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For sale this beautiful Micro Seiki BL-51 turntable, manufactured between 1979 and 1985, fitted with its original Micro Seiki tonearm and a Denon DL-60 cartridge.A highly regarded Japanese vintage turntable, known for its excellent build quality, elegant design, and superb musical performance.Condition:Fully functional and sounding excellent.Cosmetic marks on the wooden plinth: Upper left side.Lower front left corner.Both imperfections are clearly visible in the photos.Equipped with the original Japanese 100V plug. A suitable 220V European adapter can be provided if required.A fantastic opportunity to own a classic Micro Seiki deck that delivers the warm, detailed and engaging sound for which these turntables are renowned.For more information, visit my website:vintaudio.comSpecificationsDrive system: Belt drive systemMotor: FG servo DC motorSpeeds: 33.33 and 45rpmWow and flutter: 0.025% wrmsSignal to noise ratio: more than 75dBSpeed variable range: +-3%Platter: 31cm aluminium diecastDimensions: 510 X 405 X 175mmWeight: 11.8kg
The BL-51 has a strong reputation as a beautifully engineered, overbuilt belt-drive deck, and USD 821 is fair but not a bargain. Comparable reference points put a working example around USD 500, while a documented sale reached USD 491, so this price sits meaningfully above the usual baseline; it makes sense only if the condition, arm, dust cover, and accessories are notably good.
Its appeal is the substantial plinth, excellent speed stability, durable bearing, and genuinely capable arm platform—an especially good foundation for a quality cartridge or alternative 9- or 10-inch arm. Before paying the premium, confirm quiet motor operation, steady speed, healthy belt, intact feet, clean arm bearings, and an undamaged dust cover. If it is complete, tested, and cosmetically strong, USD 821 is defensible for a scarce, ready-to-use example; otherwise, negotiate toward USD 500–650.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Micro Seiki was a Japanese precision-engineering company founded in Tokyo in 1961. Its heritage is firmly rooted in the analog era, and the brand became especially associated with technically ambitious, well-made turntables and related vinyl hardware rather than a broad consumer-audio catalogue.
The company is best known for turntables, turntable drives, plinths, and tonearms, along with a smaller amount of electrostatic headphone production in its earlier years. Sources consistently describe Micro Seiki as a maker of mid- to high-end and later reference-class turntables, with models that became especially prized by serious vinyl listeners.
In market terms, Micro Seiki sits in the high-end vintage and collector category. It is not a current mainstream audio brand in the modern sense; instead, it is remembered as a legendary specialist name, with its most sought-after decks and components commanding strong interest among analog enthusiasts and collectors.
See all Micro Seiki listings on RADAR.
