Accutrac +6 (1979)

The Accutrac +6 was a microprocessor-controlled, linear-tracking turntable that could hold six records and play their tracks in any programmed order. Built by Accutrac—a subsidiary of ADC (Audio Dynamics Corporation), which had been purchased by BSR—it was introduced at the 1979 Chicago CES with a suggested retail price of $500. It remains one of the most technically ambitious and reliability-challenged turntables of its era.

The headline feature was full programmability: a microprocessor (likely an Intel 8048 or 8049) let the user key in track sequences across six records, skipping or repeating as desired. An ad campaign in High Fidelity (July 1978, p.18) boasted that building one from scratch would cost "at least $100,000," while the actual price was a small fraction of that. The Accuglide™ spiral spindle lowered records gently onto the platter instead of dropping them—a genuine improvement over conventional changers. The tone arm was a low-mass linear tracker with T4P mounting, and the drive was direct-drive with ±3% speed adjustment. The included cartridge was the ADC Integra LMA-1 moving magnet.

Sonic performance was decent for the period; one observer called it "surprisingly good." But the complex control system, touch-pad interface, and specialized mechanisms proved fragile. The drive motor is now unobtainable, and few technicians will attempt repairs. Non-working units are common in thrift stores for $5–$10, and collector interest is minimal. Still, the +6 is a fascinating snapshot of late-1970s ambition—the moment when a record-changer company tried to leap straight into the computer age.