Does any Audiogon member have a Holbo air-bearing turntable?

@frazeur1 

often I see review specs that are questionable

Thanks Tim

My Reavon universal disk player is a classic example of this,

Reviewers rave about how good the sound quality is, but in analogue mode, SACD is actually down-converted to CD quality and that was obvious to me within a minute of listening.  Its dacs do not natively handle Direct Stream Digital, but nevertheless Reavon could have done much better than CD quality with the dacs they use.  This I confirmed in emails with Reavon.

Apparently the Mk2 Holbo keeps its air pump running for a few minutes after switching off.  One reviewer reported that with the drive belt removed, the platter took about 3 minutes to stop from 33-rpm.

My personal curse is that I like to try to understand the physics behind products I use.  Does the Holbo's spindle do any more than position the record and puck on the platter?  In other words, does it play any role in centering the platter itself on its mount?

I guess I will have to buy one to satisfy my curiousity!

I found out about the Holbo when I went to a demonstration evening featuring B&W loudspeakers.  One listening room was playing vinyl and I could just make out that the deck had a tangential arm.  Later I grabbed some favourite LPs and had a private demonstration, through McIntosh and Musical Fidelity electronics.  There was a fair amount of quiescent noise but it turned out to be the McIntosh.

The importer made me a good offer on the demonstration unit, but it was way beyond my means at that time.  Holbo's direct sales model has dramatically reduced the price of a new unit in Australia

@whart 

I've been using a Kuzma Airline since around 2006-7. I really like what it brings to the proceedings, and it seems to like a stiff cantilever

Thanks - I have just checked the Australian price for the Kuzma tonearm, and it is almost three times the price of the entire Holbo system!

Unfortunately, I have a budget to keep to!

Yeah, it's big bucks now. It wasn't cheap when I bought it, but it uses an air bearing like the Holbo. 

@whart 

Appreciate the input!  I thought the Holbo clearance was tight at 10 microns, but the Kuzma website claims 5 microns.

The Holbo seems to be about the only high-grade audio product that has actually decreased in price.  The direct sales model with manufacture-to-order makes a lot of sense to me - for one thing, there is no stock locked up in distribution channels becoming obsolete.  On the other hand, the market has to become informed and become less risk-averse!

@richardbrand The sub platter on my Holbo is a machined disc with a “nub” for a spindle. The Platter itself has a Teflon or POM type sleeve that allows the platter to rest on nub. The whole sub and platter is a very tight clearance, not sure of exact tolerance though. 
 

I agree, the direct sale has to be a better prospect!