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Anyone remember the lateral tracking Bang and Olufsen record player from the 80’s??

I remember going to my local HiFi Buys in the 80’s, and they were demoing a Bang and Olufsen laterally tracking record player. The stylist arm was straight, and followed the record grooves, moving left to right. He started banging hard with his fist on it, and the needle refused to jump!! I was REALLY impressed! I also wonder why there are not any lateral tracking LP players today? It made sense, the needle was always tracking straight In the groove, as it played the LP. Not curving slightly as it gets past the middle of playing the LP, as conventional record players have the stylist arm on a corner. So, the needle slightly turns inward as the record plays. No idea how he was able to bang on it while it was playing, and the needle didn’t skip. I was truly impressed! Maybe they do make players like this still, I’ve just not seen them. B&O really made/makes some really cool stuff!! And great designs. IMO.
  Another audio product for the 80’s that blew me away was the: Nakamitchi Dragon cassette player!! WOW! What a stunning design! Wish I’d bought one back in the day!! Of course, try to find an audio cassette to play in it today! My sister’s teenagers had no idea what a cassette was, when I showed them one. I think very young kids today won’t recognize a CD disk! Forget about LP’s or 45’s.   Any of you remember a stunning audio piece, from the past, that blew you away? I was also thinking of reel to reel audio players as well. Man, they sounded SO good!! SO expensive today!   Thank god for music! Can’t watch the news without my BP spiking! And so little to do, everyone scared to meet in person. Too much free-time. Music keeps me sane. Crazy times we live in!
savroof
rbstehno
1,437 posts
 
The B&O players back then were cool to look at but had a bad reputation for reliability. I knew 2 friends with them and they got an extra identical player later on just for parts. The other bad thing about B&O tables were the restriction of cartridges you could use. If you look at other forums today, most people will tell you to stay away from them.
I have had 2 really nice R2R decks the last 15 years, the Otari 5050BL with 15ips, fully balanced deck with 10" reels, and a pioneer 900 series 10" reel deck. Couldn't find reasonable sources of new tapes that weren't expensive and the prerecorded tapes (except for the tape library tapes for $350-$400 each) sounded terrible. I was going to record all my vinyl to tape and I thought why am I doing this, just play the record.
Sold both for a hefty profit because good decks still keep going up. I could get another $600 for the Otari if I would have kept it
bobedwards101
176 posts
 
Don’t still had one, as does Denon
bobedwards101
176 posts
 
Sony
ericvm
37 posts
 
I repaired them at a dealership. The buyers, and their money, loved them. Generally always sold with a B & O system. Just seemed right. The issue they had was a photo cell would fail on the tone arm if I remember correctly. Now....the Dragon! We also sold Nakamichi at the dealer. I only had to fix one of those while I was there, and boy was that a pleasure, not kidding! I remember vividly putting it on it's side, unscrewing the boards retention and they folded down for servicing...ohhhh...I fixed that bad boy up to play sweet. I currently own a Nak DR-3....let me describe the transport - "like butter" -  Very pleasing to us mechanical enthusiasts.    
savroof OP
26 posts
 
ericvm6,
             That is SO COOL!! Your story! I just thought as a 17 y.o., DAMN that LOOKS SO COOL!! I want one!!!  But my fast-food job at the time couldn’t afford it😢 I honestly thought that’s the COOLEST audio product I’ve EVER seen!! Then, at that same time, it was ALPINE!! EVERY H.S. kid with a new car, HAD to have an ALPINE stereo in it!! My first car, at 18, had an ALPINE cassette stereo, but mine pulled out, in case of theft, and had a HALTEC cassette playing head in it. I sold it at a hefty profit about 7 years later. I still remember the frosted buttons glowing green. So cool! And Ocean Pacific(OP) T-shirts. Amazing designs! Somebody NEEDS to bring those back!! 
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