But how to figure out what you like? The variables seem almost endless—or at least very difficult to account for. I’ve been putting in a concerted effort to crack this nut. I think I’m getting closer, but it feels like I’m going to have to roll the dice.
The absense of dealers is certainly a factor, but I’ve made two recent treks to very reputable dealers far from my hometown to listen to decks. I’ve been told that the table, arm, and cartridge are a system, greater than the sum of the parts. Yet, when I do comparatively listening all the variables change. Yesterday, I listened to two rooms at the dealer. Each room had two turntables hooked up to the same electronics and speakers. That’s a start, but far from allowing me to isolate the contributions of the table from the arm from the cartridge.
At AXPONA this year, I tried to listen to as many analog setups as I could. Trying to broadly educate my ear on the range of sound. I really liked a room featuring the AMG Viella. It had two arms and the person running the room played me the same track to compare the two arms and cartridges. This at least allowed me to hear a huge difference between the two.
I’GE heard great things about Avid still never heard one. Listened to the Luxman 171a at the show in Chicago but really didn’t care for the speakers.
I can anticipate the comments saying that you have to demo at home in your room and your equipment. But that ain’t happening with turntables, at least where I live. I guess it’s like expensive wine you just have to shell out and pop the cork. You don’t know until you dive in. I’ve wanted to find a value “giant killer.” It would suit me fine not to overspend. Vintage is enticing but I don’t know what to look for and I’m not a tinkerer. The value decks I’ve heard such as the MoFi have underwhelmed.
The absense of dealers is certainly a factor, but I’ve made two recent treks to very reputable dealers far from my hometown to listen to decks. I’ve been told that the table, arm, and cartridge are a system, greater than the sum of the parts. Yet, when I do comparatively listening all the variables change. Yesterday, I listened to two rooms at the dealer. Each room had two turntables hooked up to the same electronics and speakers. That’s a start, but far from allowing me to isolate the contributions of the table from the arm from the cartridge.
At AXPONA this year, I tried to listen to as many analog setups as I could. Trying to broadly educate my ear on the range of sound. I really liked a room featuring the AMG Viella. It had two arms and the person running the room played me the same track to compare the two arms and cartridges. This at least allowed me to hear a huge difference between the two.
I’GE heard great things about Avid still never heard one. Listened to the Luxman 171a at the show in Chicago but really didn’t care for the speakers.
I can anticipate the comments saying that you have to demo at home in your room and your equipment. But that ain’t happening with turntables, at least where I live. I guess it’s like expensive wine you just have to shell out and pop the cork. You don’t know until you dive in. I’ve wanted to find a value “giant killer.” It would suit me fine not to overspend. Vintage is enticing but I don’t know what to look for and I’m not a tinkerer. The value decks I’ve heard such as the MoFi have underwhelmed.