I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

So, I want to spend the money I get (= more if needed) on a new phonograph
for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?

I'm in the UK. Money is not an issue. Quality is

Quagga

The Rega P9 is the best set-and-forget table. Avid makes some nice
units as well, but are more expensive. The Rega P9 is not inexpensive,
but Rega also has more affordable models that have all been rated best
in class. Lucky for you they are both English brands and are available
all over the UK.
-Bill
www.uptownaudio.com
Roanoke VA
(540) 343-1250


"Quagga R.T.M." wrote in message
...
I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

So, I want to spend the money I get (= more if needed) on a new
phonograph
for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?

I'm in the UK. Money is not an issue. Quality is

Quagga

"Quagga R.T.M." wrote in message
...
I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

So, I want to spend the money I get (= more if needed) on a new phonograph
for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?

I'm in the UK. Money is not an issue. Quality is


Money not an issue, OK, how about $73,000?
http://www.stereophile.com//analogsourcereviews/258/

To echo the recent Saturn car ads in the U.S. "When you say money is not
an issue ..." do you really mean money is not an issue? If so, there are
several folks looking to separate you from 40 or 50K for a turntable,
not to mention the arm and cartridge. Try this one
http://www.stereophile.com/analogsourcereviews/258/ A mere 75K or so.

-- Bob T.

Andy Payor hurls a briefcase full of engineering and scientific
mumbo-jumbo at in an attempt to justify the $73,750 price of the latest
and greatest edition of his Rockport Technologies turntable, but
really—isn't this all-air-driven design a case of analog overkill? After
all, defining a turntable's job seems rather easy: rotate the record at
an exact and constant speed, and, for a linear tracker, put the stylus
in play across the record surface so that it maintains precise tangency
to a radius described across the groove surface. By definition, a
pivoted arm can't do that, so the goal there is to minimize the
deviation. That's basically it. Right?

We love those LPs, and we know they can sound good—certainly better than
CDs—but can a stone dragged through a vinyl drainage ditch ever sound
$73,750 worth of good?

With its air-suspension isolation stand, air-bearing platter (both the
axial and radial loads are supported by air), captured air-bearing arm,
and direct-drive brushless motor, the System III Sirius's only
mechanical contact is that of stylus and record. No belt, no springs, no
thrust plate and ball bearing, no bushings—and, unfortunately, no way
most of us will ever be able to afford the thing.

Isn't the +185-lb, epoxy-composite plinth—fiber-reinforced,
resin-shelled, lead-ballasted, and mineral-filled—another example,
however sleek and shiny, of the design's overkill? Payor describes the
plinth's "monocoque" construction as resulting in "an immensely stiff
beam section with the high-tensile members at the outermost region of
the composite, separated by a virtually inert core with extremely high
compressive strength." (Fans of the Jaguar Type E remember "monocoque,"
which means a design in which the skin absorbs all or most of the
stresses to which the body is subjected. And an immensely stiff beam is
what I got just from looking at the Sirius III.) But isn't that just
descriptive overkill? A verbally expensive way of saying "this thing's
heavy and it's gonna cost you big bucks"?

How about an exquisitely constructed, 62-lb, constrained-layer-damped
five-piece platter machined from solid 303 stainless-steel bar stock and
including a recessed top section in which is embedded a
"high-hysteresis, mineral-filled PVC alloy coated with a proprietary
material with a unique combination of properties essential for the
elimination of unwanted vibration at the record surface"? Isn't that a
gobbledegook way of saying the platter's coated with energy-sucking goop?

Yes, it is...but in the engineering-centric world of designer Andy
Payor, such correct and technically elegant descriptions of the
turntable's guts are essential for understanding how the System III
works, why it sounds the way it does, the meticulous care that went into
its design and construction, why Payor thinks it mechanically and
sonically superior to every other turntable out there, why it costs so
much, why he thinks it worth every penny, and why he insists it's a
better turntable value than any other—even at $73,750.

TR



Quagga R.T.M. wrote:

I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

So, I want to spend the money I get (= more if needed) on a new phonograph
for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?

I'm in the UK. Money is not an issue. Quality is

Quagga

Subject: What Phonograph?
From: Stewart Pinkerton
Date: 8/24/2004 4:30 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 23 Aug 2004 23:08:57 GMT, "Norman Schwartz"
wrote:

"Quagga R.T.M." wrote in message
...
I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

So, I want to spend the money I get (= more if needed) on a new phonograph
for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?

Almost everyone would agree that it's the Rockport Sirius III.

I would not be one of them. I like the Forsell Air Reference better followed by
the Walker Procenium Gold with all the fixins.



I'm in the UK. Money is not an issue. Quality is


Money not an issue, OK, how about $73,000?
http://www.stereophile.com//analogsourcereviews/258/

Quite so, and don't forget another $5-10k for a top-class cartridge.
Payor seems to favour the Clearaudio Insider.

OTOH, the Rockport may not be *significantly* superior to the SME 30,
a snip at ten grand.

The SME 30 is about 30K here in the U.S. Is it that much cheaper in the U.K. ?
The price you cite is about half that.

From: "Carl Valle"
Date: 8/24/2004 4:30 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

"Robert Trosper" wrote in message
...
To echo the recent Saturn car ads in the U.S. "When you say money is not
an issue ..." do you really mean money is not an issue? If so, there are
several folks looking to separate you from 40 or 50K for a turntable,
not to mention the arm and cartridge. Try this one
http://www.stereophile.com/analogsourcereviews/258/ A mere 75K or so.

-- Bob T.

Andy Payor hurls a briefcase full of engineering and scientific
mumbo-jumbo at in an attempt to justify the $73,750 price of the latest
and greatest edition of his Rockport Technologies turntable, but
really€”isn't this all-air-driven design a case of analog overkill? After
all, defining a turntable's job seems rather easy: rotate the record at
an exact and constant speed, and, for a linear tracker, put the stylus
in play across the record surface so that it maintains precise tangency
to a radius described across the groove surface. By definition, a
pivoted arm can't do that, so the goal there is to minimize the
deviation. That's basically it. Right?

We love those LPs, and we know they can sound good€”certainly better than
CDs€”but can a stone dragged through a vinyl drainage ditch ever sound
$73,750 worth of good?

With its air-suspension isolation stand, air-bearing platter (both the
axial and radial loads are supported by air), captured air-bearing arm,
and direct-drive brushless motor, the System III Sirius's only
mechanical contact is that of stylus and record. No belt, no springs, no
thrust plate and ball bearing, no bushings€”and, unfortunately, no way
most of us will ever be able to afford the thing.

Isn't the +185-lb, epoxy-composite plinth€”fiber-reinforced,
resin-shelled, lead-ballasted, and mineral-filled€”another example,
however sleek and shiny, of the design's overkill? Payor describes the
plinth's "monocoque" construction as resulting in "an immensely stiff
beam section with the high-tensile members at the outermost region of
the composite, separated by a virtually inert core with extremely high
compressive strength." (Fans of the Jaguar Type E remember "monocoque,"
which means a design in which the skin absorbs all or most of the
stresses to which the body is subjected. And an immensely stiff beam is
what I got just from looking at the Sirius III.) But isn't that just
descriptive overkill? A verbally expensive way of saying "this thing's
heavy and it's gonna cost you big bucks"?

How about an exquisitely constructed, 62-lb, constrained-layer-damped
five-piece platter machined from solid 303 stainless-steel bar stock and
including a recessed top section in which is embedded a
"high-hysteresis, mineral-filled PVC alloy coated with a proprietary
material with a unique combination of properties essential for the
elimination of unwanted vibration at the record surface"? Isn't that a
gobbledegook way of saying the platter's coated with energy-sucking goop?

Yes, it is...but in the engineering-centric world of designer Andy
Payor, such correct and technically elegant descriptions of the
turntable's guts are essential for understanding how the System III
works, why it sounds the way it does, the meticulous care that went into
its design and construction, why Payor thinks it mechanically and
sonically superior to every other turntable out there, why it costs so
much, why he thinks it worth every penny, and why he insists it's a
better turntable value than any other€”even at $73,750.

TR



Quagga R.T.M. wrote:

I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

So, I want to spend the money I get (= more if needed) on a new
phonograph
for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?

I'm in the UK. Money is not an issue. Quality is

Quagga




I love that review

I liked it too even though my experiences with that table are not as positive
as Mr. Fremer's.


basically a direct drive linear tracking turntable no?

Heck basically it's record player once you slap a cartridge on it.


Yeah it has air bearings, and 200 lbs worth of isolation,

200lbs worth of isolation?

but really can't
do much better than 60db S/N because of the medium anyway. I bet it doesn't
sound much different than a denon quartz and a V15 when it's all said an'
done...

You would lose that bet.


I thought everybody wanted belt drives now?

It is not a typical direct drive. But I do prefer a couple other tables that
are belt drive.

It's now called the P3 and is still the best value around. They now
have a P5 for a bit more that includes a super new arm, the RB700. I
like the MH stuff well enough, but it does have a lack of the fit and
finish of most other brands. They also have a more warm or soft sound,
which is also quiet, yet not as transparent as that of the Rega
tables. They both have their fans and both have good sound for the
money. Put them side by side and the differences are rather obvious.
The MH looks better in photos and the Rega in person. Oddly, the Rega
P9 looks similar in construction to the P3 in photos, but when you see
it in person, it is so obviously superior in fit and finish as to be
immediately recognizable as the superior deck. Turntables are
exclusively mechanical devices designed to pick-up the smallest of
vibrations and to do this perfectly, must make none of their own, so
fit and finish is everything.
-Bill
www.uptownaudio.com
Roanoke VA
(540) 343-1250


"Codifus" wrote in message
...
Uptown Audio wrote:
The Rega P9 is the best set-and-forget table. Avid makes some nice
units as well, but are more expensive. The Rega P9 is not
inexpensive,
but Rega also has more affordable models that have all been rated
best
in class. Lucky for you they are both English brands and are
available
all over the UK.
-Bill
www.uptownaudio.com
Roanoke VA
(540) 343-1250


"Quagga R.T.M." wrote in message
...

I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

So, I want to spend the money I get (= more if needed) on a new

phonograph

for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?

I'm in the UK. Money is not an issue. Quality is

Quagga



What do you, and everyone else think of the Music Hall series, like
the
MMF 5 and 7? I was hoping to get one of those one day. So far I'm
hearing that the MMF 5 tends to have quality control issues.

Back in the day I remember the Rega Planar 3, so I have no doubt of
the
P9s steller reputation.

CD

On 25 Aug 2004 23:22:55 GMT, (S888Wheel) wrote:

Subject: What Phonograph?
From: Stewart Pinkerton

OTOH, the Rockport may not be *significantly* superior to the SME 30,
a snip at ten grand.

The SME 30 is about 30K here in the U.S. Is it that much cheaper in the U.K. ?
The price you cite is about half that.

Pounds, not dollars.............. :-)
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

"S888Wheel" wrote in message
...
Subject: What Phonograph?
From: Stewart Pinkerton
Date: 8/24/2004 4:30 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 23 Aug 2004 23:08:57 GMT, "Norman Schwartz"
wrote:

"Quagga R.T.M." wrote in message
...
I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

So, I want to spend the money I get (= more if needed) on a new
phonograph
for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?

Almost everyone would agree that it's the Rockport Sirius III.

I would not be one of them. I like the Forsell Air Reference better
followed by
the Walker Procenium Gold with all the fixins.

I agree, the Forsell Air Reference seriously advanced my understanding of
what was possible from vinyl. Throwing money at the vinyl front end IMO
doesn't necessarily mean a better sound. When I heard the Goldmund Reference
I much preferred the sound of the lesser Goldmund Studio, likewise the Basis
turntables compared to Michell products. And who knows.... the rich may be
buying certain high-end turntables just for an engineering work of art (o:

Mike

Quagga R.T.M. wrote:
I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

Out of curiosity, which turntables did you use ?

So, I want to spend the money I get (=3D more if needed) on a new phono=
graph
for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?
I'm in the UK. Money is not an issue. Quality is

One that looks interesting: The Laser Turntable, which reads vinyl
records using a set of lasers (no contact, with all the advantages
that implies). The manufacturer claims that "scratches are inaudible".
OTOH, I read elsewhere that it is (very ?) sensitive to dust.

LT-1LRC Plays LPs and singles
7", 10" and 12" , @ 33 and 45 rpm =A38,500

http://www.laser-vinyl.com/Turntable...rTurntable.htm
http://www.laser-vinyl.com/Turntable...HowItWorks.htm
http://www.laser-vinyl.com/Turntable...er_Reviews.htm

In the website of hifichoice magazine you can find some turntable reviews
(from =A3125 to =A37500):

http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_l...ubcategory=3D=
TTBLS

And cartridges:
http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_l...ubcategory=3D=
CARTG

The tonearms page is empty:
http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_l...ubcategory=3D=
TONRM

--=20
http://www.mat.uc.pt/~rps/

..pt is Portugal| `Whom the gods love die young'-Menander (342-292 BC)
Europe | Villeneuve 50-82, Toivonen 56-86, Senna 60-94

On 26 Aug 2004 23:26:44 GMT, "Mike Gilmour"
wrote:

"S888Wheel" wrote in message
...
Subject: What Phonograph?
From: Stewart Pinkerton
Date: 8/24/2004 4:30 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 23 Aug 2004 23:08:57 GMT, "Norman Schwartz"
wrote:

"Quagga R.T.M." wrote in message
...
I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

So, I want to spend the money I get (= more if needed) on a new phonograph
for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?

Almost everyone would agree that it's the Rockport Sirius III.

I would not be one of them. I like the Forsell Air Reference better
followed by
the Walker Procenium Gold with all the fixins.

I agree, the Forsell Air Reference seriously advanced my understanding of
what was possible from vinyl. Throwing money at the vinyl front end IMO
doesn't necessarily mean a better sound. When I heard the Goldmund Reference
I much preferred the sound of the lesser Goldmund Studio, likewise the Basis
turntables compared to Michell products. And who knows.... the rich may be
buying certain high-end turntables just for an engineering work of art (o:

And to be fair, it should be noted that Stereophile of March 2003
contains a review of the SME 30/2, wherein Michael Fremer concludes
that it is at least on a par with the mighty Rockport Sirius III, and
has better bass. Hence, our advice to the OP who claims to have no
budget problems, might well be to buy the SME30/2 with SME V arm and
Clearaudio Insider cartridge, and use the change to buy better
speakers!
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

From: Stewart Pinkerton
Date: 8/27/2004 12:15 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 26 Aug 2004 23:26:44 GMT, "Mike Gilmour"
wrote:

"S888Wheel" wrote in message
...
Subject: What Phonograph?
From: Stewart Pinkerton
Date: 8/24/2004 4:30 PM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 23 Aug 2004 23:08:57 GMT, "Norman Schwartz"
wrote:

"Quagga R.T.M." wrote in message
...
I'm selling my DJ equipment, but keeping most of my records.

So, I want to spend the money I get (= more if needed) on a new
phonograph
for my home.

I want the ULTIMATE! ........... but don't know what that is?

Almost everyone would agree that it's the Rockport Sirius III.

I would not be one of them. I like the Forsell Air Reference better
followed by
the Walker Procenium Gold with all the fixins.

I agree, the Forsell Air Reference seriously advanced my understanding of
what was possible from vinyl. Throwing money at the vinyl front end IMO
doesn't necessarily mean a better sound. When I heard the Goldmund Reference
I much preferred the sound of the lesser Goldmund Studio, likewise the Basis
turntables compared to Michell products. And who knows.... the rich may be
buying certain high-end turntables just for an engineering work of art (o:

And to be fair, it should be noted that Stereophile of March 2003
contains a review of the SME 30/2, wherein Michael Fremer concludes
that it is at least on a par with the mighty Rockport Sirius III, and
has better bass. Hence, our advice to the OP who claims to have no
budget problems, might well be to buy the SME30/2 with SME V arm and
Clearaudio Insider cartridge, and use the change to buy better
speakers!
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering







Nothing wrong with that recomendation however, personally I would rather
recomend the Forsell, preferably with the airbearing flywheel, if Dr. Peter
Forsell is still offering them or a Walker Procenium Gold with all the fixins.
I'd also recomend the Aurios 1.0 isolation bearings under a near 0 shore
hardness elastomer sandwiched by two 1" thick (minimum) acrylic slabs for
isolation. I'd also recomend a Koetsu cartridge. I like the Rosewood pro IV
best.