Given that the Raven under discussion used a Phantom arm and the copper platter (don't remember if there was a mat involved), how do you think the comparison would fare if the Classic was modified?
It's been a long time since I listened to an all aluminum platter (the original HW-19 platter), but I seem to remember that that platter was a little threadbare compared to the acrylic/lead replacement. I wonder how a graphite mat (say a Boston Mat1 or Mat2) or even a TTweights copper mat would change the Classic's sound.
Also, since the Classic arm really isn't a 10.5i (or whaterver the latest version is called), how would the latest arm wand change the sound? Or for that matter, a different arm, like a Phantom?
How about a speed controller?
At least then you'd have an apples to apples comparison.