I remember seeing the B&O lateral tracking record player at a couple hifi joints. I think the arm moved across the record by letting the groove drag it slightly out of alignment, something that prompted the arm to move a bit along its track. As a salesman put it, the arm waddled its way inward. At the time I was having terrible trouble with end-of-side distortion and the machine really got me in a tither. If I remember correctly, though, my switch to a Shure V-15 cartridge solved my mistacking/distortion troubles and the B&O faded from my memory. As for the B&O, it never really caught on. There were supposedly other problems keeping the thing from being the conquering hero.
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!
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!
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I had a Phase Linear 8000 for like 15-20 years starting back in the early 80's. It was very cool, totally automatic with the arm maintaining the constant perpenicularity to the radius of the platter. When it finally broke and I replaced it with a relatively inexpensive belt drive table, the improvement and clarity was incredible. I wish it broke 10 years earlier. I believe there are companies that make linear tracking arms that can fit some turntables, but I am sure they would be hard to set up. I'm not aware of any tables that come with those linear tracking arms. The thing that killed B&O is that their tables forced you to buy their cartridges which were mediocre. Plus they cared more about the looks blending into your home decor versus the sound quality. I know there are some out there that think direct drive offers a better value than belt-drive tables, but I would challenge them to listen to a Rega P3 or P6 or even a mid end Project or Music Hall table. |
How about turntables that play vertically? The Mitsubishi vertical TT even has linear tracking tonearm. https://thevinylfactory.com/features/8-vertical-turntables-that-pit-vinyl-against-gravity/ |
roberjerman, It is an LT-30 that I found together with newish-looking Van Morrison Moondance record in it. Cosmetically as good as they get, cover included. It rotates, everything that I could see lights up, etc., but arm does not move. I opened as much as I could without doing some bigger work and found what I think used to be belts. It could have been a chewing gum for all I know. It was a few years ago and I had virtually forgotten I own it. Unless the previous owner comes to claim it. It was next to the garbage. This thread reminded me of it. |
Anyone remember the lateral tracking Bang and Olufsen record player from the 80’s?? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L-PUCx6PzA DeKay |
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 |
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. |
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!! |
Nobody , except ericvm6, has mentioned any audio product that blew them away in their teens, or college years. I mentioned the Dragon cassette player. I also STILL cherish my 30 y.o. Still working, looks brand new, SONY D-EJ1000 CD Diskman. NOBODY would dare make a portable CD player with the quality it has now. Wouldn’t sell. Zero plastic, all magnesium body and aluminum construction, except the cool blue-backlit remote. Love to play it, just needs an external amp as the headphone jack puts out only 5 milliwatts. I’m leaning towards Fiio’s portable headphone amp for it to drive my B&W P7 headphones. BEAUTIFULLY designed Diskman. I really think it’s a work of design art. SONY at its best! 😊😊😊 At my age, these are my “happy years!” No worries, happiest years of my life so far! Got to play with a Lamborghini Countach in 1997, seats were horribly uncomfortable! Smelled SO GOOD! Couldn’t see ANYTHING behind me! But it HAD the OEM ALPINE cassette player! I thought THAT (the ALPINE Lamborghini Countach poster) was a sexier poster than any swimsuit model when I was a teenager!!! And another iconic product (not really audio) but my still working Motorola RAZOR cellphone! Another design icon. Still works, the “Tron movie” blue backlight keypad. Will never sell it. Motorola just came out with a new one, but it sadly has been panned for many design flaws, and SO expensive!! $1500.00!! No thank you. Motorola BLEW IT!! Sad, I wanted one 😞. |
So funny how this topic came up when I was just talking to a friend yesterday about the Beogram RX TT that I still have. I bought the Beogram in 1985 and it still works fine---I have a MMC3 cartridge on it. About a year ago, I did a system upgrade and got a VPI TT which I love. So yesterday, a younger friend of mine inherited a 1990s Technics receiver and TT with some speakers. The TT is a little shotty and doesn't sound that well. While he was talking to me on the phone, I glanced over at my old Beogram sitting in the corner and wondered if I should 'pass it along' so someone else can enjoy it. I think it's wonderful to see young folks getting into audio. Should I do it??? I had a Nakamichi 3-head deck in the 80s and early 90s but never got the Dragon. Great stuff and great memories. |
Oh yeah, as a starving college student in the 60’s, and a long time afterward, I remember watching the B&O TT (any B&O product), wondering if I would ever be able to afford such a marvelous thing. I am so lucky to have just successfully restored a Mitsubishi Vertical Linear Tracking TT, LT-V5, for use on top of a 12" deep bookcase where a horizontal TT will not fit. I am using my Reel to Reel player vertically now, they look awesome side by side. DIATONE version is Japan Only, USA model is Mitsubishi LT-5V , see the very cool see-thru photo here along with the Japanese Diatone version’s specs: https://audio-heritage.jp/DIATONE/player/lt-5v.html 3 belt kit readily available, $16. https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-3-BELT-SET-for-MITSUBISHI-TURNTABLE-LT-5-LT-5V-LT-640-X-10-X-12/152375190799?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 It plays with zero tracking error, and sounds excellent. Any 1/2" cartridge that does not exceed maximum height to stylus tip of 18mm, Provided shims, or your shims are used to properly position smaller height cartridges. I’ve got an AT440ml on, the perfect height it turned out. Belt drive. Just like my Thorens TD124, after letting it’s motor warm up a minute, speed is very steady, not needing re-adjustment, just a minute wait. Researching while overhauling, I found it is a serious TT, much unique engineering, including the surprising fact that the platter is very slightly concave, I guess down about 1mm at the end of playing grooves, the headshell correspondingly and minutely angled for correct azimuth. I read an article mentioning 3mm edge to spindle, I find much less than that, I would have never realized the concave platter unless reading these http://www.soundfountain.com/mitsubishi/mitsubishi-lt-5v.html https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/the-story-of-my-mitsubishi-lt-5v-turntable.1349/ A spring loaded record clamp holds the LP against that very slightly concave platter. The clamp is pre-positioned by it’s horizontal arm, however the clamp is completely free of the arm when pressed/locked onto the spindle. Very clever.This long video was invaluable in preparing for my attempt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5XO51leGzU Some members know I had been chasing a Technics Vertical Linear Tracking TT, SL-V5. https://www.vinylengine.com/library/technics/sl-v5.shtml Disappointed as I was, I got lucky not getting the Technics, and Bill (a member here) having a pair of LT-5V’s project. He lives only 1 hr 20 minutes away, and his willingness to swap with me. |
curious about relative costs of these units. I found this conversion/inflation chart https://www.inflationtool.com/japanese-yen/1980-to-present-value?amount=70000 so, 70,000 yen 1980 is 101,000 today is $940. usd today anybody know the exchange rate in 1980, i.e. 70,000 yen in 1980 was _____ usd in 1980? |
In 1971 I got a Rabco ST4 belt drive with a cheaper version of Henry Rabinow’s LT tonearm. Clamshell dustcover, sprung motorboard, with an ADC XLM. That was used with a Quad 33 and PAS3 for a few years until it developed a worn out nylon guide that was critical to its LT arm, that no one could fix. Later I had an HK ST7 with a Denon DL103S operating on the same principle...Today, in addition to my WTT I have a Revox B795 That I rarely use, but I still love LT in theory. The downfall has always been the complexity of maintaining tangency. Anyone try the Clearaudio TT5? |
I still have my Beogram TX linear tracking TT purchased in 1984 with MMC2 cartridge. Never had any mechanical issues with it during the 20 years of heavy use. I put it away in the early 2000s to focus on digital. When I pulled it out of storage 2 years ago it still worked fine but the hinge covering the tonearm was faulty so I took the unit to my local B&O store and they serviced the mechanicals and repaired the hinge. Looks and works good as new. As previously mentioned Soundsmith handles all B&O cartridges so I may upgrade just to see what kind of sound quality is possible. I haven't put together my analog listening room yet but plan to augment the TX with either a Rega P6, VPI Prime Scout or Technics SL1200GR. I'm retiring at the end of 2020 so should have more time to audition these TTs as long as Covid is under control. https://sound-smith.com/bo-cartridges |
glupson
terrific TT, my Vertical version is belt drive, yours is Quartz Locked Direct Drive. Glancing at the manual available here https://www.vinylengine.com/library/mitsubishi/lt-30.shtml it has a full complement of fine adjustments here is 2 belt kit on ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/MITSUBISHI-LT-30-BELT-Kit-2-belts/123886275552?hash=item1cd8328be0:g:4aUAAOSwVLZdBsMI Like old tape recorders, the old belts turn into nasty rubbery glue. I strongly suspect if you remove the cover, clean the gunk out, clean the rail the arm moves on, lube and install new belts, you will have it working again. |
this one just came up for sale, seems a beauty, ready to go, good price, anyone would need to find what seller wants for shipping https://www.vintageaudioexchange.com/product/mitsubishi-turntable-model-lt-5v |
I bought a B&O 2402 tt (not tangential) around 1980 to go with my Nakamichi 530 receiver and Magneplaner SMG's. It was a good tt, but the hinges were a common, regular fail-point and the bronze bushings in the tonearm lifter would bind up, causing the tonearm to take too long to lift. On an automatic tt, this is bad...as when the side was finished, the tonearm would drag across the disk to home position, and the lift up....making the last track a bit stressful as you prepare to dash to the tt and manually stop it before the dredded zzzzzzip at the end. Taking the lifter apart, cleaning and lubricating it became a breeze after doing it a few times. The B&O dealer charged me $150 to do it the first time...calling it "recharging the dampening system". In early the 2000's I sold it and got the tangential TX2 turntable. It's been flawless, only requiring a new belt every once in a while. When the mmc3 cartridge wore out, it was easy to upgrade to a Soundsmith smmc2. The suspension was amazing...my two very large dogs could be wrestling a few feet from my audio cabinet and the TX2 would never skip. The fully mechanized nature or the tonearm made it somewhat of a pain to check stylus pressure or even clean the stylus. Still have it and still have the identical spare I picked up and never needed. They work fine but a Technics took over the #1 spot a couple years ago. |
I had a SL-10 awhile back, and am still kicking myself for letting it go. The MC cart made anything sound terrific. Have a SL8 awaiting some TLC, but have a cherry Z100 Garrard and a Teac P-J51 when I'm just lazy...*G* Bought a ST-4 for peanuts decades ago....still have it. The belts need replacing, but otherwise 9/10... Stupid funny to watch it work, but it's noisy doing so.... Tangetal tracking TTs' have their own technical issues, but imho beat those of radial arms... (Like I said...IMHO....🤔....) |
We sold a number of them back in the day. The biggest rub, from audiophiles. was the unchangeable cartridge. BUT, as B&O USA corporate (in Chicago) always maintained, the company was NOT interested in SOTA stuff, just quality through design. That tracking style was popular, but difficult to achieve in an affordable product as many others found who tried to invent and market them. BUT, it was pretty! Cheers, Richard |
Beocenter, I remember this https://www.vintageaudioexchange.com/product/bang-olufsen-audio-system-model-beocenter-2200-type-2423 evidently only 2 x 15 watts https://gear.discogs.com/gear/98148-bang-olufsen-beocenter-2200 |