Vintage Turntables (1971-1983)
We’ve spent the better part of the morning browsing the net for vintage turntables and below are some classics from the period 1979 to 1983. Picking a favorite is hard, but if we would have to choose I think we would either have to go with the PX-2 from Yamaha or the SL-10 from Technics. Or, maybe the PD-444 from Luxman. What’s your favorite?
Technics SL-1100A (1971-1976)
A small classic in in hi-fi design and unfortunately very hard to come across.
Luxman PD-121 (1975-1979)
The Luxman PD-121 was a bestseller in Japan for the mid-end segment, but no way a classic such as the PD-444, although quite pleasing to the eye.
Technics SL-01 (1976-1977)
A well-equipped mid-end turntable, which was an iteration of the Technics line and sporting a more fancy design and features.
Luxman PD-444 (1976-1980)
This is the original Luxman turntable with direct drive. There are rarer turntables from Luxman, but still this one is pretty hard to come by. Also if you’re in the market for original arm-boards or any other spare parts you’ll have a challenge on your hands.
Technics SL-1200MK2 (1977…)
This is probably the best selling piece of equipment in the history of audio and the series is still amazingly popular today. A piece of audio history.
Marantz Model 6370Q (1978-1980)
This is a rare one and is sporting a somewhat tacky look signaling an end of an era.
Sony PS-X60 (1978-1980+)
This is the sibling of the PS-X70, but not too hard to come across. Despite missing the cool buttons on the PS-X70 this is quite a cool piece of equipment.
Yamaha PX-2 (1979-1983)
The PX-2 was a huge and rock solid turntable with a strong reputation, which was produced in high volumes, making it quite easy to obtain today.
Technics SL-10 (1981-1985)
Released after the SL-1200 the SL-10 is a classic and is an excellent turntable. Together with its programmable big brother, the SL-15, it was awarded a best product price in Japan.
Pioneer PL-707 (1982-1983)
The PL-707 was not as close to perfection as the Exclusive P3 and was partly outcompeted by the PL 505 which deliverd mostly the same at a lower price, but still quite a neat piece of design that very much was a high-end turntable.
