Reason for buying old/classic turntables

Hello,

I would like to clarify a bit, I really think you need ultra high end flagship tables: SME 30, Raven AC-3 etc., to surpass by a meaningful margin, the great vintage stuff. Mid level current product is NOT going to do it IMO. Hence the vintage has a VERY strong value position and is great in absolute terms as well.

Audiofeil, Wrong! My father is a machinist. I have seen him create some of the most incredibly precise parts, with tolerances in the ininth degree from old presses, and lathes using extremely old hand match machine calipers. You don't think that Thorens, Dual, Garrard etc, knew how to build a bearing or a race? Or that one built then, wouldn't be as good as one built now? HA, ha, ha, ha, ha ha ha ha ... can't stop laughing... :) By the way, I wear a 1874 Eligin B.W. Raymond pocket watch that has more precision in it than any turntable need every have, and it is well over one hundred years old. (It was my great, great grandfathers) No computers or sophisticated manufacturing techniques were used to build it extremely tiny incredibly precise parts. Oh, and keeps magnificent time.

Vintage Turntables have a definite place in audio and not just for nostalgia's sake. They are strong performers without question and get the whole of the musical experience very "right".

Over that last year I have had excellent examples of "state of the art" in vintage and current product. I can positively say that turntables have progressed at the extreme high end. However, not all purported extreme high end is created equal, so you will need to choose very very wisely. I feel tweaked out vintage tables will humble many contemporary "high end" tables.

This past year really has taught me MY vinyl hierarchy: Cart and Arm together as first, phono preamp 2nd, the spinner is important but is a distant third, which is IMO why these vintage tables are given "new life" their importance is deep in the hierarchy and the surrounding products are so superior.

Happy Holidays,

David

Sorry Normansize.

That's just plain incorrect.

With all due respect to your dad, you don't have a clue.

Yes, some of the vintage tables were built well but today's best tables are simply superior.

Using your words I say to you " HA, ha, ha, ha, ha ha ha ha ... can't stop laughing".

Learn a little and then start making some noise here.

Sorry Audiofeil, but I've got to respectfully disagree. Precision machining, especially for something as simple as a wheel and bearing has been pretty well sorted out to perfection for quite some time. I'll grant you improvements from materials, cartridges and associated equipment, but a wheel is just a wheel and there are some great sounding old wheels out there. I'm not suggesting that a lot of new equipment doesn't sound good. A lot of it sounds great, but I honeslty can't accept the insistance that new turntables have achieved some breakthrough in technology.

And I'm playing a record right now, and as best I can tell, the sound is being generated by a needle being dragged through a groove. "Mr. Watson. Come here, I need you."