I have had two for almost a year and it's been fun....but now have a second armwand for the better TT so will be back to one again.
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I have two turntables each with three arms... http://i.imgur.com/r2AM7An.jpg http://i.imgur.com/msMbfXy.jpg What is my purpose? I have had around 50-60 cartridges over the years and have 'limited' myself currently, to the best 30 or so. Despite what most audiophiles think.....it is simply not possible to accurately compare the sounds of multiple cartridges when one needs to unmount and remount each one in a fixed arm on a single turntable. The differences between top MM and LOMC cartridges are often sooo subtle and elusive....that our aural memories cannot cope with the time lags. That's why all but one of my arms accept interchangeable headshells so that I in fact can go back and forth with dozens of cartridges in short time spans. Now admittedly this may not be important to most audiophiles....and it wasn't to me in my single turntable/single arm/single cartridge days....but having experienced the luxury (and pleasure) of multiple arms/cartridges over the last 6 years......I will never go back 👀 |
I run three turntables with five tonearms on two systems. One system includes a Luxman PD444, modified in small ways but mounted on 1 lb. brass cones resting on Aurios media bearings, which yield a vast improvement over the factory footers. The other system includes a second Luxman PD444 set up identically to the first, but with different tonearms. That system also includes a Garrard 401 with Thomas Schick tonearm, running more often than not an SPU. The Luxmans have outlasted and bested every belt drive turntable I've had over the last 40 years. The Garrard 401 simply has a different presentation entirely that while less objective than the Luxman PD444, is vastly entertaining and engaging in selective ways that benefit some music over others. Phil |
Tim (Pryso), I would not dare to buy yet another turntable, but if the new Technics does indeed have a coreless motor, as I also read, then it may prove noticeably superior to the original SL1200, which made me wonder why they built it to look exactly like the SL1200. Its appearance has thus been seized upon by some as reason to question the seemingly high price, which really is not so high, IMO. Albeit, I would not trade my L07D for the new Technics, despite the fact that the former typically costs less when you can find one. Dave, Sounds like the PD444 motor is indeed "coreless". It may be my imagination, but I "hear" coreless motors as giving a little more life to the music, as compared to iron-cored motors in direct-drive turntables. One exception is the SP10 MK3 with Krebs mods. The Krebs mod goes a long way, probably all the way, to achieving the coreless sound. Plus the Mk3 is peerless when it comes to a sense of drive and rhythm. I am sure that an unknown factor in the direct-drive equation is the servo mechanism and how it works to maintain constant speed. That too could surely affect musicality. I forgot that you also have an L07D, but it cannot mount 3 tonearms like the PD444. |
lewm, "a coreless motor? I have developed a preference for the sound of those that do." So, does this suggest interest in the new Technics SL-1200GAE? http://www.sl1200gae.info/about |
Lew, I haven't yet had the PD444 motor apart for service, knock on wood. The literature describes the motor as flat, slotless, brushless, DC servo-controller with Hall sensors. Like L07D it uses magnetic levitation, in this case to relieve about 4/5 of the 2.5kg platter weight. It has a much lower-torque, lower-current motor than the L07D. The design work is rumored to have been done by Micro Seiki. The motor may be JVC. I do find the DD sound of PD444 and L07D more appealing than my much modified VPI TNT. With the VPI converted from rubber belts to thread it was possible to tension the thread for a cleaner, faster-paced "DD-like" sound. Both Luxman and Kenwood go further in that direction. |
Dave, It's telling for me to learn that you prefer the PD444 (direct-drive) vs your other 3 turntables, which if memory serves are either belt-drive or rim-drive types (do you have a Terminator Salvation?). I have come to the same conclusion, as is obvious. Does the PD444 use a coreless motor? I have developed a preference for the sound of those that do. |
A Luxman PD444 with three arms(2x SME 3012R + Kuzma 4P at the moment.) Unfortunately there is no space remaining to set up my three other turntables simultaneously. Multiple tonearms on one TT help in making close comparisons between tonearms and cartridges. They take a significant variable out of the equation. I can’t understand why more pro reviewers don’t have this arrangement. It can also help convince one how specious judgments of better/best can be in audio. A multi-arm setup convinces that above a certain level of performance, choices are largely matters of taste and are often price-independent. |
Does anyone run 2 or more turntables at the same time? What is your purpose?Sure, I have two. Besides just being fun, here are the practical reasons... * One is manual and the other is a semi-auto. The advantage of a semi-auto are obviously when is one is doing something else while listening. * One is belt driven and one direct drive. * One is modern and one is vintage. * The above two points helps me avoid two classic debates in the world of vinyl because I don't have to take sides. * Having two allows for two entirely different cartridges and both sound different. * And back to my opening statement - its just more fun! |
Just to keep your thread alive, I now have 5 turntables up and running, although only 4 of them get even occasional use. My Victor TT101, mentioned above, was finally fixed by a genius in NYC, JP Jones. If you have a "broken" direct-drive turntable, JP can fix it. So, in my basement system, I use a highly modified Lenco with Dynavector DV505 and the TT101 with FR64S tonearm. Upstairs, I use a Technics SP10 Mk3 (Reed tonearm) and Kenwood L07D with its built-on L07J tonearm. My Denon DP80 is up there too, just sitting. I had promised myself I would sell the Denon if the TT101 ever got fixed, but I don't feel that urge any longer. The market value of the DP80 is too low to make me feel compelled to part with it. |
That's why the Aesthetix Rhea phonostage has 3 inputs (not the least of its charms). I have two arms (one dedicated to mono) on my replinthed Lenco and use a separate Empire 298 turntable for 78s. Yes, I know, the Lenco can play 78s too (just as the Empire can play LPs) but whoever suspected record-playing fanatics of being logical? |
I have one turntable with two arms so I can access different cartridges. Many times Ive had two turntables in the system, typically short term to test one against the other to determine best performance. I would like to have two best turntables with different high end tonearm and cartridge combinations. |
I run two turntables and a microphone, that's where it's at my friend. ;^) |
I do. In my home system 2 turntables connected to 2 phono inputs that I have. It brings me 1. a convenience of playing records of variable speed without moving that belt over the spindle manually 2. secondary TT has 78rpm or single album setup (so figure different setup for different records. 78rpm setup can also be used for 12" single records. In DJ application I used 4 Technics 1200: First 2 for playback of single records 3rd For scratching 4th for LPs |
Drumarty, I see that you've been a member since 2008. Haven't you noticed in that time that a number of members have 2 ,3 and sometimes more turntables? I'm sure that the reason is because they can afford it, and they want to exploit the strengths of one or the other for different types of music. I'm sure they will tell you in this thread |
