If this sounds like YOUR Turntable story, please share your final chapter


You had a nice budget ($2k-$4K) table, which you enjoyed for years. It always served up the analog goods, and you always felt as if you were in a good place. However, like many of us, you have audiophilia nervosa. Having succumbed to this mystical force that commanded you to upgrade, you took the leap to the next plateau. You immediately heard the advantages of what your new, well designed table was offering up. It was quieter, music emerged from a blacker background. It had tighter, more articulate bass.....mids were clear, layered, involving, yet organized.... Highs were more extended,  filling your listening area with a more believable, 3D presence. You were in awe, for a while! Fast forward to the middle of the story. Even though the table was more substantial, and did many things better than your baby boomer table, you soon realized it appealed more to the brain than your heart. It could tend toward the drier side with many of your go-to vinyl treasures. You ultimately realized that while the new table received more check marks on the audiophile checklist, it was not as engaging on an emotional level. Let me cut to the chase. So you took one or two wrong exits, but you found your way back. In doing so, you once again found that engaging, special something, analog is capable of delivering. Which table brought you back to the analog promise land?
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Showing 2 responses by inna

This would not be my story, I never chase that ultimate hi-fi sound only ultimate engagement and musicality. Original Nottingham Spacedeck is one of those tables you referred to, preferably with Nottingham or Walker motor control.
Last table or not I can't know but I do know that if I ever upgrade it will be along the line, not necessarily the same brand. I also know that I can first upgrade the arm and cartridge and get that motor controller. So I doubt that I will replace it in the next at least ten years. Pear Audio turntables, especially their top of the line model get interesting reviews that catch my attention. They think that it is quite special and a hell of a table/arm for the price. They may be right, if I had $10k for that I would definitely audition it, but I have no urge. In fact, the strongest links in my system are Spacedeck table and Purist Neptune RCA cables, so I got a lot of things to upgrade before even thinking of upgrading the table.