I'm quite pleased with the Oasis. To put my comments into context, I'll include my recent turntable history.
I owned a Michell Orbe SE (AC motor) for many years; liked it, but finally could not tolerate its lack of speed control. I replaced it with a Clearaudio Innovation Wood, another belt-drive, which I owned for a couple of years. The IW was fast and lively with deep, solid bass and pretty good tonal balance that was biased toward leanness. I used a Phantom II and a Clearaudio Universal arm, much preferring the Graham.
The Clearaudio benefited hugely from the use of a Minus-K vibration platform. Everything improved, especially suppleness, depth, clarity, and tonal richness. After a few months, I removed the platform as an experiment, placing the IW directly on my Adona shelf and rack. The leanness that was merely a tendency when on the Minus-K became the deck's dominant characteristic, although it hadn't been so noticeable before I added the platform.
I replaced the IW with the Brinkmann Oasis a little over two years ago, and I like it much more. Lower noise floor, better articulation of instruments in space, very neutral and natural in presentation, with excellent speed stability (checked with a KAB strobe). It's beautiful to my eyes; ergonomics are simple and elegant; and the armboards are brilliantly engineered with extremely high tolerances. The same applies to the entire turntable.
I made the move mostly because I wanted to try a next-gen direct drive, and I'm glad I did. I find none of the edginess that some people attribute to lesser DD decks. I think Brinkmann's unique, holistic approach, using a special low torque motor with a high mass platter, overcomes the minute amounts of jitter that other DDs exhibit. I sure don't hear any. I have no desire to return to a belt drive.
Its integral screw-on clamp works extremely well but requires some getting used to: differences in screwing tension have sonic consequences, so you have to come up with a repeatable method.
It is important to note that the Oasis needs the Minus-K even more than the Clearaudio did. Placed directly onto the shelf in my Adona rack it sounds relatively hard and thin. All that goes away on a Minus-K. Great sense of space and soundstage, even tonal balance, accurate harmonic structure, etc. Now it does everything well. I very much recommend a platform like an HRS, Vibraplane, or Minus-K for this or any Brinkmann--for almost any turntable, actually.
In the same system, I also have a Nantais Reference Lenco Mk II with two arms. This idler-wheel deck has slightly better rhythmic grip and drive, and plenty of detail retrieval and coherence. However, it has a slightly higher noise floor, is a tiny bit less precise in articulation, and might be marginally less neutral than the Oasis. Speed stability as measured by a KAB strobe is a toss-up. Perhaps because of its 100lb+ plinth, the Lenco doesn't require a Minus-K nearly as much as the other two decks. I sold the one I was using under it.
I use a Phantom Supreme with the Oasis right now. I also use a Triplanar VIIuii with it sometimes.
That pretty much sums it up. I've never hear the Bardo so I can't comment directly on it. I find the Oasis much more attractive but that's just my taste. I'll add that a dealer I know preferred the Oasis, saying it has a fuller and richer sound. This was after I bought mine, so it wasn't a pitch.
I've become a big fan of Helmut Brinkmann, too. I bought my deck used from a European seller who is also a notable turntable and tonearm designer (long story). The clamp developed an issue. Helmut sent me the needed replacement parts free of charge, which I thought remarkable.
Hope all this helps.
Bill
