2. analog
  3. 173658-156183

Another turntable

Hello everybody 

I am an analog lover (no CD nor streaming at all). For about 20 years now I have a TW Acustic Raven AC, with 2 SME 3012-R tonearms. One for the stereo and one for the monos. The TW evolved with the battery PSU, and heavy platter form the Black Night, and the 3 motors in a round shape.

I listen mainly classical music and a bit of jazz music. 
I read many threads on forum and TW is never talked about. My TTIs 20 years old now and as I am turning old too, maybe I look for what would be my last TT ( the famous « last one » before being retired with not enough money for climbing the audiophile mountain again.

I have no preferences for any technology as long as it makes good music. I can buy used or vintage (if professionally restored). 
I can go up to 20000 € max. I need the possibility of 2 arms, or one classical and enough room for a Viv Lab.

My little list is 

- Kuzma Red 2 or Stabi M

- Verdier La Platine

-SME 20 or an old 30

- Brinkmann 

-Shoppered TD124 ?

-   What else ?

Thanks for your suggestions. As you understand I live in Europe. How do you quote TW now in regards of these pretenders ? 

senza
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
12,851 posts
 

Dear @senza  : Ask here:  +44(0) 1903 814321 or here:

info@sme.ltd.uk

 

R.

cyanii
13 posts
 

Hi @senza  Kuzma Stabi R owner here and very happy with this choice. I currently use only one tonearm, the 4point9 with a Benz LP-S and I'm more than happy with the sound, the build quality and the ease of use.

Build quality and ease of use were amongst my top priorities when deciding for a new turntable, as I use the table almost daily.

i plan to add a second tonearm in the future which is quite easy with this turntable and will be looking into Kuzma isolation platforms for enhanced vibration control and then maybe a high end power cord to max out the turntable performance. 
 

Table + Arm(s) + Isolation Platform should fit you budget and provide you with a lot of listening pleasure 

bobbydd
91 posts
 

Keep the TW, and add a Wheaton triplanar or a Reed tonearm.  

 

Most other options mentioned above are a lateral move, at best.

 

Good luck!

oregon
809 posts
 

You might consider a Transrotor. The Fat Bob S or Reference. 
Simple design and elegant. The S accepts a second arm, not sure about the Reference. 
Good luck. 

senza OP
80 posts
 

Thanks for your help 👍

probably I’m wrong but the Transrotor looks like a copy of all the most successful designs realized by other makers « before ». I don’t said they are, but it seems.

Their TT’s models are so different from one another that this company doesn’t  seem to have a real identity, personality, a philosophy of what a good sounding  tt should look like. So, from my point of view, they don’t inspire confidence.

Its just my impression as I never heard anyone.
How such a little company can seriously imagine, study and produce so many models ?

That being said it is a respectful company because they are on this market for a long time now, and if their products were only bad copies they should have disappeared many years ago. Their new tonearm collects very good comments from the owners.

More to discover