Analog Upgrade itch

Oh, I forgot that serious music lovers need dust covers and only one tonearm.  My bad! 😁  

Don't like tables that have dedicated attached dust covers, they tend to vibrate and ring IMHO. I'd go with a Stabi R on some sort of vibration table like Minus K or Vibraplane, I believe it would sound superior to a Stabi M just sitting on a solid rack. 

Honestly, @rsf507, that is what I am trying to figure out as I use a vibraplane/symposium platform under my current table. I imagine the motor and controller are more isolated and better controlled in the Stabi M and the overall mass of the table might favor the M. I'm not worried about the cover causing vibrations as I think that was addressed in the design of the M. 

Unfortunately, the M is much more expensive than the R.  

I’ll add my views only because I’ve owned several of the products being discussed here, although not the latest models:

Re Kuzma, I had the original Reference table (not the 2) with a Triplanar. It is a very nice table and easy to set up and self-isolates. I also still have a Kuzma XL (original 2 AC motor) and Airline arm, which I’ve owned since 2006-7. The difference between the two in sonics is significant, tilting in favor of the bigger, high mass table and linear arm (which is not under discussion here) but isolating the XL can be challenging unless you are on a concrete floor. Given that I’m in an old (restored, but still) wooden house, on the second floor, I had to use a Minus K (the big bench top one) which is more than adequate to deal w/ footfall issues.

Of course, there is no dust cover for the XL-it would be enormous in size. I use a "dead" record to cover the platter when not in use and routinely clean the HRS plinth and metal parts.

I had a Steelhead from new, many moons ago, and sold it on to someone here who appreciated it. Extremely well constructed, hugely flexible, I I did roll various high end NOS tubes (much easier and cheaper to get back then). Could never get the right sound through the MC input(s), used the MM input wide open 47k.

I eventually installed an Allnic H-3000 (now superseded). Once the Allnic broke in, it had more spatial information in the pinpoint placement of images not just front to back and laterally but in height. Very full dimensioned, though some would say "burnished"-- whatever weaknesses it has complement my SET/horn based system. The Steelhead always had a different character that reminded me that I was listening to hi-fi, though I added a line stage preamp, rather than running it directly into the amps. This may not be as much of an issue where one isn’t using extremely sensitive speakers- viz. 104db at 1 meter.

I also have here a Kuzma 4 Pt. 9" which I like very much-- I originally got it to install on the XL, along with the Airline, but given how the Minus K works, it was very very hard to achieve correct balance with two arm pods. It is now installed in my vintage system, on a restored Technics SP-10 (which I have also owned since 1973)

I also owned a lot of ARC electronics starting with a Dual 75a and SP 3-a-1 that I bought new in 1975 and that company was terrific, both in terms of support, parts and overall reliability. (I still have the Dual 75a, which will be 50 years old soon!). I did have several of their tube amps, as well as their SP-10 preamp, which was their high water mark for the "old" ARC tube gear.

My experience with the current products is limited- heard them in dealer showrooms and at shows over the years and they seemed to be a fairly cost-effective alternative to the "uber" electronics now in favor in the high end. I don’t particularly like the 6h30 tube, which I use in another piece of electronics because I found that the only one with the mojo was the old DR Reflektor, now almost unobtanium- the other two- the EH and the Sovtek, didn’t have the same sound quality in my particular circuit/system.

Good hunting. You are dealing with pretty reputable products that have proven track records in the market. You should try to listen to them, but knowing how difficult it is to audition turntables, that may be impossible. Franc is a good guy and his distributors are typically good (The guy here in the States, Scot Markwell, is a very knowledgeable and a straight shooter).

A customer just pointed this tread out to me. Yes I'm a Kuzma dealer so please judge these remarks knowing this. I owned the XL 2 motor (AC motor) table with a 4Point arm for many years sitting on a Vibraplane. (Yes I'm also the world-wide distributor of the VP). Over the last 9 months I have sold 5 Stabi R tables so I directly compared the R to the XL. Yes the bass was bigger and better on the XL but when listening to the R everything was more focused and had even better PACE. I contributed this to the DC motor of the R. I did contemplate upgrading the XL to the XL-DC but instead thought I'd either do the Stabi M or get myself the Stabi R. Talking with Scot Markwell he said why spend more $$$ for an M when I use a Vibraplane, the M  and R are so similar other than the M having it's own isolation which I didn't require. (Yes agree Scot is a straight shooter).  So I sold my XL and now use the R still with the 4Point arm. (Have a MSL cartridge on the 4Point) Shortly will get a 2nd wing for the R and maybe even try Kuzma's new SAFIR arm.