Is this Turntable Considered STATE OF THE ART?

[TapeMaster]

Sony PST-33 Full Auto DD $50.00 Pawn Shop find like 3 years ago! Still have it setup works like NEW STANTON 681EEE Cartridge INSTALLED!

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Is this Turntable Considered STATE OF THE ART?

No, Sony never made a state-of-the-art turntable.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[highfigh]

No, Sony never made a state-of-the-art turntable.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Actually, Sony has made some very good turntables but those usually had automatic features and that's one of the reasons they'll never be considered "State Of The Art". They had extremely low rumble specs, the tonearms were good (again, not state of the art) and they actually tracked well.

However, we all know what is offered as "the best" and many are more looks than performance.

 

[highfigh]

There's nothing that's that's available for $50 that would be considered "state of the art".

 

[TapeMaster]

Was it TOTL in its day Manufactured 1978-1983.

 

[highfigh]

No, it wasn't TOTL. In '78, they had the PS-X5, PS-X6 and PS-X7 and all three were heavy, solid, direct-drive tables with a decent S-shaped tonearm. In about late '79 or early '80, they came out with the PS-T series with straight tonearm made of Duralumin and had a coating of carbon fiber inside to add stiffness, like PS-T1 (POS- weighed about 6 pounds and fed back like a hound), PS-T2, PS-T3 and some other models in the lower end of the line. The double-digit models were usually department or chain store models that were derived from the single-digit models, so they were rarely any better or worse. The PS-X models that came out in '79 were the upper end and all had their "Bio-tracer" tonearm. This had sensors for vertical and horizontal movement that corresponded to warps and off-center stamping, with servo motors to counteract the resonances that came from the defects in the record. The PS-X500 was semi-automatic, the PS-X600 was fully automatic and the PS-X700 (also known as the PS-X75) had pitch control, a J-shaped tonearm and had a full-sized bayonnet headshell mounting socket- the others all had the mini-bayonnet socket. The PS-X800 was a linear tracking Biotracer.

Click on the link and if it shows 404 Page not found, click on TVK Museum, scroll down to Sony, click on Sony Vault and scroll down to see some of the turntables.
http://www.thevintageknob.org/error_404.php

 

[TapeMaster]

But it's decent right? looks well very built!

 

[Pyrrho]

See:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=210897

It was evidently a fairly low end model. However, equipment from that era was often more robust than low end models since then.

Here you can see someone trying to sell one for $45:

http://forsale.oodle.com/turntables/kansas-city-area/

Here you can see someone trying to sell one for $80 (or best offer):

http://cgi.ebay.com/VERY-GOOD-VINTAGE-SONY-PS-T33-QUALITY-TURNTABLE-/160548174100?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item25616ab914#ht_1529wt_688

Judging from the looks of it, it may be okay, but there seems to be nothing special about it. (I have no direct experience with that model, so you may feel free to discount my opinion. But judging from the prices that others are asking for it, other people do not think too highly of it.)

 

[TLS Guy]

Was it TOTL in its day Manufactured 1978-1983.

Not even close.

Here is a state of the art rig from the sixties. It still holds its own.

Here is one from the era you mention, and still state of the art.

 

[TapeMaster]

Direct Drive Turntables costs more than belt drive!

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Any comments on the Stanton cartridge? I don’t remember them being particularly high end, but it’s been a long time...

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Seth=L]

The Sony PS-X6 was an excellent turntable, felt it held its own against the SL-1200 quite well.

 

[KEW]

Any comments on the Stanton cartridge? I don’t remember them being particularly high end, but it’s been a long time...

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

It was a pretty good cartridge. $82 in 1977 and considered among the best in High Fidelity's Test Reports at that time.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Best thing I ever did for my budget Technics SL-3200 was to put a high end Shure V15 Type V-MR cartridge on it. Cost as much as the turntable did, but it was worth it! An audible improvement over the budget AudioTechnica cartridge I had been using. Still have (and occasionally use) both the TT and the Shure.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[highfigh]

881EEE was the top of the Stanton line at the time. Decent, pretty neutral.

 

[sterling shoote]

Regarding vintage Sony turntables, one stands out, the all manual direct-drive Sony PS-4750, which, I believe, could hold its own with most anything construed today as being state-of-the-art. I've enjoyed mine for 32 years and have not considered replacement of it, or its Shure V15V-MR cartridge because, so far, nothing has auditioned better.

 

[highfigh]

Regarding vintage Sony turntables, one stands out, the all manual direct-drive Sony PS-4750, which, I believe, could hold its own with most anything construed today as being state-of-the-art. I've enjoyed mine for 32 years and have not considered replacement of it, or its Shure V15V-MR cartridge because, so far, nothing has auditioned better.

Did you buy this, or are you, outside of the US? That model isn't familiar, at all.

 

[sterling shoote]

Yes, I bought it new in 1978. I still have the box and all packing materials. Google, Sony PS-4750.

 

[TLS Guy]

Best thing I ever did for my budget Technics SL-3200 was to put a high end Shure V15 Type V-MR cartridge on it. Cost as much as the turntable did, but it was worth it! An audible improvement over the budget AudioTechnica cartridge I had been using. Still have (and occasionally use) both the TT and the Shure.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

I think the Shure V 15 xmr is the best cartridge ever produced. I have three in use on turntables now. I have one spare cartridge and and stash of new original styli.

 

[sterling shoote]

O.K. old thread; but, still relevant since undoubtedly folks resurrecting old turntables will likely want to fit a new cartridge or stylus. In fact, my Sony PS-4750 could use a new stylus but the rub is finding one. My turntable is fitted with a Shure V15V-MR cartridge and the stylus for this is no longer made. I've read a few reviews about a JICO replacement stylus, which is identified as a SAS model. It sells for about $250. I would not at all mind spending that kind of money if indeed it would perform like the Shure stylus. But, putting out that kind of money and not having the stylus track would be very depressing. I'm wondering if any here have experience with the JICO described? I'd trust comment here more than on sites where thread producers may not be the armature enthusiasts poised to be.