EMT 927 vs. Micro Seiki 5000 or 8000 - different?

Thuchan- I believe the group marketing the EMT products are very professional and dedicated to quality. I cannot speak for the sales in the USA, but perhaps the reason they are not as popular as in Europe or Asia has more to due with buying habits and audio magazine influences.

I am only speculating, but until recently, the audio magazines set the stage with reviews of new more mainstream products, and EMT is a niche player at this time.

Eckert-The secret with the Garrard is the base. The stock 501 was sourced from Loricraft with a very mediocre base, which robbed dynamics. In a proper Panzerholst or slate foundation, north of 70 lbs, you might have a different opinion of the 501 or even the 301 for that matter.

Since I just acquired a RX 5000, I am returning to belt drives after a two year departure from the Walker. I am eager to see how the Micro compares to my current Technics sp 10 Mk III and Garrard 301, both in Porterhouse Panzerholst bases.

Congratulations on your new speakers.

Louis

Eckert- It seems like everything in audio carries at premium if it is a little special.

In my experience with the Technics, both the Mk II and III, the biggest gains in performance were realized with the right plinth. I believe the arm board alone I am using for the Mk III is 3 pound of panzerholst, which is mounted to a brass rail system attached to an interior wood section...the devil is truly in the details.

I would think the Wavacs are loving the new speaker system. But this is a dramatic shift for you to transition from the big Wilsons to a custom horn system. Typically the two concepts are mutually exclusive. It seems that in your case, you were able to keep what you liked about the Wilsons, and add the virtues of a fine horn loaded system.

Thuchan- In shore is exactly right.

Reviewing a product that is not currently being marketed or readily available does not serve the industry's best interest, which is to make a market for products currently being manufactured.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with this approach as most people want to be able to buy a new item whose performance is reviewed.

As for starting a magazine exclusively dedicated to vintage audio, that would be great fun, but a lot of work for a small market.

With this forum Audiogon is providing a vehicle for all of us to share our findings, so in essence we have a venue to review our current experiences with all HiFi gear.

This discussion regarding stylus drag is the reason why I sold some highly regarded belt drive turntables. I could hear them slow down during heavily modulated passages.

I didn't understand what was happening until i listened to a turntable that had the drive and speed accuracy to combat the stylus drag problem.

The turntables were a Garrard 301 and Technics sp 10 Mk III; but only after they were reengineered with heavy plinths or motor controllers or both to improve upon their weaknesses. The net effect is they powered through the record with dynamics and speed accuracy much improved over my former belt drive tables.

I drew the conclusion that all belt drive tables are compromised and cannot be speed accurate or very dynamic.

So in essence the stylus drag problem forced me to travel back to reexamine the old argument of which drive system is the most speed accurate and dynamic.

Not until I recently reacquainted myself with a belt drive turntable, the Micro Seiki RX 5000, would I even look at a belt drive design. I was certain you used a DD or an Idler so long as they were in a well engineered plinth with a good speed control device. But my recent Micro Seiki experience showend me it was dynamic as hell and with the surgical string speed stable.

I was very surprised and forced to once again admit there are no absolutes and be very careful before drawing any conclusions

Raul-Yes. Only on heavily modulated passages you could sense a slight loss of speed or stylus drag, but in many cases you tended to overlook it because when it was on it excelled in capturing micro detail and nuance.

The Loricraft 301 motor controller helped calm the Garrard 301 motor to achieve greater speed stability, not the Technics SP 10, which is already very speed accurate.