Halcro´s quote from the DirectDrive website, essential reading. Those dinosaur made by Japanese engineers never died, they just fell in sleep... What an interesting thread this is. And a new world that awaits searchers for Analog of today. |
Doron: I especially dislike the acrylic mat which sounds hard and lean to my ears and think that the groove isolator is a much better choice.
Totally agree. My first Delphi, Mk IV had that hard mat and with that stiff (clumsy to be honest) suspension it simply sounded awful (after a cheap Thorens !). So my first experience with Oracles was a disaster. Very well, thought I in frustration and bought a brand new GOLDMUND Studio. It was slightly better in sound quality but due to its floating and thus flimsy suspension it was just another disappointment, despite of its excellent direct drive and very heavy mass. But I wouldn´t give up with those extraordinarily designed Oracles and I changed the Studio to a beautiful looking heavier black acrylic based secondhand Delphi Mk III with gorgeous gold plated brass spring towers and with the original platter with the GROOVE ISOLATION mat. Unfortunately the adjustment stems for the spring towers were a bit out of place so the subchassis didn´t quite fit the stems so the suspension was impossible to finetune :/ Then I changed the Mk III to a secondhand Mk II... and bingo ! Along the way I lost a minor fortune but got a very nice sounding TT. Heh, young and foolish was I but it proved to a happy ending.
And I agree also in everything else you say about.
This is what I mean by a finetuned suspension:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ql9Gq6ir7hA
Sorry guys, this is totally off-topic but I just couldn´t resist (grin). |
Lewn,
Glad to hear again that the Kenwood L07D is the protagonist on your stage. Proves the superiority of the maglev spindle over other designs. Without having not heard your system I do believe your evaluation 100 % and would agree because I have experienced the benefits of my maglev.
In my system I will never even think of trying a non-magnetic spindles. In my system I have managed to get rid of all the direct rim noise just recently, the adjustment is really a hair less.
Thanks for confirming this essential info about the Kenwood L07D, again. |
Lewm, I do believe that the L07D is a triumph in TT design namely due its successfully completed construction in every aspect in one single product. I just think that the maglev is the dot of i, so to speak.
The Victor TT-101 is a triumph in speed accuracy & stability as Halcro has proved in his videos with the 3 TAs in action at the same time. I just wonder how it would perform with maglev on its spindle...
Both are truly exceptional and superb TT designs, even in today´s standards IMO. |
Kenwood´s platter in partly "suspended" like Clearaudio´s. Actually it´s not floating and the spindle maintain contact with the trust pad. But the maglev takes platter´s weight in some extent and the force exerted on the spindle and trust pad is less. Does the maglev take the most or a great part of platter´s weight is another thing. Anyway, maglev in general provides some kind of benefit in sound quality. In my system it´s a serious improvement. |
Doron, I understand exactly what you are talking about TTs ;-)
I´m experienced too in Oracles (have had two IIs, one III and one IV since the late 80´s, the IIs were the best I never liked the stiffer suspensions of the later models). Oracle´s suspension does not reduce sound stage nor smear the sound (as such) but it does kinda filter acoustic energy and thus filters details too. The Oracle fits all environments and still is a wonderful vintage TT when correctly finetuned, a very special design and one of the very finest suspensions if not the finest designed anyway. Btw, when you have been married with an Oracle its finetuning becomes a second nature but it is never easy, like in marriages in a long run I think.
Congrats on your new TT & happy listening. |
Hello Halcro,
Inspired by Dave the Messenger and his latest DD TT purchases I have also started to live dangerously. Well, hopefully not. I bought a LUXMAN PD444 and a brand new Trans-Fi linear tracker T3Pro and put this on Houdini maglev feet. Having experienced the benefits of both maglev spindle & maglev feet w/ my own L´Metamorfosi inquiry I just couldn´t resist that Japanese DD monster machine w/ maglev spindle (grin).
Regards |
Thanks Halcro, it´s my pleasure :)
First impression: the speed is always spot on no matter the music´s quantity, from weakest whisper (of flute) to most furious (jazz-rock) fusion and heaviest symphony orchestra passages. Its speed is rock solid - technically faultless. Impressive. |
Hi Dave, this is all your fault ;)
My PD444 has a hard "Relief" mat (a Goldmund Relief Mat copy?) glued on platter. With Reso-Mat on it this old Japanese monster is, in every meaning of the word, a terrific performer. I have waken up my good old Ultra from hibernation and now is back in service. This inquiry needs the best tracker available to determine the real sound quality. Already at this starting point everything sounds just fine. I will give my full report soon...
I have the latest saddle design with smoother underside. What do mean by the "slider with banded bearing cups" ?
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Dave, could you show your slider w/ banded bearing cups ? |
I didn´t know this. I very much appreciate your info. |
Japanese are usually very serious about what they are doing, both in business, technology & arts. They also are very polite and very honest in business IME. They have passion for perfection, for example HQ audio gear and records (both analog and digital). I have tens of used Japan pressings vinyl albums and they all are practically like new, nearly all ordered from Japan. Never had any kind of issues with Japanese sellers, they also ship very quick. |
Lew,
Without even having heard your or any L07D I just know it´s hard to "beat", musically in particular. |
Raul,
Can you tell why did you sell your Dynavector Karat Nova D13? Just curious. |
