EMT turntables as good as other great vintage TT?

Just look at the prices for good examples. The 930st, 950, and 927 are sky high, which is an indication that they are held in high regard by the cognoscenti. I don't know the range very well, but I believe the 927 is the king of idler drives, Jean Nantais went bonkers trying to compare a 927 to one of his restored Lenco L75s, and the 950 is a direct-drive turntable which fits in the pantheon of direct-drives somewhere, but I don't know where. There are sites devoted to EMT, so you should be able to educate yourself quite easily. Many of these models have built in phono amplification. Having the phono stage directly connected to the tonearm is an advantage in terms of preserving the phono signal integrity, but keep in mind that the electronics were designed many decades ago using then available solid state components, so the sound may be dated, at best. Downunder, there are many things un-scientific about that famous turntable comparison test, so much so that I think the outcome is impossible to interpret (different tonearms and cartridges, for one thing, no SP10 Mk3, for another thing). It made for a good magazine article, however. This is not to say that the EMT and P3 are not wonderful turntables. I think the EMT table that tied with the P3 was a 927 idler-drive, but perhaps someone will correct me.

Baranyi, You have put your finger on a truism. The market value of vintage audio items is a product of two factors: excellence and collectibility. Sometimes it's more about the latter than the former. If you are looking for excellence, you need a good eye to tell the difference between it and collectibility as a basis for value. As for me, I live in the Washington, DC, area. You are welcome here any time, if you give me a few days notice. But I have never even seen an EMT turntable in the flesh. Nor do I have first hand experience with a P3. Among the top tier of vintage direct-drives, I own an L07D and an SP10 Mk3. The latter will be up and running within a week, I hope. But I need to find the cash to buy a 10-inch or 12-inch arm for it.

It would be informative if one of you EMT owners could clarify the nomenclature. I know that the 950 is direct-drive and that the 927 and 930 are idlers (or I think that is the case). But where do the others fit in? And what is the accepted gospel on which of the direct-drives and which of the idlers are the best in terms of performance? (I gather from Vetterone that the 950 is tops among the DD EMTs.) Thanks.

Dear Jean, Sorry to have mischaracterized your response to the EMT 27/Lenco comparison. I thought myself when I wrote the sentence that the word was not quite accurate. I meant to convey that you were excited to find that the two tables were in the same league, which is a lofty one.

Jake, All of your presuppositions are correct in the mind of someone out here. I will only say that if you decide to make a plinth, it is not such a black art. Baltic birch, panzerholz, and mdf are wood or wood-derived materials that others have used to make plinths for idler- and direct-drive turntables with some claimed success. Slate works too. No-plinth may work, as well. Sadly or fortunately, you will have to make up your own mind. These things are controversial even for the more commonly restored vintage turntables (e.g., Lenco, Garrard, Technics), and there are just not a lot of folks with EMT 948s that they want to modify. Most owners appear to want them to remain totally original. Suggestion: Start with a totally original set-up. Make sure it is mechanically up to specs. Get used to its sound before you make any changes, and don't do anything to the table that cannot be undone.