Ultimate Turntable search...OMA K5 or ?

I spoke to Jonathan (last?) when his table was still in development. He spoke of using a cutting lathe as a model and I know Mr. Krebs had considerable influence. 

How can you meaningfully compare these, and with what variables? I suspect at some point, there are ergonomic considerations. I've followed a fairly masochistic route that brought considerable performance gains by increments, but none of this is plug and play, especially at this level. Arms, phono cartridge choices, phono stages and the overall "voicing" of the system all play a role in this. I'm not sure how you eliminate such variables, let alone get to make meaningful comparisons.

It's a process as much as a destination. I think you learn a lot by listening, but chances are, those will be in systems/rooms that are not "known" to you. How to sensibly approach this? 

@thr1961- part of the magic you are experiencing is the Koetsu. I’m running a Kuzma XL/Airline on an HRS plinth with the big Minus K isolation platform (the same technology that the Dohmann (lauded above) relies on). I used some pretty high grade cartridges before the Koetsus- Lyra (Parnasass with platinum magnets; Titan i). Airtight (both PC-1 and Supreme) and the Koetsus gave me filled in bass with dimension and texture. Obviously, everything else has to be up to snuff.

There is more than one way to achieve an objective. I still ask, when paying in the 300k dollar range for the TT, how do you effectively compare and evaluate?

@mikelavigne said: 

"these things happen in the USA when there are established relationships between the dealer and customer. i have experienced it multiple times. not every customer is serious minded enough to earn that sort of support. those that are deal/price focused have to find their own source of performance/value information. dealers are not bending over backward for them. on-line buying tends to reduce service. figuring that part out is one issue that has to be addressed. price negotiation is a different animal in different markets.

the high end use to be about relationships. still is in some places."

Mike- the thing that puzzles me--and I said as much on another forum-- is that the online sales model is pretty much fixed price. Yeah, it cuts out the middle man so costs might be lower, but a lot more is lost in the process.

And in almost no case where I had a long term relationship with a dealer did I pay retail- trades were taken, loaners were provided, home trial --within reason was available. Hell, when I worked with Bill Parish, I only went to his facility shortly before I left NY. He made house calls, brought over gear to let me hear, had manufacturers come over to listen, trial stuff on my system, etc. In the long run, I never found that I overpaid for all that; to the contrary, I got a level of service that made decisions, and spending far easier.

Yeah, there were some lousy dealers, but when you find one that can really deliver, treasure them. Not so easy to find today. (Though, admittedly, I’m not hanging out in hi-fi stores anymore). I do get to see Albert occasionally, though. :)