I've Seen The Future! - Laser Turntables

[Guest Ferrett]

In a world of increasingly hard to find rare soul vinyl, this MUST be the future for the Northern Scene. The analogue vinyl sound we love without any damage to the grooves.

https://www.geek.com/...table-20101115/

Anyone tried these out? Do the pops and crackles of the vinyl come through?

This has got to be preferable to playing CD's at soul do's. Surely this is the only way we can keep us label anoraks happy in the future!

Price is perhaps a bit over the top at the moment ($19,000!!!!) but presumably they will become cheaper. Definately worth considering now that many records are worth over a grand. Has any soul venue been brave enough to invest in a set yet?

Not entirely clear if it plays 45's though.

Wonder if the laser fades the label ?!?

Ferrett

Edited November 20, 2010 by Ferrett

[Phil Shields]

Been about for quite some time and imho pretty awful, nothing sounds a good quality well set up turntable.

Edited November 20, 2010 by phil shields

[Guest Ferrett]

Hi Phil,

I agree that I would still prefer a proper turntable, but I do worry that some of the very rare records that we all love will be knackered in a few years if we keep playing them out at venues meaning that we (and future soulies) won't be able to enjoy them in 5, 10,15 years time. Particularly if some venues don't have the ideal set up in terms of needle quality and weight. I'm not getting at any venue in particular here, but I'm sure we can all think of venues where the decks are nearly as vintage and worn out as the records!!

[Mrtag]

Hi Phil,

I agree that I would still prefer a proper turntable, but I do worry that some of the very rare records that we all love will be knackered in a few years if we keep playing them out at venues meaning that we (and future soulies) won't be able to enjoy them in 5, 10,15 years time. Particularly if some venues don't have the ideal set up in terms of needle quality and weight. I'm not getting at any venue in particular here, but I'm sure we can all think of venues where the decks are nearly as vintage and worn out as the records!!

I Have A Spare Set Of Headshells Complete With Stanton Cartridges and stylus's usually carry them in my playbox just in case !!

[Guest]

In a world of increasingly hard to find rare soul vinyl, this MUST be the future for the Northern Scene. The analogue vinyl sound we love without any damage to the grooves.

https://www.geek.com/...table-20101115/

Anyone tried these out? Do the pops and crackles of the vinyl come through?

This has got to be preferable to playing CD's at soul do's. Surely this is the only way we can keep us label anoraks happy in the future!

Price is perhaps a bit over the top at the moment ($19,000!!!!) but presumably they will become cheaper. Definately worth considering now that many records are worth over a grand. Has any soul venue been brave enough to invest in a set yet?

Not entirely clear if it plays 45's though.

Wonder if the laser fades the label ?!?

Ferrett

They actually came out in the 70s

I think Technics were the company who developed them.

They were stupidly expensive and never took off

And the vinyl had to be mint in the first place or there were issues with damaging the laser or something.

I have a relative who used to work for ICI / TDK / Sony and JVC in Japan

He brought them back in the 70s - I have never seen anyone with another set since.

The deck has buttons you press to select which track you want to listen to like a CD.

A real odd thing

[viphitman]

In a world of increasingly hard to find rare soul vinyl, this MUST be the future for the Northern Scene. The analogue vinyl sound we love without any damage to the grooves.

https://www.geek.com/...table-20101115/

Anyone tried these out? Do the pops and crackles of the vinyl come through?

This has got to be preferable to playing CD's at soul do's. Surely this is the only way we can keep us label anoraks happy in the future!

Price is perhaps a bit over the top at the moment ($19,000!!!!) but presumably they will become cheaper. Definately worth considering now that many records are worth over a grand. Has any soul venue been brave enough to invest in a set yet?

Not entirely clear if it plays 45's though.

Wonder if the laser fades the label ?!?

Ferrett

Yep, he plays a 45 as well!!

[Citizen P]

Would you not get "Cue Burn" then ?

Tony

[Phil Shields]

no cue burn just crap sound quality

[Guest]

no cue burn just crap sound quality

I can't remember the sound quality issues.

They were playing things like Pink Floyds dark side of the moon on it.

Everyone seemed to be delighted with the results.

I remember the laser slipping along the silver rod to the selected track inside the machine.

It all seemed like the space shuttle to me in 1979.

They told me to piss off with my 2 tone 45s

The thing was with this item all the vinyl introduced to it had to be virgin and mint.

That was the major factor.

and that is why it failed IMO

[Phil Shields]

I heard them at Hi Fi shows quite a few times. Yep the vinyl had to be really clean no old scratchy 45s.

From my memory the sound wasn't that good but then I still like single ended triode amps, tube phono stages, moving coil transformers and horn loudspeakers. Still only play cd's in the car.

Another big problem was there was very little "hands on" for turntable nerds to play with. We all like spending hours tweeking and there isn't a lot to do with a laser.

[Guest]

Hi Phil,

I agree that I would still prefer a proper turntable, but I do worry that some of the very rare records that we all love will be knackered in a few years if we keep playing them out at venues meaning that we (and future soulies) won't be able to enjoy them in 5, 10,15 years time. Particularly if some venues don't have the ideal set up in terms of needle quality and weight. I'm not getting at any venue in particular here, but I'm sure we can all think of venues where the decks are nearly as vintage and worn out as the records!!

It might be that in 15+ years time there will be a lot more records on the market from collections, and a lot less people to buy them!

So DJ's might as well keep playing them!