Monitor Audio ET500

[Rare Bird]

You don't see many of these, They use Matsushita (Panasonic) direct drives :( The cast aluminium platter is the worse part of the deck, it aint 100% uniform when spinning, probably the same as the Rotel 'RP1500' platter!!..Outboard Power Supply & electronic switching along the front pannel (watch this pannel it's gold lettering is prone to ware)..Real wood veneer..also available in black..Removable armboards..I had Mission '774' original on mine.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Monitor-Audio-Turntable-with-SME-3009-Tonearm_W0QQitemZ120493773690QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK _AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Turntables?hash= item1c0dfd137a

[hifi_dave]

You don't see many because they sold very few. They weren't very good.

[Rare Bird]

Hi Dave
I Had one, i only ever seen two more

[hifi_dave]

I had one for review in HFP, way back when and I never actually sent my findings in to the mag. It just wasn't that interesting a turntable. I guess MA just bought in a batch, off the shelf from a factory in, Japan and marketed them for a short while until they were all gone. I don't think there was a lot of development with this product...:scratch:

[DSJR]

Matsushita made a number of "OEM" motor units for other people. Trouble is, these motors often "hunted" badly under load (the root of the servo-hunting criticism that plagued only a few direct-drive turntables but was labelled on all such types).

We had the ET 500 for sale at KJ and I don't think it was truly awful, but just another "me too" kind of product (pre Linn LP12 era) that had to compete with the big boys' main models... Good looking deck IMO... I don't think it was around for long and it wasn't reviewed in the 1976 HiFi Choice either...

[dantheman91]

I Think theses turntable a brillant for the year i know because my dads using one at the moment with a audio technica arm and goldring stylus i sounds just how a turntable needs to be and he's also using Quad 77 Amp and Pre and a pair of Royd Audio Speakers :ner:

[Rare Bird]

I Think theses turntable a brillant for the year i know because my dads using one at the moment with a audio technica arm and goldring stylus i sounds just how a turntable needs to be and he's also using Quad 77 Amp and Pre and a pair of Royd Audio Speakers :ner:

Hi put the deck on 45rpm & notice the slight wobble on the platter.. look at it side on ;)

[dantheman91]

Who plays 45's anyway

[Rare Bird]

Who plays 45's anyway

Aye thought you'd noticed

:lolsign:

[REM]

Who plays 45's anyway

Try some 45 lps, you may be pleasantly surprised;).

[hifi_dave]

The 'wobble' was the least of it's problems, as DSJR pointed out, the hunting or cogging was a major problem as was the ringing platter and the bendy spindle....:scratch:

[DSJR]

All the Techies I've ever seen have slight casting "creep" on the platter edges - the SL110, 120 and the 150 I currently have almost ready to go have the strobe moving up and down and side to side a tad.

Don't ask me about the LP12's that, after gawd knows how many turning operations on the platter and "resting" in between, still "breathed" as they rotated...

[dantheman91]

My dad has one for sale

[phonomac]

Hello Dan,
Does your dad's ET500 have an arm fitted, and if so which one?

thanks

Angus

[dantheman91]

Hello Dan,
Does your dad's ET500 have an arm fitted, and if so which one?

thanks

Angus

Hi Angus,

This turntable has an AUDIO TECHNICA AT 1120 arm on it about to be back in action.

[dantheman91]

Now back in action full serviced & full working order with the AT tonearm correctly set up its worth it just for that sounds OK heard much worse :eyebrows:

[DSJR]

Linn interconnects Dan? I hope they're the Silver ones and not the splattery old black ones????????? :)