ERA turntables are made in France, the 444 / 555 / 666 models were distributed at the beginning of 1970. Renowned for these slat arms, so a suspension lightens the mass of the arm and separates it from disturbances from the rest of the turntable . The 555 and 666 models are equipped with a suspended counter plate, adding a barrier between the motor and the bearing (platter) / pivot (arm) system.
They use a pulley between the motor and the platter.
Looping back to hifi in tv and movies, I loved the Transcriptor Hydralic Reference TT in Clockwork Orange.
It looks absolutely gorgeous. Was the arm a Transcriptors design too? And was there an off-board power supply? Perhaps some clever person could adapt an Armageddon or P3P (if that was the designation for the power supply for the Phonosophie deck).
What happened to the manufacturer? Killed off by the advent of the CD, perhaps?
Of course, the design would never sell these days, as the LP is not being fully supported in play. I suppose that a heavy glass platter could sit on top of the brass cones, if the motor could cope with the extra weight.
Yes, it was a Unipivot.
No, there wasnât an outboard PS.
AFAIK, Transcriptors âmorphedâ into Mitchell, who brought us the Gyrodec.
More here - Transcriptors
Yes, of course, thank you. You donât hear of Michell these days. I wonder if they are still being made.
(this link may not last long⌠if so, just Google âMichellâ)
Hi @frenchrooster the chaps are referring to the reversed image you have posted. Even ERA doesnât read correctly
@JOF âŚmet my girlfriend ( now wife of nearly 40 years ), she had the same music centre, I used to take records to play. Once we were living together my Sugden A48, Phillips GA212 and Audiomaster Image 2 took over. Mrs F would still like her music centre, it was easier to use.
⌠it was a doddle to record the Top 40 with its integrated radio and cassette.
The Beolab and Beomaster 5000 they used with it were rather lovely too.
Transcriptors moved production of the Transcriptor Hydraulic Reference and tone arm to Michell Engineering in the mid 70s.
As mentioned above, Michell Engineering today manufactures the Gyrodec and Orbe ranges of turntable along with a number of other items.
Transcriptors is also still very much alive I believe. I think (but am not sure) that the company was resurrected (Iâm not sure when) by the son of the founder of the original company. I believe that they still manufacture an updated version of the original Hydraulic Reference turntable although I may be completely wrong about this. I last was in touch with them to obtain a new wiring loom some 10 or so years ago to replace the one in my original 9" Flid Tone arm which had broken when attempting to fit a new cartridge.
EDIT: I think they probably just refurbish the old Hydraulic Reference decks & tone arms.
I no longer have my Hydraulic Reference turntable, although I do have very fond memories of it. I purchased it shortly after seeing it in the film âClockwork Orangeâ. I now have a Michell Orbe which is lovely in its own way, but doesnât have the visual impact of the Hydraulic Reference all of those years ago.
I grew up with a Transcriptors Saturn TT in the house.
I thought they all looked like that!
Same goes for one of these:
Ah, the lovely little Neal 103, one of the first cassette decks that could be taken seriously for hifi use.
I always seem to see Neal cassette players being used in interview scenes on TV cop shows like Morse. Were they standard (Home Office?) issue to police forces?
Yes, the Police used to use (and maybe still do, although perhaps now itâs done digitally) a Neal Interview recorder that would record on two cassettes simultaneously.
Wasnât that little!
Yes, used them for the first 25 odd years of my service.
Went digital around 2015⌠really cutting edge in the Police!
To be honest the old tapes were more reliable!
Retired now so dont know the latest gadgetry.
Thank you for that. I assumed that the use of Neal cassette recorders must be real, because they appeared in so many different TV shows.
