2. analog
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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
spiritofmusic OP
828 posts
 
Lewm, that's a very reasonable response. Beats the other thread I originated some months ago, where the first reply accused me of dishonesty, I was rude right back, and the whole thread got terminated!
The only 'flaw' to speak of is a very different presentation to music which in a lot of systems, and to a lot of listeners, may prove to be too uncompromising.
The combination of absence of belt drive time domain smear, which I believe to be maximised by the high torque administered by the direct rim drive motor, and reduction in tracking/tangential error by the linear tracking arm, results in a very neutral, uncoloured sound.
What was always present as an inviting warm colouration in my Orbe/SME V, I now believe in retrospect to be a layer obscuring a lot of detail buried in the grooves.
BUT, this very absence of warmth may be too much of a shock to listeners, since there is now a strong similarity in my analogue music presentation to digital presentation in the music. However, this is only superficial. Reduction of euphonic warmth reveals the full bloom of analogue that digital just can't match.
The facinating thing is that such unvarnished neutrality/detail retrieval can invoke two opposing reactions - some may well find it cold and challenging; others like me will find it totally refreshing, and redraw the landscape to position analogue ahead of digital, even in these days of improving downloads sound quality.
spiritofmusic OP
828 posts
 
Ok, another flaw, although this pertains to all tts. But the Salvation/Terminator REALLY needs to be level and free of vibration. Being a rig using an air bearing linear tracking arm, it must be perfectly horizontal, and is very prone to any up and down movement causing serious mistracking.
In fact, I really struggled with this to begin with: my rack sits on a floor easily flexed and prone to footfall. So as I approached the tt, fun and games with skipping was to be had.
I had been contemplating a wall shelf possibly incorporating a Minus K BM-8, but then came across the Symposium Isis rack. And this has provided the solution.
Now I'm getting perfect level and isolation, and the tt/arm can really shine.
But level and isolation are maybe more of a preoccupation for this tt than many others, and could be a deterrent.
spiritofmusic OP
828 posts
 
Hey Lewm, as per your request to mention the cons as well as pros of the Salvation to keep discussion interesting, I've done so, but as of yet no reply from you. Your input much awaited. If you have more to say, I can come up with even more disadvantages. But none that would ever get me to consider belt drive/pivoted arms again. I am the guy who was ready to drop my hard earned $s/£s on an SME 30/V-12, or TW Acustic AC3/Triplanar, and have NO regrets that I didn't.
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
You write a few posts up (1/30) that it was the SME 20, not the SME 30-12 with V-12, that you were prepared to buy. Quite a difference there. There is a substantial increase in both sonics and price between the two models. Glad you are happy with your decision and have no regrets.
spiritofmusic OP
828 posts
 
Hi Peter, I did the rounds listening to the top SMEs and TW Acustic AC3. There is a real tendency for these threads to become a sort of one-upmanship, which is REALLY not my intention. I absolutely was impressed by what I heard when listening to both the 20, and 30 with the V12 arm. The TW sounded great too with Graham and Triplanar. I had been taking a deep breath in ahead of planning possible purchase of one of these, and by luck more than anything went down the route I'm now on, leaving spare funds for my final phono stage upgrade.
So, just for the record, I'm so impressed with the engineering approaches of both the SME and TW alternatives (who couldn't fail to be?), but the Salvation/Terminator has given me a different perspective on music I don't feel I'd have gotten from these two.
So, I'm going to desist from rankings etc. TBH, I was expecting a few more people interested in the Trans Fi approach, or even fellow owners, but this hasn't transpired, and short of requests for info/opinions, I'm winding down my input.
Peter, and Lewm, I'm sure we agree on a lot more than we disagree. If you're ever in London, I'd be very happy to have you over to reveal what I'll still claim is the biggest bang per buck in analogue. And a drink or two! Best regards, Marc.
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