The Kind Of Blue speed error (side one only) was discovered by Bernie Grundman when he did the remastering of the album for Classic Records in 1997. The speed error was very small, resulting in only a 1/4-tone shift in pitch. By the way, the metal plates created by Grundman in ’97 are the exact same ones he used when doing the new Analogue Productions UHQR mastering.
Those plates were created using the original 3-track masters as the source, NOT a 2-track mixdown tape. Doing it thusly allowed two generations of tape copying to be avoided! It is routine to make a 2-track final mix tape from the multi-track, then from that a number of "production" master tapes (sometimes called "safety" tapes) from which the mothers/stampers/etc. are made. When Grundman was given the 3-track masters in ’97, it was the first time they had been out of the Columbia vault since 1959! He said they were in pristine condition, no sign of aging whatsoever.
The Townshend Rock turntable was the end result of a research project at the Cransfield Technical Institute in England. Max Townshend recognized and appreciated the significance of the design, and bought the rights to manufacture and market a turntable employing the design.
Townshend has produced seven iterations of the Rock, some full-blown SOTA models, some made to a price point. The initial version was a very complex industrial design, not looking like a product made for domestic use. It wasn’t until Townshend introduced the Rock Elite (Mk.2) in the late-80’s that the Rock found a mass audience, including myself. It features not just the patented damping trough (its main claim to fame), but also a plinth fabricated of an upside-down metal "baking pan" filled with bitumen damping pads and plaster-of-Paris---absolutely non-resonant!, an inverted bearing, a platter made of Delrin---my favorite platter material (also used by Harry Weisfeld in his Aries 1 and TNT 1-though-5 models), and three Sorbothane spheres as isolation feet.
The Mk.3 was the one Max introduced while he was operating out of Texas (late-90’s), and was an attempt at a budget model. It has a frosted acrylic platter (blech), and a Seismic Sink (two metal frames separated by an inner tube) built in for isolation. That model I would avoid, unless it’s real cheap (say under $500).
The Mk.5 is a marvel to behold, and is the Rock I dearly lust for. They occasionally show up for $6000-$8000. The Rock Elite Mk.2 comes up for sale once in a while, and sells for under a grand. What a deal! The last available version---the Mk.7---is very cool. A very skeletal frame, with Seismic Pods as feet! There is one on ebay as I speak, priced at just under $2800. I don’t know if the motor needs to be changed for N. American usage. Audiogon member slaw owns a Mk.7.
By the way, Townshend offered the Damping Trough as a separate item, to be installed on non-Rock turntables. I’ve never seen one come up for sale, and I have plans for mine. ;-)
Those plates were created using the original 3-track masters as the source, NOT a 2-track mixdown tape. Doing it thusly allowed two generations of tape copying to be avoided! It is routine to make a 2-track final mix tape from the multi-track, then from that a number of "production" master tapes (sometimes called "safety" tapes) from which the mothers/stampers/etc. are made. When Grundman was given the 3-track masters in ’97, it was the first time they had been out of the Columbia vault since 1959! He said they were in pristine condition, no sign of aging whatsoever.
The Townshend Rock turntable was the end result of a research project at the Cransfield Technical Institute in England. Max Townshend recognized and appreciated the significance of the design, and bought the rights to manufacture and market a turntable employing the design.
Townshend has produced seven iterations of the Rock, some full-blown SOTA models, some made to a price point. The initial version was a very complex industrial design, not looking like a product made for domestic use. It wasn’t until Townshend introduced the Rock Elite (Mk.2) in the late-80’s that the Rock found a mass audience, including myself. It features not just the patented damping trough (its main claim to fame), but also a plinth fabricated of an upside-down metal "baking pan" filled with bitumen damping pads and plaster-of-Paris---absolutely non-resonant!, an inverted bearing, a platter made of Delrin---my favorite platter material (also used by Harry Weisfeld in his Aries 1 and TNT 1-though-5 models), and three Sorbothane spheres as isolation feet.
The Mk.3 was the one Max introduced while he was operating out of Texas (late-90’s), and was an attempt at a budget model. It has a frosted acrylic platter (blech), and a Seismic Sink (two metal frames separated by an inner tube) built in for isolation. That model I would avoid, unless it’s real cheap (say under $500).
The Mk.5 is a marvel to behold, and is the Rock I dearly lust for. They occasionally show up for $6000-$8000. The Rock Elite Mk.2 comes up for sale once in a while, and sells for under a grand. What a deal! The last available version---the Mk.7---is very cool. A very skeletal frame, with Seismic Pods as feet! There is one on ebay as I speak, priced at just under $2800. I don’t know if the motor needs to be changed for N. American usage. Audiogon member slaw owns a Mk.7.
By the way, Townshend offered the Damping Trough as a separate item, to be installed on non-Rock turntables. I’ve never seen one come up for sale, and I have plans for mine. ;-)