Turntable upgrade recommendations: SME vs AMG vs Technics vs other

@terry9 , No problem. The point of it all is that it gets us thinking. Graham Engineering is right down the road. TechDas tables are very quiet even from a foot away but, opposing magnets are much quieter, no compressor.

@alexberger , Yes, maybe 60 years ago. 

Platters resonating is hardly ever a problem in this day and age. Even if a platter did ring just throw the right mat on it and it will stop entirely. There are other issues significantly more important. Bearing noise, isolation from external vibration and speed stability are all more important. Platters have become much larger than they need to be because they have become a male phallic symbol. They have become a design element more than one of explicit performance gains. 

@rsf507 , I listened to the Strain Gauge on a smallish monitor system of very high quality but there was no bass certainly below 40 Hz probably more like 60 Hz. I have no reason to believe it would make anything but excellent bass below 60 Hz. It had absolutely no problem picking up people walking. What you could not hear you could see with it's display lights. The system has a very different presentation than my own system so I have to temper my comments. The sound of that system was very forward, instruments and voices tend to be in the plane of the speakers. My system throws everything behind the speakers. I am at a loss to say what the strain gauge does with the 3rd dimension. I listened to the Hyperion for a short period. It is relaxed and smooth. The Strain Gauge is an attack cartridge. Transients are sharp and delineated. Strings are pluckier, snare strikes sharper. People have said it is sort of like switching to electrostatic speakers and I can hear where this comes from. It Is very clear and detailed. I did not hear it miss track at all. From my perspective it should work well with my system and represents quite a value if you add in the phono stage and I would get the 610 signature unit. As always I won't be entirely sure until I get one, such is the risk in this hobby. There are systems that will not do well with the Strain Gauge. Those that have a system that is already bright and leans toward the harsh side should proceed with caution.  Those that feel they are lacking detail and dynamics will certainly benefit.  

@rauliruegas 

Thanks for including a paper on why you prefer a 9" tonearm over a 12" tonearm.  

My interest is piqued about FM Acoustics, and their FM223 phono linearizer.  There are no reviews easily found on that unit in the US using a google search.  I suppose there is a reason for that, although there tend to be plenty of reviews of other Swiss equipment, CH1 and dartzeel, in particular.  I suppose that this means that the FM223 might be prohibitively expensive?  Their website doesn't list any of their dealers/distributors either, which I find rather odd.   

You may find more bang for the buck in a quieter TT than in signal processing. Ralph (of Atmasphere fame) often suggests spending a lot on the phono stage to the same end.

As a general rule, every active device (transistor or tube) in the signal path increases noise.

For example, I parallel the first (aerospace) transistors in my preamp to reduce noise.

@terry9 

Yes, I think I have to agree with you based on experience about your comment regarding active devices increasing noise.  I think that is why I like the Ypsilon PST-100 Mk2 SE so much, as it is very transparent and clear in its passive mode, and the electrostatic speakers ruthlessly expose any bad signal in the path.  

I would have to research FM Acoustics more, but, based on my first impression, it seems to be similar to dartzeel in using processing chips to convey sound in a SS fashion.  While I don't like the idea of processing power creating music, I would find it hard to argue with results!

Dear @drbond  : I think you know about Allaerts LOMC cartridges. Well, those cartridges never had a review on TAS or STHP magasines and I asked MF why not a review of Allaerts cartridges and he told me that J.Allaerts refuse to gaves him one cartridge for review because he had and has a way long waiting list of customers that already made its in advanced payment for their samples.

Due to that fact I send to MF my sample of the MC2 Gold Finish for the review and my cartridge came back 2-3 months latter after the review.

In the case of FM Acoustics you don't find out a review because something quite simple: THEY DON'T NEED IT as Dartzeel, Ypsilon or CH  and the like.

Chips down there? well obviously that you don't know for now what you are talking about.

" active devices increasing noise ", as @terry9 you are wrong and both of you have to know that there are active phono preamps designs and there are PHONO PREAMPS designs and this fact makes a huge differences for the better or worst.

Other than live MUSIC we took FM Acoustics as an audio quality reference sound for our SS fully discrete active phonolinepreamp design and here exist an owner that can tell you is just dead silent.

Btw, high end FM Acoustics audio items in reality is a side line for this manufacturer. You can read here about:

https://everipedia.org/wiki/lang_en/FM_Acoustics_of_Switzerland

http://www.charleskeng.com/fm.htm

http://www.element-acoustics.ca/audio_visits.php?aid=17