1959 Consumer Reports ratings of turntables (NEW, BIGGER SCANS!)

[GP49]

The American magazine Consumer Reports tests products and rates them as to quality. While their testing of audio components these days is cursory and hardly worth reading, years ago Consumer Reports used to test high fidelity equipment quite extensively. While it is always arguable how authoritative their tests and ratings are (some say they derive their "authority" from nowhere but their own organizational ego), their reports always did make interesting reading.

Here, in the attached images of pages from the 1961 Consumer Reports Buying Guide, is summarized the magazine's October 1959 report on turntables, single record players (which they define as a turntable with tonearm) and record changers. 

The Bogen B-61 (Lenco L-70), Garrard 301, Thorens TD-124 and various Rek-O-Kuts are included in these ratings, from forty-nine years ago.

NOTE: original scans have been replaced with larger ones, easier to read.

[jon]

It is interesting that all the Rek-O-Kut models are rated excellent! The 301 is rated as good, and the Bogen as fair...

I wonder if there was some sort of undisclosed interest (not, necessarily financial) in doing so?

[GP49]

It is interesting that all the Rek-O-Kut models are rated excellent! The 301 is rated as good, and the Bogen as fair...

In the 1970s I had a Rek-O-Kut L37.  It was the same as the L34, but 33/78 rpm instead of 33/45 rpm.  Yes, I knew about the "Excellent" Consumer Reports rating at the time, and how the L34 had outperformed the Thorens TD-124 and Garrard 301.  But I could not get it to run without excessive rumble.  I even tried a brand-new idler  wheel; where I went to college, Rek-O-Kut B12 turntables, which used the same idler wheel, were installed in the music library.  I knew their technician, so I got one for free.  But it was to no avail. 

In general the Garrard 301 would have been installed according to manufacturer recommendations on a thin plywood board which was then spring-suspended (four springs came packed with new Garrard 301 turntables) on a box plinth made of thin plywood.  This was the worst possible way to mount one of these, and Consumer Reports always claimed to mount turntables in the manner recommended by the manufacturer.  Garrard Sales Corporation even sold their own plinth which was exactly of this construction so we can assume the unit tested was mounted this way.  So the Garrard...and also the Bogen B-61 which was most likely on its suspension springs, in a thin wooden plinth...was at a disadvantage compared to the Rek-O-Kuts, whose manufacturer-recommended mounting was to be screwed firmly onto a thick, one-inch wooden mounting board, or on a plinth made of thick wood.  In their factory-recommended mounting, Rek-O-Kut foresaw what audiophiles now do with Garrards and Lencos.

But I STILL could not get my Rek-O-Kut to run without rumble.  I gave it to my brother, who also gave up on it.  He's still got it.

[jon]

Aha, no hidden agenda (another conspiracy theory shot down in flames) just poor advice from the manufacturer on plinth mounting!

[richard]

I have the same version of the Rek-O-Kut N33H as the one tested here. CU said here that it flutters, which I figure was due to its rigid plastic-impregnated fabric belt at work with the Papst synchronous motor. I suspect that the inside-out motor design can transmit flutter due to buffeting air patterns around the motor's external rotating lobes. A later change would have reduced the flutter by using a thin rubber belt. The speed-adjustment should never have been used: there was no need for it. The motor's pulley was slightly too large, so with the rubber belt, the machine ran above speed; accurate speed was actually achieved by controlled belt slippage via the tension adjustment screw. The pulley was machined into the motor shaft, so the only fix is to get antother motor (I want one). Or, I could become very brave and sand down my integral pulley.

Consumer Reports can produce strange evaluations of things. On rare occasions, I've found them biased, but very rarely. A significant shortcoming is their product testing that's done with strict adherance to manufacturer's recommendations. For example, they stated that a car found outstanding by Road and Track magazine to have dangerous, unstable handling. This was due to the soft manufacturer's tire pressure recommendation, adopted to sell more cars by giving a smooth test drive. The other magazine just inflated the tires more and stated that the car's handling was exceptionally good (the car was the Renault 10). Now, I think that what Consumer Reports really should have done would have been to look at the recommended tire pressure, say "That's rediculous," set the pressure like the other magazine did, report on it that way, and tell readers how to set the pressure.

Their reports on hi-fi gear were always regarded with skepticism by audiophiles, repair people, and knowledgeable dealers, but I think that we've all looked at their reviews for gentle guidance and gentle reminders.

Gene, a couple of requests:

1. Would it be possible for you to redo the scans at higher resolution? I can't quite make out some significant data this time.
2. Can you, at some time, post their cartridge review from the same vintage? The reason why I'm asking is because 1959 is such an important transition point between mono and stereo.

[B52]

Does anyone have a picture of the Stromberg Carlson TT? Never heard about it. So i'm very curious...

[richard]

I haven't heard of this machine either, Eng Bo (Gene, does this ring any bells for you?).

Unless I missed this, Stromberg-Carlson wasn't known as a hi-fi component company so this is a real mystery for me, too. I don't think that they even would have been importing such an item from someplace else. And why didn't they like the Thorens 124?

[brian]

Stromberg-Carlson were certainly producing a range of amplifiers, tuners and loudspeakers at the end of the Fifties into the early Sixties.
The only reference to a turntable I could turn up here is in an advert in the November 1960 edition of Hi Fi/Stereo Review which quotes from a review in the May edition of High Fidelity Magazine :

The PR-500 Turntable "...a single speed (33 1/3 rpm) turntable with an integrally mounted arm...employs a somewhat unconventional drive system which results in a totally inaudible rumble level and low wow and flutter. The arm is simple yet effective, with a mounting system which makes the unit relatively insensitive to shock and vibration."

"The arm tracks well at the lowet stylus forces recommended by the cartridge manufacturere."

"The hum field surrounding the PR-500 is very low and no difficulty should be experienced from this source even with poorly shielded cartridges."

"...the Stromberg-Carlson PR-500 performs in a manner comparable to that of the most expensive turntables and arms, yet sells for much less."

"The PR-500 is excellent value at $69.95."

- Hirsch-Houck Laboratory, High Fidelity Magazine, May '60

The advert only shows an artist's impression.

[richard]

Bummer; don't know how I could have missed that.
Sounds like an interesting turntable alright!

And Hirsch-Houck is a name that we associated with a different publication, at least later.

[jon]

The PR-500 Turntable "...a single speed (33 1/3 rpm) turntable with an integrally mounted arm...employs a somewhat unconventional drive system which results in a totally inaudible rumble level and low wow and flutter. The arm is simple yet effective, with a mounting system which makes the unit relatively insensitive to shock and vibration."

"The arm tracks well at the lowet stylus forces recommended by the cartridge manufacturere."

"The hum field surrounding the PR-500 is very low and no difficulty should be experienced from this source even with poorly shielded cartridges."

"...the Stromberg-Carlson PR-500 performs in a manner comparable to that of the most expensive turntables and arms, yet sells for much less."

"The PR-500 is excellent value at $69.95."

- Hirsch-Houck Laboratory, High Fidelity Magazine, May '60

My understanding is that it was a belt drive... Given the date I assume that would have been an early one!

[GP49]

As already noted, Stromberg-Carlson was a pretty well-known hi-fi company of the late 50s, into the 1960s. 

My Dynaco Stereo 70 has a Stromberg-Carlson power transformer.  The original Dynaco transformer had a bad habit of failing shorted, which is why I was given the amplifier.  In the shop junkpile at the time was a Stromberg-Carlson integrated amplifier that used the same paired EL34 output tubes.  I robbed its power transformer to fix my Dynaco.  It's a bit broader so the top cover of the Dynaco won't fit any more; and it's taller and heavier. Where standard Dynaco power transformers run very warm, the Stromberg-Carlson one runs lukewarm. 

I took the output transformers of the Stromberg-Carlson, too; sold them to a local tech who scratchbuilt tube amplifiers.  Word was, they performed well with 6L6 tubes.  Oddly, whereas the Stromberg-Carlson power transformer is larger than the original Dynaco, its output transformers were smaller than the Dyna's.

[brian]

My understanding is that it was a belt drive... Given the date I assume that would have been an early one!

Yes, that was my interpretation of "a somewhat unconventional drive system" too.
Maybe similar to the Fairchild of the same era?

[george37]

Hello

Send pictures of my Not acceptable table, made by my father,
then i added the United Audio plinth, sonds good, less rumble
and noise than my other vintage tables, speccially Bang Olufsen
Beogram 1100 too much noisy.
Thanks you very much for the information, i've got a lot
of Stereo Review 1962 onwards, the Music Master is from 1958
made by Suzuki Denki Japan.


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Best regards
George

[george37]

Send a scan page of my 1962 Stereo Directory, Stromberg and Thorens.


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Best regards
George

[george37]

Richard
Some cartridges from 1962 Stereo HiFi Directory.


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Best regards
George