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A challenge to all turntable manufacturers

As I sit here, listening to Miles, Live at the Blackhawk, Vol II, a thought occurred to me. I'm strictly a CD source, all tube component audiophile. While I acknowledge the sonic benefits of a quality analogue source, I cant get past the convenience of 70+ minute CDs, shuffle playback, remote pause and skip, minimal care and feeding, and low cost compared to new quality pressings that CDs offer over vinyl.

However the thought occurred to me that a laser pickup is a technical marvel. If it can read the nano sized pits on a CD, surely the technology exists for someone to make laser pickup to read the hills and valleys of an LP pressing without converting it to one's and zeros. Think of the benefits of no complicated stylus alignment or wear, platter cleaning, etc., The pickup could also be made to read both sides of the LP allowing for continuous play, random, play, skip function, etc. Am I just dreaming? Technology today has given us things never thought possible before. Come on TT manufacturers, get to work. Thoughts?

J.Chip
128x128jchiappinelli

Showing 3 responses by mikelavigne

mikelavigne
2,200 posts
 
that challenge has been fully satisfied.

better and more real world than the ELP is the optical cartridge from DS Audio.

this product is ’ready for prime time’ and resides in a number of high performance systems. and it can be used on any turntable or tone arm. it’s a ’system’......cartridge + phono stage.

https://www.ds-audio-w.biz/optical-cartridge-basicprinciple/

there are a few ’gotcha’s’......but nothing that cannot be dealt with.
mikelavigne
2,200 posts
 

looscannon,

 I have bookmarked my life with records and music

i'll take your word for that. your Audiogon 'life' has been less than a week, and so little for us to know about yet.

but you will have to make some sort of case for your points beyond what you have written here. tell us about the details of your experiences (system details, investigation details) that support your representation that vinyl is distortion.

you do have a right to your own opinions, but not your own facts.

mikelavigne
2,200 posts
 
I have not listened to the DS system so I can not comment on the sound but I am not about to spend that kind of money on one without there being an obvious advantage especially when high resolution files leap frog right over it at a major cost savings.

high res digital is not nearly competitive with standard technology cartridge design. not close. i have plenty of dxd (352/24) and Quad dsd and it pales directly compared to my vinyl performance.

your ’statement/opinion/wild guess’ is wrong. period.

as far as cost savings; you can’t paint broad brush strokes when speaking about performance. every system is different. some digital surpasses some vinyl at particular investment levels. if you are talking about SOTA on both formats, then vinyl is better. i own SOTA on both formats.

the optical technology of the DS Audio (which i have heard at shows) is more detailed than a normal cartridge. the question is it’s tonal balance....it's in the ballpark but a matter of personal taste. 

laser or optical in the groove is a non starter due to dust and dirt realities of this mechanical system. the vinyl pressing technology would need to be re-engineered for a direct optical or laser approach to be workable. and tonality of those laser systems has not yet been made workable.
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