You might want to listen to Transrotor and Nottingham Analog before doing anything. |
I absolutely abhor those who feel it necessary to speculate on the relative merit of products when they either have not heard one of the products or perhaps own one and have heard the other at a show or a dealer's showroom. That having been said, it is almost impossible to get access to certain products for in home comparison.
With respect to the query which is the subject of this thread, I owned an early Goldmund Reference TT initially with a T3B arm and later with a T3F. Both arms were installed by Bill Pugh who was the American rep of Goldmund at the time. My Rockport was an original Sirius without the 50# platter, the motor controller and the air isolation base. All these enhancements were later added to my Siriys which I continue to own.
The Goldmund was the single most visually impressive TT that I have ever seen. The level of QC and machining were superb, the Rockport was quieter, more dynamic, more controlled in the midbass, decoded more detail and imaged better. The Goldmund was sweeter and in many ways more musical, but not necessarily more accurate. As detail and imaging were high priorities at the time, I chose the Rockport. Fortunately, the upgrades Andy Payor later developed and was kind enough to retrofit allowed me to retain the strengths of the original while addressing the weaknesses. This sounds like an answer but really begs the question as the comparison was of one system (TT and arm) vs. the other. I always felt (but have no real proof) that the arm of the Goldmund coupled with its lack of a better bearing were its primary weakesses and that with the proper changes, the table might be significantly improved. I also understand that the last 50 had significant improvements that dramatically improved the sound and that Goldmund did build a much better version of the arm but that it never became commercially available.
In closing either a late reference or a Rockport would be a wonderful choice for a cost is no object system. Unfortunately, neither shows up on the used market with any frequency and both require a very knowledgeable set up person or patience and very good instructions. |
Rcrump, I loved your metaphor and how true..... Zurich is a long way off from Houston, but who knows......
Regards, |
For those that have not experienced what Detlof is talking about it is sort of like living in the city with all the normal street noise and then being whisked away to Montana with no ambient noise.....The Rockport uses an air bearing platter with no metal to metal contact instead it floats the platter on air with a vacuum preload, a great trick.....What has always amazed me is how much information is lost in the noise most tables make.....Next time you are Houston Detlof come on by as there are three of these units within a couple miles of each other, two Capellas and a System II Sirius......We had a fourth, but he retired and moved to Florida........ |
Rcrump, yes I know exactly what you mean. A well set up Goldmund was not bad at that, but the biggest surprise I had exactly in this field, when I had the shaft, bearing and pivot reengineered and heated, when playing and the arm made more stable.The silence was stunning and yet vibrant, so much different to the black void of CD.
Unfortunately I've never had the chance to listen to a Rockport, but all the people I've talked to who in fact had, were full of praise and admiration. |
I own a Rockport Capella and had a Goldmund Studio prior to that and have a friend that sold his Goldmund Reference to purchase a Rockport System Two Sirius.....Biggest change was the silence followed by the dynamics.....I have had the Capella now for about ten years with the only thing I have had to replace was the compressor which was done by Rockport in two days under warranty.....Oh, I did have a motor go out, but not the fault of Rockport......Built like a watch and something I will never get rid of....... |
Your post reminds me of those good old pissing contests of my schoolboy days long since gone and made me smile. If I had just bought a Rockport, I would probably maintain the same. Only "completely destroy " is just as "complete" BS of course, because at this level of refinement of LP playback, complete "destruction" is hardly possible, I would rather suggest the term of say " fairly significant differences within certain parameters ". The language your friend uses, makes it difficult to take him seriously. |
I just spoke with a fellow Rockport owner who owned a Goldmund Reference before buying his Rockport (pre-Sirius, no air suspension, etc.), which he has had updated several times. He said the Rockport completely destroyed the Goldmund. |
It is difficult to get spares for the Goldmund and if repairs become necessary, it will take a very long time. Should you ever want to buy a G., inspect the bearing very carefully and give yourself a thirty day trial period, to see if the elctronics of arm and platter control really work reliably. I do not know the situation in the US, I am talking Europe here. Unfortunatedly I have no Rockport experience. (Funny that all the wags who answered you, did not associate Rockport with roquefort, which would have given endless occasion for further jokes, but then perhaps they don't like cheese) |
CW-- My apologies if offence was taken. None meant. But, for the record you were "eurotrashed" which I thought clinched the joke. Regrettably, it did not. The reference was oblique. And, I am accordingly contrite. |
Khrys-- Don't know the Shun Mook line for bikes but thanks for the feedback. I have been hoping to get our relationship back on track after you trashed me in a previous post. |
LOL CW! You are indeed a good sport. Have you heard Shun Mook's full leather resonance attenuators for the BIKE? |
Dvd and vcr on a Ducati ? Buy a goldwing. Standard equipment man! |
Ducati? Now that's a REAL motorcycle!! |
Khrys -- thanks for the sensible advice, which I am sure is very helpful to other readers as well. But I have had better results with the cassette adaptor, purchased from Brookstone I think in 1987. A cassette shaped device slides into my Kraco under dash unit and any turntable draws power and plays LPs through the car stereo. Other than say, my Cello reference/Wilson WAMM system in my study, it's probably the best thing I have ever heard. Obviously, you have to drive carefully, although linear tracking arms seem to be a little more reliable. With respect to Ducatis, do the think the 916 or 748 SP 's cigarette lighter would perform the best? Would also love your opinion on fuel tank mountable VCRs and DVD players. My neck gets tired when I look up while crouched behind the fariring on long journeys and it would help if I could just look down and watch an old VCA movie for a while. Thanks again. |
Only lighting cigarettes from the power supply of the TNT has been shown to improve its sound to the ears of nonsmokers. |
I mean like for mobile transport. Not like for lighting cigarretes from the turntable power supply or anything. |
The Goldmund has a better cigarette lighter adapter. |
