Basis Audio Fans

Oh, I forgot to mention, anyone who thinks Tekton loudspeakers sound good has defective hearing.

Errr No, you were quite correct in your first impression ,Condescending , You might also consider Arrogant and Narcissistic.

The SOTA was ground breaking, still is some 40 years on….

I sometimes wonder, do you guys read what you write? Or just not understand?

That's twice now you've responded to posts you are absolutely certain are not worth responding to. Clearly then, as a matter of simple logic they are worth responding to.

It does raise the question, Someone who would write and think so illogically, I would think maybe the correct response is to conclude they may not be worth reading?

What do you think? 

Low sample size. I see. At least there is one. I've sampled several different bearings, platters, motors, motor controllers, motor controller power supplies, motor pods, motor pod mounts, belts, platter hold down systems, and plinths.

That is why my posts are worth responding to, they are based on extensive research. They are worth responding to with a lot more than mere schoolyard taunts. But, you go with what you got I guess. And that is all you got. 

Somehow I get the impression that you like Origin Live. Certainly a lot less expensive than Basis, and for some reason it has never gained traction?

I wonder why??

The longer more complete answer is I think marketing. The truth is the best product in the world is useless unless people hear about it and try it. Especially important in high end audio.

Origin Live is a small shop, apparently doing quite well in their domestic UK market and these things don’t just magically expand to other markets, it takes effort and planning. Which, evidently not interested in.

The products however, my first Conqueror arm was truly impressive. When I went searching turntables, knowing what I know from having built and modified them it was apparent Mark Baker is on another level. Sorry, I know there are fans of others (who studiously avoid appearing as fans, even thought they are- at least I am honest about what I really like) but they are simply not on the same level.

This is not just me saying this. I do a lot of research and one thing I came across was a Michael Fremer review of some years ago. This was the Resolution turntable, one model down from the Sovereign I wound up buying. Fremer praised it mightily, ultimately concluding it is not just one of the best turntables he ever heard regardless of price, but one of the best components he ever heard. Period.

How ya gonna top that? Eh? Look it up. When it comes to his top Voyager table and Renown arm, there’s an even more compelling review, if you can believe that, on their site. Then there’s the owners, who when I mentioned getting mine one chimes in how easily his Sovereign trounces much more expensive VPI, etc. So the lack of traction, here in the US anyway, is nothing to do with performance. That’s for sure.

In doing my due diligence I researched all the Origin Live US dealers. At first glance it would appear they are pretty well represented with half a dozen in a lot of the right markets. Dig deeper though and not a one of them has so much as a single piece of product in inventory, save one I found with the Gravity One record weight. VPI, etc the more commonly known names they do have.

These guys aren’t dummies. They know full well it is a lot easier to sell what the customer is already familiar with than to try and take the time to educate them why OL is better, and why they should take the risk of the less familiar.

No, I mentioned Fremer praised a different table than mine. Fremer is the premier analog reviewer on the planet. But if you can’t read well enough to glean even basic facts you are probably wise to disregard him- and me. I don’t write for people who read at that, er, level. Try and understand, we reach a higher level audience.

Machining and quality are a concern, but not for anything like the reasons you think. The unstated assumption from the hater is higher precision automatically equals better sound. Not true. Demonstrably not true! Anyone who has actually machined and modded bearings as I have will know this. Not from reading either, but from hearing.

In fact there is a balance between many bearing factors, with no single one of them being determinative. Not even bearing oil. Which is the decisive property? Viscosity? You don’t know. It may well be that a highly precision machined and polished bearing surface is best. Sure seems to be the case for high pressure high RPM applications. Is it for low pressure low RPM? How do you know?

I’m asking guys I know have no answer simply to try and get you thinking.

When I look at a Basis turntable from my experience, my own hands on I tried it myself experience, I see every single thing he is doing. Remember I’ve taken them apart, modded, improved.

When I put my Sovereign together, looking at it with that same eye, I see all kinds of things that make me stop and think. Then I call Mark Baker and he tells me half a dozen ways it goes far deeper even than I thought.

I know you guys like your tables. Heck I had one, it is a fine table. I am on record saying over and over again turntables are one component a guy can buy whatever he likes even on looks alone and be happy. Said it a hundred times. Origin Live just happens to be on another level. Sorry. It is. But this is not a zero sum game.

Sorry if that is a little too complicated or sophisticated a view. Feel free to discount it all day long. Not my problem. I’m not the one trying to build a system while disregarding the views of one of the most respected names in the business.

Most of em. Just look at Basis. Same old slabs of acrylic and aluminum, only more and thicker. Kind of like VPI. Same old stuff. Teres Audio was way better for the money, and that was 20 years ago. Vacuum clamping massive platters and plinth, this is just so old. 60k for the same old same old only with more stuff screwed into it trying to control resonance instead of using better materials more intelligently. 

Compare that to Origin Live where the closer and deeper you look the more sophisticated the design emerges. There really is no comparison. Even the lowly record clamp on my Sovereign is beyond what Basis is doing.

But honestly I am not kidding turntables really are on another level from everything else. On one level you can have something like a Voyager that is beyond anything Conti could imagine in terms of sound. But on another level it doesn't matter because even old school Basis, Teres, VPI etc are so good you can justify your purchase simply on looks and style. Turntables truly are one thing where "the best" can mean how it looks or how it sounds. Not like anyone ever gonna have them side by side with the same arm, cartridge, phono stage, etc to settle it and even if they did who cares you get the one you like.

Remember I had one, took it apart, figured out how to make every single bit of it better. Every single bit. From the power cord to the motor to the pod to the power supply of the motor to the belt, bearing, platter, and plinth. Wasn't even hard. 

Sounds like a knock but I truly liked that Basis. Taught me a lot. A lot. About how easy it is to make a turntable. Just look at VPI. Acrylic, aluminum, more and more of the same old same old. Seriously. Then compare to Origin Live. There is no comparison. But really. Since you asked. Go and look. You will see.

My first table was a Basis, 2001 I think. Great thing about Basis, they do have loyal fans. At any rate it was sure nice to be able to sell mine after almost a dozen years for almost exactly what I paid for it. Hopefully the fan base will remain strong enough to be there for you guys when you decide to move on up to some of the newer better tables out there.