Empire

Empire Origins

Empire Scientific, the manufacturer of high-fidelity products including turntables, originated from a precision machine shop and manufacturer called Dyna-Empire. The company’s audio division was initially known as Audio-Empire and later adopted the name Empire Scientific in the mid-1960s.

Empire Scientific started manufacturing turntables in the early 1960s, producing around six main models over nearly two decades: the 208, 298, 398, 498, 598, and 698. The company was led by Herb Horowitz, who had extensive experience in audio engineering, having previously worked as the chief engineer of Electro-Sonic Laboratories and the chief of audio products for CBS/Columbia.

Empire Scientific’s turntables were known for their high quality and were often sold under the “Troubadour” name. The company’s first turntable package was introduced in 1960 under the name Empire Troubador, a name that would be used for their turntables for the next quarter century.