What turntables do you use? Pictures would be nice as well :-)

Good eye Dre. That copy is the Speaker's Corner reissue. Rush gave it to me a number of years ago. I am looking forward to Chad's reissues of the RCA's. I signed up for the series.

I have had the suspension, clamp, belt and motor feet upgrades. I have not done the ceramic arm, still using the the carbon fiber arm. Lloyd is going to do the addition of the black diamonds the next time he comes over.

I just had the cantilever and stylus rebuild by Peter Lederman on the Magic Diamond. As Lloyd said "it may be better than the original"

Are you planning on going to Washington for Capital Audio Fest? I am planning on being there at this point. If you do, we should try to get together.

Joe
 
Are you planning on going to Washington for Capital Audio Fest? I am planning on being there at this point. If you do, we should try to get together.

Joe

I think my next Fest will be Rocky Mountain. Although DC is within a very long days drive, I'm not sure I'll be making the trek this time.

If you make RMAF or I get to Philly anytime soon we will defiantly hang out a bit. Especially in Philly. It would be like a Walker turntable tour of the city. :)

Dre
 
  • Like
Reactions: Audio Quack
just wondering why JackD is absent from this thread.. he has killer analog setups

A whole lot of super killer rigs here Ding but here's mine anyway. Still waiting on an elite and still have a couple of uber carts in their boxes.

 
A whole lot of super killer rigs here Ding but here's mine anyway. Still waiting on an elite and still have a couple of uber carts in their boxes.

Guess you didn't read Syntax's bulletin about the Raven :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: DetroitVinylRob
Syntax and a few of his "classic" remarks:

"09-13-12: Syntax
....the kiss of death....

In Analog we will find everything but in my opinion, lots of those units became
a Boutique Character (expensive bottle, cheap fluid inside). All those expensive
units have one in common (when we look back):
GREAT Reviews, lots of Hype
and at the end of Day it was more or less nothing to write home about
(sonically). Some examples?

Goldmund Reference
The Mother of Hype, but the moving Arm changes Azimuth in every groove, the
table itself has a good soundstage, but details are all smeared AND it destroys
every cantilever after some time.

Rockport Sirius III
The American Altar, but the Arm wire inside is so stiff that the Arm can not
track the inner 3 tracks properly, it skips, the only way out is to use a very
heavy cartridge, but the cantilever will be destroyed very soon. And the sound is
ultra thin, completely lifeless without any body. Great engineering, missing the
sonic target by a mile.

Montegiro
A super expensive German Turntable 30k+, endless rave and hype and during
its demo at the High End Show the bearing broke. A typical example for
Boutique. Now they are available for 1/5th price, company is out of business.

Continuum
Framers Finest. I listened to it 3 times, professionally set up from the Importer.
2x it was defect and the 3 time the connected Phonostage had a problem (or
the Arm wire, Phonamp, Cartridge). I always said "Mono IS interesting"
Anyway, that Company is also more or less out of Business what
Australians wrote me. Buy replacement Parts NOW.

Airtangent
The Mother of of all Airliners. Super, super expensive at that time, Hype
endless, bloody knees from Audiophiles - from kneeling in front of it - was
normal, even more expensive with optional remote VTA....but it never worked
properly. The Airflow in some areas was not constant, so..well, you can
imagine...

NVS
The Mother of a "Game-Changer" Product, defect bearing while RMAF but some
wrote, even with that defect bearing it sounded fantastic (great or?) and in some
discussions in Seattle area some buyers wrote how happy they are now
"being a member of the Club."
A pity that the thread about was deleted :)
No knowledge (from the whole Chain Manufacturer-Distributor-User) about
shipping, no knowledge about platter mechanism, no damping was a result of
that damage and honestly, buying a product from "Engineers" who
have absolutely no idea about technical connections ...well, good luck.

Thorens Reference
The Audiophile Answer from Germany to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Heavy and it will show every visitor "Hey, I am something serious"
In real life you can get the identical sonic quality from every 2-3k$ turntable
today. But the motor management is good.

Wood Arms
Well, let's face the truth, a piece of wood at a string or 'in long' for 16K$ has to
be touched from God AND made from some ultra secret, mystic material, stolen
from the NASA...Energy transfer? What is THAT, we want Emotion... well,
Boutique,...Geometry? Pardon, WHAT? The best bearing is no bearing...
blubber...
Of course you need a 12k+++ Cartridge to get the full sonic impact the Arm is
able to deliver

Linn
Well, even after 30 years they find revolutionary 'improvements'...in a way the
ARC Company in analog. To catch the same customer again and again, that's
brilliant. Sonically? When you want a different sound, all you have to do is to
open the window...

Of course, all owners, no matter from what expensive product, will write that
their unit is an exception and is working like a charm etc. But let's face the
facts: It is the money what counts.
The wealthy Audiophile likes to show others how clever he is and what
expensive units he owns, he wants the Respect to be accepted as an
"Experienced Audiophile" but at the end of day, he also wants
money when he sells that Sonic Wonder. Who writes "Yes, I have that T3F,
Rockport, ...and it is really inferior, but I like it?"
No one.

Is there a way out?
Of course.
Let's visit Dover and steal his Turntable :)
Syntax (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)"
 
Syntax and a few of his "classic" remarks:

"09-13-12: Syntax
....the kiss of death....

In Analog we will find everything but in my opinion, lots of those units became
a Boutique Character (expensive bottle, cheap fluid inside). All those expensive
units have one in common (when we look back):
GREAT Reviews, lots of Hype
and at the end of Day it was more or less nothing to write home about
(sonically). Some examples?

Goldmund Reference
The Mother of Hype, but the moving Arm changes Azimuth in every groove, the
table itself has a good soundstage, but details are all smeared AND it destroys
every cantilever after some time.

Rockport Sirius III
The American Altar, but the Arm wire inside is so stiff that the Arm can not
track the inner 3 tracks properly, it skips, the only way out is to use a very
heavy cartridge, but the cantilever will be destroyed very soon. And the sound is
ultra thin, completely lifeless without any body. Great engineering, missing the
sonic target by a mile.

Montegiro
A super expensive German Turntable 30k+, endless rave and hype and during
its demo at the High End Show the bearing broke. A typical example for
Boutique. Now they are available for 1/5th price, company is out of business.

Continuum
Framers Finest. I listened to it 3 times, professionally set up from the Importer.
2x it was defect and the 3 time the connected Phonostage had a problem (or
the Arm wire, Phonamp, Cartridge). I always said "Mono IS interesting"
Anyway, that Company is also more or less out of Business what
Australians wrote me. Buy replacement Parts NOW.

Airtangent
The Mother of of all Airliners. Super, super expensive at that time, Hype
endless, bloody knees from Audiophiles - from kneeling in front of it - was
normal, even more expensive with optional remote VTA....but it never worked
properly. The Airflow in some areas was not constant, so..well, you can
imagine...

NVS
The Mother of a "Game-Changer" Product, defect bearing while RMAF but some
wrote, even with that defect bearing it sounded fantastic (great or?) and in some
discussions in Seattle area some buyers wrote how happy they are now
"being a member of the Club."
A pity that the thread about was deleted :)
No knowledge (from the whole Chain Manufacturer-Distributor-User) about
shipping, no knowledge about platter mechanism, no damping was a result of
that damage and honestly, buying a product from "Engineers" who
have absolutely no idea about technical connections ...well, good luck.

Thorens Reference
The Audiophile Answer from Germany to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Heavy and it will show every visitor "Hey, I am something serious"
In real life you can get the identical sonic quality from every 2-3k$ turntable
today. But the motor management is good.

Wood Arms
Well, let's face the truth, a piece of wood at a string or 'in long' for 16K$ has to
be touched from God AND made from some ultra secret, mystic material, stolen
from the NASA...Energy transfer? What is THAT, we want Emotion... well,
Boutique,...Geometry? Pardon, WHAT? The best bearing is no bearing...
blubber...
Of course you need a 12k+++ Cartridge to get the full sonic impact the Arm is
able to deliver

Linn
Well, even after 30 years they find revolutionary 'improvements'...in a way the
ARC Company in analog. To catch the same customer again and again, that's
brilliant. Sonically? When you want a different sound, all you have to do is to
open the window...

Of course, all owners, no matter from what expensive product, will write that
their unit is an exception and is working like a charm etc. But let's face the
facts: It is the money what counts.
The wealthy Audiophile likes to show others how clever he is and what
expensive units he owns, he wants the Respect to be accepted as an
"Experienced Audiophile" but at the end of day, he also wants
money when he sells that Sonic Wonder. Who writes "Yes, I have that T3F,
Rockport, ...and it is really inferior, but I like it?"
No one.

Is there a way out?
Of course.
Let's visit Dover and steal his Turntable :)
Syntax (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)"

Yes and he all but trashed the TW Acoustics on Audiogon.

Funny thing is my best friend Sid Marks had an Airtangent on his TNT for many, many years with nary a problem. So I don't know what Syntax is talking about. Perhaps it wasn't set up correctly. Thing is that the bearing tolerance is so tight (1/10,000 of an inch) that any crap around can affect the arm. But with regular cleaning of the air bearing with alcohol, etc. the arm performed flawlessly in Sid's system.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Scott Naylor
Yes and he all but trashed the TW Acoustics on Audiogon.

Funny thing is my best friend Sid Marks has an Airtangent on his TNT for many, many years with nary a problem. So I don't know what Syntax is talking about. Perhaps it wasn't set up correctly. Thing is that the bearing tolerance is so tight (1/10,000 of an inch) that any crap around can affect the arm. But with regular cleaning of the air bearing with alcohol, etc. the arm performed flawlessly in Sid's system.

Hmmm, I get along with the Syn, but he did trash the Raven in another thread over there when somebody asked whether they should buy an old Micro Seiki or the Raven.
Please say hello to Sid Marks, I remember him fondly. What a nice man.
Syn is a little tough, I agree.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DetroitVinylRob
Yes and he all but trashed the TW Acoustics on Audiogon.

Funny thing is my best friend Sid Marks had an Airtangent on his TNT for many, many years with nary a problem. So I don't know what Syntax is talking about. Perhaps it wasn't set up correctly. Thing is that the bearing tolerance is so tight (1/10,000 of an inch) that any crap around can affect the arm. But with regular cleaning of the air bearing with alcohol, etc. the arm performed flawlessly in Sid's system.

I would find it hard to believe that the TW Acoustics is anything but a great table. The air bearings I hold reservations about.

I have a cocobolo Da Vinci tonearm and love it, but I think the bearing indeed has a lot to do with the performance of the tonearm.
 
Guess you didn't read Syntax's bulletin about the Raven :)

He hates TW so much it made me wonder if it was personal between him and Thomas. He was almost as bad as "The Cat" is about Vladimir. LOL!
 
Syntax and a few of his "classic" remarks:

"09-13-12: Syntax
....the kiss of death....

In Analog we will find everything but in my opinion, lots of those units became
a Boutique Character (expensive bottle, cheap fluid inside). All those expensive
units have one in common (when we look back):
GREAT Reviews, lots of Hype
and at the end of Day it was more or less nothing to write home about
(sonically). Some examples?

Goldmund Reference
The Mother of Hype, but the moving Arm changes Azimuth in every groove, the
table itself has a good soundstage, but details are all smeared AND it destroys
every cantilever after some time.

Rockport Sirius III
The American Altar, but the Arm wire inside is so stiff that the Arm can not
track the inner 3 tracks properly, it skips, the only way out is to use a very
heavy cartridge, but the cantilever will be destroyed very soon. And the sound is
ultra thin, completely lifeless without any body. Great engineering, missing the
sonic target by a mile.

Montegiro
A super expensive German Turntable 30k+, endless rave and hype and during
its demo at the High End Show the bearing broke. A typical example for
Boutique. Now they are available for 1/5th price, company is out of business.

Continuum
Framers Finest. I listened to it 3 times, professionally set up from the Importer.
2x it was defect and the 3 time the connected Phonostage had a problem (or
the Arm wire, Phonamp, Cartridge). I always said "Mono IS interesting"
Anyway, that Company is also more or less out of Business what
Australians wrote me. Buy replacement Parts NOW.

Airtangent
The Mother of of all Airliners. Super, super expensive at that time, Hype
endless, bloody knees from Audiophiles - from kneeling in front of it - was
normal, even more expensive with optional remote VTA....but it never worked
properly. The Airflow in some areas was not constant, so..well, you can
imagine...

NVS
The Mother of a "Game-Changer" Product, defect bearing while RMAF but some
wrote, even with that defect bearing it sounded fantastic (great or?) and in some
discussions in Seattle area some buyers wrote how happy they are now
"being a member of the Club."
A pity that the thread about was deleted :)
No knowledge (from the whole Chain Manufacturer-Distributor-User) about
shipping, no knowledge about platter mechanism, no damping was a result of
that damage and honestly, buying a product from "Engineers" who
have absolutely no idea about technical connections ...well, good luck.

Thorens Reference
The Audiophile Answer from Germany to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Heavy and it will show every visitor "Hey, I am something serious"
In real life you can get the identical sonic quality from every 2-3k$ turntable
today. But the motor management is good.

Wood Arms
Well, let's face the truth, a piece of wood at a string or 'in long' for 16K$ has to
be touched from God AND made from some ultra secret, mystic material, stolen
from the NASA...Energy transfer? What is THAT, we want Emotion... well,
Boutique,...Geometry? Pardon, WHAT? The best bearing is no bearing...
blubber...
Of course you need a 12k+++ Cartridge to get the full sonic impact the Arm is
able to deliver

Linn
Well, even after 30 years they find revolutionary 'improvements'...in a way the
ARC Company in analog. To catch the same customer again and again, that's
brilliant. Sonically? When you want a different sound, all you have to do is to
open the window...

Of course, all owners, no matter from what expensive product, will write that
their unit is an exception and is working like a charm etc. But let's face the
facts: It is the money what counts.
The wealthy Audiophile likes to show others how clever he is and what
expensive units he owns, he wants the Respect to be accepted as an
"Experienced Audiophile" but at the end of day, he also wants
money when he sells that Sonic Wonder. Who writes "Yes, I have that T3F,
Rockport, ...and it is really inferior, but I like it?"
No one.

Is there a way out?
Of course.
Let's visit Dover and steal his Turntable :)
Syntax (System | Threads | Answers | This Thread)"

Boy, SME must have escaped his notice. It would be interesting to read Syntax's list of turntables that do things well and why.
 
Boy, SME must have escaped his notice. It would be interesting to read Syntax's list of turntables that do things well and why.

If you find the thread on the Gon about Raven v Micro-Seiki, Syn does do a list of preferred tables, including an early version of the Platine Verdier and various Micro-Seiki that have been tweaked.
When I read the 'Cat' I get a headache.
 

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