Empire 598III Troubadour Turntable

Description

The Empire 598 III Troubador is one of the most distinctive and ambitious turntables produced during the golden age of American high-fidelity audio. Manufactured by Empire Scientific Corporation of Garden City, New York, around 1970–1976, the 598 III represented the culmination of the company’s highly regarded 598 Troubador series. Designed with an emphasis on precision engineering, exceptionally low mechanical noise, and superior record tracking, it was marketed as a reference-quality playback system for serious audiophiles.

Unlike many competing turntables of its era, Empire concentrated its engineering resources on a single premium design rather than offering an extensive lineup. The 598 III incorporated a massive, dynamically balanced, two-piece die-cast aluminum platter weighing approximately seven pounds. Its substantial construction provided considerable rotational inertia, helping maintain consistent playback speed and minimizing unwanted speed fluctuations.

The platter is driven by a sophisticated hysteresis-synchronous motor through a precision-ground flexible belt. This motor design offers excellent speed stability and substantial starting torque, reaching operating speed in approximately one-third of a revolution. Empire also paid extraordinary attention to the drive belt, individually grinding each belt to exceptionally close dimensional tolerances. The main bearing assembly features a precision-ground and polished stainless-steel shaft running in self-lubricating Oilite bronze bearings. This carefully matched arrangement minimizes friction and mechanical noise.

Another important feature is the turntable’s pneumatic suspension system. The platter bearing and tonearm assembly are mounted on a separate three-point subchassis supported by specially engineered springs and pneumatic damping. This arrangement isolates the sensitive playback components from external vibration, acoustic feedback, and mechanical interference. It was an especially sophisticated solution for a high-end turntable of the period.

The 598 III was supplied with Empire’s excellent Model 990 tonearm, an unusually advanced design featuring low-friction precision bearings and an adjustable spring-based tracking-force mechanism. Its exceptionally low fundamental resonance, specified at approximately 6Hz, makes it particularly suitable for high-compliance cartridges. The tonearm also incorporates adjustable anti-skating and a carefully calibrated cueing mechanism.

The exterior styling is equally memorable. The gold-finished metalwork, substantial platter, and distinctive walnut base give the 598 III a luxurious appearance that reflects the high-end audio aesthetic of the 1970s. Its signature Plexiglas dust cover, framed in wood, is often referred to as the distinctive Empire “doghouse” design.

The Empire 598 III competed with some of the finest record players available at the time. Today, it remains a highly desirable collectible among vintage audio enthusiasts, appreciated for its exceptional construction, distinctive appearance, and ambitious engineering.

Review quotes and historical commentary

Contemporary advertising and published commentary provide some interesting assessments of the 598 III:

• Audio Magazine: “The turntable suspension is almost impervious to jarring or bumping.”

• Empire customer testimonial: “Workmanship is outstanding.”

• Empire customer testimonial: “The whole turntable is beautiful.”

PS Audio’s retrospective history of Empire also praises the precision manufacturing, individually balanced platters, and engineering quality of the 598 series. It notes that the Model 990 tonearm remains a subject of differing opinions among enthusiasts, particularly concerning its headshell and cartridge mounting system.