CD-4 Turntable (TT) Recommendations

[edisonbaggins]

Seems to me that neither my Pioneer PL-12D nor PL-400 will cut it for CD-4. Very well...

Which turntables should I hunt down? Compatibility with a wide variety of carts and demods would be nice.

Here is the current compiled list:

Technics SL-1200 mk1
Technics SL-1200 mk2
Technics SL-1700
Pioneer PL-55DX
Bic 960
Bic 980
Bic 981
Bic 1000
Dual 1225
Dual 1229 Q
Marantz 6100
Marantz 6150
Marantz 6200
Marantz 6300
Sansui-929
Sansui FR-5080
Sansui 5800
Sansui FR-3080
Kenwood KD-5033
Kenwood KD-5066
Victor JL-B31
Victor JL-B41
Victor JL-B44
Victor JL-T77

Thank you!

 

[Doug G.]

Yes, one of the original BIC 900 series - 1000, 981, 980, 960. Low capacitance wiring (assuming you use the original RCA cables) and anti-skate easy to adjust for correct tracking. The tonearm/headshell work with a wide variety of cartridge weights and compliances. The variable angle headshell makes it much easier to adjust for correct VTA/SRA instead having to mess around with changing the angle of the whole arm wand or using shims. These tables are ideal for the more exacting requirements of CD-4.

Doug

 

[kfbkfb]

My ~40 year old ~$50 Akai turntable needed a new belt about 10 years ago (found online - works fine now), what kind of maintenance do these BIC turntables need?


Kirk Bayne

 

[furui_suterioo]

I have read from the manuals these 1970s turntables mention having low cap wiring for CD-4. I'm sure there are many more, these are just a few that I was reading.
Marantz: 6100, 6150, 6200, 6300
Sansui: FR-5080/5800, FR-3080
Kenwood: KD-5033/5066
Victor: JL-B31, JL-B41, JL-B44, JL-T77

 

[soesbeout]

When I was shopping for a quad system at the Navy Exchange in 75 the PL-55DX was the one I picked,I still use it with the QRX-7500 I have had no trouble with it.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Models added to OP.
Keep those recommendations comin'!

 

[Doug G.]

My ~40 year old ~$50 Akai turntable needed a new belt about 10 years ago (found online - works fine now), what kind of maintenance do these BIC turntables need?


Kirk Bayne

They are old, of course, and may require service when purchased, almost all of which is caused by old lubricants deteriorating. Once that's done, they play for a long, long time without any real maintenance. The elastomeric belts even last indefinitely. Some of my BICs still have the original belts from the seventies in them.

And, some of them on eBay are ready to go, having already been serviced.

Doug

 

[MidiMagic]

They are old, of course, and may require service when purchased, almost all of which is caused by old lubricants deteriorating. Once that's done, they play for a long, long time without any real maintenance. The elastomeric belts even last indefinitely. Some of my BICs still have the original belts from the seventies in them.

And, some of them on eBay are ready to go, having already been serviced.

Doug

Old lubricants going bad, rubber parts deteriorating, and failed pickup cartridges are the main problems. with reviving old turntables.

The BIC units had very little to go wrong in the mechanical parts. The only sensing part in a BIC was the velocity trip. Everything else in operation was preset. It didn't even check to see when the last record had dropped - you had to tell it.

 

[Doug G.]

BIC eliminated the sometimes finicky end-of-record-stack mechanism by using a control to "tell" the table how many records you put on the spindle - up to six records. After it plays the number of records you have on the spindle, it shuts off.

And, who is going to use a turntable in automatic, multi-record, play with CD-4, anyway? I never have in years of use. I have never even had the automatic spindle in mine for CD-4 and rarely for regular LPs. Only if the records are sequenced for automatic players.

Doug

 

[edisonbaggins]

And, some of them on eBay are ready to go, having already been serviced.

PM a link to a good one?

 

[edisonbaggins]

Technics SL-1800?

 

[gvl_guy]

Technics SL-1800?

Definitely. Technics made a bunch of similar turntables CD-4 ready. My 1700 is semi automatic. The 1800 might be the fully automatic. All pretty much the same model with a few different features.

I'm betting any higher end JVC or Technics turntable built around the mid 70s should be fine. Both were big proponents of CD-4 and I'd bet the turntables were all quad ready.

 

[EmeraldCity]

My Technics SL-1300 works well for CD-4. Unfortunately, I need to find a new Stylus/needle for my JVC or AT cartridges. How sad….

 

[kfbkfb]

https://www.lpgear.com/category/ATBC.html
(I recently bought an upgrade kit for my AT-LP60 low low end TT, elliptical stylus, new belt, makes a modest improvement, tracking force still too high though)


Kirk Bayne

 

[trevorspiro]

Seems to me that neither my Pioneer PL-12D nor PL-400 will cut it for CD-4. Very well...

Which turntables should I hunt down? Compatibility with a wide variety of carts and demods would be nice.

Here is the current compiled list:

Technics SL-1200 mk1
Technics SL-1200 mk2
Technics SL-1700
Pioneer PL-55DX
Bic 960
Bic 980
Bic 981
Bic 1000
Dual 1225
Dual 1229 Q
Marantz 6100
Marantz 6150
Marantz 6200
Marantz 6300
Sansui-929
Sansui FR-5080
Sansui 5800
Sansui FR-3080
Kenwood KD-5033
Kenwood KD-5066
Victor JL-B31
Victor JL-B41
Victor JL-B44
Victor JL-T77

Thank

 

[trevorspiro]

For near ultimate performance, you need a Linn Sondek LP12 turntable with the latest modifications. Then, if you can source an old Grace G707 tonearm and Grado Signature G3 cartridge (or JVC X2), then I assure you that you’ll be in CD4 heaven.

 

[iggyziggy]

What about JVC Turntable SRP-473E ???

 

[The Bushmaster]

I have two Dual 721's. They do a great job with CD 4 or any other format and will except any cartridge you can mount on the cartridge sled.

 

[meta_noia_fot]

I'm using an AR "The Turntable" from the 80's with a stock tonearm. The manual lists the capacitance as 85pf. It handles CD-4 well from my (admittedly short) experience.

 

[Quadwreck]

For CD-4, I've been using a somewhat rare Sherwood PD-728B linear tracker, which uses a standard head shell, giving a lot more choices in cartridge, not being limited to P-mount cartridges.