Micro Seiki, or TW AC-1

Syntax, Thanks for putting this foolishness in perspective and for the laughs.

Jonathan,

Just to help people know a little more about you. OMA stands for Oswald Mills Audio. You used to manufacture your wn slate turntable. Not sure if it still in production. If I remember correctly it was an idler drive.

And as for synergy, if you don't know how to stabilize your turntable and isolate it you will never know it is capable of. The difference is night & day. So if the turntable didn't work out it can be several things including system synergy & isolation. That I know as I have my turntable isolated extremely well and only after doing such did I realize the potential. My room has been extensively treated as well. All of this makes a difference. Too much bass can lead to feedback in the wrong system & setup.

I've been following this thread and have always been interested in a TW table but now hearing from current owners who say they know their tables are not "spot on" and previous owners who say TWs are dark and lifeless I think I'll look elsewhere.

Rsf507,

I think you will find quite a few TW owners who haven't experienced those issues. I can tell you I have the blackest backgrounds, lowest noisefloor, great tight bass and shoe-tapping rhythm and pace. Great depth, sound staging, air and musicality without sacrificing detail.

Why the disparate opinions? Not sure. I wold refute the idea that pleased TW owners don't have critical ears, or experience in analong with other analog rigs to compare to. I do think indeed its system matching, rooms, and arms and carts and phono stages that can also affect results.

I'm extrememly happy with my TW AC-1 and TW10.5 arm with a dynavector XV-1s and Rowland Cadence phono.

My friend let me borrow his MS - 5000 this weekend as the result of this thread. Frankly, it's speed control is worse than the TW and noise floor is much more noisy than the TW. That being said it is built like a tank, but no better tan the TW. I'm not sure if his motor is functioning properly as he as had issues with it to be fair. But in my room, in my system, with my listening preferences, the TW is the better table - FOR ME.

I'm not saying that the TW AC-1 would be a better table for everyone. Listening tastes, rooms and other associated equipment may interact differently.

Thus far in my room I've had a a Linn LP12, Denon 45P, VPI Classic 1, VPI Aries, VPI Aries 3, Audiomeca Romance, MS 5000, and the TW AC-1.

Don't get me wrong, while I commented on not being able to get exactly 33 or 45 rpm on my TW according to Timeline, I am very happy with my TW. I compared both my VPI/SDS and TW using Timeline and Kab strobe, seriously you can go up and down a few steps on both turntables and KAB still showed steady 33 or 45 RPM and only Timeline would show differently.
I don't know anything else that is as accurate as Timeline and before its availability a few years ago, likely people have not always been listening at exactly 100% 33 or 45 RPM either.
Personally, I play classical piano for fun pretty much daily. I could hear when the piano is a bit sharp or flat, I could hear A420 ad A440, with a lot of patient and careful listening , A442 and A440 but it is not so obvious and personally does not distract much from my listening pleasure either way.
I have not notice any significant speed variability when listening to piano on my TW on the other hand, I do not consider myself to have super sensitive ears and I am sure other people can be much more sensitive to this issue than I am.
I do enjoy listening to my Micro Seiki although it is only a lowly BL-111 with FR64s and Koetsu cartridge but TW is still the table I listen to most often.
I think in the end, each person will need to really listen and make your own choice.