Stereophile Class A tables

In the end it is all about 'taste', so the comparison is a vanilla vs chocolate thing. I am sure my liking vanilla is much 'better' then your liking chocolate.

This discussion is getting redundant, but Manitunc, in this case the direct-drive that got a class A rating is (I think) cheaper than the belt-drive one from the same manufacturer (Brinkmann). I would agree with your statement as a generality, however.

I like the way Gammajo put it. And in fact S'phile is fairly forthcoming in this fact: they only rate that which they have reviewed. Even they would agree that there could be (and always is) great stuff out there that has no chance of a high rating, or any rating, in S'phile, because they have not and never will review it.

As a corrollary to this practice, they often delete a component from the listings if they have not reviewed it in several years. (The cynical would say that their failure to re-review has to do with the failure of the product's maker to buy advertising, but I am not saying that.) For example, I believe they have lately deleted the Triplanar tonearm, which was once an A rated piece.

My current system sounds about as good to me as anything I've ever heard. Not a single "class A" component in the whole thing. I've just been at this long enough to trust my own judgement and that's the road to true satisfaction.

I've heard some class A items, and have had mixed feelings. Some have been wonderful and other were just expensive. What I don't understand is if A is supposed to be the best without any practical consideration why should their be such a wide variance between the sonic character between different A items. To me Stereophile A means a pricey item at least one writer thought was quite good. Witness a $350,000 amp that was listed as an A several years back despite some problems

Trust your ears, or at least find a reviewer who you find has similar tastes and sensibilities to yours.

Zavato thanks yes I agree and yes would NEVER trust Valin EVER. However without being able to hear things yourself its hard to judge most items so that's why I posed the question.