Hello No Regrets,
Must have been brain dead, but I just noticed your inquiry.
First, I absolutely LOVE the Amazon Grand Referenz/Moerch DP8 combo.
Incredibly sublime analog reproduction.
Second, I can't directly compare w/ absolute certainty the Amazon to the Feickert Blackbird. I never mounted the Moerch on the Feickert, so I don't have a direct comparison between the two decks with the same arm. On the Feickert I had the Jelco and my FR66s. On the Amazon only the Moerch ( though I am thinking of fabricating an arm board to mount my FR66s on the Amazon for future comparisons ). That said, however,
The Feickert is a GREAT deck. I completely loved what it did with either arm mentioned above, though of course the FR66s did trounce the Jelco arm. I was completely happy and enjoying the music immensely. That said,
The Amazon( and I believe the difference is due mostly to the Amazon and not the Moerch ) is in another league entirely. There is a blackness, STS, on the Amazon that the music seems to spring forth from that the Feickert simply cannot match. The noise floor, to put it plainly, simply does not exist on the Amazon ( to be fair, I would have said the same about the Feickert had I not had the Amazon for comparison ). The music, for lack of a better descriptor, seems to come forth out of the abyss, and the Feickert cannot match that sense of nothingness under the music. The Feickert simply cannot match that sense of utter realism that the Grand Referenz conveys.
I'm very seriously considering taking a leap of faith and selling both the Moerch and the FR66s, and getting one of Pete Riggles Woody ( 12 inch version ) and calling it a day. Probably would go with the SPU version ( I have a lot of very high quality SME type headshells ).
Anyone out there, please feel free to offer any thoughts on the Woody. There's just something about that arm that is calling me.
Thanks for any advice, Crazy Bill
