New TW 3 Motor Pod


I don't know what else to call TWs new 3 motor single pod unit intended for use with the Raven. I received mine a couple of weeks ago and with sufficient break in time I'm prepared to comment on its performance v/s the single motor I have been using for several years.

The new unit is the very same motor now marketed with the TW Black Knight except without the scalloped edges around the motor base. If anyone out there has been thinking about moving up to this unit I would say don't hesitate. The depth of field, expansive side to side staging, more natural leading edge transients, explosive dynamics without glare, and ultra quiet vinyl playback is worth the price of the motor. Anyone now owning a Raven using one motor cannot imagine what they are not hearing in their analog system. I've had many skeptics tell me that the added motors would only lead to more audible noise but I have found the result to be absolutely the opposite with very dark backdrops and much more 3D images. Did I mention the terrific tight integrated bottom end? This completion of the Raven has left me wanting for nothing from my analog source.

For those of you using the original motor controller and not the Reference model, the improvement with the Reference is big. It's also less expensive than the new motor. I would say move up to the Ref MC first and the new motor after that. You can see pictures of the new motor on Facebook at High Water Sounds' site. If interested, contact Jeff Catalano at High Water.
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I recently installed the new 3 motor pod and thought I would add to what other owners have said.

Going from the single motor to the 3 motor pod has been a very significant upgrade in my system, far more than a mere tweak. I admit that I do not understand exactly why 3 motors is better. More torque possibly, better belt tension? Why would this matter once the platter is up to speed???

What I can say is the improvement was immediately obvious on the first track of the first record I queued up. On large scale classical (the most challenging material for my system), I was struck by the higher level of articulation and realism of strings. The orchestra as a whole had an increased sense of scale and weight. Bass quality and definition were both notably better. The separation between instruments was another major improvement. Certain busy passages that were a bit congealed before were now more intelligible. Going through my favorites from classical, jazz and rock I am still amazed at what such a deceptively simple upgrade has done for the music in audiophile terms.

Leaving all the hyperbole aside, the biggest change is in the drive and swings of the music. The 3 motor pod adds a big dose of drama to the sound. With the single motor setup I often found myself increasing the volume in an attempt to add a bit more fire to the music but louder was simply louder.

If you currently have an AC1 I believe the 3 motor pod is a must have. I know that is a bit presumptuous but let's be honest - you already went far beyond "budget". In my system, the sonic improvement was greater than I heard from upgrading my cartridge to the Ortofon Windfeld from the Cadenza Black and the 3 motor pod adds things that I believe a cartridge alone will not do. This is a fantastic upgrade.
Glad you found the 3 motor pod to be a significant upgrade.
Enjoy,have fun and have a great holiday
I am using the TW AC platter and BN footers.
Huge improvement over the very good standard platter on my GT
Has the BN platter arrived ?
If so your findings please.