loading
reading
writing
saving
searching
Kenwood KD-5070 Turntable +Stanton 881S/D81S Cartridge/Stylus - $1,150 (Galesburg)
ML Avenue near 35th Street
condition:
excellent
make / manufacturer:
Kenwood & Stanton
model name / number:
KD-5070 & 881S/D81S
QR Code Link to This Post
History
The KD-5070 was Kenwood’s flagship model when first released in 1978 - and it is highly prized 48 years later. Recent sales (on eBay, Reverb & elsewhere) have been in the $400 - $750 price range, depending on condition. I’m valuing this one at $700 based on its excellent condition (including the clear & scratch-free dust cover) - its full functionality - its one-owner/one-user status - its known history (including repairs) - and the purchase receipts that are also included.
I bought my KD-5070 from a retail dealer in 1981 (brand new in an unopened box) and I have owned it for 44 years. The OEM box got damaged during a water leak 25 years ago - so I had to toss it out - but I found a substitute box that is far better than the OEM box was - which is also included in the sale. It came with a Kenwood DM-11/N-11 cartridge & stylus that I used for 5 years. I bought the Stanton 881S/D81S cartridge & stylus brand new from a different retail dealer in 1986 - and tossed the OEM cartridge & stylus after the Stanton was installed.
My sole use of this turntable was to record vinyl records onto 10½” reel tapes. Most of that vinyl recording was done from 1981 to 1986 using the OEM cartridge and stylus. From 1986 onward I recorded CDs 90% of the time and vinyl 10% of the time. While I didn’t keep a logbook, my best guess regarding total use time is ± 100 hours for the turntable; ± 90 hours for the Kenwood OEM cartridge & stylus; and ± 10 hours for the Stanton cartridge & stylus.
The Stanton 881S cartridge (Serial # S7934) is a high impedance, rare earth, moving magnet design…coupled with a Stanton D81S (“stereohedron”) stylus. Vintage stereo enthusiasts & collectors consider this to be one of the best (if not THE BEST) cartridge/stylus combinations ever produced - do your own research if you don’t believe me. This one is virtually brand new with only ± 10 hours of total use time…making it a very rare item. There are 3 or 4 currently listed on eBay, Reverb and elsewhere in the $400 - $600 price range, none of which state “provable one-owner with a known history - low use hours - and original purchase receipt included.” Instead, all of them are garage sale, thrift store or estate sale finds with an unknown use and care history. I’m valuing this one at $450…which is a bargain given the known low use hours and correct alignment I always maintained.
Repairs & Defects
This turntable was repaired in 2020 - a copy of the repair ticket will be provided to the buyer. All capacitors, diodes and transistors were replaced - followed by a re-calibration to OEM specs. This turntable has been used for less than two hours since it was repaired. The repair tech lost the small threaded caps that screw onto the end of the threaded pins holding the tonearm to the base - and he also broke the horizontal stop pin on the anti-skate mechanism. These defects are purely cosmetic, and they do not impede or alter normal operation of the turntable, even with the very light (1.25 gram) vertical tracking force (VTF) of the Stanton cartridge. See my You Tube videos (listed below) for proof of these statements.
Hudson Hi-Fi Cartridge Alignment Kit
I never experienced skating, vinyl record or stylus damage issues with this turntable because I made certain that the cartridge & stylus alignment…plus the VTF…were always 100% correct. An anti-skating device isn’t required if the cartridge is aligned correctly - and failure to correctly align the cartridge is the # 1 reason why skating issues occur. More importantly, failure to maintain proper cartridge/stylus alignment and VTF will quickly damage vinyl records and the stylus. The markings on most turntable counterweights are not very accurate - which is why a precise cartridge/stylus VTF scale is important. It is for these reasons that I am including a brand new & never-used Hudson Hi-Fi Cartridge Alignment Kit at no additional cost (my cost was $35 on Amazon.)
Condition & Functionality
Interested buyers can look at my posted pics and view 4 video clips on my YouTube channel to make their own assessment regarding condition and functionality. These pics and videos are an integral part of my description - so please view them before buying. The links to the video clips are as follows:
https://youtu.be/IaVW32zPyMc (Clip 1)
https://youtu.be/xbGJsx9nPJU (Clip 2)
https://youtu.be/5kNpJMTzu1U (Clip 3)
https://youtu.be/uD014qaHWSU (Clip 4)
Alternatively, you can find them by entering “Kenwood KD-5070 (January 2026 - Clip 1, 2 3, or 4)” in the You Tube search bar. My username on You Tube is @garyg.2977
My price for everything is $1,150. Serious buyers should message me (please include your phone number) on the CL message system and I’ll get back to you promptly. Failure to include a phone number in your message will result in no reply from me. I will not respond to CL text messages. If this ad is posted the items are still available. My preference is local pickup in Galesburg, MI - but I will also consider shipping under very specific conditions that I will discuss with a serious buyer who desires shipping.