Ultimate Idler Drive

Robin,

Thanks for your comments here. It means a lot to me for someone who isn't connected to the project, but who has actually heard the turntable at length to speak of Saskia in such a positive way. Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to build one for you, and I'll be looking for you at RMAF.

This entire affair has become an obsession for me that is life consuming. It is practically all I think about these days. My non-audiophile friends probably say "He must have got off at East Ham." Now that I think about it, they most likely said that even before I started tinkering with turntables...at least the cockney ones. ;)

Anyway, thanks again. I do really appreciate it!

Best,
Win

.

Panzerholz /w colorations? But I like those colors.
Although I think I would go for a slate body for the Denon DL-103 if one of those ever emerges.

.

see you already know slate is the way to go! Panzerholz made a great Graham arm board for me and allowed me to never look at MDF again. However the deadnest of it robs some dynamics! The slate I find allows perfect energy flow- not dead,but no colorations. As I said before the true sound nature of the table it supports is laid bare. Then chose the best idler,DD,belt(?), mechanism you can afford.

Robyatt, the RS-A1 looks really interesting could you elaborate a little on what makes it superior to other more expensive arms apart from the price. What phono stage do you use?

When I first got my Garrard 501 Stainless Steel Inspiration I had a whole bunch of custom arm boards made to try different arms. I tried: SME V, Graham B44, Triplanar, Wilson Benesch ACT 2.0, Dynavector DV 505,507MkI, Clearaudio T1, SME 3012, and the RS A1. The speed neutrality and detail of the RS Labs consistently eclipsed all the other arms. I even tried the RS Labs Headshell, which handily outperforms all headshells and elevated the performance of the 3012, and Dynavector arms. How ever the A1 and its UNIQUE design is the way I have gone. I have an Ortofon Per Windfield in one, the best MC, and a (Decca) London Reference in the other, the best MM, IMHO!!
When my 501 is in its new OMA slate plinth we can directly compare the Saskia and the 501, by just picking up and moving the A1 arm and cartridge. Great for A/B listening.