Currently active record player manufacturers. G to Q

Galibier Design
Makes 2 high end designs namely the Quattro ALU and the Quattro Supreme. These look to be partly derived from the Teres design but look quite a bit more refined, both feature plinths milled from solid aluminium, utilise battery driven DC motors and can accommodate 2 armboards/arms in addition to allowing you to choose between a vinyl or a Teflon/Aluminium platters. The Supreme is identical to the ALU except that the plinth has machined vibration damped chambers and is stiffer. The company also sell turntable parts for those of you interested in DIY turntable construction.

Garrard See --> Garrard/Lorricraft Turntables

Gemini
Makes a large range of DJ Turntables, in fact many more models than are shown on their homepage, I suggest you get a hold of their catalogue either through a dealer or via one of the downloadable PDF files on their homepage. They also have one model that is more a home deck, it's the XL-100 that typically retails for less than USD 100 in the states.

Gem Sound
Makes a small range of DJ turntables.

GLI
Manufactures low/mid priced DJ decks.

Goodmans
Make the GSP 400 turntable with built in RIAA preamp, one of the cheapest models on the market. Also has at the least one model of a midi music system that has a built in turntable.

Hifine
Makes 2 turntables, the Prajna is a rather light belt driven design with an acrylic platter, it comes as standard with a Rega RB 300 Tonearm and does support 78rpm playback (by moving the belt on the pulley), they also make the heavier string driven Tao turntable that features a base made out of Granit or Marble, has a tonearm base made out of Messing and comes standard with the Helius Cyalene tonearm, the Tao also supports 78rpm.

Hörning
Makes the SATI Ultimate Transference, but that is a high mass reference class turntable that has got some interesting reviews and a number of fans in the last couple of years, it is basically a high tolerance custom bearing with a 30kg polished cast aluminium platter on top and a separate motor and control boxes to minimise interference, in many ways a typical example of a high end/high mass turntable design with the most unusual feature actually being the record mat, but that is made out of a polymer and is bolted rather than bonded to the platter, more info here.

Home Mix
The company no longer sells individual turntables but they do sell a DJ kit originally introduced in 2007 called TT-500M that features 2 TT500 turntables alongside a budget DJ mixer called Home Mix - Mix-3 and a Home Mix Can-S headphones. The decks are sort of half decent belt driven budget DJ decks, under normal circumstances we would advocate that budding DJ invest in one direct drive deck and mix against a computer sound source or something like that, it has to be admitted though that this kit with an RRP of 199.99 UKP and a real-world retail price of 110 to 130 UKP is an excellent deal, especially when considered that the same kit was available from another supplier/brand for about twice the price. Have not seen this for sale outside of the UK.

Very little to be said about the turntable in the pack, it is a bog standard budget belt driven DJ deck with a strobe, variable speed control, a 78rpm speed option, S shaped arm with an Ortofon headshell connector. The only noteworthy thing about the unit is the price really.

The Home Mix TT-500 technical specifications are : Supported speeds: 33, 45 and 78 RPM Speed control: +/-10%. Speed indicator: Strobe. Drive system: Belt. Automation: Manual. Supplied pickup type: moving magnet. Power requirements: 230v @ 50Hz.

IMG
Has a range of DJ turntables starting with the budget belt driven DJP-100 that amongst other features has a +-7% pitch control, the slightly more expensive DJP-122 has a stronger motor and a more accurate motor control (meaning a faster start times etc.) and -+10% variable pitch, there is also a variant called DJP-122 SI, The top of the line model is the DJP-202 and the DJP-202 SI variant, these units have a much stronger motor that the 122 and are direct Drive, more info on these models here.

Jaytech See --> Reloop DJ Turntables

JB Systems
Makes a range of mid priced DJ turntables.

KAB USA
Modifies Technics turntables for use for archivists and 78' enthusiasts.

Kenwood
Make the P-110 a budget automatic turntable with built in RIAA preamp intended to mate with Midi systems and suchlike. They make 2 more conventional models that appear to be made especially for export markets in North America, namely the KD-291RC and the slightly more upmarket KD-492FC. It seems that the company does not supply those turntables to the European market, there was for a short wile a model available similar to the P-110 but it appears to have been discontinued in 2002.

Klangtraum
This company makes one model of a turntable called the DL-2, it more conventional in looks and smaller than most other German tables but is made out of advanced composite materials and is heavier and more solid than it looks.

Kuzma
This manufacturer has an interesting lineup of high end turntables. Their range starts with the Stabi S a resonably priced deck (for this kind of performance :), next in line is the Stabi, a more tradidtional suspended turntable in a heavy wooden box, then comes Stabi Reference a more usual high end heavy platter turntable (40 kg total), but the cream of the crop is the Stabi XL that counts in at a whopping 77 kgs. and has to be seen to be believed, one of the best turntables in the world.

Lenco (STL)
This brand is now licenced by the Dutch STL/Supertech group and has no relation to those old Swiss Lenco's but nevertheless they make the L-3081 a very low budget belt driven semiauto turntable and the L-3086 version of it which sports a built in phono preamp. They also make a budget DJ turntable called the L-3807 which sports a direct drive motor, +-8% pitch control and a light built into the tonearm.

Linn
Linn still makes the legendary Sondeck LP12 in at least 3 variants, but is starting to look increasingly dated next to the more modern and innovative designs from central Europe. The main difference between the models in the Linn range lies in the power supply shipped with the models and this means that they are upgradable to a better spec at a later date, and an alternative to the options that Linn offers in the Naim Armageddon power supply.

Loricraft
Make the Model 501 model, a new design "inspired" by the Garrard Model 401, or in other words the only idler wheel driven model currently on the market, it features a separate power supply and controller and is avaialble in 2 variations, in addition they also rebuild and sell old 301 & 401 models in and provide support and spares for them (but not for other Garrard models)..

Loth-X
Makes the mid range Othello and the high end Aida turntables.

Marantz
The company makes the TT15S1, it is based around the already superb Clearaudio Emotion.

Mel Audio
Makes a high end table called Go-El.

Morsiani
Makes reference class turntables to order.

Music Hall Audio
This company has for some time sold Pro-Ject Turntables under their own name, initially they were mostly just rebadging jobs and thus were not listed separately from the Pro-Ject designs but later models have varied from the original designs, some just a bit but others quite considerably, apparently in order to suit American tastes so it's prudent to list them separately. The cheapest models from the company is the MMF-2.1 which appears to be the Pro-Ject Debut base with the tonearm from the Pro-Ject 0.5 i.e. a simple but effective plinth with a quite reasonable arm, the table is supplied with a choice of 2 Music Hall branded cartridges called the Tracker and the Magic but these appear to be rebadged versions of Goldring Elan and Goldring Electra. The next deck up is the MMF-5 and but that deck is were things start to differ from their Project counterparts, while the basic deck is really Pro-Ject 2.9 the isolation is not only provided by feet as with the 2.9 but by adding a base of similar dimensions as the plinth which is decoupled from the plinth via the use of 6 rubber springs/cones, the motor and power switch are mounted in this base thus isolating them from the plinth. Other features of the deck are the same as the 2.9 model from Project except that a Goldring 1012GX cartridge is fitted as standard, there is a variant available called MMF-5SE that in addition to the above has a reel wood veneer, adjustable conical feet, isolation uses Sorbothane rather than rubber and a Goldring 1022GX cartridge is fitted as standard. There is a review of the MMF-5 to be found here. The MMF-7 has same basic plinth construction as the MMF-5 with the spiked feet and Sorbothane isolation used in the SE version, the tonearm is the Pro-Ject 9 Tonearm and the motor and the acrylic platter are connected via a perimeter belt, unlike the cheaper models the MMF-7 usually comes with no cartridge fitted as standard but the Goldring Eroica H can be had fitted at a discount price. The MMF-9 is a curious design, it blends the plinth design from the MMF-5/7 with the guts of a Project RPM-9, in this case the deck has a plinth and base and an intermediate base all being decoupled from each other by 4 Sorbothane springs, otherwise the technical features are the same as with the RPM-9, the deck is supplied without a cartridge although you can get it with a Music Hall Maestro high output MC cartridge at a discounted price.

NAD
Makes the 533 turntable, a unit that is well regarded but not as much of a bargain as it used to be.

Nottingham Analogue
Has a well regarded lineup or record players in the dearer end of the spectrum, including the Spacedeck, Hyperspace and Interspace. Since the company does not have an Internet presence it's perhaps best for you to go to their North American distributor for further info on their range, but resources available there include high resolution pictures and setup booklets in pdf format etc.

Numark
Makes a range of specialised DJ turntables and associated products, perhaps their most interesting product is the PT-01 which is a portable record player, while it is in most way's similiar to all other portables with a somewhat less than audiophile sound not the least due to the cheap built in speaker it has a couple of uniqe features that can be traced back to the fact that the basic turntable and arm combintaion has it's origin in a budget DJ deck rather than a record player for dirt cheap music systems like most of it's competitiors. This menas that the deck supports the playback of 78 RPM records (you will have to procure the appropriate stylus though), it has a 20% variable speed (10% either way) and a built in stereo RIAA preamplifier that is not only connected to the internal amp/speaker but to a stereo line out and headphone output, the preamp is not defeatable so some 78's may sound a bit odd when played on this device although the simple tone control provided will go some way towards correcting that. The tonearm compensatin is static though so while you can repalce the pickup it can only accomidate MM designs with the excat same or very similar compilance specifications. There is one further oddity with the PT-01 however and that is that the line out level is controlled by the onboard volume knob, by all reports that the sound is avove average for such a product

The DJ TT200 model comes with 2 armtubes one straight and one S-shaped.

Omnitronic
Has a large range of quartz controlled direct drive DJ decks that have high torque motors including the D3120 that supports 78 rpm in addition to the usual, has an electronic braking system and a +/-20% variable pitch control..

Optimus See --> Radio Shack Turntables

Opera Audio
Manufactures the suspended Reference LP-1.0, a high end string driven model that is usually supplied with one armboard but can actually accommodate 3, the motor and electronics are in a separate housing from the table itself to minimise vibrational and electronic interference, they have recently introduced an upgraded model called the Reference LP-2.0 but will continue to supply the older version at slightly reduced price. The Droplet LP 5.0 more info on the Droplet here.

Oracle
Still make an updated version of the Oracle turntable that made waves in the early 80's.

Origin Live
Manufacture turntables, turntable kits & accessories in the mid to high price range.

Phonoshophie
Makes 2 audiophile decks, the better known is the Phonosophie No 3 OT a high end model that can be delivered without an arm or with their own Phonosophie One Point or Naim Aro arms. The company has more recently introduced a mid priced model called the No 1 mid end deck that is supplied with an Thorens arm.

Pioneer
Still sells one model world-wide, the budget PL-990 that comes with a built in RIAA preamp, there seems to be available for the Asian or Japanese market only a limited edition (1000 units) model from Pioneer that goes by the strange name of Pure Malt more info on that one here, it's made out of oak from barrels that have been used by the Suntory Whiskey manufacturer, no I kid you not see this link here.

Pluto Audio
Makes 3 mid/high end decks, the 10A, the 11A and the 12A, more info can be had here, the German magazine Höererlebnis has reviewed the 12A.

Polyconcept USA
Manufactures "Nostalgic" music systems under a variety of licensed trademarks such as RCA, there are better quality units of this ilk available from companies such as Teac Turntables but the Polyconcept units are much easier to get hold of. Models include the RCA Chaplin which is typical of the genre, its a music system based around a three speed semiautomatic turntable that also features a FM/AM tuner and has loudspeakers integrated into the unit, it's also available with an integrated stand as Chaplin Wodden Stand. They also have a slightly more unconventional looking range in the RCA Newport and RCA Lawton music systems, these are configured and specified the same or similar as the Chaplin but look like a 1910's acoustic gramophone complete with horn and they also have the RCA Magnolia Cathedral which is styled like a 30's cathedral tabletop radio.

Pro-Ject
Please note that not all of their turntable products are distributed universally, i.e. some distributors may only carry a subset of the range, also normally only the Debut and the 1.2 Comfort come as standard with pickups installed, however in some markets the tables are either supplied with pickups from an associated company or in the case of the more upmarket models you can have a pickup professionally fitted and at a discount price. The range starts with the Debut Mk III (which in some markets is sold as just plain Debut), this is by far the cheapest turntable out there with any sort of audiophile pretensions, has an enormous bang for the buck. The basic design is the same as with the Pro-Ject Debut except that the MkIII features a much better tonearm in the form of the Pro-Ject 9 Tonearm and now features the same motor as is to be found in the more expensive models from the company. The Debut is available in a range of colours, nine all in all although if you want anything other than matt black you will have to pay a small surcharge and there is also a version available called Debut Phono/SB that has a built in phono preamplifier and an electronic speed change but as with all other budget audiophile decks the basic Debut table has no speed control but rather you have to move the belt on the pulley from one notch to the other to change speeds, another advantage the Phono/SB has is in that it allows the use of 78rpm disks but the pulley on the normal Debut only accommodates 33 and 45 rpm, but it should be noted that the price difference between the phono version and a normal one is in some markets a bit high, so getting the separate phono preamp and speedbox models is often a better deal since they can be used on other Pro-Ject models if you decide to upgrade. Newer models include the unusual Perspective that was the flagship model from the company until the introduction of the RPM line and looks absolutely stunning with it's clear acrylic plinth and sounds not bad either although it's not as striking a value as the cheaper decks. One unusual feature of the perspective is the single speed motor, you get 2 with the deck one for each speed and optionally can get an 78RPM capable motor as well ... that model has been reviwed by Hi-Fi Plus in the UK. Another recent model is the RPM 4 that comes in at the same price point as the 2 model but is much better, an audiophile bargain in fact, it has been getting rave reviews and awards left, right and centre, to bad it looks like an overgrown blender with it's cover on (all promotional and magazine pictures have it cover less, take note), the second model in that new line is the recently introduced RPM-9 that is the most expensive model the company has made and includes a new carbon fibre tonearm that has inverted bearings with ceramic balls (erm..), haven't seen it yet but it's getting good reviews as well. See also : Music Hall Turntables.

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