Upgrade from TW Acustic Raven AC-3 to what?

Hi Jfrech, good as the AC-3 may be, there must be room for improvement, otherwise TW wouldnt have come up with the Black Knight, which I haven't heard :). i will be interested to hear from people who have compared AC-3 and the Black Knight.
Hi Acoustat6, I haven't heard a "modern" DD turntable. Not sure about Lenco or Technics.
Hi Stew3859, in my 2 years with the TT, I have done plenty of tweaking with it. Besides the usual tracking force, VTA, loading, also tried different platforms, phono stage, cables, etc. Regardless of tweaks, the AC-3 is not neutral or utterly transparent. While it is voluptous, beautiful and ripe, it is dark sounding, which kind of reminds me of the Sonus faber Stradivari speakers. I wish it could image better too.

Hi folks, thanks for comments and suggestions.
Hi Solong, i will try out your suggestion of using two motors instead of three.
Hi Breuninger, I have read hyperboles about the Walker, and might be hearing a well set up walker soon to form my opinions. However, the big air compressor is a turn off.
Alec

Hi Ebm, why Black Knight? I haven't heard it but is it fundamentally different from Raven AC in some ways that a cow (albeit a very good one...no intended disrespect to other Raven AC owners please) has become a racing horse? my little dissatifaction with the Raven AC is that in my set up with the associated equipment and TT isolation and room acoustics etc, is that it sounds a little too thick and muscular in tonality, has accentuated mids with a mid bass hump, is darkish sounding, has not as spacious soudstage than I wish for, and the separation of images during complex passages of a full orchestra could be better. Perhaps other Raven AC users dont have these problems, i dont know.
I am trying out some tweaks suggested by postings above. Hope they will help.
Rgds
alec

Hi Elinor, tonearm is 10" davinci grandezza mated to a grandezza reference cartridge. Phono stage is Goldmund Ph3 set at 475ohm. Platform under the TT is a 35lb TAOC SCB platform. Linestage is a Vitus SL101. Amps are Karan 1200 monoblocks. Spkrs are Avalon Isis. ICs are Vitus Andromeda. Spkr cables are Crystal Ultra.
Alec

Hi all,
thanks for all your suggestions on tweaking it out before abandoning the AC-3. i am a great believer in tweaking (plus isolation). It is a trial and error thing and may eventually get it to sound closer to what i want, ie neutrality and transparency and great bass with soundstage and imaging to match. However, the curiosity in me would think careful tweaking would benefit all TTs also and again put them on same level playing field. So I think the cow vs racing horse analogy is valid. hence though i certainly would love to save a bundle by just tweaking it, my fundamental query still is, what other TTs out there would TRULY outclass the AC-3 sonically by a country mile that would make me end the upgrade itch for the next decade or more.. maybe my "retirement" TT. It seems TW Black Knight may not be the one.

Hi, I am not enough of a technical guy to understand all the comments and recommendations about designs, etc. I just trust my ears. Anyway today I had the good fortune of listening to a well set up Walker Black Diamond (+ Goldfinger v2 cart) and was impressed. Extremely detailed and transparent with superb soundstaging and imaging. It was very flat and neutral that i couldn't hear any part of the frequency spectrum that was more prominent than others...i suspect as a result that it was very non fatiguing to listen to, which i did for 2 hours. Best TT i heard so far.

Dear Mosin,
Actually i have not sold my TW/Grandezza. Trying to tweak it in the mean time.
Simultaneoulsy, I have learnt a lot from the postings which i appreciate very much.
Rgds
alec

Hi Lewm, my system's sonics is better than ever before. Problem is in this hobby, most of us become more critical as we move along. Before the TW, I had a VPI Superscoutmaster and was amazed how much improvement a TT upgrade can make. After I had the TW, I sold off my Weiss Digital transport and DAC (which are highly regarded as I understand), as suddenly, i had little desire to listen to digital. I now have an Ayre CD player but only use it to burn in equipment. As to drive motor, I wouldn't want to mess around modifying it as my TW is still under waranty.

Hi Dev, my associated equipment are posted in one of my earlier threads. However, I just added Elrod Gold Statement power cords for my power amps. The p.c.'s are still brandnew, getting burnt in.
Rgds
alec

My Raven AC-3 has remained the same although I changed the tonearm to SME V12, and the cartridge to My Sonic Lab Signature Gold.
I bought the AC-3 back when it was first introduced and was hot. My dealer told me it practically sold by itself. I gather TW is less newsy these days while many other new brands and models getting reported at shows and reviews...I am still fine with my AC-3. The quality has held up well. I am wondering though, that since TW is offering upgrades (Black Knight feet and motor and what not), whether any AC-3 owner has taken up any upgrades and can share their experience.

Thanks Win.
Thanks Monnglum, my AC3 is still sitting via Stillpoint feet on a 35lb TAOC platform placed on a 3 shelf TAOC rack. I haven't tried other platforms like MinusK or Vibraplane which were suggested by a few folks.
My new arm/cart did change the sound though. They are flatter and more neutral than the da Vinci arm/cart.

I changed the phonoamp to the Dynamic Sounds Associates (DSA). Interesting experience.
TW Acustic comes with a Millennium mat. Has anyone tried playing the LP directly on the copper platter, without any mat?