Trans Fi Salvation direct rim drive turntable


Hi A'goners, I've just bought this turntable, confident it'll be my last upgrade. The rest of my system is a Tom Evans Groove Plus SRX phono stage, EMM Labs CDSA SE cd player, Hovland HP200 pre/Radia power amps, Zu Definitions Mk 4 loudspeakers, so a pretty good way to listen to vinyl.

Over the years, since 1995 I've progressed from a Roksan Xerxes/Artemiz/Shiraz, via a Michell Orbe/SME V/Transfiguration Orpheus, finally ending up last week with my new Trans Fi Salvation/Trans Fi T3Pro Terminator/Zu modded Denon 103.

This turntable (£2500 UK price, approx $4000-$5000 US) is the brainchild of Vic, a retired dentist, who, fed up with the shortcomings of belt drive and traditionally-pivoted tone arms, literally from the ground up devised first the Terminator air bearing linear tracking tone arm (now in T3Pro guise as on my system), and now the direct rim drive Salvation turntable, a technology in direct opposition to the hegemony of belt drive we've come to accept from the '70s.

In summary, he has developed a motor that directly rim drives an oversize platter. The magic is that vibrations are drained away from the platter and hence stylus. So minimal rumble is transmitted, the weakness of Garrards/Lencos in the past. This is mated to a substantial slate plinth which does a great job of isolating the whole rig from external vibrations.

Where this differs from direct drive is that the torque applied is high enough to counteract stylus drag, but it is strictly analogue controlled ie no digital feedback applying constant micro speed control. Speed is set correctly, torque is sufficient, and speed stability is like a rock.

This is combined with his air bearing linear tracking arm, discussed on other threads.

So technical description over, how about how it sounds? Well, years ago I always assumed the overhang in bass when playing lps on my previous belt drive/pivoted arm tts, apparent as a benign artifact, was all part of the 'romance' of vinyl, esp. when compared to the dry, clinical sound of early cd. But in 2007 I acquired the EMM cd, which had a natural analogue sound playing silver discs, but none of this bass colouration. On studying the growing reemergence of idler/direct drive, and their superiority in maintaining speed stability, I agreed that the belt speed instability might be introducing this.

Two years ago I came across Vic, and now I can report that eliminating the belt for high torque rim drive has taken this whole artifact out of the equation. Whole layers of previously masked information like rhythm guitars are now present, treble information has abundant naturalness and decay, and bass, which appears to be less in quantity compared to belt, is actually more accurate with a real start-stop quality, much more like digital, and the real thing. The other positives are more linked to the arm, including uncanny tracking across the whole record side; I'm really not exaggerating in saying that the last few grooves at the end of an lp side are as solidly reproduced as the first. Music with strong dynamic contrasts are really served well by the Salvation, and I am shocked at how good this all is after trepidation that the sound might be hyperdetailed but too assertive etc. In fact music is reproduced with a relaxed incision, and a welcoming detailed transparency.

The amazing thing is that all of this is not in anyway at the expense of the natural warmth and tonal dimensionality that still puts vinyl way ahead of any digital (imho).

The only thing, and Vic would like this to be known, is that his creation is a cottage industry, and he can only produce limited numbers to order.

I'm happy to answer qs on it, as I really want our community to know about a possible world beating product at real world prices. My tech knowledge will be limited, but no problem discussing sound quality issues.

I'm not affiliated in anyway to the product, just sold my Orbe on ebay and bought this. Regards to all
spiritofmusic
Tms0425 recommended.
Was thinking Thorens TD125 refurbished and he said it would be OK but I could just skip all the upgrades and go straight to a Trans-Fi. So I did.
Bear in mind this is my first music system in thirty years, can't compare other audiophile equipment.As Fat Bastard in Austin Powers said,"Everyone likes their own Brand".
Want to say to all the Agoners, the info brought to light through the discussions can be a great source for educating the decisions that go into a purchase. For all the costs, if one purchases wisely they can get their money's worth.
Dentdog and Tms0425, can you please post your detailed views on the Salvation/Terminator soon please.
I started this thread to highlight what I believe to be a groundbreaking couple of products at a totally affordable real world price, and to encourage analog guys to purchase them.
And I've been successful, but w/only my comments I don't want to give the impression I'm in any way trying to awkwardly promote them, or have an underlying agenda. A couple of recent comments suggest this.
I don't want to be a voice in the wilderness. I mean, what is the point of this forum, if it's not to share views and user opinions?
Dentdog, I started with a Thorens (TD 321) 26 years ago and am now running a Salvation like TT/Terminator combo. My journey to my analog nirvana took 26+ years after having spent a hell of a lot money along the way, yours took, I guess just a moment, LOL.
Damn well done ! You just saved a fortune ;)
Dear Spirit, the bits about torque and feedback and all that stuff in your most recent long post are not logical. A high torque motor does not obviate the need for feedback. In fact, it may increase the need for feedback, because the motor is "in control" of the platter, moreso than in a low-torque/high-mass platter design, and there may need to be a mechanism to signal the motor that the platter is spinning too fast or too slow. Conversely, low torque per se does not increase the need for feedback. The belt-drive tt's that use low torque motors typically coupled with a high mass platter can get away with no servo on the premise that the inertial mass of the platter is "in control" of maintaining constant speed. No tt I know of has a higher torque motor than does the Technics SP10 Mk3, yet it certainly uses stringent feedback and a servo to maintain exact speed. It also has the heaviest platter of any DD tt. On the other hand, the L07D has a lower torque motor (but maybe not "low torque", if we were to define that term) and uses a rather "loose" servo feedback mechanism. Also, keep in mind that the inherent issues in DD, belt-drive, and rim-drive applications are different. Each tt is designed from the ground up by an engineer or a group of engineers (in the good old days) to do the job of spinning an LP. It is well enough to say that you are pleased with what you've got.

Harold, The L07D has a very "effortless" sound. Quiet and smooth, like butter. It gets there with a platter that is relatively high mass for a DD (can't recall the weight but between 12 and 20 lbs with optional peripheral ring), but is not high mass compared to the SP10 Mk3 (21 lbs), a coreless motor, a magnetically suspended bearing (in the vertical), and an incredibly conceived and executed plinth and tonearm mount which rigidly links the tonearm pivot to the bearing assembly using a large girder of stainless steel or alu to do so. Everything was attended to in its design in the sense that it is a complete unit right out to and including the specially designed headshell, unlike almost all other DD tt's that really consist of a motor/chassis which the end-user must mate with a plinth and tonearm of his further choice, with no particular attention paid to linkage. In fact, that latter unified design aspect is probably also of functional benefit in the Salvation/Terminator combo. The two were designed to go together.
Lew.

Just for clarity, the LO7D uses the rotor magnets to remove 'some' of the vertical load on the thrust bearing (steel ball and hard plastic). It is not actually suspended in that there is mechanical contact. That said it is a really interesting approach where the rotor magnets have a dual purpose. Some very innovative thinking went into its design.