2. analog
  3. 1176834228

best "entry level" audiophile TT?

I'm looking to replace the relatively crappy turntabel I'm using right now. Everyone says Rega (p3 or p2?). I've also been impressed with the Pro-Ject RM-5, Dual CS 455 Gold, and the Music Hall MMF-5 turntables. Any thoughts? any additions to the list? What are key issues / questions to be addressed in finding the best turntable for me?
metalsymph

Showing 2 responses by thom_at_galibier_design

thom_at_galibier_design's avatar
thom_at_galibier_design
729 posts
 
Zen gardens ...
Flyingred, thanks for the cheap answer to isolation. Maybe I can make a zen garden out of my zen music. anyone else tried this?
This drove the poor boys at Redrock Audio nuts at my very first ever audio show in 2001 ... the sandbox top plate wasn't ready and there was a bit of visible sand.

There we were ... raking this little Zen garden.

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Here's a quick drawing for a DIY sandbox:
http://www.galibierdesign.com/images/zz_sandbox.pdf.

If you lose this post, you can always link to it from my FAQs page.

This whole topic of stands is becoming deserving of a dedicated section. If I ever get around to making this update (don't worry ... after the Serac becomes real), I'll point to it from the FAQs page.

Also, I need to update the FAQs page with an additional link.

I am receiving excellent reports from a very trusted source on this shelf:
http://www.adonacorporation.com/platform.html

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There's some good advice in this thread on the 1200. You can do wonders for this 'table. As an aside, I've had some good success with the Duals too.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier
thom_at_galibier_design's avatar
thom_at_galibier_design
729 posts
 
Hi Raul / 'Red ...

Cartridges certainly have their signature sound. I agree.

I do think however, that we can take actions to make them sound more alike by tuning the interface ... addressing where they stray from the truth. Your (Raul's) extensive studies in arm and cartridge matching is but one area in this exploration.

I had an experience a few years ago, which spun my head around.

As I was working through several highly regarded tonearms (fill in the blanks - the brand doesn't matter), several of the arms resulted in quite a few cartridges sounding more alike while at the same time, pulling more music out of the groove.

As I pondered this paradox, it occurred to me that these tonearms were more effective at draining vibrations (resonance) from the system. This had the effect of mitigating one of the characteristic differences between cartridges.

Surely the other distinguishing factors remained - motor generator, stylus profile and moving mass, compliance, coil inductance, etc., but by better damping out cartridge resonance, one distinguishing characteristic was minimized - thus, improving resolution while at the same time making the cartridges sound a bit more alike.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier
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