Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
OK. This I think is the cheapest turntable in my collection, but it actually might be one of my favorites.
After a light re-greasing and cleanup it just seems to want to work.
Has a Shure MC75 cartridge and stylus, and I’m sure it’s original as there’s a sticker to indicate the replacement stylus, and it matches.
I picked this up at the thrift store about 10 years ago and it’s just been in my collection and I have used it a couple times over the years. But tonight I opened it up and gave it a complete touchup and overhaul.
This is an idler tire driven turntable, meaning below the platter there’s a circular rubber wheel which touches a motor spindle and the turntable edge. You end up hearing a little bit of rumble in the background, and that is the reason why belt driven or direct drive turn set tables are a little quieter.
Made by BSR out of England for Sony. There are thousands of these exact turntables all over the place, but this one happens to be on a Sony branded wood plinth. The Internet seems to state that this is from the early 1970s, around 1973. I actually would’ve thought late 70s.
Sony apparently engineered their own turntables after this so this was their early attempt. Do the others still work fine? This one does.
Anyways, this is a demo of the record changer and how it works. I’m guessing five or six records could be stacked safely on this. What needs to be considered as that as the record stack increases, the stylus will be applying a little more pressure as more records are stacked. I’m not sure if anyone has done that analysis but it’s probably not the best thing to do for your rare or prized records in the collection.
But perfect if you’re looking to entertain and don’t have an MP3 player, Apple Music/Spotify or a tape based mix. This is how it was done mechanically 50 years ago.
And yes, you had to put up with the songs that maybe were not hits, you did not like, or had not heard before!
Have a great weekend and welcome the Spring season!
OK. This I think is the cheapest turntable in my collection, but it actually might be one of my favorites.
After a light re-greasing and cleanup it just seems to want to work.
Has a Shure MC75 cartridge and stylus, and I’m sure it’s original as there’s a sticker to indicate the replacement stylus, and it matches.
I picked this up at the thrift store about 10 years ago and it’s just been in my collection and I have used it a couple times over the years. But tonight I opened it up and gave it a complete touchup and overhaul.
This is an idler tire driven turntable, meaning below the platter there’s a circular rubber wheel which touches a motor spindle and the turntable edge. You end up hearing a little bit of rumble in the background, and that is the reason why belt driven or direct drive turn set tables are a little quieter.
Made by BSR out of England for Sony. There are thousands of these exact turntables all over the place, but this one happens to be on a Sony branded wood plinth. The Internet seems to state that this is from the early 1970s, around 1973. I actually would’ve thought late 70s.
Sony apparently engineered their own turntables after this so this was their early attempt. Do the others still work fine? This one does.
Anyways, this is a demo of the record changer and how it works. I’m guessing five or six records could be stacked safely on this. What needs to be considered as that as the record stack increases, the stylus will be applying a little more pressure as more records are stacked. I’m not sure if anyone has done that analysis but it’s probably not the best thing to do for your rare or prized records in the collection.
But perfect if you’re looking to entertain and don’t have an MP3 player, Apple Music/Spotify or a tape based mix. This is how it was done mechanically 50 years ago.
And yes, you had to put up with the songs that maybe were not hits, you did not like, or had not heard before!
Have a great weekend and welcome the Spring season!
