SP10 Mk II vs Mk III

Lonestarsouth,

The Technics MK2 is an incredible machine. I didn't believe it until I owned one.

Albert, a while ago I got Janis Ian's "Live: Working without a net" and on that cd there is the track "Tattoo" as featured on the marvelous "Breaking Silence" LP.

I was stunned all over again at how the LP version, played back on the SP-10 mkII, trounces the CD version in the PRaT dept. Okay, lets face it, I dont own a great cd player but still.

One of the most amazing thing about the SP10mk2 is in the bass dynamic, its tightness and focus. NOTHING I heard in any turntable genre has this kind of bass energy and transient. The idler drive tables might have the big tone and expansiveness in the bass but the SP10 has this quality that I called "jump factor".

Play a punk record by, say, The Clash version of "Police and Thief" in the opening drum solo and you will know what I mean. The bass just jump right out with that tightness and sharp focus that can pin you to the wall, exactly how a great sounding punk record should be. Spin some speed metal such as Slayer and you feel your blood is boiling. Play a record of acoustic bass by, say, Charlie Haden's "Closeness" with Alice Coltrane and you will hear the delicacy of his plucking and tunefulness and its deep richness. Play a chaotic sounding record such as European avant-jazz group Schlippenbach trio's "Pakistani Pomade" and the SP10 can still keep its composure by separating all the individual instrumental lines amidst all the maelstrom and the drum work can make you feel exhilarated. And when I'm done listening to the SP10, I feel exhausted in the best sense because I just engaged in the music in a visceral way like no other. It pulls you into the music and it's just that simple.

When it comes to the bass, the SP10 reign supreme, for my money.

Play a record of acoustic bass by, say, Charlie Haden's "Closeness" with Alice Coltrane and you will hear the delicacy of his plucking and tunefulness and its deep richness.

Couldn't agree more with your assessment of bass performance with SP10MK2 and MK3 and remarkable you mention one of my all time reference LPs. I don't think another post at Audiogon ever mentioned "Closeness."

If you don't already have it, the other Charlie Haden that has the same effect on me is "The Golden Number," Duets with Don Cherry Ornette Coleman, Hampton Hawes and Archie Shep. Truly great stuff, Horizon 26 by A&M.

Had a similar experience this weekend with my Denon DP80 in slate with a Triplanar/Colibri. A friend brought over an LP of Ray Brown playing with Laurindo Almeida. The first cut is "'Round Midnight". Almeida plays a little solo verse, and then Brown comes in with a really low bass strike on his bass. We both nearly jumped off my sofa. We didn't listen to it on the SP10/slate, but I bet the effect would have been similar. Once they are mounted in the same type of plinth, and if that plinth is effective, the DP80 and the SP10 sound quite similar, based on my several hours of comparative listening. Both give a big sound with tremendous "jump" and rhythm.