A bad implemented, non conventional approach
In the 80’s, I had this Amstrad/Schneider Stereo, a VAL-1002 (SM104). It had a so called tangential turn table. Its arm was actively moved by sensor activated motor, whenever the angle on the arm’s mount got too big. ChatGPT describes it likes this:
The tangential tonearm is a fascinating component in the world of turntables, crucial for audiophiles. Unlike traditional tonearms that move in an arc, the tangential tonearm moves linearly on a sled, maintaining a perfect tangent to the record groove. This design minimizes distortion, as the needle tracks at the same angle as the cutting stylus that created the groove.
The Technology Behind It
Initially, precision tracking was achieved using a servomotor that followed the record groove. The arm was mounted on a rotating sled, with electronic controls responding to even the slightest deviations from the ideal linear path. However, this method required a small deviation to occur before correction could take place.
Innovative Features
Servoregulated tangential tonearms introduced features that enhanced the listening experience, such as vertical turntable positioning and track programming, similar to CD players. In the 1980s, manufacturers like Technics and RFT released models with these capabilities, including the Technics SL-J3, which offered features like track programming and automatic skipping.
Conclusion
The tangential tonearm represents a significant technological advancement that not only improves the sound quality of vinyl records but also enriches the user experience, making it an essential element for many music lovers seeking perfect sound.
It was horrible
Well, the experience was pretty bad! Whatever you did, the needle kept on jumping. There was no weight to adjust, like you have on a normal turntable. I tried to shim the front to put the chassis on an angle, but that also didn’t help. So I had to get another, normal turntable that I had to connect to the microphone inputs on the front. Well, since the stereo set with the speakers it came with was already pretty bad, the complete setup was far from high fidelity.
It was a gift
I got this stereo from my parents, since it had the exact size to fit in to my hand made wardrobe/cupboard combination. Only, the speakers had to stand on the wardrobe that was on side of the room. There was no way to improve sound quality, since the room just didn’t have it. The original idea when setting up this room, was using headphones anyway.
Then I moved out
Once I moved out, I bought some single components, an AKAI cassette recorder, a Sansui equalizer, a Thomson amplifier, I already had a DUAL turntable, added a Sony CD-Player and combined them with some huge, very old, two way speakers. The sound was decent and I improved my setup during the years. Looking back, I miss my transmission line speakers. They were not too loud, but precise. Nowadays I have some KEFs, a cheap 2.1 system that mostly plays tv sound. For music I use headphones. Doesn’t disturb my neighbors, has a bass that only I can feel and hear and delivers stereo sound no matter where I am in the room.
How did your music consumption change? Let me know in the comments.
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