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This is a belt-drive Empire Turntable Model 698. With an incredible MCM design aesthetic, it was actually made here in the USA in 1976 and is well-appointed. It has a lovely heft to it, with it's walnut plynth and aluminum platter and tonearm, and a really cool plexiglass tonearm holder lit with a red LED and red LED cueing buttons as well. It looks as great as it sounds. The only thing missing is a dust cover, which tend to vanish a lot with this modelService History: No service records were included from the prior owner. Here at the shop we did routine inspection. We did install a new belt, did some cleaning and lubrication but no repairs were needed.Cosmetic Condition: Overall we rated this at Very Good, with very little to no signs of wear.In the Milwaukee Area? Stop in our shop to inspect/demo
Generating expert take…
Empire is best known as a vintage American hi-fi brand that dates back to 1959, when it appeared as Audio Empire in the United States. It began under Dyna-Empire, a precision machine-shop manufacturer, before evolving into Empire Scientific; later history suggests the audio side changed hands and eventually faded as a consumer audio name. Because the brand’s classic era is several decades behind us, some details are unevenly documented, but its roots in mid-century U.S. hi-fi are clear.
In its heyday, Empire focused on analog playback gear, especially phono cartridges, styli, and tonearms. The company was particularly associated with turntable accessories and record-playback components rather than complete systems. That makes Empire a name most often encountered by vinyl enthusiasts, vintage-audio collectors, and restoration-minded buyers rather than shoppers looking for modern amplifiers, speakers, DACs, or headphones.
Today, Empire’s reputation is primarily that of a respected vintage brand with a strong collectible following. Its products are remembered for careful engineering and a place in the golden age of American hi-fi, but it is not a current mainstream audio manufacturer in the modern consumer market. For buyers, Empire is more a heritage name than an active high-end badge, valued for classic analog performance and historical significance.
See all Empire listings on RADAR.
