Clearaudio innovation wood or SME 20/3

Perhaps you can't go wrong, but there are sonic differences between the tables
you mention and they can be large depending on how resolving your system is.
There are also differences between the companies in terms of size, longevity,
and service.

For some, small differences matter a lot. For others, its all about the same after
a certain level is reached and they would rather just listen to music.

Peterayer,

Which of these tables have you heard in systems similar and resolving enough to discriminate among them? Just curious, since you seem to have firm ideas about their sonic differences.

Wrm57, I don't know to which turntables you refer, but these are some of the ones I have heard in fairly good systems:

Sota
Basis
TW
Clearaudio
Teres

Walker
SME
Brinkman
Dobbins The Beat

I don't have firm ideas as to their differences as I've only heard SME tables in my own system. But I do have impressions about their differences. The systems I did hear these tables in all sounded different, some very much so. I can not extrapolate how much the turntables contributed to the sounds, let alone the arms or cartridges. But I do have impressions about the tables in terms of speed accuracy, isolation, extension and neutrality. They are my impressions only and others, I'm sure would have different ideas.

I do have firm ideas about the SME Model 10 and SME Model 30/12 which you could email me about privately. I don't want to bore others.

I do think what some consider minor sonic differences may be considered major by others.

Peterayer,

Thanks for the detailed reply. You have quite a breadth of experience with fine turntables. If I may ask (without hijacking the thread), which of the TWs did you hear and what were your general impressions? I'm quite happy with my current decks (I just posted my system, sans pics for now) but I'm intrigued by the AC. If I were to jump, it might be in that direction, cutting back to a single turntable that could handle three arms.

Bill

Bill,

You can email me at peterayer@comcast.net about the TW tables. I've heard the Raven, AC-1 and Black Night. I'd rather not take the focus off of the original post of this thread.

Peter