This thread proves to me that we audiophiles operating in the analog domain have it made.
Discussions between us centering on differences between the best turntables, arms and cartridges in the world and everyone seems to favor (or at least be excited) by their own choices.
I have owned many high end tables, perhaps the last two or three only qualify for insertion in this thread, but truth is the high end turntable market has pushed technology to places I never thought it would go.
Thirty years ago and perhaps even earlier, my experience with Thorens TD 124 and Ortofon arm and later, A Luxman Direct Drive with a modified Rabco linear track arm, convinced me that high end analog had reached a summit that could not be improved upon.
That was before I owned my Win Labs table, my Dynavector arm and cartridge and the Oracle Premiere with (original) Tri Planar arm.
Later I owned a Versa Dynamics (with it's own linear track arm), Basis Debut Gold IV and V and after experimenting with Tri Planar, Graham, Air Tangent 10 B and Breuer arms I thought (again) that analog had gone as far as possible.
Over the last five months I have had the pleasure of comparing directly side by side, the Kuzma Stabi XL turntable with Kuzma Air Line linear track arm to a Walker Proscenium (without Walker's latest arm upgrade).
I and the owner of these two fine tables agree the Walker is superior but as Raul mentioned in his post, the difference between these two high end tables was erased by swapping cartridges, and the two cartridges could not have been more similar. Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum in the Walker, Koetsu Jade Platinum Signature in the Kuzma.
The Kuzma had the advantage in this (above) set up. After swapping cartridges where Koetsu Jade went into the Walker, the Walker was the winner.
I heard things I preferred with the Walker, even when it had the Rosewood, but the Kuzma with it's linear track arm was so good, that the cartridge became the sticking point in this contest.
This test was made in the EXACT same system with Identical components, only the turntable plugged and unplugged into the same phono stage. Both turntables sat on the same stand, using the same isolation and with the same wall outlets powering everything with identical cords.
This was a true test, a test that occurred over 6 months of relaxed listening. I can still hear each turntable in my mind even now as I type this post.
I think there are so many variables and so many ways to alter sound in a high end system that it's difficult (perhaps impossible) to know EXACTLY what is the absolute best. In any case, a number of high end tables both new and old with proper tweaking and perfect arm and cartridge match can provide "top ten" sound in a state of the art system.
