Albert Porters after market panzerholz plinths

Hi Halcro, I have a Grand Prix Monaco. Lewm's comment about it being in the "top tier" is a fair comment and difficult to dispute in my opinion. Anyway, it does have at least 1 owner in it's fanclub :).

It is significantly better than my previous table (SME 20/2) especialy in it's very low noise floor and speed stability. Like (most) anything it has it's strenghs and weaknesses.

Now if you're asking a candidate for the "best" table, I have heard Albert's mark 3 several times in his plinth. It's hard to dispute this being at or near the top. It combines the attributes of my Grand Prix, but adds a wonderful weight, power and wetness to the sound with no loss in resolution (maybe even increases rez over mine).

Jfrech, Do you recall or can Albert tell us what turntable mat he is using on his Mk3? Surely the factory stock rubber mat can be beaten. The choice of a mat makes a huge difference, once the other elements are optimized.

I like your choice of the word "wetness". If we are on the same wave length, this descriptor indicates that Albert's plinth is probably fully successful. IMO, the stock MK2 has only one major fault, and that is, or could be described as, "dryness" or a faint gray-ish coloration. (I have not heard a Mk3 yet, not even my own, so I don't know to what degree the Mk3 is inherently free of this character.) Raul might fairly say, and maybe I would also say, that the dry, gray coloration is a sign of an inadequate plinth that is adding its character to the sound. Perhaps this sonic character is mitigated BOTH by using "no plinth" AND by adding a well designed plinth. Pure speculation.

Lewm: I would like to add: and the right TT mat.

Raul.

Good point about mats. Perhaps combo of mat and plinth is most important?

Dear Jfrech: I'm not disputing the MK3 quality performance against your Monaco. I asume that your experience/comparison was not in your system with the same tonearm/cartridge.

So: don't you think that your statement about is not only unfair but almost useless? because IMHO you are comparing two totally different set ups, I mean that yours is totally different to the Albert one in almost any audio link. IMHO the only similarity is that both systems reproduce music recordings.

Maybe I'm wrong and you heard it with the same surrounded " environment ".

I heard twice the Monaco ( unfortunately not in my system ) and at least one of them in system I know very well. I like what I heard and I like its build quality too. IMHO the Monaco is a very fine piece of " music " and I think it is one TT that belongs to the top today TT designs along other ones.

regards and enjoy the music,
raul.