prsjnb
07-03-2019, 17:19
In the course of recent trawl on ebay for a sensibly-priced TT to buy/refurbish for one of my (much) younger relatives, the following caught my eye.
https://theartofsound.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=25504&d=1551976385
It came complete with the original packing, lid, paperwork and cartridge (EPC-U25, for which I am currently sourcing a replacement stylus) and, apart from requiring a quick clean and lube, seems to be in perfect working order. The seller and original owner had purchased the deck whilst working in Japan (Tokyo, June 18th, 1981 from the receipt) and it had seen only modest use before being packed and shipped to UK along with his other possessions, since which time, apart from a brief inspection to check it had survived intact, it has been in storage.
The SL-Q303 is unusual, as I discovered, in that it has a sprung, albeit quite stiff, sub-chassis arrangement with a substantial outer base of die-cast aluminium and a bottom base of TNRC (Technics Non-Resonant Compound). It is fully automatic and has a sensing mechanism to detect the record size. As is to be expected from a correctly implemented quartz, phase-locked control system, the accuracy and stability of rotation appears to be spot on.
I have always preferred manually operated turntable designs, but can see the attraction when the automation is executed as smoothly and securely as on the SL-Q303. Used with a modest, but carefully aligned, AT-95 tracking at 2 g it is a solid performer, with good detail, separation and dynamics and no obvious vices, both with highly modulated passages and at the inner grooves.
Overall I'm delighted, as I hope will be the lucky recipient (youngest daughter or nephew, with the former having first right of refusal), although I suspect I did pay a little over the odds (£100.00).
Jon ;)
https://theartofsound.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=25504&d=1551976385
It came complete with the original packing, lid, paperwork and cartridge (EPC-U25, for which I am currently sourcing a replacement stylus) and, apart from requiring a quick clean and lube, seems to be in perfect working order. The seller and original owner had purchased the deck whilst working in Japan (Tokyo, June 18th, 1981 from the receipt) and it had seen only modest use before being packed and shipped to UK along with his other possessions, since which time, apart from a brief inspection to check it had survived intact, it has been in storage.
The SL-Q303 is unusual, as I discovered, in that it has a sprung, albeit quite stiff, sub-chassis arrangement with a substantial outer base of die-cast aluminium and a bottom base of TNRC (Technics Non-Resonant Compound). It is fully automatic and has a sensing mechanism to detect the record size. As is to be expected from a correctly implemented quartz, phase-locked control system, the accuracy and stability of rotation appears to be spot on.
I have always preferred manually operated turntable designs, but can see the attraction when the automation is executed as smoothly and securely as on the SL-Q303. Used with a modest, but carefully aligned, AT-95 tracking at 2 g it is a solid performer, with good detail, separation and dynamics and no obvious vices, both with highly modulated passages and at the inner grooves.
Overall I'm delighted, as I hope will be the lucky recipient (youngest daughter or nephew, with the former having first right of refusal), although I suspect I did pay a little over the odds (£100.00).
Jon ;)