Get aload of this!

Anyone have any history with this turntable? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3057027456&category=48649&rd=1

 

This is the Clockwork Orange TT right?

 

Yep. Looks like it can spin lettuce too.

 

This may be the one that Prix has
Peace-
Norm

 

Yeah, ask Prix. If he doesn't know, he'll ask Steve!

 

This is not the one that I have, but close......sort of. This turntable is by Transcriptors and was designed by David Gammon. It is called the Transcriber and was manufactured in the UK from '76 to '80. Gammon's most famous model, which appeared in the film "A Clockwork Orange", was the Hydraulic Reference. That is the model that I have. However, my turntable is not made by Transcriptors....it is made by J A Michell. Gammon licensed J A Michell to produce the Hydraulic Reference and if you look at Michell's current production, you can see that they were more than casually influenced by the design. In any case, the Transcriptors and J A Michell turntables are IDENTICAL. Parts are interchangeable, specs are the same, etc. The only difference is the name on the "manufactured by" sticker.

I am shocked at the price of this unit on ebay. This is a linear tracking device and the arm is attached to the cover, if I remember correctly. Looks like a nightmare to setup properly, but that's nothing compared to the hassle of shipping this thing. The case is 100% glass. Good luck to these cats!


Here is my table for comparison, sans dust cover and cartridge:

 

Prix, how's the sound on that one? I wonder if you've had a chance to check it out yet since there's no cart on it, at least on the picture.

All that.. what is it acrylic? and aluminum or whatever other metal it is.. off the top of my head I think of a pretty snappy sound.. maybe even a bit hard/etched. Am I missing something?

Personally I've come to like some wood in my turntables.. but that's just me.

I really look forward to a comment on this one.

 

I look forward to it also. That's funny because I anticipate a tight and snappy sound for some reason. As pathetic as it is, I have not yet been able to listen to this table. I found out it is missing a part in the speed control section, which fortunately I've found, but I'm still waiting for it to arrive. I still haven't figured out the tonearm either and I will NOT play my vinyl until this baby is perfectly setup. Once I play it, I will definitely publish a full report.

 

Great, I look very forward to it. As a bit of an aside I've bought my first 'real' turntable over the past week, a Thorens 125 (first series).

It turned to be a bit more of a fixer-upper than I'd thought it'd be but it's a lovely beast.. I can barely lift it!

I don't think a snappy-sounding TT would be a bad match to your vintage rig, since I presume the sound of all those components must be on the darker side?

Best,

Damián

Edit: This is very much what my Thorens looks like.. (sorry about all the gushing)
http://www.stefanopasini.it/images/Thorens%20TD-125-Old-1.jpg

 

Your Thorens looks dynamite! There was a period of time when I was so frustrated with my Hydraulic Reference that I was considering selling it to buy a Thorens. My components are slightly on the dark and smooth side of neutral, but that is mostly due to the Telefunken 12AX7s. Overall, my system is surprisingly accurate for a vintage rig....MUCH more so than I expected when I first put the system together. I just lucked out, I guess, and stumbled on a magic combination. I will never break up my Fisher X-202-B from those Tannoy Mallorcans. Together, they are MAGIC. I've got a second pair of Tannoys and a pair of Altec Santana II that I will use when I decide to play with other amps, other turntables, and other systems.

 

I confused, I thought John Mitchell designed the TT used in Clockwork Orange.

 

I meant John Michell of course, me and my typos

 

A common misconception. The table was designed by David Gammon. Click on "company".

http://www.transcriptors.co.uk/frame_1.php

 

Yeah, the turntable he designed didn't work too well ... every recording played on it had an 18-minute gap.



Sorry again..

 

Prix, how about an update on the turntable? Have you managed to set it up?

 

Prix, good luck in setting that baby up. One of my teachers had one in the 70's. Sounded pretty good too. Obviously a major part of the appeal is visual. I remember being quite mesmerized watching that platter rotate. A very cool piece of audio art, for sure.