ELP Laser Turntable & Trickle Down

there is something nostalgic in regard to a conventional turntable. watching a record spin...watching tubes glowing, and watching drivers moving has an incredible effect on people. even a top loading cd player has a nostagia factor. the greatest technology often surrenders to the 'i just like it' factor.

I've used my Technics more than my ELP...for the kind of music I listen to, it's just more transparent. My ELP - and it's been back to Japan to be serviced once - distorts on hot-cut cymbal crashes, vocal sibilants, etc., and the company suggested that that's probably the way the records are cut and the ELP just shows them for what they are (which makes sense to me). However, as somebody who listens to a lot of old pop, rock and R&B, closely-miked things that often are cut pretty loud, in this case the conventional table is clearly the choice. I would suspect that for somebody who was into classical or such it might be revelatory.

Several CESs ago, I heard a demonstration of the Elp versus master tapes and another quality tt. They had bought a quality tape and made a record of it and had several copies. We compared the master tape, the record on the Elp and on another tt. The Elp was clearly superior to the other table, which unfortunately I cannot name. Interestingly many thought the Elp was superior to the master tape.

About that time there were several reviews of the laser table which were curious, most were impressed but reserved. I explored buying one and found several for sale. In conversations with those selling, they too liked the table but were reserved.

Frankly I cannot decide what is going on. Does the Laser show the limitations of vinyl by being too accurate? Is there something about it that grows tiring? When I heard the first prototype probably 25 years ago when CES was still in Chicago, I was shocked by it- until it hit some dirt in the grooves. I thought if they could solve this problem, there would be no other tt sold. They seem to have largely solved this problem by thorough cleaning, but still it has not taken over. Perhaps it is just too accurate.

Vanmeter suggests that music preferences and the nature of how these records are done might make accuracy a liability. I wonder if anyone into classical music has an Elp.

I'm curious; what style/genre of music did they use?

Vanmeter, I assume you are talking about the demo at CES. It was classical.