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.
128x128elinor
Pradeep, if I have to choose, I would pick the 3 motors over the platter as I think the motors give a more significant improvement for around the same ball park cost. Mind you, the platter upgrade is not insignificant either, you just don't get quite as much bang for the buck as the motors. I think the 3 motors improve the bass and dynamic, impact, transient attack etc by quite a bit and this is perhaps, the area that I find AC-1 a little deficient especially with Reed or FR arm (but not so with Graham) whereas the platter just give more refinement and improves in the area that I think the regular AC-1 is already pretty good at. Does that make any sense?
Suteetat
Many thanks. Hope to be listening to your platter upgrade soon.
Seasons greetings
Pradeep
Hi Pradeep, well hopefully nothing serious will happen over here although there is a potential for a major event here over the next couple of weeks.
Sutteetat TW seem to have gone the root of VPI with a constant upgrade path, bearings, platters, feet, motors, ect however nothing wrong with that business plan.
After I purchased my two motor TW AC a motor controller and feet upgrade were offered which I got a great discount on from Cantolano, then a third motor option was offered shortly after which was praised highly in online reviews and TAS I believe including audio blog owner testimonials like here on Audiogon.
Now I'm not sure what MK version that I owed however reading the testomonials above including elsewhere owners seem to agree with everything said ,for the going price is the TW now a mature product or is it something else?, just asking.

I noticed you use Lamm amplifiers, I was an early adopter of Lamm ,with these few watts of power it's fantastic at driving certain speakers with a sensitivity approaching a 100 or more, just saying.