Wave Kinetics NVS Turntable - Stereophile Review

Well--Raul brought this up from Fremer's review--how about the fact that most records are punched off center? In a way it's almost too funny - you have a piece of equipment costing as much as a high-end sports car only to use it to play records that make equally absurdly expensive tonearm engage in a slalom while trying to extract information from the grooves. Wouldn't that be more important to focus on than an absolutely perfect speed? Or, at least, does this render the obsession with perfect speed somewhat misplaced?

Actus, I often have similar thoughts. Another one, besides the issue of off-center spindle holes, is that many of us acquire the bulk of our LPs in used condition for a couple of bucks, with no knowledge whatever of how they were cared for by the previous owner. Thus one has no way of knowing whether "all" the music remains available for retrieval by one's megabuck phono cartridge and associated components. Then too, there are a myriad of issues relating to how an LP was cut in the first place, by whom and with how much care. However, I think Raul's point is that while we have no control over LP imperfections, we do in theory have control over turntable speed (by choosing a turntable that does its major job of providing a constant speed at all times, i.e., in spite of any effect of stylus drag). Why not eliminate as many variables as we CAN eliminate? Then at least we can be sure that when we are playing well made LPs, the time line will be conserved as the musician interpreted it. I imagine that MF would choose to withdraw his statement, if he could now edit his remarks. That one was too stupid to defend.

I've never heard a Caliburn, much less seen one in the flesh, so I can have no opinion of it or of MF's fascination with it. Just from what I have read, I would take the NVS over the Onedof and the Caliburn, and not just because of the lower price. Yet, there are elements of the NVS drive system that I would like to know more about before I would invest in it. I am quite happy with what I have, in any case.

I was very surprised that tapping on the NVS's custom base plate produced notable sounds in the speakers. And this is on top of Fremer's TOTL shelf unit.. To me it indicates a potential vibration problem - surprising given the specialty of the manufacturer.

I have no such problem on my $1000 TT and shelf. Come to think about it, if you cut the three (rather lovely) legs off this table and stood the center motor housing on brass points it would quite resemble my JVC TT101. Just saying.

I have no issue with Fremer stating a turntable sounds dry - it is only an opinion and voiced in the context of his system and room.
Where I do have an issue is his statements that the VPI Classic is the most speed stable belt drive

The Classic 3 is the fastest, most coherent-sounding VPI turntable I've ever heard. Its measured accuracy and consistency of speed were about as good as a belt-drive turntable can achieve

The Classic may be a great TT but the power supply consists of 1 capacitor between the mains and the motor - any deviation on mains frequency alters the speed. The US grid is split into 4 quadrants and the supply agreements in place with the power providers have delivery standards etc, but there are NO standards in the agreements on frequency stability. The mains frequency will vary with load fluctuations on the grid. I have seen figures of 60hz with an accuracy of plus or minus 5%.
As far as I'm concerned the above statements made by Fremer in the Classic review are pure bunkum, and hence I have lost faith in his ability to assess turntables properly.

I was very surprised that tapping on the NVS's custom
base plate produced notable sounds in the speakers. And this is on top of
Fremer's TOTL shelf unit.. To me it indicates a potential vibration problem -
surprising given the specialty of the manufacturer.

Aigenga got it. Congrats. Yes, this is a sign of inferior construction. When you
know why this happens, then you know why there are good turntables out there
and bad ones. No matter for what price.
And the next is the Start of that unit, sometimes it works, sometimes not. Now
we are in the year 2012, the 'super engineering' from that unit was maybe
2010-2011 but honestly, I think, there was not much of it. Mainly in finish but
time will tell us what will go on with it.
Well, but for some it is a wonder and they list it among the best turntables
today, no Panic, Linn LP12 is among those, too :-).
In a way depressing for everyone who tries to create something serious. My 25
year old Seiki has an adjustable motor, works like a Swiss watch and when the
Timeline is on my unit I can hammer a nail into the wall where the red point hits
it. Btw. and i can 'toc' it wherever I want (I can jump in front of it), even
beside the Diamond in the groove and my Phonostage is open for the small
output of a Lyra Olympos SL and there is silence...
I also agree with Dover in his findings.