Japanese Idler-Driven Turntable Part 6: Realistic Mark 8

Just like cars, a new turntable model has to be introduced every year or two to keep consumers' interest and convince them that newer is better.😊

from page 37 of the 1960 Radio Shack Catalog

The Realistic Mark 8 improved upon the similar looking "motor unit-stye" Mark 7 in Part 4 of this series by adding a 16 rpm speed and supplying a half pound heavier cast aluminum platter.

OJAS 529B Horn

During my visit to the OJAS listening room late last year, Devon asked me to evaluate a pair of horns OJAS developed in collaboration with Lycan R&R. The OJAS 529B is a 500 Hz horn rescaled from the large format Altec 329A for use with 1" format Altec/GPA compression drivers.

  This horn was designed with a throat inspired by the Western Electric 32 horn to avoid the harshness and distortion I (as well as others 😉) associate with the Altec 811 and 511 horns, 

For more details about this horn's evolution and construction, please click here.