Dbjain: "I definitely like it more than the Balance, which I found to be too "damped" and a bit boring to listen too."
You are very good at describing sound. I only heard the Balance at shows but some (not all) of these heavy platter tables have a sonic signature that's leaden and over "damped and boring." It's mostly in bass overhang and a kind of constipated quality that's hard to describe. I prefer a Bruce Lee kind of sonic presentation not Arnold Schwarzenegger, if that makes sense. Jump factor, you know.
I usually don't like to dwell on sonic descriptions but I remember hearing a Shindo 301 once at a store and it has a solidity, body, and earthy quality that makes many low torque belt-drive tables sound like the musician is missing a testicle.
Glad you are enjoying the Bardo.
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