Basis Turntables: Worth it or Ripoff?

ctsooner, you should check out SOTA tables if you get a chance. Look at the tonearms the reviewers prefer to use in their systems.

Mike

While I have chosen direct drive due to what I hear when I use good ones compared to good belt-drives, I would be the last to say they necessarily "control vibrations better".  What they do better is keep time.  Constant speed.  But I do recognize that there are excellent examples of turntables using any of the 3 major types of drive system currently available, thanks to the re-emergence of vinyl as a commercial market.

mijostyn, good minds think alike. I've been in touch with them about their rebuilt tables. I have decided to just have my albums that I don't have digitized or can't stream, recorded for me.  It's cheaper in the long run and my server/streamer The Memory Player sounds better than most vinyl I've heard that is under 5k.  I'm blown away at how good it is and they do constant software and hardware updates that are reasonable.  

My friend just got a rebuilt Sapphire.  If I were to have gotten back into the race, it would be the Acoustic Signature, Technics, VPI, Sota and not sure who else.  

As for reviewers, I'm friends with a few.  Very close friend just had his first one published in TAS last month (NAD M10).  I don't really go with what they say or do as they all have special systems to review with. They get their gear for free or industry cost (much of the time) as it's free advertising for companies.  Many have been very aggressive in getting reviewers to use their gear publicly.  In private many I know are using Vandersteen speakers, which I find ironic.  Sorry to get off topic.

Bottom line is that Basis is a great TT company who makes as exacting a table IRT tolerances as anyone on the planet.  Even their belts are specially made and the cost reflects it.  I will tell you that it makes an audible difference. Not huge, but it does even on the older 1400 model with the rebuilt Rega 300 arms they came with.

I remember looking at Basis turntables some years ago. Then last year I checked up on them again and found that the prices appear to have been increased tremendously.

For a spell, they were easily the Best Buy in the true high end tables I think.  Even now, they are priced fairly IMHO.  Tables are darn expensive right now, but if you want a top digital server, it's going to cost you over 8k.  The Aurender N10, Linn Klimax (over 20k), Innuos (their top 16k server are three of the top servers I've heard.  As I stated above I have The memory player by Laufer Technik.  Not sure how much they are going to be priced at as he's using a new case and has totally rebuilt them, but it's probably about a 20k player or so.  Good digital is not cheap either.