Vpi vs. TW Acustic

Really,this is getting a good bit out of control!Why I am asked to mention comparisons sort of misses my point about other viable options.I've not A/B'd virtually any product over the years,other than power cords or cables.

I "have" heard the exact same program material on numerous occassions,on many products/tables.Enough to offer up my own "opinion" on the matter.That is about it!

No ill will,to any posters here.This is an opinionated forum.NO?

Best to all........"almost".

Now I've got to watch the season's last episode of "24"!I've got some "opinions" as to how that might end,but better not go "there".Besides that question has not been raised here,so why start trouble?

Since I am an Oracle owner let me chime in here.

Compared to my RX-5000 or Sp-10 Mk2 the Oracle gives nothing away in bass performance as far as I can hear. What I can say is that the Oracle is leaner on the lower registers because it might just be more accurate. Reminds me of Quad 63's in the bass area - fast / accurate / realistic / lacking in quantity not quality. No mid bass emphasis here, just clean low end. Reminds me of why the Linn was so popular in the 80's until everyone realized how colored it really was in the mid bass area.

I put a Grandezza arm on the Oracle with a ZYX UNIverse. Now you have a deck and cart that have the reputation of being lean in the bass department. And it can be so if the cart loading is not optimal, but when everything is set up properly, I am almost embarrassed by both the quality of bass as well as the amount.

Oracle is one of the most accurate and musical deck out there - a great buy and you won't see mine up on "Gon for sale; period - and those that know me can testify to how fickle I am!!!!!!!!!!

Steve

I find Audiogon threads to be informative and entertaining. When I first read the original post, I thought that this thread would be the former. However, it has become the latter.

I was asked by a poster here to jump in and add my thoughts, being a Raven One owner.

First of all, I never understood why some people give VPI a bad rap. It seems like a well built, well engineered product. I don't have enough experience with VPI's as to even comment about their sonic characteristics.

As most people realize, auditioning just the table part of the equation is rather difficult, but David seems to have some experience hearing his Raven against some other tables in his own system, so I'd like to hear more of his opinion on the matter.

Personally, I went from a tweeked out WTT classic to the Raven One/Phantom in stock form, and got a massive upgrade in sound quality, using the same cart.

Since that point I have tweeked out the Raven a bit, adding a sistrum SP-1 stand, TTWeights clamp, platter, and periphery ring, and just recently, a Halcyonics platform.

I never used to be a believer in suspensions, but having heard what an excellent (though expensive) suspension can do for performance, I now believe in using one.

The Raven in stock form I believe represents an excellent value, and allows much room for growth and improvement through tweeks and add ons.

Maybe I am being naiive, but I feel at the current level of performance, realism, and master tape type sound I am getting with this set up, that I can't imagine many turntable setups being able to significantly "better" the playback I am currently getting with this rig. Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

Thanks, Sirspeedy for the information.