Micro Seiki, or TW AC-1

OMG - so many opinions, all of which are well founded and respected. My 2 cents worth ........

On the Micro tt's the SX-8000 tables with air bearing destroy the 5000 series. The ringing 5000 platters are real issue. The motor units are the same and need some TLC if they have not been refurbed - I had a major issue with an RY5500 unit which are not gonna be easy to fix by your local tech if the motor is an issue. Having said that the tables can be driven by other motor units.

The Micro tables are phenomenal, but they are getting a bit long n the tooth - so there will be maintenance issues.

Having really enjoyed my SX-8000 I sold it to get equivalent performance from my Garrard 301 /401 / Lenco and DD tables. Right now the winning beast is a Victor TT-101 in a lead plinth, closely followed by an Kenwood L0-7D and then my tricked out Lencos.

RadicalSteve, glad to read your endorsement of the TT-101. I don't have it in a lead or any plinth but I do use a Merrill lead mat under an Achromat. My only fear is the inevitable integrated circuit disintegration. But I will spend the money to have it repaired - if possible - when that day comes. I recapped it last year - so less concern there.

Marill
My experience over a ten month period with a newly purchased two motor Raven ac was in fact a negative one.
Swapping arms from one table to another quickly proved fatal to the Raven.
I suppose that I possibly could of taken delivery of a lemon however the sound reproduced from that table was dead.

Steve, Glad you have come to enjoy the L07D. Does the TT101 have coreless motor? I would have guessed that it has a Denon-like motor, i.e., iron core.

I hate to interject subjective, 'system-dependent,' synergy-type thinking here, since despite my subjectivist leanings, I tend to think of turntables in terms of accuracy, speed constancy, low noise and neutrality, but is some of the difference here in views, apart from ergonomics or aesthetics or sheer 'funk' value, attributable to sonic 'system' matching, in the same way we recognize synergies with other components? I'm not advocating an agenda here, but wonder if some of the diverging views have to do with what else is in the system and its overall sonic character?