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Micro Seiki BL-91 TURNTABLE&SME Serie III Tonearm


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Good question UncleMack, I probably should have qualified that statement.

According to the Vintage Knob, the luxman belt drive TTs were built by Micro Seiki but the styling was obviously "Luxman". I presume this would include your PD310. see http://www.thevintageknob.org/LUXMAN/PD300/PD300.html

But recently, I read on the MS Yahoo forum that this was all BS and that Luxman produced these TT's themselves (one gentlemen's opinion only but it was neither agreed to nor contested by anyone else).

The internet can be highly unreliable and for every opinion there is an equally opposite one (Newton's law of Human Nature I guess). I've been trying to get hold of reviews of Luxman TTs around the early 80s to see if they made any comment on their genesis but no luck so far.

Maybe the truth lies in between - platter, chassis and other machined bits manufactured by Micro and electronics, cabinet etc. and assembly by Luxman. I'm sure the answer is out there just have to find it.

Good luck finding info on the early 80's Luxman tables, as there is not much out there at all. I have seen the yahoo luxman forum and various other sites, but darned if I can find much at all about my PD 350.

I did find an old japanese site once which listed the original buying prices of the models and the 555 was the most expensive listed with the PD350 next. But I'd love to find more info on the PD300, PD310, and PD350 because they are similar looking in a lot of ways. And apart from one other (a US listing ) I have never seen another PD350 listed on ebay besides mine which I got on our local ebay.

Maybe I need to find a better search engine to find more info?

Chris

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Good question UncleMack, I probably should have qualified that statement.

According to the Vintage Knob, the luxman belt drive TTs were built by Micro Seiki but the styling was obviously "Luxman". I presume this would include your PD310. see http://www.thevintageknob.org/LUXMAN/PD300/PD300.html

But recently, I read on the MS Yahoo forum that this was all BS and that Luxman produced these TT's themselves (one gentlemen's opinion only but it was neither agreed to nor contested by anyone else).

The internet can be highly unreliable and for every opinion there is an equally opposite one (Newton's law of Human Nature I guess). I've been trying to get hold of reviews of Luxman TTs around the early 80s to see if they made any comment on their genesis but no luck so far.

Maybe the truth lies in between - platter, chassis and other machined bits manufactured by Micro and electronics, cabinet etc. and assembly by Luxman. I'm sure the answer is out there just have to find it.

Interesting,

i suppose it doesn't really matter as it's such a lovely thing. Nice to know it's origins though.

Have you heard of anyone who makes the vacuum pump for these things? I remember being told years ago that someone in tassie was making them but that was maybe 15 years back. Don't know if the vacuum is worth pursuing as I've heard conflicting arguments re vacuum TT's

Cheers

M

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  • 4 months later...
Interesting thread. Just received a BL-91 with a syrix arm and what looks like a monster cartridge off ebay. The drive belt is buggered but everything else is quiet decent nick. Might have done alright here at $200.00

*Splutter* how much? And from ebay?

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*Splutter* how much? And from ebay?

Yeah Bear, even the sun shines on a dogs bum somedays...lucky me. I don't reckon this had been posted long when I tripped over it. Let a bit of pee out when saw the BIN

Ebay 130349402167

Not sure what the arm is thought it was a syrinx but no.

Cheers

G

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Yeah Bear, even the sun shines on a dogs bum somedays...lucky me. I don't reckon this had been posted long when I tripped over it. Let a bit of pee out when saw the BIN

Ebay 130349402167

Not sure what the arm is thought it was a syrinx but no.

Cheers

G

Well done mate:cool:

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Interesting thread. Just received a BL-91 with a syrix arm and what looks like a monster cartridge off ebay. The drive belt is buggered but everything else is quiet decent nick. Might have done alright here at $200.00

I think I'll just crawl into a corner and quietly cry :D

You lucky man. Just when I stop bothering to look at EBay every day this turns up. Oh well, back to the grind.

DS

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  • 2 years later...

hi guys i just got the bl91 with sme series iii tonearm and is the best turntable ever made, beautiful and musical a state of the art, for tonearm definately i ll go for an ikeda later, for now i must find a new cartridge for the sme tonearm, must be a mm cartridge low mass with high compliance, any sugestions ?

i would prefer i new made one, that can buy now than a vintage like shure or stanton, the tonearm is a piece of art but difficult for cartridge cause of his very low mass

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or the 312 from the same seller which some rate better and cheaper.

ALW

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I have a 312 too but I'm having too much fun with the 420STR on my slate Lenco /Transfi T3 Pro to try the 312.

Hi Jaspert,

I've got one of Dels slate plinths ready for a SP10 MKii and cut for a T3. Whats your opinion of the T3?

Back on topic.

Also have a Micro BL91 with a syrnix PU3 open to offers. Condition is good but the arm base is rough and wants replacing. Has a new belt fitted and another new one as a spare. Have way too many good TT's and some have to go.

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Hi Jaspert,

I've got one of Dels slate plinths ready for a SP10 MKii and cut for a T3. Whats your opinion of the T3?

Back on topic.

Also have a Micro BL91 with a syrnix PU3 open to offers. Condition is good but the arm base is rough and wants replacing. Has a new belt fitted and another new one as a spare. Have way too many good TT's and some have to go.

I'll give you $250 for it....

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Hi Jaspert,

I've got one of Dels slate plinths ready for a SP10 MKii and cut for a T3. Whats your opinion of the T3?

I'm a big fan of the T3 Pro on my modified slate Lenco ( previously on a TW Acustic Raven 1 - I like it more than Graham Phantom 2 on that table ) , especially with the Tomahawk arm wand with shielded silver leads direct from the cartridge pins to the phonostage, direct sounding, big open soundstage and dynamic ( combination of LOMC and some fantastic vintage MM/MI).

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