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One turntable with two arms, or two turntables with one each - which would you prefer?

Which would you prefer, if budget allowed: one turntable with two tonearms or two turntables with one each? What would your decision criteria be?

And the corollary: one phono preamp with multiple inputs or two phono preamps?

Assume a fixed budget, but for the purposes of this question, the budget is up to the responder. Admittedly for this type of setup, there will be a sizeable investment once all components of the chain are factored in.

I'm curious to hear how people would decide for themselves the answer to this question. Or maybe you've already made this decision - what do you like about your decision or what would you differently next time?

Cheers.

dullgrin

Showing 1 response by neonknight

neonknight
430 posts
 

I have two tables, one is a SOTA Cosmos Eclipse with a SME V, so a 1 arm 1 table combo. With a suspended deck its really not possible to run two arms on it.

The second table is a Scheu Analog Das Laufwerk No2 which is an 85 pound non-suspended deck with two Dynavector DV505 arms on it. No suspension issues, so it is suitable for two arms.

 

The phono stage is an Esoteric E-03 that allows for two separate inputs and each side has cartridge loading options. With this arrangement I can compare two cartridges with the same arms (Dynavector) and same phono stage, along with the same drive unit (Scheu)

 

However my typical arrangement is using an Ortofon MC2000 on one Dynavector arm and the T2000 transformer into a Graham Slee Accession phono stage. The second arm gets a casual listening cartridge like an Ortofon MC3000 I have into one input on the Esoteric. The SOTA has a Transfiguration Audio Proteus on the SME and goes into the other input of the Esoteric.

But with little difficulty, aided by the fact that the Dynavectors have removable headshells I can set things up for cartridge comparisons on an even playing field with little difficulty.

 

But I did toy with the possibility of one good table. Locally there is a Walker Proscenium available. If I sold most of my analog stuff off I could afford it. But I am not sure where I would put the air pump, and now that Lloyd is passed not sure how to get it serviced if need be, and I think the gold trim on the arm is ugly. Besides I have my doubts how much better it can be versus my SOTA. I am not willing to risk everything to find out the answer to that question.

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