Linn Sondek is absolutely and unfortunately one of the most significant hifi products of all time. It represents everything that is wrong with faith based cultist placebo driven audio.
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Component(s) you would induct into a "Hi-Fi Hall of Fame"?
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All in all, Technics was probably the greatest producer of phono products: turntables, arms, cartridges.
JP
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Someone say Technics? 
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Working extremely well since 1984: only had to replace the (more common than I thought) linier tracking mechanism belt once.
thewas
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Here is an article about it which talks also about the differences to the Technics design (someone can use the browser to translate it into English)
From product hierarchy (and drive motor and price) several SP models were above it but those didn't have tangential arms with its advantage and disadvantages, still today a good TT.
I new about the RABCO (in 1970 I was 13 & much more interested in getting ready to hitch hike around Europe (and girls, as I had reached my full adult height & had grown a mustache). I became mildly interested in stereo gear during that trip. By 1974 my interest had become quite high & I started working at radio stations.
The statement about where it was in the HIERACHY of Technics originated here:
"
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- HI-FI AND STEREO
- Turntables, Record Players & Vinyl
- Technics SL M3 Opinions. Is It The Second Best Technics Made?
Technics SL M3 Opinions. Is It The Second Best Technics Made?
By t_mike
May 20, 2020 in Turntables, Record Players & Vinyl"
Which is also why I questioned it.
Thanks you for the additional information.
I was well aware that there are models that are higher. (I used to work at Radio stations that had some of them).
Just not what models all of them are.
For me the tangential tone arm & T4P were (and would be today) my main purchase reasons (above & beyond it's other better than most specs).
My unit came from an estate sale in Germany a number of years ago.
I was concieved in Chas, SC. But my mother is Austrian & I was born in Salzburg, Austria. This gives me a chance to see how much of my German skills that I have lost. Thanks.
In the 1980's I worked as a translator for Porsche Cars North America & later as a final inspector on the Cars. I have not used much German since around 1990.
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Cartridges? I mean... maybe -- but not who I would think of. They did make (or at least market) a fancy and well-regarded strain-gauge cartridge for a while, if memory serves.
Say more about Technics cartridges, @SIY, if you get a spare moment, and if you're so inclined.
Or Marantz, somewhat earlier.
source: https://skyfiaudio.com/products/marantz-slt-12-linear-tracking-vintage-turntable
The early tangential arms had rather less sophisticated (and/or no) servo control and were, at best finicky (Rabco) and at worst, regrettable (the above-mentioned marantz).
EPC100C Mk4, EPC205C Mk3, to name two. The former had the lowest moving mass of any commercial cartridge. These cartridges had remarkably flat response, uncritical loading, and excellent trackability. EDIT: I should have included the EPC-305MC and EPC-300MC.
The strain gage carts were branded Panasonic but that's a quibble.
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I've never actually seen one of those in the wild. Bet it's terrific.Technics SL M3: Is It The Second Best Technics Made? 3rd, maybe? I don't know. But I'm, VERY HAPPY with it for many years, regardless, .
Photos from a www.
.jpeg.1228b3de9b971cc93935250c8b476a59.jpeg "images (2).jpeg")
But if I were going to sink money into a TT (which I'm not inclined to do at the moment), there is no question it would be one of the SP-10s.
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Pareto Pragmatic
Addicted to Fun and Learning
The Klipsch Heresy V1 sold from 1957 to 1984, nearly 30 years, without any updates. That's a long, long run. If we include updates, how many speakers have been around continuously since 1957?
Absolutely - Mine is still in use every day.Absolutely this one.
View attachment 429893
Sony TA-E1000ESD on thevintageknob.org
vintage Sony 1980s ES surround Dolby Pro-Logic preamplifier - world bestsellerwww.thevintageknob.org
For those that are not familiar with them, here is a specification sheet from 1986:
Audio Database
Commentary
A full-auto player with linear tracking system.
It is equipped with a unique linear tracking arm that can make tracking error, which causes distortion during playback, and inside force, which causes channel imbalance, close to 0.
The tracking error angle is within ± 0.05 ° by detecting the arm deflection angle with an optical sensor and obtaining a high-precision detection signal.
The tone arm uses a unique dynamic balance system, and the arm bearing uses a 4-point support system gimbal suspension system.
In addition, the arm has a low mass design with an effective mass of 13g including the cartridge.
Diameter 32.5 cm, Weight 2.5 kg, Inertial Mass 427 kg / cm2Large and heavy aluminum die-cast turntable has been adopted.
Continuously variable pitch adjustment within ± 6% is possible.
Equipped with an electronically controlled full auto mechanism.
Equipped with plug-in connector system MM type cartridge.
TNRC and high-density particle board are used for the cabinet.
.JPG "Gimbal suspension bearing structure")
Model Rating
| Type | Quartz DD full auto player system |
| <Turntable portion> | |
| Drive system | Direct drive |
| Control system | Quartz control |
| Number of revolutions | 33 1/3, 45 rpm |
| Wow flutter | 0.022%W.R.M.S(JIS C5521) 0.008% W. R. M. S (Rotating Part Only) |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | 82 dB (DIN-B, IEC98A weighted) |
| Cartridge Section | |
| Type | Plug-in connector MM type stereo cartridge |
| Exchange needle | EPS-P205ED4(¥15,000) |
| <General> | |
| Pwer | 100 VAC, 50Hz/60Hz |
| Power consumption | 22W |
| External dimensions | Width 526x Height 202x Depth 426 mm |
| Weight | 13.5kg |
There were various internal power supplies for different voltages and also a more rare (from what I have been told) switch selectable power supply for USA/Europe (which is on mine).
I typically use NOS SHURE T4P: V15 V-P carts.
Shure VN5P Stylus Specifications
- Output voltage @ 1kHz, 5cm/sec.: 3.2mV
- Channel balance: 1.5dB
- Channel separation @ 1kHz: 25dB
- Frequency response: 10Hz-25kHz
- Stylus type: 0.2 x 0.15 mil nude hyperelliptical, MICROWALL/Be beryllium shank
- Tracking force range: 1.25g
- Color: Light Gray
I have some NOS VN5MR (Essentially the same but has the brush)
But am now looking into the JICO styluses (I have a couple of the 1st ones they issued in my stock)
A NOS Technics P-33 (obtained through Thakker EU)
Technics EPC-P33 Cartridge Specifications
- Type: Moving magnet
- Frequency response: 10-50,000 Hz | 20-10,000 ± 1 db
- Output voltage @ 1kHz, 5 cm/sec: 3.5 mV
- Tracking force: 1.25 ± 0.25 g
- Channel balance @ 1kHz: Within 1.8 dB
- Channel sepration @ 1kHz: 22 dB
- Recommended load impedance: 47-100 kΩ
- Compliance (dynamic): 12 x 10-6 cm/dyne (100Hz)
- Weight: 6 g (cartridge only)
- Replacement stylus: EPS-33ES (elliptical)
And a
Grado Gold 3 P-mount T4P Phono Cartridge Specifications
- Type: Moving magnet
- Output voltage: 5mV
- Frequency response: 10Hz-60kHz
- Load impedance: 47k ohms
- Channel separation: 35dB
- Stylus type: Elliptical
- Stylus replacement: User replaceable
- Compliance: 20mm/N
- Tracking force: 1.0 - 2.0 g
- Recommended tracking force: 1.5 g
- Weight: 5.5 g
Amazing right? Digital PEQ in 1989.
JP
Major Contributor
Panasonic, Technics, National -- It's all Matsushita to me!
Thanks -- my familiarity of these is, clearly, extremely limited.
View attachment 432108
View attachment 432109
These are in Japanese, but I think most OSs do the right-click translate thing.
Some random images: https://docs.myhi.fi/docs/imagery/Technics/
Oh - and my favorite tonearm: https://docs.myhi.fi/docs/brochures/Technics/Technics_EPA-500_System.html
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