Micro Seiki, or TW AC-1


I'm trying to decide between Micro Seiki RX 5000 and TW AC-1.
They are approx. the same price used (about $10K)
Both are belt drive.
Unfortunately, I don't have a first hand experience with either of the tables.
You can see my current set-up in my system page.
The reason, I want to make a change from DD TT to belt drive is just to try a different approach.
Also, I have a feeling, that the bass would be one of the areas, where MS and TW might have an edge over my current DD Technics SP-10 MkII
My endeavor into analog is fairly new, so I'm not sure what my final choice in analog would be, unless I try it in my own system.
What I'm really interested in is the following:
Sonic differences b/w MS, TW and Technics SP-10 MkII
Reliability
Service availability.
maril555
Dear Maril555: +++++ " The reason, I want to make a change from DD TT to belt drive is just to try a different approach. " +++++

IMHO from that approach you can choose any decent BD alternatives out there and you will hear a different performance, not better but different.

MS is a " heavy " regarded unit in a wrong way because has no merits for it. It has a decent bearing with a decent Panasonic/Technics motor, power supply and control unit are very bad and needs to be rebuilded for it can achieve top performance, all its platters are way resonant and like all havy mass TTs ( vintage or toady units designs. ) are way colored because you can't control the heavy platter mass internal resonances when in movement. High mass TTs are very good for the " eyes " and for the audiophile " rookies " but not the best for real music lovers and persons that has a decent music sound knowledge level.

Your SP-10 could gives you a better performance in " naked " fashion, this is with out plinth.

I favor the Peterayer adivise on the SME 20/3 that even that is a BD design is not a heavy mass design and even that was not designed for the " eyes " has very good performance: accurate and neutral one, very low colorations. Same for the SME 30. These SME designs were always under-rated because are " ugly " to the eyes but IMHO are way better that almost all the units named here.

I think that sooner or latter we will learn that we have to pay for quality performance in TT and not like today where many people pay for: kilos/kilograms!!
Is here in audio high-end where the price of a kilogram of metal ( aluminum/steel and the like ) has a price higher of a kilogram of real gold!! Sometimes some of us shows or our ignorance or our stupidity or our wealthy status where no one of these characteristics has no relatrionship with quality music performance level trhough an audio system. Yes, as you see it I showed my ignorance on that subject because I own MS and HML BD designs that today I almost no use it often.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
And Syntax, let me just get everyone on the same page. Your mission in life is to bash a few brands and give your biased opinion about products you get deals on. It is well documented here so why don't you let it go. H I forget you can't. You have nothing better to do. Not even listen to music. I wonder why.

And Dgad, let me just get everyone on the same page. Your mission in life is to support brands and give your "enthusiastic" opinion about products you get deals on.
And both we know very well, that no matter what I write, you'll never get it, not in this life, nor in the next. And internet "documentation". Please, everyone with a normal working brain knows, to rate something you should have information from ALL sides. But "your enemy" is my enemy point of view is childish. Wake up baby, we are not in Russia where you are sent to Siberia for a different opinion.
Say hello to all other Fanboys but a Democracy has different rules. Didn't you realize that after all those years?
Maril555,

besides of following a church-approach if DD or BD is better or even Idler-Drive I may recommend the MS.
I have all drives and tested them very intensively. While the DD has some advantages a real Top Class Performance you reach with a well equipped big Micro-Seiki (BD) or an EMT 927 (Idler Drive). While the latter is very rare a fine MS-5000 is reachable. So why going for a new design rather than the masters of performance. Pls. forget the remarks some guys made on Mass-Turntables. I guess our friends have no even an idea what kind of performance these TTs are able to show in a good setting.
If you are open to Idler drive then you could also consider the EMT 930. It is well within a reachable budget and can be had with warranty from one of the ex-EMT engineers here:
www.EMT-Profi.de