EMT turntables as good as other great vintage TT?


Are the EMT turntables as good as the great Micro Seiki turntables, or the Pioneer Exclusive P3, or any of the other great vintage turntables. How would they stack up to today's modern turntables? I realize there are many different turntables in the EMT line. I have been reading that the 930st or the 950 seem to be the one's to buy with the 927 being quite rare and very expensive. Could someone take the mystery out of this line? Are they more collectible than sonically relevant?
128x128baranyi
The famous japanese Audio magazine multi review of 30 years ago would seem to say Yes.

The EMT 930 was tied first place with the Exclusive P3.

My P3 certainly stacks up with my TW Acustic AC-3, so my guess would be YES, assuming it is in full working order.

hopefully an EMT owner will chime in
Well, it depends. On one side we have those who prefer the old units (better quality, Studio Standard, all of today is not worth the money ...) and you find others who say, Studio Standard has nothing to do with sound quality in first place. Reliability and speed had much higher priorities. Deep Bass ability is also far away from the top of what a Studio needs. You see it with the EMT carts, they had to work on specs from the first second, they didn't last long and where thrown away when a change was needed.
I am not mad about them. But they have their Fan group like all other brands too.
Go for that one which is most complete.
Just look at the prices for good examples. The 930st, 950, and 927 are sky high, which is an indication that they are held in high regard by the cognoscenti. I don't know the range very well, but I believe the 927 is the king of idler drives, Jean Nantais went bonkers trying to compare a 927 to one of his restored Lenco L75s, and the 950 is a direct-drive turntable which fits in the pantheon of direct-drives somewhere, but I don't know where. There are sites devoted to EMT, so you should be able to educate yourself quite easily. Many of these models have built in phono amplification. Having the phono stage directly connected to the tonearm is an advantage in terms of preserving the phono signal integrity, but keep in mind that the electronics were designed many decades ago using then available solid state components, so the sound may be dated, at best. Downunder, there are many things un-scientific about that famous turntable comparison test, so much so that I think the outcome is impossible to interpret (different tonearms and cartridges, for one thing, no SP10 Mk3, for another thing). It made for a good magazine article, however. This is not to say that the EMT and P3 are not wonderful turntables. I think the EMT table that tied with the P3 was a 927 idler-drive, but perhaps someone will correct me.
Thanks to all have contributed to this thread. I guess that I am in the minority in never hearing any of these great tables. Lewm, aren't you around NYC somewhere? I travel there sometimes and would love to hear your array of turntables. I think the EMT in Stereo Sound was the 930st. Pricing itself is not always the best indicator. My experience is my former vintage audio collection. The most expensive items weren't necessarily the best. While I immensely enjoyed owning the JBL Paragon, it wasn't the best JBL speaker that I owned (old Style Hartsfields which were also expensive.) I couldn't tell you that the Marantz 9's were better than the 2's or 8b. I have combed the internet for data and have exchanged emails with Stefano Pasini who I must thank for his speedy response. It was my hope for people who have heard a much wider array of the best turntables to express their thoughts.
Baranyi, You have put your finger on a truism. The market value of vintage audio items is a product of two factors: excellence and collectibility. Sometimes it's more about the latter than the former. If you are looking for excellence, you need a good eye to tell the difference between it and collectibility as a basis for value. As for me, I live in the Washington, DC, area. You are welcome here any time, if you give me a few days notice. But I have never even seen an EMT turntable in the flesh. Nor do I have first hand experience with a P3. Among the top tier of vintage direct-drives, I own an L07D and an SP10 Mk3. The latter will be up and running within a week, I hope. But I need to find the cash to buy a 10-inch or 12-inch arm for it.