SONY PS-L99 (1983) | Time, Track, Programme

 

An Innovative Vintage Turntable from 1983. Is this the best turntable ever made? Definitely not—but it’s certainly one of the most innovative. Released in 1983, this remarkable piece of audio engineering introduced features that had never been seen before on a conventional turntable. At its core, the design relies on two proven technologies: a Direct Drive motor and a Linear Tracking tonearm. However, what sets this model apart is the way these elements were implemented. The front-loading construction allows the turntable to be placed in a stack with other components, while its compact size (355mm wide) made it ideal for midi systems, such as Sony’s Liberty series. What makes this turntable truly unique are the advanced functions it offered. After loading a vinyl record, the track numbers are displayed on the front panel. Once playback begins, the unit shows the elapsed time of the track—not as a real-time counter, but as a stopwatch function starting with the play command. Even more impressive, the turntable allows the user to program a sequence of up to 8 tracks from one side of a record, including the option for random playback. For vintage audio collectors and turntable enthusiasts, this model remains a fascinating example of how far manufacturers were willing to push the limits of analog playback technology in the 1980s. Original sale price in Germany: 850 DM.

Looking for more? Head to 1001hifi.com for everything vintage audio.