Choosing a turntable....

"[SME]...tend to be bass heavy but very bloated and flabby."

You may have heard that in a system involving the SME. I assure you the SME was not the culprit, unless it was defective.

I would think about J.C. Verdier "La Nouveau Platine"/Schroder Model 2 combination. I don't believe there are many TT/Tonearms two times more expencive which superpass this combo.

Thank you very much for your replies! Looking at the comments I had decided the AS mambo but now in my country, Spain, has problems with distribution. What the seller told me is that AS turntables were made by Thorens and relationship between 2 companies have now broken. Now this shop has 5 prepaid orders and turntables have not arrived yet. I love AS mambo but I don´t want to be the sixth...
Now the shop works with Acoustic Solid. I had thought about the ONE TO ONE model or then go on with the vpi SSM. What do you think?
Oh, by the way have you tried the LEHMANN AUDIO BLACK CUBE DECADE phono preamp??

Thanks in advance!!!

In my conversation with the 2 companies serving as US distributors of Acoustic Solid and Acoustic Signature 'tables, I got a different story. I'm told that A-Solid has manufactured their tables in-house for about 10 years. A-Sig started a few years back when the director of sales for A-Solid set up his own shop to manufacture tables (in-house) from the A-Solid designs and sell them as A-Sig. Some changes were made (dry bearing), but the tables are very similar and both are reportedly very good performers. FWIW, I recently ordered an A-Solid "Solid Black" table w/arm & cartridge for a second system. It appears to represent good value, but I'll know more once I receive it.

I think the bottom line is: Both companies offer very good tables because the common underlying design is very good and execution by both companies is well regarded,

Good Luck.

thorens td350