Interesting Technics DJ kit

I saw this at a local record store

 

Neat! Looks like dual Sp25's with Grey Research tonearms.

jeff

 

It's Micro-Trak tonearms, Micro-trak 6509 mixer (new 1981), in a Micro-Trak "Ditty Desk".


Can't imagine they sold too many...a new 1980 Toyota Corolla was $4300.

 

So would this be for radio use or a built-in system for a nightclub?

 

It was for AM/FM broadcast station use, mainly. Remote broadcasts. Also could be used as an emergency studio if one was down, or production studio.

 

Some digging shows indeed Micro-Trak was formerly Gray Research.

Ditty Desk says "Port. Remote System" in the price guide. Maybe intended for portable radio location use, with fold-out legs; they made broadcast idler turntables and radio studio "WKRP" turntable furniture. More likely semi-permanent for anybody that would buy it. Radio station hosts the roller rink? The similar 1976 "System D Compact" with big idlers is "easily moved by two people", "fits in a station wagon", "ideal unit for DJ on the go or the producer who wants...different locations".

Two 1980 SL1200mk2 in a DJ coffin with lid is far more practical. I drug mine around with wheels on one end. SL-25 is the same motor.

The mixer photo in hi-res below. It's a broadcast configuration. Turning the volume all the way down puts the input in CUE mode for preview. Both the monitor speaker and headphones can pick from PROG/CUE/EXT (Mobile DJs wouldn't cue through speakers, turning off program). No Mic inputs?

The labels stuck on this one near the two inputs with A-B-C selection say "Cart 1" "Cass" "CD1", etc, so it was probably used in a permanent setup.


Looking through their catalog I'm also reminded of the good ol' days where the radio coverage of high school sports was via lo-fi phone line.

 

I knew I had an embarrassing pic around here...

 

Interesting. Not so “ portable” by today’s standards

 

Two turntables, the mixer, but no phono preamps shown?

 

My guess is that the phono preamps were built into the Micro-Trak control center. Neat unit.

BillWojo

 

That’s what I’m guessing as well

 

As far as I know, mixers that have phono preamps have switches labeled "phono". This one doesn't show any in the picture.

 

There is one labeled CRT. I’m wondering if that means cartridge

 

I suspect this shipped with the optional phono pre.




Help me decide: go to that record store, or $1750 today...

 

Im picking the Technics. I don’t have an engineering degree to figure the Pioneer out

 

That or tucked in a discreet area underneath the turntables. And by the way, Micro-Trak made excellent phono preamps for broadcast use. And yes, they were a spin off of Gray Laboratories. Used to operate one of these similar packages, it was a Russco, which had Russco Cue-Master turntables, Micro-Trak 303 tonearms, Stanton 500 AL cartridges, Russco console and Russco phono preamplifiers. It was a barter purchase from Pepper-Tanner when we needed a remote rig, and the station was having a lean year. Swapped for unsold spot inventory.

 

Note that that Pioneer DJ mixer has switches for CH 3 and CH 4 labeled

[monitor icon] LINE PHONO

 

@McLover, funny that you mentioned Russco, I'm in the middle of a ground up restoration of a Russco Studio Pro Model B that came out of a radio station. All the usual tricks plus a few more to get the idler running quiet as a church mouse. Helps that I'm a machinist and can make my own parts.

BillWojo