Geoch,
Well at one time I played a/b between Micro Seiki SX8000 and fully serviced well plinthed (slate) good armed (FR66s or Davinci Grandezza) finely tipped Garrard 301. Some advised me "now way" oh are you crazy, never....well it was close for me. Oh not from the "high end" perspective on no the MS shinned in that arena...perfect reproduction? No idea really. The only thing is that the 301 got me to listen to more records. The MS was slanted towards lets analyse the record. Do not get me wrong the MX SX8000 is a fantastic TT by all means and made for very serious analogue playing. In the end the MS had me overall. I notwithstanding missed the "enjoy" factor of the 301. On soprano vocals the MS had that "inner" image that the 301 missed. The 301 misted that side of the interpretation. The 301 does let the " atmosphere" of live jazz come to you in a way that the MS does not, the MS cuts through that into the performance. Can live with a 301 and any good TT so long as I have my records and have access to more of them. We all know of audiophiles audiophiles that host glossy magazine kit, hoping for deeper pockets, yet own next to no records . Well the price of any high end silver litz cable that adds little vs a regular cable can get you one hell of a lot of records. But this is a hobby and I respect all of its facets.
I am not one who can accommodate (or want?) to have more than one TT so I am in single partner category. The MS was that one. Until I had the opportunity to go to Italy and at that time stepped into a good room that has 301/EMT997 & Thomas Schick, EMT 930/EMT/139st and 927/Ortofon/139st at a good place in Italy near to Parma, birth city of Verdi a museum dedicated to sound reproduction and really worth the visit showing the most ancient and exotic vintage kit to the Ipod. Anyway the 930 betters the 301 whist still having that idler sound, the 927 takes it all to another level adding the detail and resolution that the MS has.
For the idler ears the 930/139st/b is the bargain Indeed, you can get a fully refurbished one with phono stage for 35/40% of a 927. It will cost less than a Garrard 301/decent plinth/arm and separate phono stage of similar calibre, takes up far less space (if that is of concern), enable true mono with the TMD25 and 139st/b setting to mono and yes you will listen to more records, buy more of them
Okay if those idler ears get to hear the 927 they will tell your brain to find a way to getting one. Oh yes! no choice of arm, no variations on cartridges, no choice of cable (short of the one from 139st to amp or preamp) so you are stuck? No simply at the place one should be accepting the limits (choice entails that) and enjoying the rest of it!
All fun!
Well at one time I played a/b between Micro Seiki SX8000 and fully serviced well plinthed (slate) good armed (FR66s or Davinci Grandezza) finely tipped Garrard 301. Some advised me "now way" oh are you crazy, never....well it was close for me. Oh not from the "high end" perspective on no the MS shinned in that arena...perfect reproduction? No idea really. The only thing is that the 301 got me to listen to more records. The MS was slanted towards lets analyse the record. Do not get me wrong the MX SX8000 is a fantastic TT by all means and made for very serious analogue playing. In the end the MS had me overall. I notwithstanding missed the "enjoy" factor of the 301. On soprano vocals the MS had that "inner" image that the 301 missed. The 301 misted that side of the interpretation. The 301 does let the " atmosphere" of live jazz come to you in a way that the MS does not, the MS cuts through that into the performance. Can live with a 301 and any good TT so long as I have my records and have access to more of them. We all know of audiophiles audiophiles that host glossy magazine kit, hoping for deeper pockets, yet own next to no records . Well the price of any high end silver litz cable that adds little vs a regular cable can get you one hell of a lot of records. But this is a hobby and I respect all of its facets.
I am not one who can accommodate (or want?) to have more than one TT so I am in single partner category. The MS was that one. Until I had the opportunity to go to Italy and at that time stepped into a good room that has 301/EMT997 & Thomas Schick, EMT 930/EMT/139st and 927/Ortofon/139st at a good place in Italy near to Parma, birth city of Verdi a museum dedicated to sound reproduction and really worth the visit showing the most ancient and exotic vintage kit to the Ipod. Anyway the 930 betters the 301 whist still having that idler sound, the 927 takes it all to another level adding the detail and resolution that the MS has.
For the idler ears the 930/139st/b is the bargain Indeed, you can get a fully refurbished one with phono stage for 35/40% of a 927. It will cost less than a Garrard 301/decent plinth/arm and separate phono stage of similar calibre, takes up far less space (if that is of concern), enable true mono with the TMD25 and 139st/b setting to mono and yes you will listen to more records, buy more of them
Okay if those idler ears get to hear the 927 they will tell your brain to find a way to getting one. Oh yes! no choice of arm, no variations on cartridges, no choice of cable (short of the one from 139st to amp or preamp) so you are stuck? No simply at the place one should be accepting the limits (choice entails that) and enjoying the rest of it!
All fun!