ELP laser turntable - any comments?

I sort of heard the table at the 2004 CES (didn't see it at 2005). Unfortunately, the demo equipment was so bad that it is impossible to determine the sound quality of the player. Either the distributor or manufacturers are complete idiots for assembling such an aweful, cheap, system, or they were trying to hide something.

One demonstration did show how the player was effective at handling damaged grooves from prior play under less than ideal conditions. The player can be adjusted to read the groove at different depths so that one can find a part of the groove that a bad stylus did not chew up. This part of the demonstration was effective.

I presume that the laser circuitry derives a digital signal from its optical inspection of the groove, which makes for the oportunity to do RIAA equalization and some pop and click elimination in the digital domain. But if the signal is digital, why bother with a mechanical recording media (vinyl) in the first place?

By the way, digital data can be recorded on vinyl, and played back with a normal phono pickup. At one time, on an experimental basis, stock market information was distributed this way, because a LP, once cut, can be rapidly reproduced by stamping out copies. At the time mag tape was the only other alternative, and mag tape takes time to copy because the tape must be drawn by the head. Digital data could use error correction encoding so that surface noise would not be a problem, but this digital approach would not work for music because the sample rate would be much too low.

I have heard this table on several occasions and have always loved the immediacy of the sound. The first time I heard it was about 15 years ago. It was in prototype and sounded exceptionally good until it encountered some dust. Most of us ducked. It was difficult to keep it running for very long.

It then dropped off the radar, but resurfaced at CES, 2004 when Smart was distributing it. As others have said the associated equipment in the demo was not first rate, but I was very impressed. They are also the distributors for the Loricraft cleaner and had purchased several used record in Las Vegas. After a thorough cleaning with the Loricraft, they were playing these records. I don't think there was a pop and click filter in the circuit, but there clearly was no problem with noise. The Sheffield record was quite immediate and an old Peggy Lee was better than I had ever heard it.

I had heard of dependability problems and learned at this CES that the manufacturer was no good at warranty claims. He is now distributing the Loricraft/Garrard 501 turntable and has no kind words about the ELP company.

Well, I read the review, and am surprised to find that the device claims to be completely analog. I wonder if this includes the focusing servos.

I bet you could do a better technical job with a digital approach (certainly the noise problem could be solved) but of course the "analog" label is probably very important in marketing the thing.

Arthur Salvatore has a somewhat informative page about the ELP: http://www.high-endaudio.com/RC-ELP.html