I have heard the TW GT/TW 10.5 Arm at Newport Beach and RMAF. This is an extraordinary combo at a very competitive price point. Very dynamic, solid imaging, and musically engaging. If you own a TW 1.0 and want to step up to a much better table this is it. You also get Jeff Catalano as your distributor. Jeff and High Water Sound are as good as it gets in high end audio. An ultra attentive dealer who not only answers every email but has time to talk music too. Unusual in this hobby.
Enter The Raven The GT and 10.5
Jeffrey Catalano Importer, Distributor and Proprietor of High Water Sound arrived with the Raven in hand.
Jeffrey set the bird up so perfectly with what seemed to be minimal effort that I wondered why other dealers make a huge production over this service.Or maybe it isn't that easy and Jeff's expertise makes it seem so.
My Thought's and Observation's
In the forty plus years of being an enthusiast I've become jaded to all the hype and sometimes out right lies from so called industry insiders.So many times a model upgrade from MK1 to MK2 is not an upgrade at all (at least to these ears)
but others rave about the new model
So when I started thinking about a turntable and tonearm that would improve upon what I hear from my Kuzma Reference
and Basis Vector,I did my research and then called High Water Sound.Over the years I purchased several components
including my present speakers,cartridge's,cables and it was Jeffrey whom introduced me to the fantastic Tron Syren which I now own.I also knew that Jeffrey would not take me down the wrong path.He has always been open and honest and has even recommended products that he does not carry but would fit my needs.Now really, which dealer will do that for a customer ???
After doing my due diligence and listening it was decided that the Raven GT and 10.5 was the combo for me.
Now,we have all been to shows or to show rooms and listened to a component and thought "wow that sounds great" only to find when placed in your home system that it's not as great as you thought it was.So I was still a bit apprehensive.
All this passed very quickly as soon as the stylus was lowered to the Lp.After listening for about an hour VTA was adjusted and this Raven combo took further flight to another stratosphere.
The music was continuous,it flowed.The stage widened as well as deepened.The central performers took a step forward,dynamics were faster and base deeper.
Inner detail was not something you had to listen for,it was there easily heard.
My forty year old Lp's have become new again,my excitement is kin to when I first experienced this ever evolving hobby.
Last night,while listening with my wife and daughter (my biggest music critics) they asked why does this table and arm sound so much better then what I had.
I couldn't answer.But for the first time in a long time we three agree,it does sound MUCH better.
Jeffrey,we thank you.
Jeffrey set the bird up so perfectly with what seemed to be minimal effort that I wondered why other dealers make a huge production over this service.Or maybe it isn't that easy and Jeff's expertise makes it seem so.
My Thought's and Observation's
In the forty plus years of being an enthusiast I've become jaded to all the hype and sometimes out right lies from so called industry insiders.So many times a model upgrade from MK1 to MK2 is not an upgrade at all (at least to these ears)
but others rave about the new model
So when I started thinking about a turntable and tonearm that would improve upon what I hear from my Kuzma Reference
and Basis Vector,I did my research and then called High Water Sound.Over the years I purchased several components
including my present speakers,cartridge's,cables and it was Jeffrey whom introduced me to the fantastic Tron Syren which I now own.I also knew that Jeffrey would not take me down the wrong path.He has always been open and honest and has even recommended products that he does not carry but would fit my needs.Now really, which dealer will do that for a customer ???
After doing my due diligence and listening it was decided that the Raven GT and 10.5 was the combo for me.
Now,we have all been to shows or to show rooms and listened to a component and thought "wow that sounds great" only to find when placed in your home system that it's not as great as you thought it was.So I was still a bit apprehensive.
All this passed very quickly as soon as the stylus was lowered to the Lp.After listening for about an hour VTA was adjusted and this Raven combo took further flight to another stratosphere.
The music was continuous,it flowed.The stage widened as well as deepened.The central performers took a step forward,dynamics were faster and base deeper.
Inner detail was not something you had to listen for,it was there easily heard.
My forty year old Lp's have become new again,my excitement is kin to when I first experienced this ever evolving hobby.
Last night,while listening with my wife and daughter (my biggest music critics) they asked why does this table and arm sound so much better then what I had.
I couldn't answer.But for the first time in a long time we three agree,it does sound MUCH better.
Jeffrey,we thank you.