NakamichiDragon-CTusedNakamichi Dragon-CT turntableThe Nakamichi Dragon-CT is the only turntable to ever deal with out-of-round records. It re-centers them. This is the finest example of this unique turntable you may ever get to own. My Dragon-C...5900.00

Nakamichi Dragon-CT turntable

Listing ID: lis82f06 Classified 
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7/10
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Ships fromDakota, MN, 55925
Ships toUnited States
Package dimensions28.0" × 17.0" × 23.0" (73.0 lbs.)
Shipping carrierFedEx
Shipping costFree
Original accessoriesBox, Manual
AverageResearch Pricing

The Nakamichi Dragon-CT is the only turntable to ever deal with out-of-round records.  It re-centers them.  

This is the finest example of this unique turntable you may ever get to own. 

My Dragon-CT turntable is in very good condition, works perfectly, has all of its accessories, comes complete with a superb vintage cartridge, ships in a strong container, and is even backed by a 30 day parts and labor warranty.

More on that later but first you should see, and even more importantly, hear this Nakamichi Dragon-CT turntable in action.  Following is a YouTube video I made of it centering a record.  I was picky about the LP for the demo.  I wanted a tough album.  It's easy to hear the improvement the Dragon-CT makes on a very out-of-round record.  The music warbles badly before and is steady after correction by the Dragon-CT.  But a record that out-of-round is clearly defective.  What about records that aren't poorly made?  Those are 99% of what I own.  Instead, I picked a piano recording from an LP that was already very close to in-round, one that nobody would ever question.  I used a first pressing of George Winston's album, December.  In the video I play the record both before and after the centering process.  You'll hear how the Dragon-CT improves Winston's piano notes, keeping them steady and from wavering. 

YouTube video of this turntable in operation:

https://youtu.be/G0UKRLYgEk8

For more information, here is a scan I made of the Nakamichi's vintage glossy literature sheet.  By the way, the buyer of this turntable will receive four copies of the lit.

Manufacturer's literature:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2jDxI_ETXmOZllESDdtV0Z3cUE/view?usp=sharing

Finally, if you want more than 16 pictures, here are 80 high resolution ones, documenting every facet, angle, and detail of the turntable, with many beauty shots, close-ups of all of the accessories, and even details of the shipping box.

80 high resolution images:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B2jDxI_ETXmOOTNsVE1qelBMd0k?usp=sharing

I bought this turntable new from Nakamichi USA on December 29, 1983, and used it over the next three years.  Under warranty, Nakamichi replaced the motor and drive board to solve an intermittent problem with the platter suddenly turning a million miles an hour, ±3dB.  That resolved the situation and the problem has never reoccurred. 

I packed up the turntable in 1986, putting it away and only setting it up for special projects. 

In 2013, with the resurgence of vinyl, I decided to sell the Dragon-CT.  By then the auto-centering system wasn't working.  Chris Lewis at Pyramid Audio in Austin, Texas, agreed to try to fix the turntable.  This is one of the reasons I love that shop.  Chris had never worked on a Dragon-CT, not caring that it was 30 years old and Nakamichi USA had been out of business for two decades.  It's a turntable, right?  It helped that Jeff Galin, owner of ESL in Wethersfield, CT, and probably the most knowledgeable technician in the United States regarding the Dragon-CT, was Chris' friend.  Jeff agreed to consult on the repair if necessary.  In 2015, using NOS Nakamichi spare parts that I had acquired, Chris restored the turntable to perfect functioning order.  It cost almost $1,200 including the parts and shipping, which I thought was a fair price considering the degree of difficulty involved. Have a Dragon-CT in need of repair?  Call Pyramid Audio - (512) 458-8292.

The next owner of the turntable will get the original receipts from Nakamichi, Pyramid Audio and others, documenting all of this.

Since 2015 I've gone back and forth over selling it.  I had an offer last year, making a deal to sell it to a man in England.  He understandably backed out when we discovered that import duties and the cost of shipping it to the UK were almost $2,000.  Changing my mind, I decided to keep the turntable.  I recently bought a stand and a very nice sounding Lounge Audio phono stage for it.  But once I got it in my system, I decided to sell it again...sort of.  If it sells, great.  It's a secondary turntable for me and should be used daily.  I don't.  I'd also make some nice money and there's nothing wrong with that.  But if it doesn't sell, that's great, too.  I've owned this turntable for 34 years.  I'd love to make that 54 years.  Tommy is one of those old records I still play half a dozen times a year.  My favorite pressing is the Classic Records version.  Notoriously, the first LP is way out-of-round on many of their pressings.  Instead of warbling badly, John Entwistle's French horn is locked on key with the Nakamichi Dragon-CT.

This is the long way of saying this the only time this turntable will be offered for sale.  $5,900 shipped is also my price.  If you want it, wonderful.  You will get a beauty.

Mounted on this turntable is a cartridge of its era, the Monster Cable Alpha 2.  Made by Accuphase, the Alpha 2 was an audiophile favorite in the mid 1980s, having been well reviewed.  It isn't peaky in the highs like so many low output moving coils of the time.  I have recently redone the set-up on the cartridge using a Feickert protractor and more importantly, my ears, and it's sounding excellent.  I also used a Sumiko Fluxbuster on it.  When I added the Nakamichi Dragon-CT to my system, I was worried it wouldn't sonically keep up with my VPI Classic 2 with its 3D printed tone arm and a Lyra Kleos SL cartridge.  I shouldn't have been concerned.  The sound of the Dragon-CT hangs right in there and when it comes to tonal stability, is the champ.

There are four cosmetic flaws with this turntable.  All are documented in the photos.


  1. The dustcover is scratched.  None of the scratches are deep.  They are from normal wear and tear.  I've thought many times about getting the dustcover professionally polished.  I assume that would eliminate the scratches.

  2. There is a ding on the front control box.  It happened decades ago.  I can't remember what caused it.  Since the beauty shot pictures were taken, I've used some flat black paint to fill in the gouge.  It looks much better.  You can see the ding painted black in the Shipping Carton photo set in both close ups and in images of the turntable set up in my home.

  3. The front right suspension tower, called an insulator by Nakamichi, has a scratch on it.

  4. The sub-chassis has a bubble on its right side toward the rear.  This problem was endemic with the Dragon-CT.  The only other turntable I've ever seen had a similar flaw, although in a different location.  Nakamichi offered to replace the sub-chassis under warranty but said the new one could develop the same problem.  I told them to leave it alone.  It isn't that bad.

Here is what the new owner will get:


  • Nakamichi Dragon-CT turntable, version V102, US model, serial # 01482

  • dustcover

  • primary metal platter

  • secondary glass center search platter, not chipped or broken

  • turntable mat

  • disc stabilizer weight

  • EP/45 adaptor

  • injector for damping fluid (no fluid included but Johnson's Baby Oil works great)

  • 4 insulator (suspension tower) covers

  • 5 cartridge spacers (one mounted on turntable)

  • 2 pair cartridge mounting screws (one pair on turntable)

  • tone arm counterweight

  • cleaning cloth

  • bubble level

  • stylus cleaner

  • spare tone arm rest

  • hook-up cable with ground wire (homemade from 1985)

  • long shafted screwdriver (used to adjust tone arm auto-return pickup point)

  • five transport screws, four original and one replacement

  • owner's manual

  • service manual

  • original purchase invoice, Nakamichi USA, 1983

  • service invoice, Nakamichi USA, 1985

  • service invoice, Pyramid Audio, 2015

  • repair parts invoice, 2013

  • 4 pieces Nakamichi Dragon-CT glossy literature

  • 2 reviews, Audio magazine, 1985

  • Nakamichi T-100 tone arm pipe (a spare tone arm tube)

  • Monster Cable Alpha 2 phono cartridge

  • original Nakamichi Dragon-CT box and packing

  • custom outer shipping carton

I am especially proud of that last item.  If you look at the pictures, you will see I made an outer shipping carton consisting of two layers of double-walled corrugated cardboard.  What you can't see is the bottle of white glue that locks those two layers, seams, and the bottom flaps together.  It took over a day to make this shipping box.  It's so strong you can sit on this box when it's empty.  With the turntable inside its own factory double box and packing, I'm sure you could drop this carton off the back of a truck and everything would be fine. 

While you certainly have 14 days to return this turntable for a refund, I will guarantee your satisfaction with a 30 day warranty, parts and labor, including return shipping either to me or directly to Pyramid Audio.

You can buy with confidence.  While I am now retired, I have 30 years of experience in selling stereos, 21 of them owning my own store.  My store, Sound World in La Crosse, Wisconsin, was twice named Retailer Of The Year by AudioVideo magazine in the 1990s, an honor reserved mostly for the big box retailers, not a single owner operation in a town of 70,000.  I have helped thousands of customers over the years and am confident I can satisfy you, too.  My store’s customer service policy was simple:  we’ll take care of you.

Gregg Mitchell

Questions for the seller
Gregg, I have thought about the Dragon for yrs; but less time than you have owned it. Not ready to buy; just wanted to congratulate you on such care for this outstanding piece of engineering. Best wishes on someone buying or just using once a year!!
Thank you. As my girlfriend has said, I've earned the t-shirt which reads, "Does anal-retentive have a hyphen in it?" Beyond that, there is definitely a part of me that believes in stewardship when it comes to vintage gear. We can't let this stuff die.
You have served your do diligence. I live in Chicago; almost worth a drive to just see it. A part of TT history. Belongs in a museum. Thanks,Norbert
Thank you.

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Item can be returned within 14 days of receipt.

If you pay using Audiogon Express Checkout (credit card through our marketplace) you will have 7 days from the date of delivery to request a refund, regardless of the seller's return window.

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Buyer will receive a full refund in the original payment method less any shipping charges.