Merrill tables


Anyone have experience with the "New" Merrill table? I owned one in the past. Bought it brand new in '84 for $900.00. The new ones look the same but they cost about ten times the original. I sold my table in '96 (should have just put it in storage). I'd like to get back into analog, I kept all my records but in these recessionary times reaching for a New one is tough! Are the new ones worth the price?
powder
Other than the following possible exceptions, it is the only American turntable in current production which conveys the essence of music to this listener ... :

Does it matter where a product is made? If I would buy a new turnable I woudn't care if it was made in North Korea, Cuba, US, Europe etc. If the product and service is good I truly woudn't care where is was made.

As we all know Cuban cigars are the best.
what happens to the customers who paid 9500 bucks too. this whole post seems fishy.
Hi Mordante,

Good point when you said:

Does it matter where a product is made? If I would buy a new turnable I woudn't care if it was made in North Korea, Cuba, US, Europe etc. If the product and service is good I truly woudn't care where is was made.

I was pointing toward the tendency of national design schools. Ameicans and Germans in my experience tend to place a high value on full range hi-fi systems for example.

In the case of many American decks, this has in my experience resulted in the turntable equivalent of the American muscle car - great straight line acceleration (bass, quiet background in this metaphor), but will slide of the road at the first sign of moisture on a curve (lack of finesse, nuance, subtlety, and delicacy).

We seem to be (in the past 6-8 years), reinventing ourselves however.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier
Hi Thom,

I don't have the experience you have with turntables and I don't think I will aver have. You have me at a slight disadvantage there but so you should since you make turntables. Right now I own my 2nd turntable I went from a Rega P25 to a VPI Scout. I prefer the Scout.

Would like to hear a Galibier turntable one day, but I don't think there is any shop here that sells them. Besides that they are waaay out of my price range.

My set is US, Dutch, German and Japanese I think.