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Trans Fi Salvation direct rim drive turntable

Hi A'goners, I've just bought this turntable, confident it'll be my last upgrade. The rest of my system is a Tom Evans Groove Plus SRX phono stage, EMM Labs CDSA SE cd player, Hovland HP200 pre/Radia power amps, Zu Definitions Mk 4 loudspeakers, so a pretty good way to listen to vinyl.

Over the years, since 1995 I've progressed from a Roksan Xerxes/Artemiz/Shiraz, via a Michell Orbe/SME V/Transfiguration Orpheus, finally ending up last week with my new Trans Fi Salvation/Trans Fi T3Pro Terminator/Zu modded Denon 103.

This turntable (£2500 UK price, approx $4000-$5000 US) is the brainchild of Vic, a retired dentist, who, fed up with the shortcomings of belt drive and traditionally-pivoted tone arms, literally from the ground up devised first the Terminator air bearing linear tracking tone arm (now in T3Pro guise as on my system), and now the direct rim drive Salvation turntable, a technology in direct opposition to the hegemony of belt drive we've come to accept from the '70s.

In summary, he has developed a motor that directly rim drives an oversize platter. The magic is that vibrations are drained away from the platter and hence stylus. So minimal rumble is transmitted, the weakness of Garrards/Lencos in the past. This is mated to a substantial slate plinth which does a great job of isolating the whole rig from external vibrations.

Where this differs from direct drive is that the torque applied is high enough to counteract stylus drag, but it is strictly analogue controlled ie no digital feedback applying constant micro speed control. Speed is set correctly, torque is sufficient, and speed stability is like a rock.

This is combined with his air bearing linear tracking arm, discussed on other threads.

So technical description over, how about how it sounds? Well, years ago I always assumed the overhang in bass when playing lps on my previous belt drive/pivoted arm tts, apparent as a benign artifact, was all part of the 'romance' of vinyl, esp. when compared to the dry, clinical sound of early cd. But in 2007 I acquired the EMM cd, which had a natural analogue sound playing silver discs, but none of this bass colouration. On studying the growing reemergence of idler/direct drive, and their superiority in maintaining speed stability, I agreed that the belt speed instability might be introducing this.

Two years ago I came across Vic, and now I can report that eliminating the belt for high torque rim drive has taken this whole artifact out of the equation. Whole layers of previously masked information like rhythm guitars are now present, treble information has abundant naturalness and decay, and bass, which appears to be less in quantity compared to belt, is actually more accurate with a real start-stop quality, much more like digital, and the real thing. The other positives are more linked to the arm, including uncanny tracking across the whole record side; I'm really not exaggerating in saying that the last few grooves at the end of an lp side are as solidly reproduced as the first. Music with strong dynamic contrasts are really served well by the Salvation, and I am shocked at how good this all is after trepidation that the sound might be hyperdetailed but too assertive etc. In fact music is reproduced with a relaxed incision, and a welcoming detailed transparency.

The amazing thing is that all of this is not in anyway at the expense of the natural warmth and tonal dimensionality that still puts vinyl way ahead of any digital (imho).

The only thing, and Vic would like this to be known, is that his creation is a cottage industry, and he can only produce limited numbers to order.

I'm happy to answer qs on it, as I really want our community to know about a possible world beating product at real world prices. My tech knowledge will be limited, but no problem discussing sound quality issues.

I'm not affiliated in anyway to the product, just sold my Orbe on ebay and bought this. Regards to all
spiritofmusic
lewm
13,035 posts
 
Spirit, Most of us are in no position to join you in praise of the Salvation, because most of us, nearly all of us, have not seen or heard it, But I think we get the idea that you like it. However, you are correct to note that many of us, including me, have been straying OT. Sorry for that.

Keep in mind what I noted earlier in this thread, the Resomat is a duplicate to a platter used in a very early and budget level Transcriptors turntable. I don't recall the model name or number. Someone published a photo of the tt on Vinyl Asylum a week or two ago, and I was shocked, shocked I tell you, to see the spitting image of a Resomat serving as the entire platter. Very likely the Transcriptors "influenced" Vic's thinking, to say the least.
spiritofmusic OP
828 posts
 
Hi Lewm, my apologies if my prev. comment sounded like I was showing lack of patience, nothing could be further from the truth. I fully understand that I appear to be in a party of one as someone who has heard it and then bought it. I know that there are other owners out there lurking, but maybe not bothering to put finger to keyboard.
No, in a gentler way what I was trying to say was that Vic developed the tt/arm without the Resomat to begin with, and it sounded fine then. I'm sure some careful experimentation may lead to outcomes where clamping etc. will lead to performance hikes beyond the Resomat. Me? The Resomat seems to do a great job in the synergy of the whole setup, so I don't feel too much need to tinker.
I can tell you the cessation of desire to tweak is a MASSIVE compliment to this tt, I'm so glad I'm getting off this particular upgrade merry-go-round (going in ever increasing dizzy circles since 1995!).
My other comment really was just suprise that the mat is generating most comments when it's the least significant contributor to the overall sound alongside the direct rim drive motor, and the arm implementation.
redglobe
223 posts
 
Spirit,

The Salvation is very appealing to me because of my positive experience with the TTWeights GEM, rim drive. The short coming of the GEM is the independent tone-arm pod which would make a challenge using the T3 Pro.

My interest in the Salvation is its compatibility with the outer ring that I have. Would it fit on the Salvation? It is 13 3/4" in diameter and 7/8" tall (this is the overall dimension with the setting disc. It is removed during play.). The ring can be viewed on the TTWeights website (it is the most massive version).

Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.
spiritofmusic OP
828 posts
 
Redglobe, on examing the tt/platter, I'm confident it could support the outer ring. There's about an inch and a half between the outside of an lp to any obstruction eg arm pod.
But there is one practical issue. The Terminator arm is fixed horizontally over the platter, and a bar runs parallel with platter just an inch above the apex of the points of the Resomat (will be similar height above platter if one removes mat and lowers vta of arm to compensate).
In effect one has to slide lp horizontally onto platter spindle, it can't be dropped on vertically from above conventionally since arm apparatus is fixed.
It may be quite a struggle to slide ring on easily without catching lp inadverdently, this may be ultimately too frustrating in the long run.
In fact, this is the only downside of the whole rig, a need to emulate a little limbo dancing with the lp when placing it on the platter/spindle, and removing it later. It just can't be done in a rush, or when distracted.
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
Spirit, during the loading of an LP, what kind of protection does the stylus have? It sounds from your description as though the cartridge is exposed to the LP being slid in horizontally. Is this correct? And if so, are you ever nervous about accidentally hitting the stylus and snapping the cantilever off?
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