Opinions on the Oracle Delphi V's performance?

Sirspeedy:

It seems that you are trying to engage me in an argument. I will pass on the gambit.

My comments on the Oracle were specific to the Delphi MKV SE only. Those were my observations based on auditions of several systems. I have never suggested that the MKV was the "best" I stated that the combo "... compares favorably with some of the very expensive combinations that I have auditioned.." The so called "best" is always subjective and system dependent.

Gmorris,SHEEESH!I was just kidding,and trying to be humorous,in a friendly way!!!

oracle has quietly made some of the finest turntables of the last two decades. i still have an oracle paris

I have a Brooks Mod Oracle Delphi I and have heard the latest Delphi and i can say with all candor they have one thing in common. They both throw a HUGE soundstage but the Delphi V handles the tempo of bass notes better. My Oracle is the last turntable I will ever own having fallen in love with it's oil rig design many years ago.

Your choice between a Delphi V vs a VPI Scoutmaster really boils down to whether or not you prefer the sound of sprung vs unsprung turntables. They are each superb excecutions of both design philosophies. Sprung tables tend to emphasize midrange presence and soundstage at the expense of diminished frequency extremes and detail. Unsprung tables tend to be more dynamic, neutral, detailed and unforgiving. Certain arms tend to work much better on unsprung than sprung tables as well. If aesthetics matter then there is no contest, Oracle's timeless elegance trumping VPI's more industrial presentation.

I went back and forth between various VPI tables and iterations of the Oracle for years searching for the optimal balance until Brooks Berdan himself saved the day by introducing me to a table that he believes is the first to effectively split the difference: a very lightly sprung but massively anchored tripod table.

My advice: you cannot go wrong either way. However if your record collecton spans decades of indiscriminate but memorable performances, buy the Oracle. But if your collection consists mainly of meticuluosly maintained "audiophile" pressings buy the VPI.

Either setup will likely embarass your digital source.