2. analog
  3. 126251-489

My final table , hopefully !

Back in the 80's I was seduced to the digital side ! At first it was lovely . But then , I became hooked , it got cold and ugly .  After a lot of work and many years , I was able to get onto the recovery road to analogdom .

I returned with a MMF 5.1 turntable and stock cartridge . Oh that warm cozy feeling , I missed you so ! 

 But now , as luck would have it , I want MORE !  More dynamics , more detail , more extension , more rich tone and above all else more of that sensuous musicality . I've grown old , fat and out of shape since I quit tapping my toes , bobbing my head , playing air guitar & and dancing around the room ! I'm greedy and I want it all !

Unfortunately , my addictions have forced me to the land of the small budget . I need to stay in the 2K + 3K range . If I can trade in my MMF 5.1 table and cartridge , that would help .


I would like to spend a majority of my money on the table and arm . I need a faithful dog , a table that will stick with me through thick & thin and never leave my side . To grow older with me without the need for attention . I am a set it & forget it / plug n play kind of guy . I want to listen to music , not futz with stuff . I am not able to go out and hear a lot of stuff so my ideas come from the net ...and my help comes from you !

I have read that different manufacturers tables have different sound characteristics . How much of this can be attributed to the arm and cartridge used ? How much can it be altered ? I prefer classic rock , singers & songwriters , contemporary blues , Detroit soul and classical . Not much for Disco ,  Rap , Techno or Hip Hop .

While most tables have an upgrade path , I would like to refrain from taking it . Again the plug n play / set it & forget it attitude .


Here is what I have come up with , in no special order :

VPI Prime - the most expensive , comes with the 3D arm .

Well Tempered Amadeus MKII - comes with the golf ball arm .

Avid Diva II

Sota Saphire V - no real need for a suspension system as I am on a slab .

Sota Saphire III - refurbished , again no real need for the suspension system . 

Origin Live Calypso MkIII

Looking at the Jelco 750D arm for some of these tables .


Thank You .

Saki70


saki70

Showing 5 responses by orpheus10

orpheus10
5,988 posts
 

I like Sota a lot; the only one I've had experience with is the Saphire. I noticed all the high end salons, when there were such places, had Sota Saphires on display, ready for evaluation. Of course they sold other brands as well.

I just checked that refurbished Sota for 2k; that's a lot of TT for that price, and it's pretty too. I recently spent almost 2K upgrading another table that's in the same league. That price is certainly right.

Of course you would not get entry level cartridge or tone arm with that table.

Good luck with your decision.


orpheus10
5,988 posts
 

I just looked at your choices of music, and Sota is kind of mellow in my opinion; a Rega might be better for Rock, and be very selective about cartridges because the type of music you like makes all the difference in the world.

Since there are few high end salons, you have to rely on reviews; they are reliable if you know how to read them, and that's very important in analog. Focus on the music the reviewer is using, when he is using the same music you like, that means you got a winner, because the reason he likes that particular cartridge TT, or tone arm, is because it's emphasizing his favorite music.
orpheus10
5,988 posts
 
Saki70, you're progressing very nicely;  you're right about the Rega, if you're not a "handy man" with upgrades, leave it be.

I will be most curious about the cartridge; sorry I can't make any suggestions, I like different music, and that's the key to selecting the cartridge.  What you have to do first is select the "family" of cartridges, and the way to do this is buy the cheapest cartridge in the "family" you think you might like.  You're better off going like that, than  buying an expensive cartridge, and later on discovering you're in the wrong family.

I'm against used cartridges, and here's why; the people who bought them say they sounded good, but do they sound as good as their supposed to sound?  They don't know.  When the tiniest bit of difference on setup, can make a huge difference in sound, how can you know how good the used cartridge is supposed to sound.

Here we are talking the best audio quality, not economics.

Good luck, and take your time.
orpheus10
5,988 posts
 

Saki, I'm going to give you one of the strangest reasons for upgrading a cartridge. The man who was responsible for the quality of my favorite cartridge, died not too long ago. That's why I'm upgrading my cartridge.

It wont be long, and all the cartridges he inspected will be gone. His heirs wont think about anything but the bottom line, money. Right now their probably thinking about where to vacation, and how they can increase profits.

Since these cartridges have a highly reputable name, quality control can slip for a long time before anyone notices, or mentions it.

What I just said goes for everything; I know, I had the misfortune of buying a CD player from a highly rated company, and it just fell apart, and this name product was known for quality. Fortunately I was able to send it back and get my money back. This was quite awhile ago so it's probably not any "High end" company that's currently well known.

Beside all the other things you have to be careful of in the "High end", you even have to take notice of who died.
orpheus10
5,988 posts
 

Terry9, while I'm familiar with the different sounds of cartridges in the same price range, I'm not familiar with the different sounds of turntables in the same price range. Since you seem to have had a number of tables, could you comment on the different ones that were rated Class A or B by Stereophile.

Although those ratings are not etched in stone, I consider them valid, and that's from experience.

Most people compare apples to oranges by comparing a more expensive table to a less expensive table, but I'm talking about different tables in the same price range, as well as in the same Stereophile rating range.

If you have that much experience, I'll be looking forward to your answer.
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