History of the legendary Micro Seiki
The company was founded in Tokyo in 1961 as a manufacturer of precision metal parts and was not initially involved in the audio industry. But in the early 70s of the last century, something went wrong and the best vinyl players in the world* began to appear under the Micro Seiki brand.
* – according to the author and a large number of fans of the brand around the world.
While Japanese turntables were known around the world for their high-end Direct Drive, not every Japanese company followed this path. Micro has achieved cult status thanks to unusual technical solutions, such as an air-bearing platter, vacuum plate clamping and the generally very high quality of all its products. At its best, the company's product range included 89 turntables and 18 tonearms. They also produced many accessories and other audio products, such as MM and MC cartridges, MC transformers, electrostatic headphones, amplifiers, and even CD players.
But by the mid-90s, the general shrinking of the vinyl market forced the company to downsize, focusing solely on producing high-end and reference turntables.
The company encountered financial problems in the second half of the 1990s and moved to smaller, cheaper premises in Saitama Prefecture outside Tokyo. In 1999, the company ceased production of turntables and replacement parts for its older products, with the exception of its high-end SX-8000 model, and by this time had become primarily a precision engineering shop and also produced specialized instrumentation equipment. Later that year, the company moved again to even more modest premises, and in 2001, Micro Seiki sold its last turntable and closed the store.
Iconic turntable models
The company's real breakthrough, which elevated it to cult status, occurred in 1976, when they released the DDX-1000 (DQX-1000), which marked the beginning of a fundamentally new design, which is still used by many manufacturers of hi-end players. The unique design with interchangeable bases made it possible to simultaneously install 3 tonearms and the DDX-1000 immediately became the favorite of all audio journalists of the time, as it made it easy to conduct comparative tests of tonearms, heads, etc.
Among other things, the player was equipped with a very powerful high-torque motor and the ability to disable quartz speed control at the touch of a button. However, the sound of this player was not always ideal, so it required very good isolation. Due to insufficiently tight tightening of the bases, unwanted resonances arose from the rather loud design of the chassis and support disk.
In the early 80's these direct drive tables were replaced by the much more serious RX series belt driven monsters. These players were (and still are) in a completely different league in most respects. It is this design that modern high-end manufacturers copy.
The modular design and wide range of accessories allow you to build a unique turntable for yourself. Until now, the owners of these devices are building on their basis of amazingly monstrous designs.
The RX series is distinguished by heavy cast tables with the ability to install any 4 tonearms, remote motors (which can be attached to the table), additional disks that weigh down the chassis, four types of support disks, including those with vacuum plate clamping, an additional high-speed module that increases inertia and without that heavy platter and much more.
I would describe these Micros as reliable, versatile, very well designed and, without a doubt, terribly expensive in today's money. Just imagine: a heavy bronze support disk and sealed bearing create easy and silent rotation, an external motor, a one-piece chassis with self-adjusting metal supports. The sound of these players with a completely black, deep background is like that of a CD player, with minimal track noise, high dynamic contrast and stable speed.
If you ever buy one, it will be a turntable for life.
For such players, a large number of aluminum alloy bases were produced for any type of tonearm. For example AX-1 with a standard round hole, AX-2 with a hole for SME tonearms, etc. Heavier bases with the letter G (AX-1G) made of zinc/copper alloy were also produced.
Among the “regular” players, it is worth mentioning the best BL-91 - a high-quality passive player that was not as expensive as the RX series models, but at the same time provided the highest sound quality and could be equipped with any tonearm of your choice.
Tonearms
The MA-505 is a bestseller in the category, a good, very comfortable and relatively inexpensive tonearm that allows you to change VTF and VTA on the fly. Produced in several versions, the MKIII had the ability to change from an S-shaped arm to a straight arm and liquid damping.
There was also a modified version that was installed in the base on DD series players.
The CF-1 is an excellent low effective weight carbon tonearm for high flex cartridges. There is also a more advanced version of the MA-707 with adjustable effective tonearm mass.
MAX-282 is a top-end tonearm based on a three-point gyroscopic holder with the lowest level of horizontal and vertical friction.
Once properly balanced, downforce is controlled not by a counterweight, but by a precision torsion bar. The tonearm had 3 replaceable arms.
Although today we are witnessing a vinyl renaissance and there have been many high-end turntables in all segments recently from a variety of manufacturers, they still have a hard time competing with such overengineered devices as Micro Seiki, produced at least 30 years ago.
Micro Seiki DD8z + Micro Seiki MA-505 + AT-150E/G + Nikitin phono + vinyl
A good level set for listening to vinyl.
- Micro Seiki DD8z is a direct drive turntable. The DD8 “Z” modification is rarer and more expensive than the standard DD8. The differences between this player model are: a heavier table, a heavier disc, the table (unlike younger models, including the regular dd8 version) allows you to install different tonearms.
Included is a universal version of the famous Micro Seiki MA-505 tonearm. The universal mounting of the tonearm makes it easy to rearrange and use it with other tables; it is connected with a standard 5din phono cable (in part of the photo - the tonearm is installed on another table).
- MM cartridge Audio-Technica AT-150E/G, with original insert.
- Original Micro Seiki H-303 shell
- Clone of Nikitin's MM phono stage in good performance
- 12 branded records, excellent condition (no worse than Ex+/Nm-)
- Brushes for vinyl care, for needle care
- Step-up transformer 110-220 for connecting the player to the network.
Everything is in very good, fully working condition.
Table, disk, original mat in excellent condition. Stable speeds at both speeds, the turntable motor runs silently.
The tonearm is in excellent condition, both functionally and cosmetically. All adjustments work, there are no backlashes.
The wear on the head is minimal; after switching to MS, it was kept as a spare.
I see the price for the entire set is 98 thousand rubles.
The kit contains everything you need, plug it in and listen.The plates are:
Discogs
Santana - Santana
Label: CBS/Sony - 26AP 1302 • Series: Gold Disc (3) • Format: Vinyl LP, Compilation • Country: Japan • Genre: Rock • Style: Classic Rock
Discogs
Rod Stewart - Greatest Hits
Label: Warner Bros. Records — P-10708W • Format: Vinyl LP, Compilation • Country: Japan • Genre: Rock • Style: Pop Rock
Discogs
Queen - Greatest Hits
Country: UK • Genre: Rock, Pop • Style: Rock & Roll, Hard Rock, Arena Rock
Discogs
U2 - Rattle And Hum
Label: Island Records - 842 299-1 • Format: 2x, Vinyl LP, Album, Reissue 180gr • Country: Europe • Genre: Rock • Style: Blues Rock, Pop Rock, Classic Rock
Discogs
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Diana Ross And The Supremes Greatest Hits
Label: Motown - SJET-9388-9 • Format: 2x, Vinyl LP, Compilation, Promo Gatefold • Country: Japan • Genre: Funk / Soul •
Discogs
The Manhattan Transfer - Extensions
Label: Atlantic – K 50674,Atlantic – K50674 • Format: Vinyl LP, Album • Country: UK • Genre: Electronic, Jazz, Funk / Soul • Style: Jazz-Funk, Disco
Discogs
America (2) — History · America's Greatest Hits
Label: Warner Bros. Records — P-10067W • Format: Vinyl LP, Compilation, Stereo • Country: Japan • Genre: Rock • Style: Pop Rock
Discogs
Michael Jackson - Off The Wall
Label: Epic - FE 35745 • Format: Vinyl LP, Album Pitman Pressing, Gatefold • Country: US • Genre: Funk / Soul, Pop • Style: Disco, Soul, Ballad
Discogs
The Beach Boys - The Very Best Of...Volume 2
Label: Capitol Records - HMVNZ 21-2 • Format: Vinyl LP, Compilation • Country: New Zealand • Genre: Rock • Style: Pop Rock
Discogs
Deep Purple — Last Concert In Japan
Label: Warner Bros. Records – P-10370W,Purple Records – P-10370W • Format: Vinyl LP, Album • Country: Japan • Genre: Rock • Style: Hard Rock
Discogs
The Beach Boys - Ten Years Of Harmony
Label: Caribou Records - CRB 88553 • Format: 2x, Vinyl LP, Compilation • Country: UK • Genre: Rock, Pop • Style: Vocal
Discogs
Scorpions - Best Of Scorpions
Label: RCA (2) - NL74006,RCA (2) - NL 74006, Arteton - NL74006 • Format: Vinyl LP, Compilation, Unofficial Release White Labels • Country: USSR • Genre: Rock • Style: Hard Rock
If you want to switch to MS, you can add a Uesugi UBros 5L transformer to the kit for an additional cost, which was separately priced at a higher price.
The price included with this transformer is 135 thousand rubles.
I will send it by a transport company, I know how to pack well, I have shipping experience.
Micro Seiki dd-24
Externally in very good condition, clean, well-maintained device. The cover is without chips or cracks, there are no burrs or scratches on the body.The standard signal wire was removed and a normal output was made for a standard RCA wire. The only thing I forgot to do was wrap the tonearm wires in foil inside the case. However, if this was not done by the manufacturer, then maybe this is the same excess as dancing with a tambourine around the player in order to exorcise the spirits of the previous owners. I ask you not to point your fingers at me for the vibrating mats—it was some wizard who shoved in the unbearable stuff before me. I have already removed the most shameful part of them, and closed my eyes to the rest. Warning question: The bottom pan is intact and in place. The pickup is installed GZM-055 with a German replica Ortofon VMS-20 stylus. The shell and its wires are simple. With force, there is a little play in the fastening of the tonearm arm, but I don’t see the point in even trying to fix something, because... Why bother pulling it at all? The player is not automatic, only auto-stop with tonearm return is available.
The device is designed to operate on a 120-volt network, but a step-down transformer is inserted into the break in the network wire.
In terms of power, it exceeds the player's needs indicated in those data; in reality, it gets a little warm. Theoretically, it can be placed inside, which is what I did, but then I decided that the benefits of this for sound are questionable, and it’s not visible behind the body anyway. Technically, all functions and appearance of the player are shown in the video - https://youtu.be/fj07kV6Qt94
In any case, the item for sale is not new and when bidding, please take this into account. Of course, I do not accept any claims and no returns either. If you have any questions, I will answer everything as is. I guarantee reliable packaging.
Please check the availability of the item you are interested in before clicking the “BUY” button. Some lots are posted on other trading platforms and may have already been sold. You get what is in the photo and in the description; in the designated condition, which is a personal subjective assessment of the seller and which is either acceptable for you to make a purchase or not. I remind you that all discussions of lots and your expectations are only before the transaction is completed. This is a private sale and there is a NO EXCHANGE, NO RETURN guarantee. I pack as indicated in the ad or in accordance with your wishes, adjusting the cost of packaging and shipping. I am not responsible for the destructive actions of carriers. Thank you for your understanding and happy shopping.
