Esoteric Grandioso T1 turntable arrives; G1X Master Clock coming.

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike,

Not sure if this is helpful but Mike Burns of Wolfsong Audio, my setup guy, uses an app that allows him to place his iPhone on the platter and it registers the precise table speed.

My great suspicion is that this would be something Esoteric would excel at given their well-regarded digital and master clock heritage.

personally; i honestly don't give a rip about measuring speed on my tt, although it's helpful when Fremer does it since i view him as balancing listening and data appropriately. but many do like measuring. in a thread like this where the product claims high ground on the speed and steadiness issues, as well as all the creative tech at play, i respect that those who can't hear it for themselves, are curious about the tech and measurements.......THEY WANT PROOF. or evidence. or some data to jump on.

i did read Fremer's viewpoint about phone app tt measurements in the comment section of his Shaknspin review. he does not regard them highly. and i don't even think about them at all. no worries.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Curious that you ask technical details and videos about the Esoteric and always refused to share details or insided pictures of your own turntable.

glad you asked that. i resisted.

Yes, but commonly they show us many internal photos and even diagrams, surely keeping the unique proprietary aspects of the equipment.

that too.

 

[Lee]

personally; i honestly don't give a rip about measuring speed on my tt, although it's helpful when Fremer does it since i view him as balancing listening and data appropriately. but many do like measuring. in a thread like this where the product claims high ground on the speed and steadiness issues, as well as all the creative tech at play, i respect that those who can't hear it for themselves, are curious about the tech and measurements.......THEY WANT PROOF. or evidence. or some data to jump on.

i did read Fremer's viewpoint about phone app tt measurements in the comment section of his Shaknspin review. he does not regard them highly. and i don't even think about them at all. no worries.

I am considering a Shaknspin. I wonder what the metrics on the Caliburn would be.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I am considering a Shaknspin. I wonder what the metrics on the Caliburn would be.

reading about it, it's turntable brand agnostic as far as i can tell.

 

[microstrip]

this is Mike’s thread about his turntable. No one wants to read about my stuff here.

Not true. People are addressing other interesting subjects and comparing different approaches to turntable design.

David made 14 of his turntables and sold 12 of them, keeping two. I think his business is a little different from Esoteric.

A little?

I understand why you want to know more about my timetable.

Or any top of range equipment. Audiophile curiosity. The fact that you are permanently comparing it to others increases it.

Mike tried to buy one twice.

My mouth will always be shut about my deals and private contacts with David.

my system thread is the place to discuss it. Not here. You can go back to July 2022 on my thread and read all sorts of things about the American Sound turntables.

In fact, we had some interesting technical details in a David thread. Technically what I read in your thread was much less that what I knew from past threads.

More information on my system thread than anywhere else on the Internet.

Sorry, IMO not true again. Some threads and sites have more information than yours. Tang had some very interesting information but withdrew it a few days after he posted it.

 

[microstrip]

I am considering a Shaknspin. I wonder what the metrics on the Caliburn would be.

Unfortunately it does not measure the amplitude and spectra of rumble - IMO one of the more important parameters to differentiate top turntables.

 

[scericson]

just read this review for the second time. all Michael's thoughts mirror my experience. this is a very special turntable which to my ears does not have a 'sound', rather it just achieves musical truth and does not ask the listener to settle. the arm your choose will take you as far as it can on the T1. and the more i listen to the T1, the more i appreciate it.

his first few paragraphs refer to other 'new' tt's from other manufacturers that don't really bring anything new to the table (pardon my pun), then states plainly that 'that' is exactly what Esoteric has done, which is something really new and has executed it remarkably well.....in Grandi-oso fashion. saying and doing are different things.

Fremer's review appears to have been removed. I am getting the 404 error at this link.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Fremer's review appears to have been removed. I am getting the 404 error at this link.

that link is dead now. someone else had posted it,.

September 23' Absolute Sound, page 90. print and digital subscription. i only get the print version.

no on-line link at this time i am aware of. but one might pop up at some point after a time.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Enjoying a new to me (arrived from Germany this afternoon) 72' Decca box set pressing of Mahler 8th Symphony, George Solti, Chicago Symphony Orch.......on the Esoteric T1 with both the FCL/Etsuro Gold and Tocsa/DaVa. to my untrained ears it's just a wonderful immersive musical ride. touches all the bases. wonderful vocals and performance. great relaxing afternoon performance after my weekend of football watching.

some serious lower octave stuff going on here.......

recorded in Vienna, even though it was the Chicago Sym Orch.

 

[PeterA]

Enjoying a new to me (arrived from Germany this afternoon) 72' Decca box set pressing of Mahler 8th Symphony, George Solti, Chicago Symphony Orch.......on the Esoteric T1 with both the FCL/Etsuro Gold and Tocsa/DaVa. to my untrained ears it's just a wonderful immersive musical ride. touches all the bases. wonderful vocals and performance. great relaxing afternoon performance after my weekend of football watching.

Peter might have slept through one of the performances of this there at that same time.

some serious lower octave stuff going on here.......

View attachment 119878

Mike, this is great music. It was recorded in 1972. I was certainly going to the symphony at age 10 in my Brooks Brothers Blue Blazer and tie sitting in an upper balcony, my brother and I between my parents . I was too young to remember this specific concert, but yes if there, it is very likely I dozed through some of it. I am still part of the half of the audience that wears a jacket and tie. Some habits die hard.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, this is great music. It was recorded in 1972. I was certainly going to the symphony at age 10 in my Brooks Brothers Blue Blazer and tie sitting in an upper balcony, my brother and I between my parents . I was too young to remember this specific concert, but yes if there, it is very likely I dozed through some of it. I am still part of the half of the audience that wears a jacket and tie. Some habits die hard.

i deleted my comment regarding you since as i looked further it was recorded in Vienna, not in Chicago. but your response is appreciated.

agree 100% on the great music comment.

 

[SCAudiophile]

A great recording, performance and interpretation of M8,...enjoy!

 

[SCAudiophile]

We could talk Mahler all day long (and longer),....A long time favorite Mahler 8th and a bit of a sleeper in that not enough people talk about it is this (please excuse the cover saying CD as this is a turntable thread). A great recording if you can find it on your desired format:

 

[Mike Lavigne]

We could talk Mahler all day long (and longer),....A long time favorite Mahler 8th and a bit of a sleeper in that not enough people talk about it is this:

View attachment 119892

thank you. listening to this now on Quboz 24/96.

i've become a Mahler fan the last few years, and fleshed out my vinyl Mahler collection recently.

 

[plasmod3]

What did happen to freners review of the t1? I see it has been taken down!

 

[theophile]

What did happen to freners review of the t1? I see it has been taken down!

There is nothing wrong with your eyesight. Which reminds me of a joke.

A man is sitting in bed reading a book. His wife is in bra and undies standing looking at herself in a full length mirror. She turns one way then the other. "Oh! I'm so old fat and ugly!". She turns to her husband scoldingly saying "Can't you pay me a compliment?". Without missing a beat her husband said "Darling, you have excellent eyesight".

 

[XV-1]

Works fine for me

Esoteric Grandioso T1 Turntable - The Absolute Sound

Esoteric Grandioso T1 Turntable - The Japanese company pulled out all the stops in creating this entirely new turntable for the 21st century. Michael Fremer offers an in-depth look.

www.theabsolutesound.com

 

[theophile]

Rave review. Good to see that it isn't priced in the multiple hundred thousands.

 

[zermatt]

Mike;

You had two years with the T1. I am thinking about getting one. What are thoughts on its sonic signature in terms of the % of Ying and Yang colors. Also what phono cables do you use for your tonearms? Have you tried any disc mats on the T1. And the last question, You have it sitting on the ISO stand and the Taiko platform, did they provide a denser harmonic structure? Thanks for responding in advance.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike;

You had two years with the T1. I am thinking about getting one.

i think the Esoteric TI is one of the best turntables and i am very happy with it and my choice of it. it would still be the one i would buy. maybe the only one that has come along since my purchase that would be a possible "candidate" to investigate is the Acoustical System Astellar; which i have never heard.....but looks interesting and is in a similar price range (when you include the clock for the T1).

What are thoughts on its sonic signature in terms of the % of Ying and Yang colors.

the T1 is a magnetic idler, and the torque can be adjusted. so that adjustment slightly influences the signature.....but only slightly. and adding the clock also makes a slight difference. with the clock and the idler adjusted to my preference i would say that the T1 is slightly on the more dense side of neutral, but only slightly. but maybe most would view it as neutral and without any signature if it's own. for compare my CS Port would be slightly less neutral, more laid back and slightly more dense, and the Saskia idler that the T1 replaced is slightly more dense but not quite as agile as the T1. we are splitting hairs here and most visitors would have a tough time hearing differences with a brief exposure.

to me more significant than density is musical flow, a continuousness, involving, which is the opposite of cold and flat sounding in a relative sense. and i view the T1 as outstanding in the musical pace/PRAT and flow. here the clock mattered. btw; the Saskia is also outstanding with musical flow as is the CS Port.

my Wave Kinetics NVS, which was a latter build version (better flow than the early one's) which is now been sold, was slightly more neutral than the T1.

Also what phono cables do you use for your tonearms?

three of my phono cables (two on the T1 and one on the CS Port) are the LFD from the UK, and my Sumile Mono/Glanz arm are uses a phono cable built by Andrey Kosobutsky of ATR Service, Inc.

Have you tried any disc mats on the T1.

i used the paper mat briefly that comes with the T1 but now go naked. i have not tried other mats. i'm just very happy with the liveliness as it is.

i do use record weights. i like my newly arrived Massif Audio Rosewood Signature very much. and still enjoy my Durand Record Weight (no longer made) which has been my long term weight. both work very well and add a slight touch of solidity and more open top octaves. the T1 has a taller spindle than some tt's so not all record weights are compatible.

And the last question, You have it sitting on the ISO stand

the rack is the Massif Audio with the Nordost Sort Fut footers. i'd call it a constrained layer solid wood rack.

and the Taiko platform, did they provide a denser harmonic structure?

the Taiko Tana active system under the T1 did improve the textures and harmonic tonal pallet to some degree. but more exposed than changed anything. adding active did cause me to improve my Durand Tosca arm to the Limited Edition to keep pace with what adding the active did to unleash the magic with the Primary Control FCL (field coil arm).

Thanks for responding in advance.

my pleasure. if you want to talk feel free the PM me and happy to do it.