vintage turntables?

The high end vintage Japanese turntables were statement products which came from huge companies with vertical integration and economy of scale that today's turntable manufacturers can't even dream about. There was a huge R&D budget subsidized by the sale of tens of thousands of mass market siblings. I have a Technics SP-10 with the EPA-100 tonearm. If that were developed, manufactured and marketed by a current company, you could expect a price well over $20K.

Use simple logic and disregard reviewers. Your dollar will go much further.

yeah, Macrojack, thats actually how i figured it would work cost wise. then you also had the fact that everyone was using a turntable back in those days, where as, these days, not so much. supply and demand type situation

Here is a good source of info and a good review back at the peak of the era:

http://www.thevintageknob.org/MISCELLANEOUS/SS1980TT/SS1980TT.html

Excellent history along with photos and ads.

Dear James: Interesting link about. I read it and see that on some of those TT they use different tonearms and cartridges and not always the same ones.

One thing that is a surprise to me is the SP-10 rating ( quality performance ) where them rate: 3 and 3 against the top ones that achieve 5 and 5: EMT, Micro Seiki RX-5000 and Pioneer Exclusive.

From al these TTs I have in deep experience with all but the Pioneer and I agree with the EMT and MS rating quality performance but IMHO the SP-10 is ( at least ) in the same league.
I'm using it right now with out plynth and its performance is just first rate, perhaps the SP-10 does not performs so well with its own base and arm board, I can't say for sure because I experienced it in that configuration too many years ago.

Now, in some ways I agree that too much of the today very high price top TT resides in its looking more than in its real quality performance against that very high price and against vintage TTs like the SP-10 MK2/3, Micro Seiki or Denons. But that could be because of what Macro jack posted about and where I agree.

About Technics 12xx IMHO I think that it is worth the effort ( a lot lot better ) to find a SP-10MK2 that to invest on the 12xx with its up-grades for almost the same final price or very near: not something totally different about price and of course with the advantage with the SP 10 that you can choose the right tonearm for your cartridge (s ).

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Raul,

I like that site, it puts things back into perspective. The article I thought was quite refreshing to read and analyze, but I do agree with you they should have kept all things equal as best as they could have.

I've been curious about the EMT 930, but you like the SP-10 just as much? Very interesting. Did you own an EMT at any time?

I'm wondering what to do with my Graham Phatom arm now, what do you think about getting an arm pod to mount it next to a 12xx?

best,
James