do you still presently use a kuzma airline tonearm ?
Hi,
no, I sold it. My decision was to go for a FR-66s.
..would you spend the extra money for a tw acustic raven ac1 for use with the airline or would you simply enjoy the kuzma reference with the airline ?
Honestly, I was never mad for the Raven, some of my friends own it, they tweak it like mad, always different results, like a LP12, always different, but not better. One of them has a Raven with Airline and a Kuzma Reference with Airline. He never uses the Raven, but he is too lazy to sell and it looks important to visiting guests.
... raven ac1 similar to your beautiful micro seiki rx-5000 in terms of performance
the Seiki is a different Galaxy in low level resolution, real Bass Performance in neutral reproduction. it has no "sound", no Rhythm, or speed or similar artifacts. The design is 30 years old, Seiki went out of business before they could improve the platter. "Over-engineered", ultra solid bearing, adjustable motor, high inertia.... Use a vinyl mat with it and then it is done (maybe with a Vibraplane, but this is identical to all unsuspended designs).
The Seiki is a total different chapter in transportation of any kind of influences (needle, wow, flutter, bearing, air resonances...), but it depends on your System of course.
i have always wanted a linear tracking tonearm...much trouble because of the air compressors involved
Don't worry. The Airline is absolutely reliable, working, without any nightmares. The compressor is silent. I used it in my beginning in the same room. It has a valve for pressure, this one you hear when it stops. Most audiophiles are disturbed with this, but even for that there is a valve which can be blocked, then it is completely silent. Most don't know that, but it is described in the manual.
... if i talk to the right people
You are right, but who is right? I say this, the other one that and you have your own wishes, hopes and priorities. You will find a Fan group for everything and what will you do, when you have 1 negative opinion about a product and 7 positive ones? You will go for the majority, because you feel safe, member in a "group" and there will be a warm welcome. But, it could be possible, that the lonely one got it right. I listened to probably 80 Systems in the last 15 years, only 3 were really great. 2 of them at my beginning of High End, I was not really able to realize, how good they were. but they were totally different to others which were in Hype and so on. The last one from these 3 I heard 2 years ago. Quite a time difference.
What did they have in common? All 3 owners were really deep in records, they knew everything about the orchestra, miking and how it sounds in real life.
The problem with internet communication is, that everyone is happy with his units. That is ok. When you know, what this or that can do (or not) then you know which way is the one to go.
