I said I would never buy another Turntable...Argh !!!

[Mike Lavigne]

Mike, have you had even a moment of weakness and considered David's ultimate prize as a final final tt upgrade?
Esp w your digital now so progressed in its evolution.
Would certainly be an all out assault on maintaining the analog faith 200%.
If David has really married the heft and solidity of the AS w perhaps uber neutrality, speed and certitude from perhaps the most over engineered and over specced motor in tt history, I can only begin to imagine what a space and time machine this baby represents, how it'll knock down the door of yr Studer and draw another boundary to the best of current SOTA digital.

you sure like to spend my money.

I had more than a moment of weakness. that same day David posted about the new improved version of the American Sound AS-1000 I contacted David and gave him a deposit for spring delivery. for many reasons I wanted to stay quiet about it. but with your direct question I realize I can't sit on this any longer. and I don't mean to take away from Christian's moment.

when I visited David in February I heard what it did. the 927 was also special, but the AS went to another level of musical truth and reality. but what could I do about it? there was only one....or two that existed. since then I have looked around a bit for a 927, but was always a step behind the opportunity. and then I read this about the American Sound. so I went for it.

which is why I had an immediate answer for Christian about the Herzan; I have looked around for rack systems, done the investigations, and this is the only one that makes sense for me.

Thanks Steve. It took about a week and a half to convince myself.

it took me as long as reaching for my phone and texting David. I was a done deal. it was just like 15 years ago when I had the chance to buy a Rockport Sirius III, which at that time was a similar thing in the world I was familiar with (not saying I knew about all the choices then......or now for that matter).

 

[rockitman]

Holy crap...you too ? OMG !!! Maybe Herzan could give us a group discount on the avi work table...
Congrats Mike...this and the MSB....wow !!!!

you sure like to spend my money.

I had more than a moment of weakness. that same day David posted about the new improved version of the American Sound AS-1000 I contacted David and gave him a deposit for spring delivery. for many reasons I wanted to stay quiet about it. but with your direct question I realize I can't sit on this any longer. and I don't mean to take away from Christian's moment.

when I visited David in February I heard what it did. the 927 was also special, but the AS went to another level of musical truth and reality. but what could I do about it? there was only one....or two that existed. since then I have looked around a bit for a 927, but was always a step behind the opportunity. and then I read this about the American Sound. so I went for it.

which is why I had an immediate answer for Christian about the Herzan; I have looked around for rack systems, done the investigations, and this is the only one that makes sense for me.



it took me as long as reaching for my phone and texting David. I was a done deal. it was just like 15 years ago when I had the chance to buy a Rockport Sirius III, which at that time was a similar thing in the world I was familiar with (not saying I knew about all the choices then......or now for that matter).

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Holy crap...you too ? OMG !!! Maybe Herzan could give us a group discount on the avi work table...
Congrats Mike...this and the MSB....wow !!!!

kinda like having 2 Ferrari's in the garage.

+ the American Sound.....

almost.

and i'm already working Reid about details for the worktable.....

 

[rockitman]

kinda like having 2 Ferrari's in the garage.

+ the American Sound.....

almost.

and i'm already working Reid about details for the worktable.....

Awesome...be sure to let him know I'm interested too

I wonder how many more people on this forum are taking the American Sound plunge....hehe

 

[Steve Williams]

one other that I am aware of

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Awesome...be sure to let him know I'm interested too

I wonder how many more people on this forum are taking the American Sound plunge....hehe

i'll let David answer that. his original post mentioned 6, with 2 for him. there is Ron, you and I. so that leaves one other.

 

[Steve Williams]

Now if David could only find a way to mass produce that Neumann cartridge I heard with the American Sound

To Christian and Mike, I strongly urge you to consider the SME 3012R that David raves about. I heard that arm, that cartridge on everyone of his turntables and the AS as well as the EMT 927 were my 2 favorites

David has experience with so may arms and cartridges that I encourage you to go to school on his putt. I did and bought the SME 3012 and that is all I use now

 

[rockitman]

I am definately getting the 3012 from David if he can source me one. The second arm is the question....Graham Supreme or SAT....

 

[rockitman]

i'll let David answer that. his original post mentioned 6, with 2 for him. there is Ron, you and I. so that leaves one other.

With that huge MSB thread you have, I was getting the sense that a TT may no longer be a priority. Guess I got that one wrong...lol !

 

[Steve Williams]

I am definately getting the 3012 from David if he can source me one. The second arm is the question....Graham Supreme or SAT....

when I was at David's I must have counted well over 20 of the SME 3012R arms on al the TT's as well as what he had in his stock museum

 

[Mike Lavigne]

i'm pretty happy with my 2 Durand Telos's; and the piggy bank will be empty for awhile.

not too worried about that at this point, i'll muddle through......

 

[Mike Lavigne]

With that huge MSB thread you have, I was getting the sense that a TT may no longer be a priority. Guess I got that one wrong...lol !

a careful reader would have seen I mentioned a few times that analog reference points were fluid just like digital ones, I wrote it at least 2 times. that was before I read about the new American Sound tt's. I had no agenda to change my vinyl specifically, but was open to it being able to get better. people wanted to put things in my mouth, but I did not go there. and this decision does not reflect in any way negatively on the MSB.

I feel i'm done with digital. and I can confidently say with the American Sound i'm done with turntables. and the same with the Studer A-820's. done, done and done.

I've had the NVS for 6 years, and not heard anything that motivated me to consider an alternative until I heard the 927 and American Sound at David's. even then that was not real in my mind. not that there are not other wonderful turntables, but the NVS is wonderful too. it took the American Sound to get me to change. a 927 might have likely done it too. but that's it that I've encountered.

it will be fun to compare the MSB Select II with the new upgraded American Sound to see just how those reference points do compare directly.

 

[rockitman]

i'm pretty happy with my 2 Durand Telos's; and the piggy bank will be empty for awhile.

not too worried about that at this point, i'll muddle through......

Yeah...no kidding. Are you keeping the Wav ?
I currently don't have plans to sell either one of my other tables. 3 doesn't seem like too many if they are all unique and enjoyable to listen too in their own way.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Yeah...no kidding. Are you keeping the Wav ?
I currently don't have plans to sell either one of my other tables. 3 doesn't seem like too many if they are all unique and enjoyable to listen too in their own way.

everything not nailed down will go at some point to fund my craziness.

an American Sound with 4 tonearms is about all the turntable goodness I can deal with.

so at some point in the next 6 months the NVS will be sold.

I've done the 4 turntables and 6 arms thing in the past and it does not make my music listening more enjoyable. if I have a favorite tt then that is what i'm listening to. I do look forward to having 4 arms and one for mono only and three other varied cartridge viewpoints. likely one MM too.

at this point too soon for any for sure direction other than just getting the basics right and go from there. i'm one to have a cohesive properly organized clean space which allows me to relax and just chill into my zen place and listen.

too much clutter and i'm out of my comfort zone.

 

[rockitman]

everything not nailed down will go at some point to fund my craziness.

an American Sound with 4 tonearms is about all the turntable goodness I can deal with.

so at some point in the next 6 months the NVS will be sold.

If I'm being practical, I will eventually sell the AF1.
Tang nailed the model name for this TT...Thor's Hammer !

 

[rockitman]

I feel i'm done with digital. and I can confidently say with the American Sound i'm done with turntables. and the same with the Studer A-820's. done, done and done.

.

I would say you are at the pinnacle in all three formats. For me, my cheap digital sounds good enough for the sources I have to play through it. I just can't justify a big investment in digital based on my digital media library.

 

[Steve Williams]

I would say you are at the pinnacle in all three formats. For me, my cheap digital sounds good enough for the sources I have to play through it. I just can't justify a big investment in digital based on my digital media library.

There's always the new Pacific Christian.

 

[asiufy]

Or the MSB SELECT II, Steve

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I would say you are at the pinnacle in all three formats. For me, my cheap digital sounds good enough for the sources I have to play through it. I just can't justify a big investment in digital based on my digital media library.

for a fraction of the used value of your extra tt's, arms, and phono stages, you could get excellent digital and a quality server and NAS. the software takes some time to accumulate, but there is lots of great digital.

besides the mentioned Select II and the new Lampi Pacific, there is also the MSB Reference dac which is half the price of the Select II, but also modular and therefore relatively future proof. lots of other 'uber' digital to consider.

and that is my agenda, I want to have the gear that I actually use, and not have stuff just sitting here. i'm not a collector.....I cannot afford to be a collector.

 

[rockitman]

My issue with digital....save for Grateful Dead, virtually everything I have on CD I now have on vinyl and or tape. The bulk of the music I like to listen to spanning Classic rock/pop to Jazz to classical...it's all analog mastered. Seems pointless for that music to go A/D then D/A again. At this level anyways.