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10 Levels of Turntable Mastery

Maybe this will be an intersting thread. Maybe it will be quickly forgotten. Either way, I'd throw it out there for discussion and debate.

Could we, as a collective, define 10 Levels of Turntable Mastery? 1 being a complete novice, 10 being the master turntable guru. Perhaps we even start at 0.

TML 0 - Digital Only
TML 1 - If you own and use a turntable, you qualify for TML 1.
TML 2 - ?
TML 3 - ?
etc.

I figured I'd fall into the 4 to 5 range. I understand the geometry enough to create my own protractors. I can use these protractors to set up tables with variable P-to-S distances. I can arrive at an acceptable starting point for anti-skate. I can set an initial VTA and VTF, but I'm not attune to the minor changes in these values (given my cartridge and associated equipment). I have no idea how to use an oscilloscope to validate and verify an accurate setup.

This isn't about who can buy the most expensive toys. A Walker owner may be a TML 1 while there may be Technics SL-1200 owners that may come in at a TML 8 or 9.

I think this would interesting to define these levels not only to benchmark where one is at as a Turntable Master, but what are the next things to master along the analog journey.

Who want's to take a crack at it? If this thread goes anywhere, I'll periodically summarize the posts into the current TMLs to help foster discussion and debate.
nrenter

Showing 1 response by dgarretson

dgarretson
2,609 posts
 
During my long noviciate of acquiring purported TT mastery, every year or so when I rechecked arm/cartridge set-up I found it way out of adjustment. I suspect it was my measurement tools & skills that were improving, rather than shifts in geometry.

Top-ranked TT masters are occasionally spotted at bicyle race shops discussing the mysterious properties of Italian hub grease. They wake up wet after dreams of being caressed by three-armed octopuses with names like Grace, Graham, or Schroeder. They puzzle physicians in ERs with toes broken by dropped 5 lb. record weights. They sometimes forget to remove their stethoscopes when exiting the listening room.
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