Any Bergmann "Galder" owners here ?

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,347
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
Any updates from Galder owners? This is the TT I really desire right now especially with the 40kg platter.

Very interesting, Bill. Why is this the case considering the massive and state of the art Italian turntable you had previously?
 

bazelio

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2016
2,493
1,745
345
California
One observation I have, and I'd be curious in discussion around it, is that the Galder (with gunmetal platter option) and the AF3P are essentially the same table minus the motor and control. Both are aluminum plinth 4-arm cantilevered boards in Micro Seiki style. Both feature air bearings, and vacuum hold downs. Both would have the same platter material and nearly the same weight. So the differentiator is the motor and motor controller. Galder being DC and AF3P being AC (with control circuitry - the function of which isn't entirely clear). Does anyone have thoughts on these two tables comparatively? Why did Galder owners decide to go in that direction vs the AF3P direction? Price is also fairly similar.

Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: marmota

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,443
13,473
2,710
London
Very interesting, Bill. Why is this the case considering the massive and state of the art Italian turntable you had previously?

Red sparrow sounds great with LT. He has Bergmann Sindre which he got off Gian. So Galder with one red sparrow and the flexibility to have other pivots is a great deal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gian60
We are delivering a 40KG copper platter to a reviewer on Friday. will ask him to write about it, once it's installed in his black / black Galder. BTW, he also is receiving a matching copper armboard & record clamp.
 
One observation I have, and I'd be curious in discussion around it, is that the Galder (with gunmetal platter option) and the AF3P are essentially the same table minus the motor and control. Both are aluminum plinth 4-arm cantilevered boards in Micro Seiki style. Both feature air bearings, and vacuum hold downs. Both would have the same platter material and nearly the same weight. So the differentiator is the motor and motor controller. Galder being DC and AF3P being AC (with control circuitry - the function of which isn't entirely clear). Does anyone have thoughts on these two tables comparatively? Why did Galder owners decide to go in that direction vs the AF3P direction? Price is also fairly similar.

Thanks!

No offense meant Bazelio but I think you are missing the point of the Bergmann TT system. The AF3 Premium is a wonderful table but the performance is challenged by the use of traditional radial tonearms. The linear tracking arm with air bearing is far superior to the best of the radial arms - IMO.
The other factor that I have been enjoying immensely is Bergmann's automatic vacuum hold-down system. No buttons to press, you don't even have to stop the record from spinning. Just lift the record clamp & remove the LP, replace the record and clamp and you are ready to listen to music again. Simple.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gian60

bazelio

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2016
2,493
1,745
345
California
Hi Philip, no offense taken! I assume that LT arms (should one prefer them) could be mounted with a proper arm board in the case of either table? Either way, I don't want to derail the thread on it. I was, however, interested in owner feedback and clear cut differences one way or the other.
 

bazelio

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2016
2,493
1,745
345
California
Red sparrow sounds great with LT.
It also sounds great on pivoted arms. First hand experience there... Two "myths" (in my first hand experience) with that cart that I see perpetuated here are the LT requirement for highest performance, and the need for a >1k load.
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,443
13,473
2,710
London
It also sounds great on pivoted arms. First hand experience there... Two "myths" (in my first hand experience) with that cart that I see perpetuated here are the LT requirement for highest performance, and the need for a >1k load.

It has sounded pretty poor with SME 3012r (Tang and ddk have also heard this combination), Schroeder CB at Anamighty sound, then on the vertere arm, and Bill heard it on his Garrard (I think with Da Vinci 9 inch).

It sounds the best I have heard on Vyger and with Bergmann Sindre. Stavros is using it with Bergmann Odin.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gian60

bazelio

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2016
2,493
1,745
345
California
It has sounded pretty poor with SME 3012r (Tang and ddk have also heard this combination), Schroeder CB at Anamighty sound, then on the vertere arm, and Bill heard it on his Garrard (I think with Da Vinci 9 inch).

It sounds the best I have heard on Vyger and with Bergmann Sindre. Stavros is using it with Bergmann Odin.
I have tried it on Kuzma 4-point 11" and Kuzma Airline LT. My dealer/friend who heard it on the 11" thought it was the best cart he'd ever had in his system.
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,443
13,473
2,710
London
I have tried it on Kuzma 4-point 11" and Kuzma Airline LT. My dealer/friend who heard it on the 11" thought it was the best cart he'd ever had in his system.

Never tried on the kuzma LT, and not sure what the difference is with Vyger and Bergmann Sindre LT, but the LT red sparrow combination is also the best I have heard. The others were really bad. Thin sounding, no body.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gian60

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
Very interesting, Bill. Why is this the case considering the massive and state of the art Italian turntable you had previously?

Hey Ron,

Yes Ked has partially answered it for me. I bought Gian’s Sindre after I let my Vyger go.

I was instantly extremely impressed with the Sindre running with the Sparrow. It just seemed to gel really well in my system for my taste. When Ked came, he got it right when he said it doesn’t sound like a cartridge. That might sound an odd statement but it means that the music just seems to flow without one getting drawn to any obvious hifi colouration. Dunno if that makes sense - but that is how it plays out.

Your choice of the Odin arm was *extremely* shrewd imo. The Odin arm is much better than my Sindre arm so I think you are in for a treat. I would be curious to hear the AS2000/Odin/Sparrow combo - could well be heavenly.

The fit and finish of the Bergmann products is typically very Scandi - lovely lines and fastidious attention to high quality finish. Everything is executed beautifully.

The Galder has the ability to take several arms and the vacuum suck down mechanism it superb. The Vyger suck down mech isn’t as good relying on the rubber seal.
The Sindre measures fractionally better than my Indian in terms of wow and flutter and absolute speed stability fwiw.

I personally prefer the smaller form factor of the compressor unit on the Bergmann and the fact that it is silent as Gian points out. You can genuinely have it next to you deck without it being intrusive.

In terms of design / style - well I guess it doesn’t matter really but I am more of an understated person largely so I do like the chic Scandi looks of the Galder. That new 40kg copper platter looks really elegant for my eyes.

I can’t see myself not owning an air bearing turntable with linear tracking any more - it is a topology that just really appeals to my taste. I can see adding to it but not instead.

Hope this helps.
 

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
We are delivering a 40KG copper platter to a reviewer on Friday. will ask him to write about it, once it's installed in his black / black Galder. BTW, he also is receiving a matching copper armboard & record clamp.

Please do - very curious to find out more. What is the rest of his system btw?
 

christoph

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2015
4,660
4,058
825
Principality of Liechtenstein

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
  • Like
Reactions: christoph

asiufy

Industry Expert/VIP Donor
Jul 8, 2011
3,711
723
1,200
San Diego, CA
almaaudio.com
Love the Galder, it's a fantastic table, and like Bill said, it just gets out of the way like few others.
The linear tracker is a revelation, and bass on the Galder is significantly better than on the original Bergmann designs, which I already liked a lot (briefly flirted with a Sindre years ago, and could never forget it!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: hogen

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,347
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
Hey Ron,

Yes Ked has partially answered it for me. I bought Gian’s Sindre after I let my Vyger go.

I was instantly extremely impressed with the Sindre running with the Sparrow. It just seemed to gel really well in my system for my taste. When Ked came, he got it right when he said it doesn’t sound like a cartridge. That might sound an odd statement but it means that the music just seems to flow without one getting drawn to any obvious hifi colouration. Dunno if that makes sense - but that is how it plays out.

Your choice of the Odin arm was *extremely* shrewd imo. The Odin arm is much better than my Sindre arm so I think you are in for a treat. I would be curious to hear the AS2000/Odin/Sparrow combo - could well be heavenly.

The fit and finish of the Bergmann products is typically very Scandi - lovely lines and fastidious attention to high quality finish. Everything is executed beautifully.

The Galder has the ability to take several arms and the vacuum suck down mechanism it superb. The Vyger suck down mech isn’t as good relying on the rubber seal.
The Sindre measures fractionally better than my Indian in terms of wow and flutter and absolute speed stability fwiw.

I personally prefer the smaller form factor of the compressor unit on the Bergmann and the fact that it is silent as Gian points out. You can genuinely have it next to you deck without it being intrusive.

In terms of design / style - well I guess it doesn’t matter really but I am more of an understated person largely so I do like the chic Scandi looks of the Galder. That new 40kg copper platter looks really elegant for my eyes.

I can’t see myself not owning an air bearing turntable with linear tracking any more - it is a topology that just really appeals to my taste. I can see adding to it but not instead.

Hope this helps.

Thank you, Bill!

I will be relying 100% on Johnny Bergmann and DDK to make sure the Odin's custom armboard fits perfectly and works perfectly on the AS-2000.

This is purely theoretical speculation (sorry Kedar), but I am quite excited about the prospect of having an air-bearing, linear-tracking tonearm on a platform as anvil stable as the AS-2000.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Audiophile Bill

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
Thank you, Bill!

I will be relying 100% on Johnny Bergmann and DDK to make sure the Odin's custom armboard fits perfectly and works perfectly on the AS-2000.

This is purely theoretical speculation (sorry Kedar), but I am quite excited about the prospect of having an air-bearing, linear-tracking tonearm on a platform as anvil stable as the AS-2000.

I share your theoretical hunch, Ron. I said the same to Ked last week...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ron Resnick

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
(...) I can’t see myself not owning an air bearing turntable with linear tracking any more - it is a topology that just really appeals to my taste. (...)

Congratulations. It is really appealing , it why for the last two decades from time to time I have to listen to the Forsell Air Force One ! :)
 

Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
Congratulations. It is really appealing , it why for the last two decades from time to time I have to listen to the Forsell Air Force One ! :)

I would really love to hear the Forsell tbh. I read your other thread with your new motor - think you could be onto a real winner.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing