tw acustic ac + kuzma airline

thanks guys for the suggestion . i sent an email to twacustic . we shall see what the esteemed designer has to say about using an air bearing linear tracking tonearm on the raven ac . should be interesting . here is a copy of the email :

dear tw

i am asking the turntable community for opinions about the kuzma airline linear tracking tonearm . i would like to try this tonearm on the twacustc raven ac1 ( single motor ) . what is your opinion of this combination ? is the kuzma airline mounted on the raven ac1 an advantage over your own pivoting arm design ? is there any other less expensive air bearing linear tracking arm ( for example the cartridge man conductor tonearm ) that could work well on the raven ac1 ? are there advantages to using a regular pivoting arm over linear tracking arms in general ? also , is the raven ac available equipped with the raven black night triple motor as an option ? what are the suggested retail prices of the raven ac1 ( single motor ) and the raven ac with black night motor ? ( us dollars please ) do you recommend the black night motor as an upgrade for the raven ac1 ? do you manufacture a special armboard or mount for use with either the kuzma airline or the cartridge man conductor ? if i do end up using an air bearing linear tracking tonearm on the raven ac , what cartridge would you recommend ? thank you for your valuable information . if you would like to refer to an audigon thread concerning this question - here is a link :

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1278029561&&&/tw-acustic-ac-kuzma-airline

i will also send a copy of this email to your new york rep high water sound ( mr catalano )

thank you

Good idea, ask Thomas of TW - he will give you a totally objective recommendation. That recommendation will be based on technical aspects and prospective synergy-effects only.

Thomas of TW ask him he makes table!!

do you still presently use a kuzma airline tonearm ?

Hi,
no, I sold it. My decision was to go for a FR-66s.

..would you spend the extra money for a tw acustic raven ac1 for use with the airline or would you simply enjoy the kuzma reference with the airline ?

Honestly, I was never mad for the Raven, some of my friends own it, they tweak it like mad, always different results, like a LP12, always different, but not better. One of them has a Raven with Airline and a Kuzma Reference with Airline. He never uses the Raven, but he is too lazy to sell and it looks important to visiting guests.

... raven ac1 similar to your beautiful micro seiki rx-5000 in terms of performance

the Seiki is a different Galaxy in low level resolution, real Bass Performance in neutral reproduction. it has no "sound", no Rhythm, or speed or similar artifacts. The design is 30 years old, Seiki went out of business before they could improve the platter. "Over-engineered", ultra solid bearing, adjustable motor, high inertia.... Use a vinyl mat with it and then it is done (maybe with a Vibraplane, but this is identical to all unsuspended designs).
The Seiki is a total different chapter in transportation of any kind of influences (needle, wow, flutter, bearing, air resonances...), but it depends on your System of course.

i have always wanted a linear tracking tonearm...much trouble because of the air compressors involved

Don't worry. The Airline is absolutely reliable, working, without any nightmares. The compressor is silent. I used it in my beginning in the same room. It has a valve for pressure, this one you hear when it stops. Most audiophiles are disturbed with this, but even for that there is a valve which can be blocked, then it is completely silent. Most don't know that, but it is described in the manual.

... if i talk to the right people

You are right, but who is right? I say this, the other one that and you have your own wishes, hopes and priorities. You will find a Fan group for everything and what will you do, when you have 1 negative opinion about a product and 7 positive ones? You will go for the majority, because you feel safe, member in a "group" and there will be a warm welcome. But, it could be possible, that the lonely one got it right. I listened to probably 80 Systems in the last 15 years, only 3 were really great. 2 of them at my beginning of High End, I was not really able to realize, how good they were. but they were totally different to others which were in Hype and so on. The last one from these 3 I heard 2 years ago. Quite a time difference.
What did they have in common? All 3 owners were really deep in records, they knew everything about the orchestra, miking and how it sounds in real life.
The problem with internet communication is, that everyone is happy with his units. That is ok. When you know, what this or that can do (or not) then you know which way is the one to go.

thanks syntax for your info . do you still presently use a kuzma airline tonearm ? ( i did not see it listed in your present system but it was listed under " cheers " ) . would you spend the extra money for a tw acustic raven ac1 for use with the airline or would you simply enjoy the kuzma reference with the airline ? is the tw acustic raven ac1 similar to your beautiful micro seiki rx-5000 in terms of performance ? i had heard that the micro seiki machines were no longer available . is the kuzma airline tonearm a pain to live with compared to using a high end standard tracking arm like your graham 12 phantom II ? i have always wanted a linear tracking tonearm ( and the kuzma is obviously a great one ) but i wonder if they are just way to much trouble because of the air compressors involved . thank you for your input . your audio system is amazing . i will be building my system around the martin logan clx ( els with black aluminum frame ) and two martin logan depth i subs . small potatoes compared to your setup but very huge for me . amp and preamp are atmas -phere . thanks for your help . i am thinking that the raven ac1 ( single motor ) plus the kuzma airline plus ( your suggestion ) the zyx universe would be a match made in heaven . and this analogue combo can probably be assembled new for around 25,000 usd if i talk to the right people .

I listened a few times to such a combination. No problems, the Armboard drill is simple, adjustment for the Airline is very easy. You should take care of leveling.
In my Airline I got excellent results with Zyx cartridges ( UNIverse, really good Bass performance) and Transfiguration.