J.A. Mitchell transcriptor hydraulic reference turntable * AS IS *

Few classic turntable designs rival the Transcriptors Hydraulic Reference. This 1970’s design from David Gammon won multiple awards, has been displayed at several museums of modern art, and was a notable prop in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. Early on, the Hydraulic Reference was manufactured by Michell, and its design clearly influenced the Gyrodec’s final appearance. The record sits on top of the black rubber pads, suspended above the rest of the platter. The speed is controlled by fluid resistance: the belt-driven platter has a hidden trough near the bearing containing viscous fluid, and a paddle can be raised or lowered into the fluid to provide resistance and control the speed. The original Hydraulic Reference was produced in the 1970s, and David Gammon has since passed on. But his son Michael still refurbishes the turntable for collectors looking to own a craftsman-produced piece of audio art for $4,600.