Audpulse, I got a copy of a letter which was written to the TAS magazine stating that Vinyl is not benchmark, tubes are too noisy as records are BTW too and the only good signal you get from downloading. Hoorah - this is the new god we are dancing around - but not with me!
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Thuchan nailed it. "If you ever had a chance to look into the motor design of a big Studer Tape machine or at the big EMTs you know what motor design could be at its best. This is how professionals do it. Maybe we are used to deal a little to much with the consumer audio works..." The Studer uses a proprietary 3-phase eddy current motor with an external rotor. This, as Papst would call it, is an "Aussenlaufer", or electric flywheel motor. The Studer is particularly low torque, but is very stable and quiet. Neumann used similar designs in their studio equipment, except those were significantly more powerful, but noisier. The Neumann motors are the big brothers to the ones we find in Empire and Rek-O-Kut turntables, and go a long way to explain why people continue to be enamored with those cheap vintage turntables. EMT used a variety of motors, but all were large in comparison to most modern turntables, and some followed suite with the solutions offered by Studer and Papst. The bottomline, in my opinion, is that many of today's makers of turntables sacrifice a bit of performance for assured motor silence and ease of construction. Many users expect the more positive aspects of their decision, but listeners of the old high performance machines don't put stethoscopes to the plinths. They tend to spend more of their time listening to music and tapping their feet. Caveat: Regardless of the findings of the old reputable manufacturers, (and the opinions of Thuchan and me) there are smaller, less powerful turntables that deliver music very, very well. Audio is filled with flavors, you know. . |
Dear Nandric, I have a 4 way horn system. I will use some additional subs which I can use for Stereo support as well as for 7.1 surround. The TAD drivers are TD-4001, TD-2002 and Exclusive ET-703. The horn is a very special construction I will show when the system is completely built up - approx. end of next week. You are right a 4way is absolutely adequate. Just for fun I have added the small amounts I have paid for the drivers only - then the other material, the work and did mulitly by 6 -which is the usual sales price of speakers- Unbelievable! |
Dear Thuchan, I assume that everyone would love to build his own 'dream speakers'. Anyway I would. My curiosity is about the drivers. I know that A Capella uses some midd-dome for the range of +/-300- 50000 Hz. Then the Usher horn uses the TAD coaxial driver (version Pioneer) for midd/high in a three way system. If I understand you well you are using the TAD coaxial beryllium driver(?). If so I am not able to understand the need for a 5 way system. Ie even in the case of an extra midd/bass one should think that a 4 way will be adequate. You must have some specific reasons for your choice. Will you be so kind to explain? Regards,n |
this is a very good manual Soundlistening and it will me guiding in the next two weeks building up the horn system in my room. I am pretty sure it will change everything and it already did - because at the moment I am not able listening to my EMT. fixing the cross-over points will be a never ending story I guess, hopefully not. It is my first experience into that kind of "tuning" and I am thankful to have some experienced friends at hand... |
So EMT leads to many things... Agree Dertonarm "but each x-over point less is certainly an asset to the performance" and we seek for that "perfect" driver that will span as many octaves as possible. But nothing new "Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem" or "Entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity". One has to go from two way to three then to four and even five to go back to 4 then 3 then 2....otherwise you miss what is missing...! Other said in better words "Perfection is attained, not when no more can be added, but when no more can be removed" The EMTs are "simple" TTs" well made. You have no options, arms, phonos, cartridges (short of diamond/saphire size/profile)....well you can "play" but then best use another TT? EMTs are not about playing with the TT but playing the music accepting the TT limits whilst enjoying its qualities. All fun. |
I am always fascinated from technical solutions and an idler drive is THE best (by far) way to transform any vibration and smearing from motor to the bearing and platter. These distortions are called Rhythm (well, the" Subway below Kingsway Hall" in every record), the loss of High frequency information is a result in better Bass (like a compressed MP3 file to the midrange). Most record stations replaced those units as fast as possible. Personally I think, the audiophile world waited for them. Here is a version with an updated motor. PRAT counts. |
No one claims that Syntax, but I feel it is not fair to delude our self that a scarce, expensive to buy, expensive to maintain, expensive to repair & so much restricted to arm/cart choises gigantic TT, is the end and all of our troubles in choosing our source. It can solve most of them concerning the sound, but may create some serious others, in the shadow of them, we can not enjoy the music any more. |
Dear Bourse, ..but all roads lead to 5 way horns. :)..- IMHO neither a priori nor in ultimo ratio. Of course it is tempting to address each frequency band with an ideal (on first sight ...) suited driver, but it is always the "team" which produces the results. Every 4+ way horn (or any other driver principle) system I have heard and seen so far (and it were many ...) - regardless the price tag - produced more problems than it solved. One is easily tempted to address the requirements of a top class horn system with an overextended material battle. It is a common yet often overlooked trap. The "lucky" owners weren't aware of it most of the time, but each x-over point less is certainly an asset to the performance. And the computer x-overs available today are no real cure either. There are way enough great horn drivers out there - be it pro audio or "elusive" ( applying to the price tag mainly ...) audiophile drivers - which do cover a large band perfectly (if enough attention to detail is applied (terminals, inner wire, bug nets etc.)). The day I see a 5 way horn system where all other aspects of performance are already addressed and the 4th and 5th way still are really a logical consequence has not yet seen light. Cheers, D. |
Dear T_bone, dear Geoch, first - great to hear you are o.k. Travis. A dreadful and really very sad catastrophe. Showing us once again how dwarf we really are.... T_bone is right - the WE-8000 is the only SAEC tonearm where the offset of the headshell is correct. The SAEC 506/30 was designed to be used with 10" and singles only. It's geometry does reflect it. Out of curiosity I have calculated a different alignment for the 506/30 which does suit 12" records MUCH better ( T_bone it is included in your UNI-Pro set for free !!). Cheers, D. |
Bourse, I am inspired for my Horn design not by the guys your are mentioning. Especially the crossover will be something very very special. I have tested the TAD drivers against others, we do some small modifications too. I will use two additional Subs which can be very powerful and do match the design. They are carrying French drivers. will report about my experiences on my page. we always believe we are living in a non global world, at least some people in Europe who are looking to get their freedom in small protected retreats in the hills or at the sea side not really caring about the rest of the world. We are definitely not. Japan is not that far as many think, - when it comes to a nuclear desaster, we all hope it will not happen, we might be all affected. |
I am sorry, yes I meant the 8000. The sea breeze must have some impact on my registers... Indeed the 8000 is the only SAEC which comes as a straight 13" design with the angle provided by the special headshell. I have two headshells of this kind and they are not very easy to get in the used markets. The 8000 in a very good condition is hard to get as well. I tried to find one in Japan but at that time I was not successful. Be prepared to pay a really high price for this rare item. The 506/30 you may get easier and rewired it is on a pair with the FR-66s. Geoch if you are considering exchanging your 308SX go for a 506/30. You will face no problems with geometry at all. T_Bone no problems at all with changing the subject a little. When I return I will report about my assessment regarding the difference between the two TTs. |
TAD is ok, it is not the most beguiling solution. I have worked with the TAD distributor/s in Bavaria and Germany :) They come from studio supply background and so they think that this works also for domestic audio...however the studio requirements are different to what most people think they want for domestic audio...again we come back to interpretation. The 2002 and 4003 are fantastic drivers however. I had the TAD 2402 and 2401 speakers. Good speakers...but all roads lead to 5 way horns. :) Yeah, sea side and settling down. ''So we are both building up horn systems, I decided to go for TAD Berryllium drivers. A very well known German technology advisor supports me in this challenge to match better with my nearly completly tube based system.'' |
With ongoing apologies to Thuchan for dragging his thread off-topic... the 308SX is supposed to use a "cart" (which includes the headshell") of 23.5-33.5g. I have never seen a number for effective mass but have always had better luck with low-ish compliance carts. It sounds nice with a Koetsu wood-bodied cart, I have enjoyed it with the FR PMC-3. |
Excellent ! Great news. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts about this. My 308SX comes with the ceramic 18gr ULS-3X headshell & I can't figure the possible cart compatibilities. Can you help please ? Are there any known things that you suggest to avoid ? Have you noticed any particular preferences ? |
Geoch, that is interesting. I am not sure it is completely accurate. The 407/23 was offered in Japan for a couple of years before Allen Wright became the Australian distributor, and I see far fewer 407/23s outside of Japan than in Japan. I am almost certain it was not specially manufactured for non-Japanese markets. It is possible that the '23' came from Allen Wright, but I am not even sure of that. Perhaps it had the name 407 (without the 23) when it was first sold. I do not know and the only way to confirm that would probably be to check an old copy of Stereo Sound. Personally, I had always assumed the 23 was for ~23cm length (the way the 506/30 has a ~30cm length). It is true that at 233mm, to get Baerwald alignment, it almost has to be 23 degrees offset angle, but that won't get you the cart straight in line with the headshell. And there is no way that the 506/30 is going to have a 30-degree offset angle... I am not sure of your question. You can twist the cart in the headshell on all the SAEC arms (and it might make more sense to change the mounting distance too) to bring them to Baerwald. All but the 317 have original mfr geometry specs which are more aggressive than Stevenson alignment as far as I remember. I have not had the problems Dertonarm has mentioned. I can understand the concept, but I think that the change in resonance from setting the cart off-line in the headshell is going to be substantially less of a problem than one's choice of headshell, one's cart match, and/or the resonance inherent in the arm itself. |
The 407/23 is manufactured especialy to hit the market outside the Japan, after Allen Wright's recommendation when he was the SAEC's importer for Australia. The 23 is refered to the offset angle that indeed is the right equivalent of the arm's eff. length by the Baerwald alignment. But what about the other models of the SAEC's geometry ? How one can align the cartridge & what cartridges are accepted in general ? Have you ever notice any problems with resonances or whatever the Dertonearm has refered ? |
Geoch, As far as I know, the only SAEC arm with remotely normal offset angle is the 8000, with the 317 coming next. I too would trade the 317 for the 8000 any day of the week, but I don't know of any 8000 owners who would make the trade. The 8000 is the most sought-after SAEC arm I know of. FWIW, the 407/23 does not have the 'right' angle for anything other than SAEC's special geometry, but it does sound nice - especially with the SAEC headshell. |
T_bone, I think he ment the WE-8000ST. Thuchan, I'm waiting for the courier to deliver it within the week. This model WE-308SX has about half of the required offset angle in the armtube and so, I have to twist the cartridge on the headshell. But I was advised by Dertonarm that : "If the line of your aligned cantilever is off-line compared to the offset angle of your tonearm (or a fixed offset angle in a fixed headshell ( SME V for instance )) then you have another - an additional - breakdown torque moment in the static force model of your tonearm. In most cases it will result in an increased skating force - resulting in higher unlinear distortion figures". I'm sure the 407/23 & the 8000ST are having the right angle. In my case of 308SX I really don't know how to proceed differently & I have some thoughts of changing the armtube. After Derto's advice, I'm reluctant to twist the cartridge on the headshell & I'm thinking about this drastic modification. A interesting & highly experimental project, that requires some skill & knowlege & I'm not qualified for. If I had a chance I would trade the WE-308SX arm with the WE-8000ST but unfortunately all this info comes to me after my purchase. Anyway maybe something good & inspired arise from this uncomfortable situation. Do you mind to comment about the SAEC in general? The 308SX have the ruby bearings as the higher numbered models, but I don't know anything about the level of performance in the models that the cart twisting is a must : (308, 317, 506) Do you have any idea about the matching with Decca Ref or the EMT JSD5 ? Thank you in advance. |
You bring me memories from the : Shindo "Latour" 38000euro (EMT 927) -Vs- Shindo "604" 18000euro (EMT 930) Unfortunatelly I choose the Carfrae LBH instead, in favor of the higher level of permitted experimentation. By this same logic I went to the side of Lenco L75 to explore the possibilities, and my latest purchase was the SAEC WE-308SX to satisfy my secret project (changing the armtube!). I'm a DIY junkie. I'm addicted to the flexibility of personalize my demands upon everything. I don't care to build it by myself. That is not the point. I have this obsession with the custom & unique crafts to the point that it scares me when I realize the short time that left to enjoy the music (after all these projects). I can't escape of myself, but at least I do try not to keep very high expectations, by compromising my demands to the most feasible & unsentimental down to Earth humble plans. But the most necessary & important thing that I have to do, is always -always- advise money wise. 'Cause it really matters what remains in our soul, not right after a new purchase, but when we can relax and live with it in the long run without regrets & conflicts about it's value in our life. By this point of view, the fully loaded EMT 930 and (I insist to add) the Shindo 604, may are the safest way to carelessly enjoy the music without taking the endless & tiresome path of exploring the possibilities. But then, how many of us can manage to escape and make the shortcut ? |
Geoch, Well at one time I played a/b between Micro Seiki SX8000 and fully serviced well plinthed (slate) good armed (FR66s or Davinci Grandezza) finely tipped Garrard 301. Some advised me "now way" oh are you crazy, never....well it was close for me. Oh not from the "high end" perspective on no the MS shinned in that arena...perfect reproduction? No idea really. The only thing is that the 301 got me to listen to more records. The MS was slanted towards lets analyse the record. Do not get me wrong the MX SX8000 is a fantastic TT by all means and made for very serious analogue playing. In the end the MS had me overall. I notwithstanding missed the "enjoy" factor of the 301. On soprano vocals the MS had that "inner" image that the 301 missed. The 301 misted that side of the interpretation. The 301 does let the " atmosphere" of live jazz come to you in a way that the MS does not, the MS cuts through that into the performance. Can live with a 301 and any good TT so long as I have my records and have access to more of them. We all know of audiophiles “audiophiles” that host “glossy magazine” kit, hoping for deeper pockets, yet own next to no records…. Well the price of any “high end” silver litz cable that adds little vs a “regular” cable can get you one hell of a lot of records. But this is a hobby and I respect all of its facets. I am not one who can accommodate (or want?) to have more than one TT so I am in single partner category. The MS was that one. Until…I had the opportunity to go to Italy and at that time stepped into a “good” room that has 301/EMT997 & Thomas Schick, EMT 930/EMT/139st and 927/Ortofon/139st at a good place in Italy near to Parma, birth city of Verdi… a museum dedicated to sound reproduction and really worth the visit showing the most ancient and exotic vintage kit to the Ipod. Anyway the 930 betters the 301 whist still having that “idler” sound, the 927 takes it all to another level adding the detail and resolution that the MS has. For the idler “ears” the 930/139st/b is the “bargain”…Indeed, you can get a fully refurbished one with phono stage for 35/40% of a 927. It will cost less than a Garrard 301/decent plinth/arm and separate phono stage of similar calibre, takes up far less space (if that is of concern), enable “true” mono with the TMD25 and 139st/b setting to mono…and yes you will listen to more records, buy more of them… Okay if those “idler ears” get to hear the 927 they will tell your brain to find a way to getting one. Oh yes! no choice of arm, no variations on cartridges, no choice of cable (short of the one from 139st to amp or preamp)…so you are stuck? No… simply at the place one should “be” accepting the limits (choice entails that) and enjoying the rest of it! All fun! |
Hi Geoch, I see you have quite an experience with TTs and idlers as well. You are completely right when you are indicating listening to fine music is possible without owning special top notch gear. If you are carefully selecting and maybe modifying some fine pieces of audio gear you are on the safe side. It is only about a few additional improvements which I rate as of some importance for me, nevertheless it is also fun investigating and playing with such units, not counting the adventurous crest searching in the lost market for such a TT if you decided going for one. I do remember when I imported my well preserved old Nakamichi 1000 which spent its life in Hawai finding its way via the States to me. Having arrived at me I had to look for a solution on an electrical part only one guy in Germany could repair. I had to travel with the Naka from Munich to the North Sea crossing the full length of Germany. Your point on service hits the mark. Nevertheless Studer, EMT or MS products are build for eternity. I never had a problem with my Micros. Luckily around me are some wise men having worked for Studer, EMT etc. trying to continue the tradition of these quality addicted philosophy. When it comes to servicing I may count on them. Having Fun? Yes I do! |
At 1990 for a brief period of 4 months, I use to listen via the EMT 950 that comes to me as a trade for my Piere Lurnee J4/SL5. To my personal taste, this TT failed to please me with it's perspective performance. But then, the same failure at these present days exposed by the Shindo 301 also! It seems to me that these 2 TT plays the music without the usual hi-fi trends, but mostly in a plain & unpretentious manner that shamelessly trascends the flamboyant & glitzy reproduction by refusing to analyse the signal into myriad pieces of innermost details, in favor for a more humble, naturalistic & coherent performance. There are not any similarities to their way they play music, other than the above mentioned AND ... ... their dull, dark, clumsy, cloudy & veiled character. IMHO there are quality layers of this holistic view & uncontrived perspective, depended by the offered clarity, transparency, speed & dynamic impact. An analogy between a 92db paper cone full-range driver & a 106db compression driver. Or between the Grado wood body cartridges & the London Decca Reference. I agree that the EMT 950 was designed for practical studio priorities & not for top performance. I remember clearly my preferance for my Denon DP 80 / SME V / Grasshopper III M those days, that it was better overall, being more genuinly honest & balanced in it's own monitor way. I can't say a thing about the 927 or 930 as I've never seen them in person, but I like the Idler drive sound even more than the finest Direct drives, for the emotional involvement that can engage when critically executed avoiding overdamping that can mask & veil their clarity. Today I've found peace of mind with a Thorens TD124mkII and I'm almost done with my Lenco GL75 project and what I've found so far to be the most important thing in our hobby, is the learned & practiced skill that comes after many wrong decisions & disappointing results : There are many paths to find pleasure in building a successful system. ... And the certain way to discarce this hobby is by having high expectations for ANY project in order to justify your expense. So, the rest of us with modest length of pockets, lets get over this giant iconoclastic EMT 927 & put some love & devotion into our formal way to fight our demons. Me too I've had the Studer C37 and I was staying ecstatic upon it's innards, but I felt OK when I substitute it for the Teac Z 7000 tape deck and even better the day that I got rid of this also, in order to dismantle my worries about their repairing needs. You see the peace of mind only comes when you can listen to your fav music without such worries .... unless of course your budjet is unlimited. My point is that : There are conponents that in pursuit of the art of music reproduction, are designed without compromise. But the cost & the difficulty of purchase, of maintenance service, of repairing service & even handling them without problems could be a serious insulting factor to our state of calm. And there are some humble but inventive & sophisticated (ie: Lenco L75/Technics EPA100, Denon DP80/SME 312S ) that could bring a careless enjoyment without breaking our nerves & our bank account. Are we having fun by collecting these mythical titans or we just care for a more faithful & puristic perpoduction ? Can you answer honestly ? |
i forgot to answer Blue_Nose on the horn question. No, not from Cessario. I am building my own 4 way Horn system including two additional & exceptional Subs. Two guys are supporting me, a very well known German technology advisor in High-End Audio and a splendid carpenter. We will use TAD berrylium drivers for some of the installations. Launching date is end of March. |
Blue_Nose, thanks for your input as well as from Ipp, Vinyljh and Jonathan. some of my gear may look expensive but somehow I was able to pick it up for very modest prices, even the Continuum Criterion ( its not a Caliburn, I would not have gone for it and do describe the reasons in the Caliburn thread). My biggest bargain was the Micro SX 8000 II which I was able to buy when I returned from Tokyo under 10.000 some 15 years ago. But I do not wanna express how good I am in buying, I also bought some things for too much regarding the value they have now. As I did own some TTs and tonearms in the last years listening to the gear in my own system I do sell them from time to time. Dertonearm does support my efforts. Why do I mention this? I think the fascination in this hobby is listening to audio items in your own environment. There are many good tables out there. The discussion about the different drives is very funny, I have some experience with all of them. When it comes to the idler drive there are some audio friends who will never accept a table of this kind. What a mistake! If an idler concept is well implemented, you see it also with the Anastase,and also well serviced it is more than just transporting deep frequencies. The Criterion built up to the extension as I did is a very good example how excellent TTs can be designed and produced even today. The superior sound quality of a 50 year old R 80 might be a big suprise to many among us but not for the guys who are already owning a well serviced 927. I fullly understand Vinyljh that he will never depart from his EMT. The 950 is a very good car but for having fun you better use your convertible in the garage... |
Hi Vinyljh, As the importer of the reproduction EMT 997 arm (Tone Imports) you have a cock in the ring on this. I don't. I'm also not comparing an EMT 950 with a 997 either. Just wanted to say I'm not against EMT- I also own one. I keep a lot of decks around as a reference. As a huge fan of idler drive turntables, I think its great that people on this forum are discussing the EMT 997. I think its great that someone who owns a Continuum Caliburn likes a 50 year old idler drive turntable, too, perhaps even more than his $100K deck. That makes me smile. As for the EMT carts, well, not my favorite, but nonetheless good carts. Best, Jonathan |
I guess your opinion of "stuck" and "so so" is also quite subjective. I kinda remember the TSD15 was your or one of your favorite cartridges at one time or am I mistaken? The 997i is standard mount i.e. square pins, can work with most good cartridges (MC of course) and can be dropped right into a 927. Not so "stuck" anymore. Although as many know, the TSD15 and the OFD series of cartridges are up there with the best of them. For what its worth, the 927 and 950 are quite different and can not be compared. The 927 is a whole different level of sonic performance compared to a 950. The 950 is/was great at what is was designed for- extremely fast starts for a radio station. Same can/should be said of the Technics SP series... they leave much to be desired sonically IMHO. To compare other high quality decks to a 950 is not so meanigful for me, its a good table but not "great." And you know how I feel about the 301 so no arguments from me. I'd still say the 927 is a really great table- much better than most, if not all, of the other 16" decks you mentioned- to my ears. Technically we have no contest. A EMT 927 is an engineering marvel and with the very rare exception, nothing has ever been made at this level and probably never will be again. Thats worth something or a lot depending on your personal take. Me, I'm happy to have my 927 and its not going anywhere anytime soon. I guess I'll just have to keep suffering which is better than falling off the bandwagon and risking my cueing arm. |
Hi Jweiss, It seems that you are making opinions on somebody elses experience. Thuchan has a Caliburn turntable which costs around $80.000 and if he says EMT 927 in good condition is better, then $25.000-60.000 is cheap,right? I have a Garrard 301,Garrard 401 and SME 30/2A and as good they are, EMT 927 is in a different class. You also mix EMT 997 (tonearm) and EMT 927 (turntable) Regards |
Thuchan I have nothing of real value to add to your interesting subject other then a few comments. Your system I find overwhelming and you are obviously not just a wealthy collector of equipment that was hypnotized by "A" list magazine reviews including online hype. Your goals are clear to me and I wish you the best. Myself,after raising six kids, five daughters & one son all of which are adult now I just recently am able to devout more time for myself and to this hobby. I have read where some in this hobby are shocked at what it can cost, they should see the bills for five daughters, fashion trends, university then marriage, though such is reality and I'm certainly not crying in my soup. Anyhow I find the history of some of these vintage turntables is enlightening to say the least be it belt, direct or wheel drive, all of them are noted for re-discovered virtues.I would like to note that I'm not in any one drive camp, I have Micro Seiki 1500 , panzerholz SP 10 mkii and a stock Kenwood LO7D. I suppose no big deal here on your thread but these used re-furbished tables out performed a couple of brand new expensive tables with no trouble at all. Anyhow, looking forward to your discoveries and by the way, these horn speakers you mention, I'm guessing, are they from Cessaro Acoustics? |
My point regarding the stock 997 arm is very straightforward. To spend $25,000- $60,000 on a vintage turntable where you are stuck with the stock tonearm, which is only so so, and also to be stuck with having to use EMT cartridges, because of the special diamond pin pattern, does not seem so smart. As I mentioned, much if not all of the EMT 997 performance can be had from other 16" transcription decks, but they don't carry the EMT name, and thus are overlooked. And most of those decks allow you to use any arm you want. I have a good friend in Tokyo who literally grew up in the vintage hifi scene there, and used to help a family friend who had an important audio company do demos at hifi shows. He recounted doing a show in which a Garrard 301 and an EMT 997 were set up side by side, with identical Ortofon long arms and SPU's. For days he would go back and forth DJ'ing the show with these two decks, so you can't really get a better comparison than that. He found the Garrard to be very much in the same league as the 997, which had a bit of an advantage, but he never could figure out why Japanese would pay so much more for one than a Garrard. He chalked it up to the rarity/cool factor. Jonathan |
Jonathan The "poor 997" happens to be a very good arm. Of course things are always subjective but to call it "poor" can only mean you've heard a very worn out or improperly set up example. And those early Ortofon's, if reconditioned properly, are quite good as well. Most examples I've seen are well past their prime. |
Jonathan, I thought so too before I went into this experience. I also could not imagine that the old Studio idlers and these old Ortofon tonarms may be able to produce more than a very poor vintage sound. you need listening to a R 80 or 927 which has been revised by a real EMT expert. The inner tonearm litz needs to be cleaned carefully, the contacts should be soldered newly, the pins need to be cleaned and the wire is to be soldered directly - without connectors in the tonearm socket - to the external cinch terminal or to the phono stage. This is only about the tonearm. I would not compare a fully revised 927 with a 950. You are right the price is pretty high but we should keep in mind that there is no differerence to the cost for the Studios in the 60ies and 70ies. The value is still the same. Of which modern turntable you can say this? |
The EMT 927 is very similar to other professional 16" broadcast turntables- large platter, large powerful motor, large bearing, idler drive. The hype around the 927 is the typical hype around EMT. I own an EMT 950 BBC Widebody, by the way, along with most of the other decks discussed in this thread. The people jumping onto the 927 bandwagon have no experience with the big Fairchilds, Gates, Rek O Kut's, Commonwealth and other more obscure 16" broadcast tables, and so their enthusiasm may be excused, but there is nothing very mysterious about the performance of these decks compared to belt drive. The downside of the EMT 927 is pretty steep, though. The price is ridiculous, but worse, you have to use the poor EMT 997 arm, or the earlier Ortofon. Because the arm must be mounted to the chassis of the 997, your flexibility is gone. And, as another poster has said, you just spent the equivalent of a nice new family car on something that really just earns you bragging rights on forums like this one. The EMT phonostage is not a contender, either. Jonathan |
your intuition is pretty good Bourse. We are not so far away in Europe. Currently I am exploring remote islands in the South China Sea. When I am back and did survive I will check my e-mail lists. So we are both building up horn systems, I decided to go for TAD Berryllium drivers. A very well known German technology advisor supports me in this challenge to match better with my nearly completly tube based system. I guess 1000 km west means at the sea side? not a bad location at all. |