5120

About the 5120

The NAD 5120 turntable was manufactured from 1983 into the 1990s in Czechoslovakia. It features a precision neoprene belt drive powered by a synchronous AC motor running at 33⅓ and 45 rpm with a speed accuracy of ±0.5%. The platter is a light stamped aluminum disc with a heavy rubber mat, and the entire platter and tonearm are mounted on a sprung subchassis floating on high-compliance springs to reduce vibration. The tonearm is an interchangeable, statically balanced flat arm made of phenolic resin with a dynamic vibration absorber (DVA) system using a spring-suspended counterweight with viscous damping, allowing cartridge weights from 2 to 8 grams and vertical tracking force from 0 to 3 grams. The turntable operates semi-automatically with automatic lift and stop at the end of the record. Dimensions are approximately 420 x 105 x 354 mm, and it weighs about 5 kg. The design is notable for its unusual tonearm assembly that plugs into the deck via four contact pins, enabling quick cartridge swaps without readjustment. The NAD 5120 was praised for stable stereo imaging and tuneful bass, though it exhibited some lower midrange coloration. It was originally priced around 450 Deutsche Marks and is considered a hi-fi classic with a unique engineering approach for its price point.