record.   At the end of play the arm returns and the unit shuts off.  If you need to interrupt the playing for some reason, just touch that same "start/stop" control one more time, the arm lifts up, returns to rest and the unit shuts off. 
The "repeat" control (next to the "start/stop") allows for continuous repeat of the record if so desired.
On the left are the simple 33/45 RPM speed buttons.

As the Vintage Knob said: "The PS-X7 is a stunner which sold extremely well worldwide back then and still astonishes those who can't believe the sonics of this cool-looking piece of enduring Japanese engineering."

Basic specs:
Motor: DC servo controlled
Drive system: direct drive with crystal lock system
Wow and flutter: 0.025% WRMS
Dimensions: 17.5"W x 6.5"H x 14.8"D
Weight: 25 lbs

('76-'78)  $400

In excellent cosmetic condition, fully serviced and fully operational,  this well built and attractive Sony PS-3300 is a semi-automatic turntable.   Features include a gorgeous design, high quality specs, strobe and speed controls (trim pots.
This fine vintage turntable also comes with the original box and packing materials.   A new *Ortofon Omega cartridge and stylus is mounted on the original Sony headshell.  

Designed to compete directly with Pioneer's PL-510, Sony challenged Pioneer with their PS-3300 at the same price point in 1976; you could buy the Pioneer's direct-drive manual unit or Sony's direct-drive semi-automatic unit.  Essentially, Sony offered an auto-return arm and reject button at the same price with nearly identical specs and build quality.  

The PS-3300 was an export-only model that was a mix between the Sony PS-2800's base structure and PS-3700's pitch controls and strobe. 
Features include DC-Servo BSL motor, X-Tal Lock + Magnedisc and SBMC base.  It also has a finely crafted direct-drive system with that brushless and slotless DC servo-controlled motor.  Sony added a fine innovation with their speed monitoring system which was an electronic process using an 8-pole magnetic pick-up head and a pulse coated platter rim.  Plus, as previously mentioned above, there's independent fine speed adjustments and a sensitive tonearm.

Sony's unique "lunar" platter mat was another idea that first appeared on the PS-3300. In essence, the design called for little air-filled pads to dampen the record's vibration and, apparently, it works.  It didn't hurt that the mat, just by itself, is very cool indeed.

This beautiful turntable comes with the original clear acrylic dust cover and the original factory spring-loaded feet.   

Weighing in at about 18 lbs, it's heavy enough to remind you that the PS-3300 is one of Sony's high quality turntables with great looks and reliable operation.

Essential specs:
Drive method: direct drive....
Motor: dc servo-controlled motor (brushless)....
Speeds: 33 and 45rpm....Wow and flutter 0.04% wrms
Signal to noise ratio: 65dB....
Cartridge weight range: 4 to 10g....
Dimensions: 18"W x 6.5"H x 14"D....
Weight: 18 lbs

*NOTE:
The Ortofon Omega is one of our favorite cartridges for several reasons and that's regardless of its attractive price.  One of the reviews that we agree with stated: "the Ortofon Omega is a most underrated phono cartridge by those of the high end persuasion. It clearly outperforms all of the others in its price range and others costing much more. Its tracking of precisely 1.75 grams and advanced elliptical stylus shape renders an extremely flat extended frequency response that transcends the listener into a new dimension of sonic purity that its competition simply cannot touch.

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