Micro RX 5000 Renaissance?

AMG56, Thanks.  I have learned something.  The DDX1500 looks like a typical belt-drive M-S, from the view shown in the VE photo, but apparently with no need for the belt.  I like it.  I heretofore thought that the DDX1000 and later the DQX1000 were the top of the line for M-S DDs.  Moreover, your DDX1500 appears to have a coreless motor AND quartz referenced motor control.  Very cool.

Tom, I respect your knowledge and your opinions, but you cannot have it both ways with respect to others' opinions.  Do you believe that null points are LESS important than platter mass? And when it comes to platter mass, is more always better?  Why?  You've evidently read the debates about outboard arm pods.  I was a staunch proponent of the theory that the tonearm must be subject to the same external energy as the bearing/platter, so the two always respond in unison, and I still prefer that approach.  However, there are good arguments to the contrary, and I've come to believe that outboard pods done very well can also work very well, provided at least that the pod rests on the same surface as the turntable and is massive.  So, what's the point of your sarcasm on that subject?  Are these subjects simply undebatable gospel?  Part of the fun of this hobby is making these sorts of choices for onesself.  Halcro and I are on opposite sides of the pod discussion, but I consider him a friend, and his arguments have moved me a bit in his direction.  If you look at changes he's made in his system, it appears he too was affected by these discussions.

Guys, sorry for perhaps stirring this pot (or should that be ’pod’?) unintentionally. I’ve learned over the years that just about everything in audio has an effect on sonic quality, especially in analog. Arm pods, turntable mass, null points, the list is endless.

Taking an agnostic position is probably wiser than a dogmatic one, in audio as much as life in general. Trial and error is what amateurs like myself have to go by. In that journey I’ve recently learned much from the members of this forum, which seem(ed) to include some real experts kind enough to share their knowledge.

However, some dogmatic characters on this forum have a real talent for being obnoxious, by accusing everyone with a different opinion of being ignorant (in capital letters just in case we miss the point). I suppose veteran members of this forum have learned to ignore these ’contributions’, which is probably what I should have done as well.....

Dear @edgewear: IGNORANCE is part of each one of us audiophiles, no one is totally free of some levels of ignorance in audio subjects. That way I’m ignorant in several audio subjects where perhaps your ignorance level is lower and mine is higher. Always is that way with any one in audio and that includes reviewers, manufacturers and retailers/distributors.

Btw, I’m not dogmatic, things are that in some subjects your ignorance levels are higher than mines and you think ( there ) you are rigth when en reality are wrong. Sometimes that happens with me too ( the other way around ) depending on what subject we are talking about.

How can we lower our ignorance levels in some audio subjects? plain and simple: learning about but for this we have to have a positive and open attitude and not that kind of negativity you showed here about and I have to tell you that I understand your attitude because you think you are rigth even if not and this is the problem: your problem that impedes to learn.

"""
you can easily hear the difference between the fairly light weight wooden plinth of the BL-91 and the ’heavy metal’ approach of the RX-1500 (and likewise the RX-5000).

Contrary to what others have said here, I definitely prefer the ’heavy metal’ approach of the RX-1500, which is why I have an interest in the even heavier RX-5000. """

well you prefer the heavy weigth approach because you don’t understand yet the terrible disadvantages in a non damped all metal heavy weigth approach and this has a name: ignorance, that’s all and your statements about are wrong.

Everything the same the main quality level performance differences in TTs is how well is damped the TTs: chasis, foots, platter, arm boards and the like and re member that it does not matters how much heavy be a metal TT platter during play motion it generates vibrations it self that your ears can’t detect but the LOMC cartridges can and shows it.

Your example of the BL-91 against your 1500 is way fulty s comparison nd is not good foundtion for your sttement. Think about and ask your self why is faulty.

The best of MS TTs are its looking but not its overall quality performance. In the other side the MAX 237/282 tonearms are really a reference product an a true challenge to any today tonearm designs.



" What’s the point of your endorsement of a $40k turntable for people interested in a RX-5000 or one of its clones? """


Well the main point is that the original 5000 is ( by origen. ) a faulty design as the 1500 for all what I pointed out and that exist clones of it is not a good news for any audiophile but only to those that are ignorant of those facts.

"""
High end audio is all about ’luxury trophies for the rich’ these days, just like designer bags for the girls and wrist watches for the boys. The more expensive, the better the trophy. """

maybe for some whealthy gentlemans but for whealthy true audiophiles not because their audio ignorance levels is way lower and they know what and why to buy audio items, they don’t buy because is expensive but because true quality level performance. You can be sure that this kind of whealthy true audiophiles never spend a dime for a massive heavy weigth all metal TTs no matters if the price is 100k or 300K. They have very good knowledge levels.




""" but when you add a CU-180 copper mat ..... """,

do you really think that adding mass/weigth trhough that mat problem is solved, no only that the rpoblem suffer some changes and increment in other ways what the cartridge can " hear "/pick-up.


""" Mr. Ikeda designed tonearms and cartridges decades ago that still put many of the current high priced ’luxury trophies’ to shame. """

maybe with his cartridge designs but ceratinly not with his undamped tonearms designs.
Think for a moment: if TT damping characteristic is so critical an important for a tonearm is way more critical/important due that the cartridge is atached to it.

@edgewear, look that I’m not talking of what we like it or not but only simple facts why somethings are wrong.
What you or me like it has no importance in what I’m talking/sharing here.


Ignore what our ignorance levels says only makes us more ignorants and with no hope of learning to grow up.


As @lewm posted:

""" Part of the fun of this hobby is making these sorts of choices for onesself. """

he, me or Halcro learned through of that.

@tomwh , how did you learn all audio subjects?, by osmosis?.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@rauliruegas Do you think you could shorten your comments to around the length of, say, "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" or maybe "War and Peace"?  Being concise has its advantages.