Well within your budget, you can buy the Pro-ject RM10, which includes a 10" carbon fiber arm, thick/heavy glass platter with magnetic repulsion bearing to reduce inertia. The included isolation bass is very effective and a must-have type component for best analog performance. If you add the Speed Box II you'll have an excellent TT with great customer support from Sumiko in the USA. The RM10 competes with much more expensive TTs and has to be on the short list of best buys in the price range.
Dave |
Hey SD, good to see you at A'gon. |
Well Bill, except you're not going to get a comparable arm in that price range. Actually the RM10 is far less tweaky and gives a lot more value in this price range.
Dave |
Sure Tvad, the Serac is over his price range for one, costing more like $4600 currently with a decent arm, so far as I can tell without getting a fresh quote. Included in the price of the RM-10 is a 10", carbon fiber tone arm, highly effective isolation platform, low friction magnetic repulsion bearing offsetting much of the mass of the heavy acrylic platter. Add the Speed Box II and you've still got substantial funds left over toward the cartridge within the OP's budget.
Some people, like Bill, like to switch TTs and arms regularly (he claims to have owned more than 100 TTs). If the OP is in that category, then the Pro-ject would not be a good choice; however, someone seeking a great sounding, high value selection should consider the Pro-ject.
Hopefully the OP can listen for himself. Few are as lucky as me to be so close to all this high-end audio sources in Colorado. There are several leading makers within an hour of my house and the RMAF is two blocks away, so I'm really blessed with being able to hear a lot. Still, ideally, the OP will take a few leads and find ways to audition a few leading candidates and not buy blind.
Dave |
Well the price I saw was $4600. Unfortunately, Galibier's site made it hard for me to validate the price, so I went with another recent quote that I found on A'gon. Evidently the price I found was not the lowest available. Still, you need to factor in the cost of an isolation base.
I've only heard Galibier at RMAF, not in a home system or at their shop.
Have you been able to compare the RM-10 with the Serac? If so, what difference did you hear?
Dave |
I never mentioned the Artisan Audio. As I said in my earlier response, I thought that the lowest price for a Serac with one of their offered tonearms was $4600. Apparently that was incorrect.
Right, that MMF (Pro-ject really) tone arm wasn't 10", wasn't carbon fiber and had different gimble and bearings; otherwise it was similar to the RM10's arm.
Dave
Dave |
Dougdeacon said:
"The bearing and motor alone are head and shoulders beyond any other table in this price range"
I don't think this is accurate. The bearing has to be considered in combination with the effective mass of the platter. I don't know about VPI, but Pro-ject has lowered the mass substantially (it's not zero) with magnetic repulsion.
Still, all these discussions are mute when the OP listens for himself and makes a decision based on sound vs. value. Also, consider "street price" vs. "list price."
Dave |
Tvad, as I've said several times before, I thought that the Serac with the recommended arm pairing was $4600. The company's web site doesn't give any pricing info so I searched around and found a couple of references to $4600, so that's what I thought it cost with a "decent" arm. ("Decent" meaning what the marketer recommends).
Apparently that was either a different arm or you know of a lower price. It's that simple, nothing mysterious. If their web site clearly stated prices I might not have gotten confused.
Dave |
Thanks. How could I miss that? I retraced my steps and I was looking around on the "Order" page and saw references to the Euro/$ exchange rate and delivery backlog estimates, but no pricing. I guess I got waylayed in scrolling down the "Serac" page by clicking on the "Bearing" or some other button before I got low enough on the page.
Unlike Bill, I'm not constantly in the market for a TT, but I'll give another listen at this year's RMAF. Maybe the room will be more helpful this year.
Dave |
As the proud owner of over 100 TTs in his audiophile life, Audiofiel clearly comes from the school of constant change and fleeting satisfaction. That's a fine school and I have friends deep into studies there; however, getting "stuck" with a good tonearm is not a bad thing for those of us that stay off the treadmill of constant change.
I'm not saying that Galibier, Teres, TW Acustic and Acoustic Solid are not all fine devices. I love Jazdoc's post, which seems to point toward a "final solution" that you won't regret. With a budget of $4000 (or more) the OP should certainly investigate these options. A trip to the RMAF will allow comparison of almost everything mentioned in this thread, and then some. Plan on spreading your listening over at least two-days as it can be quite overwhelming.
Dave |
Jazdoc, I love your last post.
If you have the Galibier, why would you move to the Tere's or TW Acustic? Why not stay within the Galibier line? Do those other TTs sound better to you, but didn't fit your initial price range, or what?
The reviews of the Serac (you didn't say which Galibier you own) indicate that it'll do justice to the very best tonearms and cartridges, so it seems that where I'd incredmental budget, if that's true.
Dave |
