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When will we ever hear turntables demoed fairly?

To my amazement after 45years we still have no way of ascertaining the sound of turntable designs.Every stereo store has tables set up with different arms and different cartridges.How then is anyone to determine what is contributing to the sound when an apple is being compared to an orange and then to a pear.It's absurd and to make matters worse you are listening to different phono stages and amps and and speakers.If you can't isolate what is contributing to what what's the point.End of rant.

brucegel
inna
5,245 posts
 
Do you think that table/arm match is important too in addition to arm/cartridge match?  If it is, putting same arm/cartridge on different tables won't answer the question regarding table differences fully.

terry9
931 posts
 
Hello Inna. I have no opinion on that - I have neither the experience nor the theoretical framework.
inna
5,245 posts
 
Hello Terry9, nor do I have what could be called an opinion. Tom Fletcher did design his tonearms to be used with his turntables, but I heard that some people get better results, for them that is, by putting different arms on Nottinghams. But they also usually put heavy MCs in those arms, so it's a quite different set-up. Turntables are complicated, another reason why I very much prefer tape.
terry9
931 posts
 
The TF/NAS tonearm that I had from 1997 was the Mentor. One "set" the VTA by shoving the arm tube up or down in its socket, and fastening a grub screw. It was crude, and not repeatable. The tonearm may have worked well in theory, whatever theory that was, but, since it was virtually impossible to set up precisely, was a poor performer. IMO.

I finally got tired of the whole business and bought a Trans-Fi air bearing tonearm. Quell Difference!

moonglum
605 posts
 

Many “boutique” retailers will only offer 3 (if you’re lucky) turntables to compare.

  • One of these might be a potential candidate.

  • It’s unlikely you’ll be able to compare with the alternates from your shortlist.

  • They might be able to demo same arm & cart but it might involve swapping.

  • If it doesn’t involve swapping the samples might sound different anyway.

  • Even with “identical sounding” samples (an impossibility in my view) the setup will vary slightly for each one.

  • Even if you notice what’s wrong how long is the demo going to take before all setups are optimal?

    (“Setup” also means mechanical support, cable dressing etc)

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