Next step in Turntable
frozentundra, I think the Brinkmann Bardo is a beautiful design, it also is not suspended and has a huge magnet right under your cartridge, a very sensitive magnetic device. Ask Mark Dohmann why he does not use a direct drive motor on his Helix. Please watch this. It has some very basic turntable science explained beautifully. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rgK0YMsJXM |
At or below $10k I would encourage anyone to take a long look at the Sempersonus TE-2. Innovative yet simple drive system, very flexible and dead quiet. I’m using a 12” Raven arm but one could strap on an OL Conqueror or Encounter for much less and do nearly as good. Also found the Charisma Signature One which will compete with anything under $10k but retails below $4k. I replaced the stock feet with RevOpods and use an LP-1 weight. Really extraordinary setup that delivers musically. Sempersonus’ launch was hindered by COVID but as the world comes back online I anticipate great things for Paulo and company including US distribution, reviews, etc. I have no affiliation just a very happy camper! |
This is all you need and you can’t find a better drive that this, in the USA it’s about $7-9k? Regarding plinth and tonearm idea look here. They even made cast iron for SP-10R, you can just check it out. I bought a custom made teak wood plinth for my SP10 mkII and Reed3P "12 inch tonearm. |
Dodgealum, very interesting turntable, pretty design, nightmare of a drive system. Even of the drive wheel where perfectly round and the solenoid engagement system perfectly tight when new, they won't stay that way. It will suffer just like idler drives. Notice how they waltz around stating wow + flutter and rumble specs. That is a strong indicator that they are not that great to begin with. No, I have not heard one. You can't hear even 1% of the turntables out there so you have to run on an analysis of the drive and design. It is also not suspended which kills it for me. Watch the video I link to above. I have to say that at least the Technics SP 10R specs very well and is beautifully made. A new one is outside the OP's price range. The old one sounded just like what it was, a commercial radio station bullet proof direct drive turntable. Not my cup of tea. It would be a very interesting project building a suspended plinth for a new one. It is a shame this seems to be outside the capabilities of everyone making and selling plinths for it. They can't seem to get it through their heads that mass loading does not work. But it is much harder to design and build a floating plinth which I believe is the reason no one does it (that I know of, please correct me if I am wrong) If someone has an SP 10 I would love to give it a spin, pun intended. |
