Archive / Classics, 1946 to 1969
927
Turntable, EMT, 1951
A large idler-drive studio turntable from EMT with a 44 cm platter and a three-phase synchronous motor, introduced in 1951 and later fitted in broadcast studios.
A-03, isometric, same camera for both
- Drawing
- A-03
- Introduced
- 1951
- Produced
- Not published
- Made in
- Germany
- Designed by
- Not credited by sources
- Launch price
- Not confirmed
- Size
- 675 x 215 x 520 mm
- Weight
- 36.3 kg
Elektromesstechnik Wilhelm Franz was founded in Berlin in 1938 and moved to Lahr after 1945. The 927 has an aluminium chassis 67.5 by 52 by 21.5 cm that weighs about 80 pounds. A three-step pulley and a shifting idler select 78, 45 or 33 1/3 rpm, and a braking system allows roughly plus or minus 10% speed adjustment. Early units took the Ortofon-made RF-297 mono or RMA-297 stereo 12-inch arm, and EMT added the smaller 930 in 1956.
Specification
| Item | As published |
|---|---|
| Drive | Idler wheel on a three-step pulley, driving the inside rim of the platter |
| Motor | Three-phase synchronous motor with phase shifter, about 13.5 cm in diameter and 20 cm long |
| Platter | 44 cm diameter, extremely heavy |
| Speeds | 78, 45 and 33 1/3 rpm |
| Speed adjustment | Roughly plus or minus 10% by braking system |
| Chassis | Aluminium, 67.5 x 52 x 21.5 cm |
| Tonearm (early units) | Ortofon-made 12 in RF-297 (mono) or RMA-297 (stereo) |
Out of production
Find an original
The 927 is out of production. Originals change hands on the marketplaces listed here; buy restored, or budget for recapping and new valves.
The house
- Founded
- 1938
- Founder
- Wilhelm Franz
- Origin
- Berlin, Germany (moved to Lahr after 1945)
- Today
- Barco bought EMT in 1989 and professional audio production was gradually discontinued; the sources opened name no current owner.
Further sheets
Sources
- https://enjoythemusic.com/magazine/sound_practices/16/EMT_927_EMT_930_Turntables.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elektromesstechnik
- https://www.jpvanvliet.nl/hall-of-fame/emt-927a-st-6186-from-1961/
Notes for the record: Year: Wikipedia and enjoythemusic say 1951; van Vliet's page says 1952 and calls it the first professional studio turntable EMT made in large numbers after the R 35 and R 80 S. Dimensions are 67.5 x 52 x 21.5 cm as listed by enjoythemusic and van Vliet without naming axes; I assigned width 675, depth 520 and height 215, which is an assumption. Weight is 80 lb (36.3 kg) per enjoythemusic; van Vliet says more than 40 kg. No designer, price, production end date or unit count is stated in the sources opened. A plan to restart production after 1996 did not happen, per enjoythemusic, so still_made is null; I could not confirm whether any EMT turntable is currently made.