Simon, I often use my Grado Platinum on a low-mass tonearm as well, on the Ariston RD80 (very similar to the Linn) on the Black Widow, and on my Lenco/Decca International. MMs in general really open up on low-mass tonearms, but since they are almost invariably put on such arms as the Rega (medium/high mass), no one really hears what a good MM can do. I find the sound of the Platinum in this rig so good that I have no need to know what a Sonata or higher Grado can do! Since hearing a Shure V15VMRx on a good 'table, I've been drifting away from MCs, which to my ear cannot match MMs at Prat or more subtle rhythmic interplays, or for swing or overall "analogue" sound. Hearing a Grado for the first time on a low-mass tonearm showed me the possibilities.
Re. 'tables, as far as I am concerned there are the classic three-point suspension decks with metal platters (which major on Prat and musicality), there are the idler-wheel drives in solid non-resonant plinths with metal platters (prat, bass, dynamics and information), and there's nothing else, as high-mass belt-drives cannot compete with suspended designs for Prat, or with the idler-wheel drives at anything else or Prat, and acrylic subtracts a large part of the frequency spectrum, being grossly coloured to my ears (they lose the mid-bass where much of the "meat" resides: bogus clarity which passes because our ears are now accustomed to digital sound). Good luck with your Roksan project, and beware, as the Platinum on a low-mass tonearm on a 3-point suspended design will seduce you to the "Dark Side", (and "neutrality" - I think actually another gross colouration - be damned!), and your Roksan will lay fallow!
In addition to the Ariston set-up, I've just restored what I believe to be a NOS Thorens TD160 MKII (it missed the wall-wart and belt), and I can't believe how good this 'table is, or the arm (TP16 MKII)! A plastic Grado is on it to hear what it can do, and it can do lots! That bass has to be attributable to the (heavy) metal platter. And being another 3-point suspension, it has the usual musicality. Unfortunately, this one is being sold to a vinylphile in need, boo-hoo.
Rgs,
John
Re. 'tables, as far as I am concerned there are the classic three-point suspension decks with metal platters (which major on Prat and musicality), there are the idler-wheel drives in solid non-resonant plinths with metal platters (prat, bass, dynamics and information), and there's nothing else, as high-mass belt-drives cannot compete with suspended designs for Prat, or with the idler-wheel drives at anything else or Prat, and acrylic subtracts a large part of the frequency spectrum, being grossly coloured to my ears (they lose the mid-bass where much of the "meat" resides: bogus clarity which passes because our ears are now accustomed to digital sound). Good luck with your Roksan project, and beware, as the Platinum on a low-mass tonearm on a 3-point suspended design will seduce you to the "Dark Side", (and "neutrality" - I think actually another gross colouration - be damned!), and your Roksan will lay fallow!
In addition to the Ariston set-up, I've just restored what I believe to be a NOS Thorens TD160 MKII (it missed the wall-wart and belt), and I can't believe how good this 'table is, or the arm (TP16 MKII)! A plastic Grado is on it to hear what it can do, and it can do lots! That bass has to be attributable to the (heavy) metal platter. And being another 3-point suspension, it has the usual musicality. Unfortunately, this one is being sold to a vinylphile in need, boo-hoo.
Rgs,
John