The Most Beautiful and Ugliest Turntables

[WESTLOWER]

Talking of fugly TTs...

[struth]

meccano set needed

[Vrajbasi]

Two of my favourite turntables, at least visually, are the Versa Dynamics* (of old):



And the Bergmann Audio:



Interestingly, both use built in parallel tracking, air bearing, arms - something I’m not so convinced by (in technical terms at least).

* The same designer created the, much more attainable, tonearm that became the Mission 774.

The Versa 2.0 was a stunning turntable, I think air bearing and tonearm was designed by Tim Sheridhan, the man who did much of the Rockport design work. Jhon Bict certainly did well with the visuals I owned one some years back.

I always felt the Bergman reminded me of the versa.

[Vrajbasi]

Yes, I agree (which is why I included it actually). Visually the Versa was way ahead of its time and, as you say, shared a lot technically with the Rockport.

Good choice I remember it being highly musical, a bit lacking in the bass. The midrange was simply stunning big and plush.

[Made in 1968]

But If it pisses you off so much...
why join another hifi forum community with a bag of spuds on your shoulder?

Why dont you just give it a rest the all will be ok.

[Marco]

Guys, let's chill now, please. I don't like the niggling, and it's no-one's fault; simply a personality clash. If you don't get on with someone/disagree with their views, best just to ignore them, as engaging with them will only result in continued arguments.

Marco.

[crimsondonkey]

Two of my favourite turntables, at least visually, are the Versa Dynamics* (of old):



And the Bergmann Audio:



Interestingly, both use built in parallel tracking, air bearing, arms - something I’m not so convinced by (in technical terms at least).

* The same designer created the, much more attainable, tonearm that became the Mission 774.

As the owner of a Bergmann Sindre I have to agree with your taste. It sounds quite good too as well as looking stylish and rather understated.

[Vrajbasi]

As the owner of a Bergmann Sindre I have to agree with your taste. It sounds quite good too as well as looking stylish and rather understated.

The Bergman Sindre is a stunning turntable and is an alltime preowned audio bargain.Alot of deck for the dosh as they say. I owned a sindre and later the current Galder great turntables.

[Vrajbasi]

John bict had his difficulties, like most of these manufactures who try and achieve SOTA they never made much money and factored in after sales support just like roctport.

I have to say versa when around were very helpful to me on the occasion I had to contact them.

[Gerry]

Not sure these constitute "beautiful" but in the eye of the beholder and all that.

Very rare, Audio Technica T1 and Seiko Epson turntables.

The story is in the early1980sTeragaki-san, was the man who designed “legendary” Seiko-Epson turntable.
Audio Technica reputedly invested sustainably in his turntable development. Though, they decided the market was limited due to the advent of the CD and the marketplace for (equvilant) $50,000 plus TTs was not there was there.

The TT was known as, Audio Technica T1. The list price was likely to have been the equivalent of $100,000!
It had plater vacuum, auto disk centering with liner linear tracking arm. The massive tonearm does not go up and down, the turntable moves up and down! You may note some similarity to a certain Nakamichi!!

In my eyes this is a thing of industrial (brutal) beauty!



There were others in the Sekio Epsom collection.

1987: Σ-3000. List price 2,300K JPY. 10 are known to have been assembled and 6 units actually sold.




In 1994: Σ-5000. List price 3,200K JPY (no compromise version of Σ-3000), produced 30 units





In 1997 there was an update: Σ-5000 mkII. List price 3,200K JPY



There was a Σ-2000 released in the early 1990s for 1,400K JPY. Some 100 units are believed to have been produced. It was a basic/reduced cost version of Σ-3000





There were also a number of other Teragaki Seiko Epson designs. I also suspect Mr Teragaki was involved in designing of other TTs.