Da Vinci AAS Gabriel


Hi,
I read the TAS review of this USD60K tt. Has any audiogoner out there any first hand experience with this tt and can share opinions? I currently use the TW Acustic Raven AC3 tt with the Davinci arm and cartridge. Wondering if it is worthwhile at all to switch to the AAS Gabriel tt.
128x128alectiong
Hi Axel,
before we go back to 1.class school:
Do you know what a motor has to do?
To fight a battle?
Trying to "controll" a heavy platter in motion with 33 1/3 rpm by a "motor" is a nice try. You have a constant "war" between the inertia of the platter and the torque and regulation of the motor.
I am sure we will have several protagonists for this principle here on Audiogon and in the "audiophile" community.
But we will find no protagonists for this principle among technical engineers.
Why ?
Well - obvious reasons, once it is given a serious and undogmatic view.
Direct coupling with quartz or whatever controlled high torque and precise motor giving the "pace" will always work quite well with low mass (= low inertia) platter.
Never against inertia.
We would then look at constant "war" with lots of tiny speed changes and everything but really constant revolution.
Well,
1. Klasse or not. If I read the response it'd tell me that "Platine Verdier" can not work as a top tt should work, because it is at constant "war" with the -constant- bearing friction... hm,?!?

Hey, I guess I'm not ready for this engineering-101 type of analysis yet. Something tells me this is more opinion then knowledge based analysis :-)

One fact to be considered: motors (most? all?) in order to perform correctly/steadily - AC to make sure, since DC is all over the place due to other issues, need to operate AGAINST some sort of load, the more constant the better.

This would completely contradict this almost 'free-wheeling' notion that I seem to hear by Syntax.
Thomas, were did you obtain your engineering degree? In the 2. Klasse then?
Greetings,
Axel
Well, it can be a endless discussion when you don't know what you hear. Most today "like" something or they read an "article/review" in a magazine, save 3-4 sentences from it and after a while they are transformed into "experience/knowledge".
Sometimes I wonder (no, wrong, I stopped that) how many Audiophiles think, what a Designer does is perfect. Ultimate. Lots are able to make enough money to buy expensive things (but only with a good discount of course/review "winner"), but on the other side they have absolutely no idea what these units are doing. And they are not seriously interested in that.
And even in the next life these discussions will go on...
One way to avoid it, is to try to visit audiophiles and listen to their Systems, sooner or later you will hear differences...the only decision you have to make then is:
- Do I "like" it or not...
- Is it right or wrong....
"In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king"
You know, these 3 sentences...
I know that this will lead to nothing but more questions, but nevertheless:
- operating the Verdier TT with a thread/string and minimal grip will minimize the requirements to the motor and maximize the benefit of the platters inertia to give excellent constant speed.
The one "key" to great results (very constant speed with literally no alternations) in high mass platters is "belt" (read: thread/string) drive with minimal grip/tension. The inertia does the job - and it does it better or the equal of the very best direct coupling/controller.
But it does so with the minimum vibration and literally no alternation in speed (due to motor/controller regulations, belt grip in conjunction with speed up and slow down due to belt inert velocity etc.).
There are 2 way to get good constant speed:
- low mass platter with low inertia driven by high quality and high torque motor/w controller (many examples - direct drive and idler drive and hybrid concepts by Denon, Sony, Luxman, EMT etc in the 1970ies/1980ies and later).
- high mass platter with high inertia and very low grip thread drive.

If you want to go with a low platter weight - fine.
But that will get you nowhere close to what is possible, due to the inner resonance of the low mass platter introduced by the tracking process itself.
You can try to dampen that with mats etc. - thats why so many TT's do benefit from tuning mats to a high degree.
Still - you won't get really dynamic low register, no "air" in the bass line, no real speed and a rather muddy and "warm" upper bass.
But many do like that.