Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site
In the Forum: Analog Playback
In the Thread: Today's best turntables vs. greatest vintage turntables.
Post Subject: Context, Content and ContentmentPosted by Paul S on: 10/18/2013
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One of the first hurdles is to reasonably target a TT by listening not only via but "through" a given system. I, for one, have NEVER set out to do this at a showroom where the putative target was not swamped by other "concerns". There may have been one or two times in my life when the "reference" tonearm/cartridge set-up was not audibly out of sync. And then the dealer, despite the prospect of a sale, typically will not accommodate efforts to target the TT, in any case. So, how do they sell them?
It seems obvious to me that any possible improvements in given TT performance parameters over the years have been mostly obliterated by the desire to offer for sale something that "looks the part" by "manifesting its specifications". While the contemporary Spiral Groove SG-1 may look "likely" to me, I would guess that more "tech-y looking" TTs sell better, once they are more expensive than the Regas, Pro-jects, etc.
Another thing to consider is the "availability" of the performance "offered" by a given TT. I have bitten my tongue many times when ushered into a listening room and immediately seeing (and then hearing) "obvious" problems with a set up. However, since the problems never seem to bother the dealer or owner, where's the problem?
Yes, it takes a hell of a long time to set up and really dial in a TT/arm/cartridge, and we all realize that the reviewers and the dealers are mostly not getting the job done. It has been nice for me that my (30 years!) old Sota just keeps going, like the Energizer bunny. However, I do cynically wonder, as we age together, what sorts of "problems" have I simply grown accustomed to?
Best regards,
Paul SRerurn to Romy the Cat's Site