@mikelavigne might be able to help.
Ultimate Turntable search...OMA K5 or ?
As the title says, I’m on the hunt for a statement turntable. Don’t really post on the forum so forgive me if this has been discussed already. I’ve been told that whatsbest might be another place to post about this but I’ve been a seller on this site for many years, so I figured it was a good place to start.
I’m a longtime Caliburn owner but it’s time for a change. I would like to ditch the belt drive and vacuum. I know Fremer loves the OMA K3, but the K5 has got my attention. After owning many different speakers, a friend of mine turned me on to OMA. I ended up buying a pair of OMA mini’s about ten years ago and then quickly moved up to the AC-1. I’ve had a wonderful experience dealing with Jonathan and the company and love their aesthetic. With the AC-1s, my main system has reached a level of musicality and presence I never thought possible. I’ve recently come to the conclusion that upgrading my front end is my next big move. So I’ve been doing a ton of research on turntables in this class.
Although I’ve owned OMA speakers for years, I haven’t heard any of their new table designs. Sadly, I have not been to any shows or showrooms since covid. I do plan on visiting OMA sometime in the next few months, but for now, I’m interested if anybody has real life experience with the K3/K5 and if you have listening notes or opinions to share? Also curious to hear thoughts on competive turntables in this class. I have heard many high end tables in person, but definitely not all. Thanks!
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exciting to be contemplating turntables of this level, i use to own the Rockport Sirius III, and you own the Caliburn. heady stuff. personally not heard either of the OMA tt’s, but i am impressed with what i’ve read about them. however; not sure they offer particularly top level value. either one. but maybe your relationship with Jonathan can help you there? i did buy the Esoteric T1 last year; it’s a magnetic drive idler, not a belt drive. but it’s an amazing turntable that i love and it delivers. check out Fremer’s review of it. he directly compares it to his K3. https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/esoteric-grandioso-t1-turntable/ another one to consider is the Acoustical Systems ’Astellar’. not heard it as the first one’s are arriving at customers just in the last month. so no listening feedback yet, and no reviews yet either. it’s a belt but has some interesting design ideas. https://acousticalsystems.audio/astellar-turntable/ my opinion is that both of these turntables likely equal the K3 overall or exceed that level at a lower price point. and the build quality of my Esoteric is remarkable. don’t know enough about the Astellar to comment about it. and as you mention, there is more discussion of higher end turntables over on What’s Best Forum. |
Mike, I saw the Esoteric on display at various hi-fi emporia in Tokyo, last spring. Very beautifully made, as one might expect. I wonder why you describe it as a "magnetic drive idler", since according to the Fremer review there is no conventional idler wheel, and the platter is driven by magnetic induction, such that the drive force is applied at a distance from the platter. (In other words, this is a direct drive turntable by another name, differing from true conventional direct drive only in the fact that the rotating magnetic field is not directly under the platter, which I suppose does eliminate the chance for EMI to affect the signal at the cartridge.) Doesn't Transrotor offer something like this? I think they call it "TMD" or some other 3-letter acronym. |
I have spent considerable time w top level Basis, Brinkmann Kuzma ( on minus K ) and Dohman ( w integral minus K )….. frankly at that level it’s going to be Wayyy more about arm / cartridge synergy and system matching…. which frankly is probably the OMA strength - as mike said…most likely at a cost. Have fun, enjoy the journey…but full disclosure i am a Brinkmann / Triplaner / Kuzma owner |
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