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From: cowles@convex.com (John Cowles)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end
Subject: Laser turntables
Message-ID: <8896@uwm.edu>
Date: 14 Jan 91 14:04:53 GMT
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Originator: tjk@csd4.csd.uwm.edu

During a recent visit to Japan I got a chance to play with a laser
turntable. The turn table was (I think) made by a company in Germany,
and could play 78's as well as 33 1/3rpm and 45's. The documentation was
in English and Japanese. From the owner's hints, I would guess that the
equipment was VERY expensive.

One of the controls allowed the user to vary the width and depth of the
laser beam. On the whole, although I was VERY excited by the possibility
of playing records with a laser stylus, I was disappointed with the
performance. Especially with 78's it sounded as though it was mistracking.
One of the things one would like to do with an adjustable laser stylus (at
least one of the things I would like to do :-)! ) is to play the top of
the groove, where a conventional needle/stylus has not played havoc with
the recorded information.

Does anyone have any information about this beast?
Price/performance/availability/futures?

Thanks,

John Cowles
cowles@hydra.convex.com
Convex Computer Corp.
3000 Waterview Parkway
Richardson, Tx
214-497-4375