Why will no other turntable beat the EMT 927?

Dear Omsed, So I know what you don't like. What DO you like among modern "state of the art" turntables? The breadth of your experience may exceed all of ours combined. I can say I prefer my very highly tweaked Lenco (only the original motor and platter remain from an L75) to a Nottingham Hyperspace and to my Jean Nantais Lenco. Both of those however were far superior to a SOTA Star Sapphire III. I have two other DD turntables that I prefer to my present Lenco, by small increments and for different reasons.
Please share your experience. I don't think your analogy between a 67 Camaro and a new Corvette is at all relevant to the discussion, by the way.

Omsed, had I your tastes I too might share your opinions. Evidently, however, I don't. I'm not about to get involved with your attempt at one-up-manship, but I have had 14 tt in my 47 years as an audiophile. The last before the Lenco was very modern, the Bergmann SIndre, which was bought because it greatly out-performed everything with which I compared it, including the Shindo.

I know what I hear and know you like what you hear. End of discussion for me.

Omsed, Do you have a preference for drive type or arm type? I'm curious about which modern top tables you do like.

Have you heard the Dobbins Beat, Wave Kinetics NVS, Rockport direct-drives, Walker, Basis, SME, Continuum, Kronos or TechDas? I'm sure there are others.

Dev, the Nantais Lenco Reference, which I am getting has a 25 pound heavier plinth and several other innovations. I know of people with Classics who are thinking about moving to the Reference.

I know from the use of the SP Ultra Fives under my Tidals that backing off the Ultra Fives sound better backed off a little. Unfortunately, I cannot do that with the BMC Arcadias. Basically the threading is inserted into the shaft drilled into the base of the speakers. Backing off from contact merely pressed the threading further into the speaker. I could put a washer on the bolt but that would keep it from the threading.

Tbg, you may very well have the same opinion if you heard an array of turntables here, moving the same arm and cartridge (not just the same model, the same serial numbers!) in a system where I can demo any number of really great (and using various technologies) speakers and headphones. At the very least it might cause you to think a bit about your position. What part of the country are you in?

But this is not a case of one-up-manship. It's a case of it not being fair to begin with. This is my job 7 days a week. Designing and testing is part of that job. And if I am curious, I but what I am curious about to test different ideas/technologies/execution levels.

What do I like? Goldmund Reference is nice. Linn (pre DC motor) had great speed stability. Basis Inspiration is my cup of tea.

For old stuff, I like the Garrard 301 best. Easy to listen to, cuts out the harshest part of the record. But, there is a price for always sounding rich and easy. That's a coloration that does not allow the deepest levels of detail to come through. It's beautiful, perfect condition, a really cool working antique that reminds me of times I often feel I liked better. But I know what it is and is not. And it is not anywhere near state of the art. Nor are my other antique turntables. But I can admit that and still love them. I find in audio, when someone loves something they usually say "THIS IS BEST". Yes, shouting indicated on purpose.

My goal may be different than most folks. I am looking to get exactly what is on the record. No smoother, no rougher. No more bass, no less bass. My philosophy is that this will result in the most clear sound with the best records. Some will fall on the thinner side, some the thicker side. And the best will shine gloriously.

Part of the goal is that except during testing I do not want to be listening to the components, I want to listen to the music. In my experience, the lower distortion the components, the easier that is to do.