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Turntable Wars- Reviewers take sides

Seems that there's an undeclared war between the top analogue writers on just who makes 'The Best Turntable in the World'.....
For the last 9 years Michael Fremer has stood firm behind the Continuum Caliburn but now Jonathan Valin has thrown down the gauntlet
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/acoustic-signature-invictus-turntable-and-ta-5000-tonearm/
whilst Peter Breuninger gives you his 'guarantee' for the Kronos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYDHnH3FfV4
and Roy Gregory goes for the Grand Prix Monaco
http://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/grand_prix_monaco_15.htm

But hold your horses....
There appears to be a new 'Player' about to be introduced which may shake the established wisdom (although at a price of around 280,000 Euros I wonder how many reviewers will get one?)...
http://www.arche-headshell.de/the-apolyt/
128x128halcro
lewm
12,996 posts
 
Henry, True that HP was at one time operating with no advertisers, but word was that he (and some of his top reviewers) would keep gear "lent" for review for indefinite periods of time, as in "forever".  This creates a conflict of interest, because it behooved him to massage the sources of his megabuck equipment.  This also may have played in to his never quite delivering on a "full review".  As long as he was about to gush over something but hadn't quite done so, yet, it was in the interest of the manufacturer to let him keep it.

HW, Were the 700-lb Clearaudio and the VPI DD turntables both available to HP, in his house, prior to his death?  Perhaps he had a prototype at least of the VPI DD?  Thanks for posting.

And finally, since this thread is more than anything an "airing of grievances", Happy Festivus to all.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I lived in Southern Cal for three years in the mid-'70s and--just going to Disneyland's Jazz Nights I saw Buddy Rich four times, Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Quincy Jones, Melba Moore, Sarah Vaughan, Don Ellis twice, Freddie Hubbard, Maynard Ferguson, Ray Brown, and Ramsey Lewis. At jazz clubs I saw vibist Dave Pike, Louie Bellson & band, Mose Allison, Kenny Rankin, and the L.A. Four comprised of Shelley Manne, Ray Brown, Bud Shank, and Laurinda Almeida. I also managed to see Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, vibis Gary Burton (with Pat Metheny and Steve Swallow), and Stanley Turrentine in Cincinnati.

When I look back on it I can't believe I saw and heard so much great music in such a short time.
mmakshak
589 posts
 
And you moved, johnny53?
lewm
12,996 posts
 
Whether Johnny moved or not, most of those folks are no longer performing in LA or anywhere else.  Bud Shank is one of my candidates for least hyped and most accomplished sax players of all time. However, the jazz scene in most of our major cities is very much alive.  My wife and I go out for "live" jazz at least once a month.  Tonight I hope I can convince her to go hear Cyrus Chestnut at Blues Alley in DC.  What this has to do with very expensive turntables, I do not know, except to say that keeping in touch with the sound of live music is a humbling experience for any of us who try to create the illusion in our homes.  Like HW intimated, beyond a certain cost level, it's bling.
hwsworkshop
36 posts
 

Thanks guys, nice to be here.  I fall asleep every night to the TV timer and a Seinfeld episode, watched Festivus yesterday!! (had to add Festivus to my dictionary otherwise it shows a red line under it!!)

HP used to store audio gear in his garage for decades.  I was there one day around 1998 when he pulled out a Dynavector 501 arm from 1980 something from that garage and said to me "What the hell is this".  I was bowled over.

He did not have the Classic Direct against the big Clearaudio, by the time it was available he was already sick and not able to do anything.

Mat and I were there when he compared Cat Steven's 'Peace Train" on the Classic 4 and the Clearaudio trying to show me how the Uber table showed the sounds drifting into the background and how it just went lower and lower but the end result was the Classic 4 did exactly the same thing for 1/17 the price sitting on a piece of 3/4" plywood!!

HP was amazing though, had a great ear, but like all of them they play the game and keep the equipment moving through.  I could write a book.

HW

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