STD

Origins of STD

Strathclyde Transcription Developments (STD) was founded in 1978 and was based in Howwood, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The company aimed to compete with high-end British turntable manufacturers of the time, such as Linn Products, Ariston, Dunlop, and Syrinx Precision Instruments. STD’s first turntable, the STD 305M, was released in 1978 and was considered a serious contender to the Linn LP12. However, the company struggled to compete with the Linn LP12 due to pricing and eventually released the STD 305D, an upgraded version with electronic speed control. Despite producing high-quality turntables, STD could not endure the early 1980s recession and the introduction of the Compact Disc, leading to the company’s decline and eventual disappearance.