Russco Broadcast Turntables Circa 1980

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• There was nothing carny barker about Russco tables: they were made for 24/7 broadcast use. Wow and flutter were in no way comparable to, say, a Linn Sondek, which back then was actually (hard to believe) less expensive. (It's the most overpriced TT on the market today in terms of build cost to sale ratio.) It did what it was designed to do.

  There is no market today because even stations like crappic rockers that "play vinyl" actually copy it over to a hard drive and play off a server. For that, a Technics or any other light DJ table works fine.

  Using one today would be dependent on finding new (not NOS, new as in cure date of 2008 or later) rubber drivetrain parts.

  Several other similar tables such as BE existed.

• Oh wow. I'd forgotten the brand, but seeing this brought it all back. I had a Russco turntable for a while. I got it in lieu of salary when I worked at a car stereo installation shop in Iowa City. Who knows where they got it. It was like a light robin egg blue with dark red felt on the platter. 2-speed. Huge ass motor hung below the deck. I built a 3-sided cabinet out of 3/4" plywood so I could use the damn thing. It rumbled like crazy. The motor was so torquey that it would buck the stylus out of the groove when you hit the power switch. I loved the big shift lever.

• As I write I am listenig to a Russco studio Pro B with Russco RTA -12 arm that I picked up at a fleemarket, -i think thats what they are called over the pond - in 2008 and never looked back. They were imported by ITAME into Spain, where it came from, in the 80s for RTE Española, Radio SER plus many other stations. Of all the TTs i own it's my prefered 'listening for pleasure' deck. I also have a Technics Sp 10 and Emt 948 studio TTs, plus some old thorens and lencos, but the Russco is the star. The direct drives are used for transfering vinyl as they are more, dare I say, neutral but i find them too 'HIFI', a bit like the difference between CD vs Vinyl.
  The look of the Russco is one of battle ship build to me, not carnival ride at all, although my other half thinks they are plain ugly. With a bit of care that idler wheel drive rumble is almost non existant, Yes it drips oil from the huge main bearing housing - mine at least - Yes it's not pretty, but you just know it will play any record you through at it without any fuss, and keep playing them forever. Now if I could just get my hands on a Mark V model...

  • Hi Grim, if you are in Spain let's meet. I am in Barcelona and just got a Russco MarkV, and two EMTs: 948 & 938.
    My mail is jcusi@ginsa.es
    Happy new year!

• LOL Carnival ride. I think my Russco studio pro looks like a Darlek from Dr who, with that big change lever as the exterminator! -Rumble! exterminate! rumble!-, seriously though it's musicality and huge sound stage makes up for everything, just listen in the dark.

• The Russco is not Carny, it is all business. Built for 24/7/365 use with twice-three times a year maintenance. High performance when plinthed correctly, these machines soldiered on for many years of service on the USA AM and FM airwaves. Failure wasn't an option. Simple, reliable, brick outhouse engineering and build.

• I have 2 Russco turntables in a Sparta console with a Sparta A-10B mixer.Considering parting with them because I'm not using them.If anyone is interested in making a reasonable offer feel free to email me for photographs.
  skyisland1@comcast.net

• I was a personal friend of Russ at Russco. The truth about the evolution of the various broadcast turntables is simple. They all share common traits, with slight differences. A Collins designer went to QRK. A QRK designer went to Russco. That person was Russ Friend. None of TT's had patents. Many of the TT's; QRK and Sparta were made by Russco. Before Russ passed away, he told me the entire story.

  Russco did manufacturer the RTA tone arms. Each piece was milled in the shop. I have some of the jewels for that arm and the tool to insert them. Russ quit making them because they weren't cost effective.

  • Message to Glen,
    I have a Mark V TT and the arm misses the axis and the counter weigh. Do you know where can I find the parts missing, please?
    Thanks!

• Hello

  Maybe some one can help me with a Mk5 version the one is drifting in speed .

• As many of these turntables shared common designers and common component parts, I wonder if someone might be able to help me with my Sparta G-12. I got mine with the 'economy' 4-pole motor and would like to replace that motor with a Bodine or Ashland hysteresis-synchronous one. I'll be using this table for recording, and the 4-pole just doesn't have the horsepower and speed stability. The Sparta motor plate appears to be drilled 'universally, ' and I know that a better motor was available as an option when these were new. If anyone can point me in the right direction I'd be most appreciative.

• Jim,

  Are you the Jim Wood from Inovonics? The better motors like the Bodine NYC-12 are out there, but pricey. Likewise the Ashland. The motor is often alone $300-$400. Might make sense to find a complete parts turntable for the same money with the motor you want. My QRK 12-C has the last motor, the Japanese one from Shinano Kenshi. It's very quiet, and very accurate on speed stability, and is hysteresis synchronous.