The coreless motor with the magnets on the underside of the subplatter is very much like the design of the motor in the Kenwood L07D. The SP10 Mk3 also has its huge magnet structure fixed to the underside of the platter, though the stator is not coreless. So the "magnetic drive system" is not so novel, but it's probably excellent.
Brinkmann Bardo
I just replaced a Clearaudio Avantgarde Magnum with a Brinkmann Bardo. Both had the Phantom tonearm II.
Wondering if anyone else has bought this table and what their thoughts are?
My initial impressions are that it grabs your attention and does not let you wander off in thoughts as you listen to music. Maybe a little less open then the Clearaudio, but more grounded and solid as a result.
I definitely like it more than the Balance, which I found to be too "damped" and a bit boring to listen too.
I also felt that changing the arm to the Graham resulted in a more profound change and improvement to the character of the system than the table swap.
Wondering if anyone else has bought this table and what their thoughts are?
My initial impressions are that it grabs your attention and does not let you wander off in thoughts as you listen to music. Maybe a little less open then the Clearaudio, but more grounded and solid as a result.
I definitely like it more than the Balance, which I found to be too "damped" and a bit boring to listen too.
I also felt that changing the arm to the Graham resulted in a more profound change and improvement to the character of the system than the table swap.
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- 58 posts total
The Bardo is, in spirit, also close to the Sony BSL(brush/slot-less) coreless motor from the classic PS-X70 era and the subplatter has optical imprint just like Sony's magnetic imprint on the platter's inner rim. The coils' position on the Bardo is different from other DD motors though. All in all, I am happy to see a modern turntable manufacturer giving direct-drive a chance but I am somewhat irked by them having to market it as "magnetic drive." I don't care what fancy words you use, if the platter and motor share the same bearing, it is direct-drive! _____ |
Let's not forget the pioneers of this technology, the Dual EDS1000 / EDS1000-2 magnetic dd motor that they first introduced in '73. With 4 hall sensors, even though it isn't quartz controlled, it's rock steady, strong, dead silent, and shielded. Dual came out with this concept well before the others and was certainly on their drawing boards in the late 60's. 30+yrs later, they're still running spot on in decks. Japanese just copied. I too have had interest in the bardos (and oasis). |
AFAIK, the first direct-drive turntable to be launched as a product was not from Dual, but Technics - the SP-10 (Mk.I), which was introduced in 1969. It could be that there were other direct-drives predating this, but at least I've not heard of any. I agree that the Bardo is quite interesting, and as long as the platter has low or zero cogging, I won't quibble over Brinkmann's choice of terminology. Incidentally, Brinkmann's tonearms are also exceptionally good-sounding, and are worth consideration. hth, jonathan carr |
- 58 posts total