2. analog
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What is turntable “liveliness”.

I have listened to turntables for sixty years. I bought my first high end TT about thirty years… it was revelatory. I do not swap tables often. I do a huge amount of research and then stay with one for fifteen years or so. My most recent upgrade was from a VPI Aries (heavy mass) to a Linn LP12 (light weight, sprung)…very nearly the very top level. Could we please not turn this into a religious thing about Linn… mine is an outstanding TT which compares favorably with any other $45K analog leg (TT, cartridge, and Phonostage)

The term lively comes up in descriptions. One of the differences in character I noticed between the VPI and Linn… which I thought might be considered liveliness was to me a bit of what I perceived as the images very slightly jumping around… the kind of thing you would think of when you see films of “The Flash” maybe vibrating in place. While I found this gave me the feeling of the notes wanting to jump out at me, I found it a bit disconcerting. I attributed it to a relatively light weight rig, that is really good at rejecting low frequency vibrations (it is a sprung table… known to be lively sounding) up to a relatively high frequency… but beyond that not. Something a really heavy rig would not be effected by.

 

To test my theory, I had a Silent Running Ohio Class vibration platform constructed for my turntable. The image smear, as I called it disappeared. There is no smear and it has great solidity.

Is this attribute “liveliness”?

ghdprentice
lewm
13,024 posts
 

That is for you to find out after you have compared a variety of TTs in your home system.  Speaking for myself, if you don't already "believe", it would be a waste of time to convince you, but I do think that your own experience will eventually teach you.  The trick is that you need to compare two like turntables (drive system, speed constancy, etc), perhaps two identical turntables, mounted differently from each other, in order to get the point.  So, a Linn LP12 is not a good starting point, because it is quirky in so many possible ways other than what we want to focus on.

newbee
4,767 posts
 

FWIW, to appreciate most of the nuances of a TT system one must develop some serious listening skills, especially if you are dealing with high quality TT's and arms. Cartridges and phono stages are quite a bit easier to differentiate. IME audiophiles with those skills are few and far between, many are just plug and play types buying endless tweeks endorsed by merchants or reviewers! Or so it seems. :-)

ghdprentice OP
6,965 posts
 

@ossicle2brain 

Thanks for your comments. To answer your question, I think you need to spend time with some quality turntables maybe at a couple levels. The difference is like day and night, once you have heard the profound difference in sound, you will turn the question around and start examine the design elements that create these differences. 

ghdprentice OP
6,965 posts
 

Thanks for all your comments. Anyone familiar with the term “ lively” as applied to turntables?

ghdprentice OP
6,965 posts
 

@pindac

 

Thank you for your thought provoking post. I need to think about what you have written.

 

Also, what is a TA? 

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