Schroder sq and the new talea

Umm dear Vertigo, You are a true optimist. Here are problems with your proposal:
(1) It closely matches the original plan for the 2010 shoot-out, which did not happen as planned BECAUSE the two tonearm makers could not agree on cartridges, or more correctly, one tonearm maker would not agree to use the Ortofon A90 (I think that was the plan) and at the last minute he also demanded to use a different phono stage.
(2) See #1. What would make you think that the situation next year will be any different?
(3) One thing I came away with for sure: The two tonearms do sound different in and of themselves, so in the end it will be a matter of taste.
(4) Do you think poor Win Tinnon has two 200-lb Saskias that he wants to schlep to Denver from North Carolina, just so two prima donna tonearm makers can argue over cartridges and phono stages?

No offense intended to Messeurs Schroeder and Durand. They have good reason to protect their small bit of turf.

I agree with Lewm,

IMO it will never happen as long as the manufacturers are involved. I was there at RMAF 2010.

For such a direct and meaningful comparison to take place, I believe it has to be in a private setting, in one system, with privately owned examples of the two arms. The rest of the conditions could be similar to those outlined by Vertigo above. The owner (s) would need to be willing to do the shoot out and then I don't see any obstacles.

Good Luck. I would love to attend that one.

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***You are a true optimist.**** [smiling]

No, I'm a dreamer!!!!

[...like i said above... "wouldn't it be wild?!!!!"]

Yes!...it would!

Imagine that ...2 saskias! One with a talea, one with a schroder. Both set up to the designers satisfaction and by their expertise!

The post was what i would consider one of my ultimate "fantasy shoot outs" [which always includes "controlled" testing] and only ONE variable and just the thought of it was thrilling!

Didn't i mention it would be daunting? I realize that it would be difficult for them to say yes to such a thing because of the ramifications of the outcomes. Even in the that controlled environment, there are still problems with it.

In short comparisons with limited discs your understanding of "which is the better arm" is weak. When we listen we focus on one aspect of the music at a time but it takes several listens to the same track, to get a more complete picture and bottom line. Sometimes with some aspects it can take months to wrap ones mind around whether they like one arm over the other. No?

Then theres the problem of the publicity of the results, the blanket statements that will be made afterwards , which assumes that the conclusions are definitive and objective.

Plus, the shoot out is still being done in isolation to hundreds of other systems out there and so while one arm might work better in one system it might not in another.

If the larger community of audiophiles really understood that such a shoot in the final analysis doesnt really amount to much, then we can just all have fun and shake hands and still be willing to explore BOTH arms in our own systems.

**** Do you think poor Win Tinnon has two 200-lb Saskias that he wants to schlep to Denver from North Carolina, just so two prima donna tonearm makers can argue over cartridges and phono stages?***

[smiling] Relax! I was just dreaming out loud! [smile] and...just throwing it out there...who knows!...maybe this dream might gain some momentum! ...I realize how much work and how expensive it must be to move those saskias and the economy isnt doing so well but maybe it would be some good exposure for his tables to be involved in such a shoot out? And maybe he's up for some good fun and thats reason enough for him?

I did realize the logistical problems with that and that is why i offered option "B", which was ...making use of a single acustic raven table, just throwing ideas out there and having fun. I picked those two off the top of my head because when i think of them i think "low noise" tables. It could be any table though.

If 100 people voted anonymously and 60 chose schroder and 40 talea, does that mean anything? Do most people have a refined enough palate to pick out the 200 dollar bottle of wine from the 60 dollar?

If boston wins the stanley cup does that mean they are the better team? I guess one could ask me...If you think all that and believe it to be true why do you propose the above shoot out in the first place or suggest it?

Well, because they are both respectable arms and for the sheer pleasure of making the comparison! in good fun! just for the sport of it!

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Vertigo,

I doubt any of the arms would be better than your Breuer w. Allaerts combination for what they do best. I owned that match and that is one of the great combinations. Only difference is I went up the Allaerts tree. But... the MC1b mk2 is great in its own right and the upgrade is not necessarily better and there are qualities of the MC1b that are better than the MC2 Finish.

In a nutshell, yes no best but there are great combinations out there. Not all needs to be equal to do a comparison. You just need to compare different great combinations. And yes a phono stage is part of the equation.

Dear Vertigo,
I was trying for humor too, in conjuring up the image of Win lugging two Saskias to Denver. Anyway, for me it would be much much more thrilling to meet Penelope Cruz than to hear a bunch of old farts argue about the "sound" of two tonearms.