Marantz TT-1 (c. 1965)
The Marantz TT-1 looks great, but it's not a standalone turntable. It was the record-playing section of a complete all-in-one stereo system in Marantz's 1960s red-and-white look. The system had a built-in AM/FM tuner in the deck's top cover, a pair of small two-driver satellite speakers, and an amplifier. It was introduced in 1965 and reviewed that same year by Hirsch-Houck Labs, who called it an "unusually fine" component with performance comparable to far more expensive separates, according to Sound & Vision's retrospective coverage. Contemporary coverage from the period also noted that economy-class turntables rarely met high-fidelity objectives, which makes the TT-1's quality at its price stand out, as noted in Audio (1961-11, p.95).
The TT-1 itself is a two-speed (33⅓ and 45 RPM) belt-drive turntable with a 4-pole synchronous AC motor. The 12-inch aluminum platter sits to the right of the deck. A small switch in front of the tonearm selects speed, and a push button on the left switches the stylus on. It shipped with the Shure M44 cartridge and its flip-under stylus guard. The tonearm is a stamped sheet-metal design with a steel face-cover, and the counterweight is a knurled sleeve tightened by a thumb screw. It's utilitarian, but it works. The front panel is brushed silver aluminum.
A few specs are documented across sources, though some conflict slightly. Platter diameter is given as both 30 cm and 31.75 cm depending on the source:
- Speeds: 33⅓, 45 RPM
- Drive: belt, 4-pole synchronous motor
- Wow & flutter: 0.14% WRMS
- Signal-to-noise: 40 dB (DIN-B)
- Cartridge: Shure M44 (MM)
- Power consumption: 15W
- Dimensions: 545 × 170 × 405 mm (W×H×D)
- Weight: 16.5 kg (36.3 lbs)
A period classified ad lists the original price at US $49.95 (¥8,900 in Japan) — though that figure seems to refer to the TT-1 turntable section rather than the full system. Little is documented about common maintenance issues or current collector pricing; most of what’s known about the TT-1 comes from its distinctive appearance and its place in Marantz’s brief venture into compact all-in-one systems. It remains a striking, unusual piece of 1960s Marantz history.
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