Difference between Brinkmann Bardo and Oasis?

.... the sound of the Bardo is salubrious, exquisite, stunning, glorious and dazzling and the sound of the Oasis is superlative, smashing, magnificent, superb and impeccable...

Syntax, it must be evening where you are. Either that or you're drinking in the morning again.

I've listened to both of the direct drive Brinkmanns. If both have the same platter and are mounted on the same surface, with the same tonearm and cartridge, the sonic differences between them aren't actionable. Buy the one that suits you for price and aesthetics. Almost ANY differences you impose in resting surface, whether you use any intermediate mounting devices like bearings, magnetic repulsion, isolation materials, etc. will impose more difference than the delta between the Bardo and Oasis alone.

The Brinkmann low-torque motor/high rotating mass direct drive is excellent for both sound and speed stability. In the current economics of high end audio, these Brinkmann direct drives are a peak value point in $8000-$15000 turntables. I prefer Oasis with it's plinth.

Phil

Thanks, Phil. What was your impression of the bass reproduction of these tables? Bass seemed to be the weakness noted by Fremer in his review of the Bardo, if only relative to the larger Brinkmanns.

Bill

Bill,

Forget Fremer. The higher priced Brinkmanns are belt/thread drive and cost quite a bit more. Bass on the DD tables is fine. Bardo & Oasis aren't bass-shy by any means but here's more bloom and more texture in the bottom end of the LaGrange & Balance, and if your system and room support it, LaGrange/Balance can dig a bit deeper. But so what? That's not the big difference! The upmarket belt drives deliver more of the music's emotion, more event honesty, more humanness of the performance. By degrees. But, you know, they also cost a lot more. LaGrange has something like 35 lbs of tri-materials platter; Balance even more. Oh, and a heated main bearing. And you'll want to pony up for the tube power supply.

Now, what would the DD models sound like with 18kg platters instead of 10kg? You can't find out. What if the DD models had LaGrange's heated bearing? You can't find out. You can pair the DD tables with the vacuum tube power supply and that will move the Bardo/Oasis toward the sound of LaGrange. So, to say the Brinkmann DD tables exhibit a bass weakness, I ask "compared to what?" There's no point expecting the DD tables to sound comparable to the LaGrange & Balance because they aren't intended to and are built on different economics. Put another way, if you can afford LaGrange or Balance, that's what you'll buy, because at that price level you're well into paying for diminishing returns and you're ok with that as a music-loving audiophile. If Oasis/Bardo are the right price for you, then the sound of the thread drive Brinkmanns is moot, as you're unlikely to want to pay for the delta.

I can tell you this: the Brinkmann Bardo/Oasis are essentially magnetically-driven turntables and their massy/low-torque design doesn't sound like the high torque/low mass direct drives most people recall as the sound of direct drive. The Brinkmann DD tables sound relaxed and toneful with excellent timing, bass authority and nuanced reveal of fine detail.. They have more in common with other Brinkmanns than they do with non-Brinkmann turntables using direct drive. M. Fremer and Danny Kaey think the thread drive tables are nearly unrivaled, if you care about reviewer opinions. If you must, want, or just prefer to spend less, the Bardo/Oasis will put you in the sonic family and you might even prefer some aspects of their articulation. Regardless, the tube power supply is worth springing for on all the Brinkmanns.

Phil