Is the Townshend Rock 7 "the" giant killer?


The reviews I have seen of the Townshend Rock 7 (and many of the comments from owners) not only say that it's a great TT, but suggest it's a giant killer. Stated differently: it's hard to find anything in the $5K to $20K range that beats the Rock 7. Some reviewers say vinyl through the Rock 7 sounds more like master tapes than vinyl. I find this pretty hard to believe. Has anyone had direct experiences with the Rock 7, especially as it compares to other more expensive turntables? Thank you.
ggavetti
Ggavetti,
That's what this entire crazy hobby is all about (for me, anyway)... Falling in love with gear that makes the sound that moves your spirit. Congratulations! It doesn't get better than that... until it does!

Cheers and happy listening.
Alón
Nottingham makes a good table. I have owned two versions of the Spacedeck and was very happy with them. That said, the WTA made the spacedeck sound "broken".

Shakey
I am not sure what versions of the Nott you listened to, but the hyperspace with a top-of-the-line nott tonearm is darn good...I'd be surprised if there was such a big difference as you imply, but they certainly appear to be different tables on many dimensions.
I have had two versions of the Spacedeck. The last was the most recent version before the 294. It had the Ace-Space arm. It did sound very good, but the Amadeus is muuuuch better.

Shakey
Just installed the hyperspace with anna tonearm....i find it to be amazing. note that the hyperspace is supposed to be much better than the lower models. i had a few friends over (long time audiophiles) and they were blown away by the airiness of the setup. i guess at this level it's a matter of taste.