Micro Seiki RX-1500,3000,5000,8000 good or bad turntable?

Hello
I do not know the problem between USA and Micro-Seiki, but in France nobody want to talk about these turntables. As says Briceeboy, I totally agree. These turntables are built like sovietic tanks. Undestructible. This is the first point.
Next: you do not have to take months to adjust arms, feet or anything. It works as it. Well you must have a flat room, but you do not need to be graduate of an ingeenier university and must understand a 1000 pages owner manual with some esoteric words and magnetic incantations.
At last the sound: well, you just have to listen in the same comparation system, and make your own idea with some 150,000$ turntables.
I don't want to hurt anybody, but I own a DDX 1500 (the last Micro they made) from a long long time with a 505 Mark 3 tone arm and a Sumiko Blue Point Evo 3 (I suppose it's possible to have better with some others new cartridges). I frequently listen to other modern turnatables in french audio shop, just to assure myself. Not one, for instance, works as well mine Micro.
It's simply incredible, but true.
Just a last word. These turntables are not so big. Of course they are heavy (good point) but if you compare with some others, you will notice a reasonable size, wich can integrate your system quiet discreetly.
To resume we could say, who's afraid by Micro-Seiki ? Answer: everybody except Micro owners of course. You can run with closed eyes.
Pardon my english, and enjoy your Micro if you can find one.
Regards Yves from France

I've owned a couple of the lower models (I dream of one day getting a big Micro Seiki). I ran an MR611 for about 21 years until last year when I replaced it with a BL51. As far as I am concerned Micro Seiki are one of the best TT makers ever. Great turntables with legendary reliability. Nothing, down to the globe in the light, has ever gone wrong on either of the Micro Seiki TTs I've owned.

They also sound great. Find one and have a listen for yourself.

DS

Could you tell what kind of bearing and spindle/bushing construction the Micro-Seiki's have?

Chris

Well I have an RX-5000 and currently run it with a Verus rim drive, the RY-550) was used with a silk thread and the Verus adds more punch, the silk is smoother and and a bit more subdued. For comparison I have (or recently had) Clearaudio, Linn, Lenco, SP-10, Victor TT-101, Sony PS-X70, Micro BL-51, Oracle Delphi V SE.

I would characterize the Micros as being reliable, versatile, extremely well (over) engineered and no doubt frightfully expensive to make in today's money. The heavy platter and sealed bearing combine for effortless and quiet operation. My platter is made of gunmetal 16Kg, the base is solid Zinc 26Kg. Self adjusting metal feet. I dampen the plater with an audiolife gunmetal mat 6Kg; all for a total mass of 106 lbs! Backgrounds are black, groove noise is minimal, dynamic contrasts are big, speed is constant.

If you can ever find one, it will be a table for life, and even at several thousand dollars, hard to beat at any price I suspect. I do compare with my Oracle, which of course is a completely different beast in design terms, and both are extremely musical. The Micro can accept any type of arm and there are a range of metal armboards for different arm sizes and types. My Triplanar sounded best on the Micro and my ZYX UNIverse sometimes a bit brash on the Micro as it is very dynamic. I could go on for a long time, but the RX series is highly recommended. I have never felt the need to get a Micro DD and would stick with the Technics, Sony, Victor DD decks et al.

I would be happy to provide further insights if required

Steve