EMT 927 vs. Micro Seiki 5000 or 8000 - different?

Dear Thuchan,
You are a very lucky man and as Soundlistening correctly states.....there are very few on this earth who are ever in a position to hear just one of those famed vintage turntables in your possession?......let alone compare them side by side.
I was just speaking to Mark Doehmann who designed all the Continuum turntables and tonearms and he told me that an EMT 927 turntable with EMT tonearm and EMT cartridge will outdo just about every analogue source he has ever heard.........including the Caliburn/Cobra combination?Cheers and enjoy
Henry

Henry,
Mark Doehmann knows about TTs -this for sure. The Continuums are very sophisticated and well build machines too. I don't like the massive magnetic field of the Caliburn, also not the lookings of its stand. Nevetheless it is a proper way of isolation and damping.
All Continuums face a small problem with the original tonearm cabeling. You can change this very easy as you should do with the great old arms from SAEC or Micro Seiki as well.

Now let us have a short look on the investments you are facing going for a well preserved EMT 927 or a Caliburn resp. Criterion. You know that there is still a big difference although the value (!) of the EMTs is continously rising. I now know why.

Soundlistening,
okay, maybe I forgot dreaming away myself a little :-) But seriously it is only my crest for listening to some units I heard so much about first hand in my own system and not as a visitor in a different environment. This may be good for a first impression. Not more!
When I did my journey to Australia nearly crossing the whole planet and finally succeeding in discovering the perfect matching Continuum it took me lots of preparatory work. Many friendly audiophiles joined me on this trip. The same happened with the EMT. First I had to cross the minds full of prejuduces, my own ones too.

There were not many good friends supporting me in my idea to go for a very rare but simple looking R80 - indeed it is not. This machine is fully packed with beautifully designed and perfectly produced technological details you will not find in other TTs - except of the 927s. The R80 is a kind of 927 but without internal phono stage - just great for my usuages.

But maybe I am telling stories everyone knows. in the end I was really surprised how musically the "927" plays. the sound is not studio like as some people in it's bad meaning think it is. The new EMT carts are just gorgeous. I really feel sorrow for those audiohile friends who never went into a good experience with the "Tondosen".

Soundlistening,
okay, maybe I forgot dreaming away myself a little :-) But seriously it is only my crest for listening to some units I heard so much about first hand in my own system and not as a visitor in a different environment. This may be good for a first impression. Not more!
When I did my journey to Australia nearly crossing the whole planet and finally succeeding in discovering the perfect matching Continuum it took me lots of preparatory work. Many friendly audiophiles joined me on this trip. The same happened with the EMT. First I had to cross the minds full of prejudices, my own ones too.

There were not many good friends supporting me in my idea to go for a very rare but simple looking R80 - indeed it is not. This machine is fully packed with beautifully designed and perfectly produced technological details you will not find in other TTs - except of the 927s. The R80 is a kind of 927 but without internal phono stage - just great for my usuages.

But maybe I am telling stories everyone knows. in the end I was really surprised how musically the "927" plays. the sound is not studio like as some people in it's bad meaning think it is. The new EMT carts are just gorgeous. I really feel sorrow for those audiohile friends who never went into a good experience with the "Tondosen".

How close is the more readily available EMT 930 to the 927? There seems to be a more available supply of those in North America. Another question is whether there is any person to service them in the USA or Canada? Thuchan, I have always found your posts quite interesting. Your passion for this hobby is quite impressive. How would you compare the Micro Seiki tables which I have been drooling over to the EMT? Best Regards, Bob