Opinions on why this system is uninvolving

Twl, The interesting thing is that I have been listening to an SME20 lately which is needless to say, "higher up the scale". The SME is very precise & solid sounding and makes the Linn sound unrefined and almost as if its bouncing out of control... yet there are certain qualities about the Linn that are more fun and to some extent more natural with certain types of music. This is not to discount the SME in any way other than to say that it itself is so controled that its difficult for me to suggest that it is natural - nothing in this world (especially live music) is as precise and controled or utterly "ordinary sounding" as the SME20. Yet I believe from an audiophile perspective, somehow the SME20 is better by leaps and bounds than the Linn. Weird.

So needless to say, I am well aware that there are better tables than the Linn and I think my point was that a simple Linn/Shelter 901 was better in all regards than any other digital player. That is why I sold all my digital and went 100% analog - just like you.

You are correct, I am a platter, bearing and motor kit away from a Teres and I am considering doing that. I've even started a new (improved) design over my first Teres.

So I do plan to keep analog because regardless of the table, it *IS* better than digital but the margin of improvement has been cut massively by the modified BiDat.

I do realize that a better table could potentially widen that gap between the BiDat and analog -- but I am having a tough time attaching a dollar figure to that improvement. I would have to go above and beyond the SME20 to look for these gains. And at that point >$10K I begin to ask myself whether or not playing records is worth it. Even at <$10K, I wonder if the differences are worth it. Right now, if I could attach a dollar value to the differences I hear between the BiDat and the Linn or BiDat and SME, I would pay maybe $1000 - $2000 to get that improvement in a system but the gains are not significant enough to justify much more.

Bryan, the SME products have a reputation for being detailed, but overly dry and analytical. You should try something a little more musical to make your comparisons.

Tom, Not sure if I agree wholeheartedly with the SME reputation you speak of. I usually associate the term analytical to mean excessive detail and I don't think that's the case with the SME20.

I wouldn't call the SME "overly dry" either. So, what do you mean by "overly dry"?? The SME20 has NO grain. Do you perhaps mean dry in the context that it's bass is lean or overdampened? Or do you mean it has a short reverberation time? In any case, the SME20 doesn't seem to exhibit any of those reputed qualities - except perhaps for the bass being ever-so-slightly lean but not enough to consider the table dry.

Like I said earlier, the SME20 is neutral. The table plays the facts accurately and with precision (that does not mean analytical) - nothing seems to be accentuated at all. The table exhibits a neutral tone, or an absence of added color.

That said, I would agree there are more "musical" toe-tapping - lets get up and boogie - type tables around and I think the Linn is a pretty good representation of that type of table.

Perhaps that Teres project of mine will introduce me to a new flavor - that of a completely unsuspended, high mass table. Interesting. Perhaps musical and refined? Hmmm...

Remember, you've got a guy here who "used" to be a digital maniac and gave it all up as soon as he heard analog. After that moment, I couldn't bare to listen to any CDs whatsoever, sold my digital & I became an analog fanatic.

So... I'm sorry for mentioning that digital BiDat thingy - I certainly don't want to scare any of the other analog fanatics on Audiogon. :)

Bryan, I know you are an analog lover. That is why I am trying to make suggestions. I do believe that you can find a table to your liking that will be at a higher level. There is something out there that will "float your boat" in all the respects you desire. Of course, I can't tell you what it is, because you have to find the one you like. I'm only trying to point out some possible directions to look in.

Hi Tom, I've listened to numerous tables at local dealers and have always been disappointed -- mostly because of the dealers poor room/system, etc. So I never comment on those experiences publicly.

I have only had the SME20, Linn, Oracle at my personal disposal which is why I only comment on those tables.

I've often considered borrowing tables from the dealer but.. as much of an analog fanatic as I am, I still do not feel confident with all the set-up required for various table/arm/cartridge combos.

I guess I'll have to take your advice, bite the bullet and get a Teres or finish my at least one of my projects. It will be very interesting to hear what it does that the Linn / SME doesn't do -- or does too much of.

To simplify what I said about the BiDat, it has opened a door where now, I can honestly say there are many recordings which will sound better on digital vs. analog whreas prior to the Bidat, I felt that nothing sounded better in digital - except certain classical pieces.

Regardless of which table I end up with, having digital which performs somewhere in-between the SME and the Linn(its like the SME with life, and the Linn with precision) is truly remarkable for a $600 device.