SME 20/3 or Oracle Delphi VI or Garrard 301

I'd never heard of Albert Porter until I started this thread.
So who is he and how comes so many people hang on his every word and action?
Albert bought one of these so it's got to be the best in the world kind of thing.
I'm not being critical...just puzzled by the evangelical aura surrounding his name.

Here is only what I've read on these threads:

Albert's former Walker TT was found wanting in comparison to a Technics SP10 Mark II and then Mark III by him and a listening panel of his friends. He sold the former and started refining a plinth for the SP10's. My friend just bought one of his Panzerholtz plinths for his SP10 IIa, though I haven't heard it yet. I have heard the Walker under good show conditions and the system in which it was the source sounded fantastic, so I imagine the SP10's in Albert's plinth must sound pretty good. He does like the SME 312S arm with an AirTight PC1 Supreme cartridge.

By all accounts, this is a very good analog front end and it is relatively affordable, (if you can find one) by today's top tier standards.

I would try to hear options in your own system, but I realize that may be tough and you might have to buy on faith/reviews. I bought my SME 10 without first hearing it and it has been a wonderful table, though I'm sure there are much better ones out there.

Albert is able to speak for himself. He is a successful professional photographer who has a long history of interest in truly high end audio, as an end-user. I believe you can see his current system described and listed on this site. A few years ago he made a splash here by his decision to replace his Walker turntable with a Technics SP10 MkII in a wood plinth. He now manufactures and sells plinths for the Mk II and Mk 3, and it seems that he can also source MkII's and Mk3's and have them cosmetically restored and serviced a priori in order to deliver a complete package, in some cases. (Both are scarce, and I don't know where Albert finds them.) He is also an Allnic dealer. Basically, he is a good guy who has passion for this hobby and has turned it into a bit of a business. He is no one's guru, as far as I know. Superb photographer, too.

No slight intended. His name came up several times here and I'd never heard of him that's all. But his opinions do get quoted a lot so I was curious.

Actually, I think it was his single action (rather than any stated opinions) of preferring the Technics to the Walker in his home system that gained Albert a lot of notoriety here. I love my SP1 Mk3, but I do not assume that it would be superior to the Walker table in my own system. I would have to hear that to believe it. I have heard the Walker in other systems and it is remarkably good, too.