Your Top-10 Turntables Of All Time (inclusive of your wish list)

[prem]

You guys are in line for what? Garrard, Linn, Lenco or Thorens?

 

[jls001]

I am in the Q for a 301 or 401 ONLY.

 

[anm]

and I am in the queue, but don't know which one to go for Will go with Rajeev's advice.

 

[Gerry_the_Merry]

Thank god I got in there first...not that i think Rajiv will sell (a mere speculation from him has set the cat among the pegions).

I would pay gladly for a Micro Seiki 8000 or SZ-1 even under the condition that I can only gaze at it and not play.


But otherwise any of the classic TTs.

 

[Rajiv]

Hi,

I never thought a day will come when Rajiv will actually look around for a non tweekable turntable

Prem, after years of playing around with different TT's/arms/ cartridges/plinths,etc. sometimes I feel like getting off the roller coaster and just enjoy the plug and play simplicity of the EMT.

Even if I get rid of all the TT's and related stuff I will still be quite a bit short to be able to buy the EMT.:sad:

Might not sell all the stuff but some will be up for sale.

Regards
Rajiv

 

[reubensm]

Over the weekend, got to listen to a bruized and battered Technics SL1200 MK2 (was in absolutely bashed up condition) with a Shure M94E Cartridge. After the experience, I have just one word to say, "incredible". Someone once listed the SL1200 as one of the technological marvels that shaped the world and not for nothing. The table sounded incredible. What was so impressive was its ability to maintain perfect speed (to the normal ear). I've heard the big idlers play Montovani and if one listened carefully, one could always notice some minor wow and flutter (maybe due to the age of the idlers). Music sounded so perfect on the SL1200. Could not hear any rumble either. With this experience, my top 10 has drastically changed.

1. Technics SL1200 (listened to it and very impressed by it, I am sure to own one soon)
2. Thorens TD 124 (listened to, wish to own, may own soon)
3. EMT 938 (listened to, wish to own)
4. Garrard 401 (listened to, not sure about owning one, way too expensive)
5. Garrard 301 (listened to, not sure about owning one, way too expensive)
6. Technics SP10 (heard of, yet to listen to)
7. Linn Sondek LP12 (heard of, yet to listen to)
8. Technics SP25 (heard of, yet to listen to)
9. Sony PS-X9 (heard of, yet to listen to)
10.Telefunken Studio 220 (listened to, wish to own, its a Thorens rip off)

Now I understand why the SL1200 made it to recording studios and broadcast studios outplacing more expensive options like the EMTs.

Also, this table is amazingly durable and is built like an absolute tank.

I also had a long discussion with the owner of the table on how people find a well plinthed Garrard 301 to have a punchy feel and so on. His opinion was that a lot of these extremely minor differences were actually a perception of the human mind. There is nothing better than having an accurate table with a decent cartridge and of course, leave the rest to the amplification and speakers. Interestingly contradictory thoughts.

Btw, the table was bought from a flea market in HK for $700 (HKD)

 

[Gerry_the_Merry]

Also plenty of comments here on various threads seem to take no heed of acoustics. It is a common experience that systems sound very good in the dealers listening room but not so god at home. I have personally had that experience with the exact same set up at boomerangs and at home. Hence one should take comments like "I have heard that amp and speakers combo but this one sounds better by far" with a pinch of salt. If in identical environments then fair, else it has little reliability.

 

[reubensm]

Also plenty of comments here on various threads seem to take no heed of acoustics. It is a common experience that systems sound very good in the dealers listening room but not so god at home. I have personally had that experience with the exact same set up at boomerangs and at home. Hence one should take comments like "I have heard that amp and speakers combo but this one sounds better by far" with a pinch of salt. If in identical environments then fair, else it has little reliability.

Absolutely well said, however I must add that I usually use my Shure headphones for these pre-buy auditions, with the same headphone amp (however the phonostages may vary).

 

[anm]

^^^ that's a good way to minus the room variables.

 

[malvai]

^^^ still not fool proof...there is still nothing like auditioning the gear in your own listening room... off late, i do not buy unless i can hear it in my own room... and if the dealer can't oblige then clearly, i am not buying.... i feel if one is about pay thousands or lakhs for a piece of gear, one deserves to hear and decide in their own room...

 

[anm]

Manav what you say is true. But we do publish out listening impressions of many gear that we listen to, but may not buy. Maybe during auditioning and comparison phase. We listen to 10, but take home audition of only 1 or two. This is a good way for a first/ second level screening, minus the room variables.

 

[issigonis]

^^^ still not fool proof...there is still nothing like auditioning the gear in your own listening room... off late, i do not buy unless i can hear it in my own room... and if the dealer can't oblige then clearly, i am not buying.... i feel if one is about pay thousands or lakhs for a piece of gear, one deserves to hear and decide in their own room...

>>>

Manav,

The right course to take, but this may not be always possible, especially for foreign sourced hi fi components with minimal presence in our country. Maybe in another five odd years, when our tribe increases due to rising affluence and consequent affordability ( "audiophile hifi" ix expensive!) and development of a taste for analogue ( despite the best efforts of our political classes who pay lip service to eradicating poverty but live in their own private paradise), we will have sufficient strength in numbers to have good brands here in Bombay, Delhi and other major metros.

Regards

 

[Gerry_the_Merry]

Issigonis, Indeed. However, I visit Adelphi in Singapore regularly. Many of the listening rooms are appalling with lot of glass etc.. You can in any case not get an amp of your choice with the speaker of your choice. You are limited to the combinations that a dealer has. The dealer may have trimmed combinations on what perception of "synergy" that he has. But 1) this term itself is nebulous and 2) dealers have varying incentives.

Hence one's only hope generally is to stumble upon a combination of proper speaker amp match and good listening conditions and have 3-4 makes to choose from, topped off with a good listening experience, that one can come back and replicate in one's own home.

Further, for those who don't have a dedicated listening room, this will be easier said that done so the dealer level performance may not get matched. Recently Prem posted somewhere that in the studio the same music sounded better. I bet that even with the same equipment, in a living room, the music wont sound as good.

Hence to come back to the reliability of listening impressions posted in these threads, ultimately, one must make on-the-spot decisions.