Brinkmann vs TW Acustic

Pani,

I assume you are referring to PRAT. A word with different interpretations. But while I get what you say, I would say that there are UK tables which also don't posses PRAT. I don't want to mention names as to not stir up emotions. I would agree that Rega & Linn are PRAT champs, but I feel it,ought be at the expense of what they miss. Or better said, the perception of PRAT is something that always comes with a price. Some love it, others like it and some grow out of it. What direct drive has PRAT?

Does live music have it? I will say if a ,usicians timing s all over, or even more so a drummer, it makes me crazy.

I own the TW AC-3 and I just went over and brought out the KAB speedstrobe. 33 and 45 was rock solid still. I have not checked the speed for 6 months or so.
I own the 2nd version of the motor driver. I tried the battery one and thought that was a step backwards for me in my system as it blunted attack and drive, while sounding a bit more pure.

I believe the perception of speed issues may lie in the way the TW plays music. I also own a LP12 and a dd Exclusive P3 table.
Compared to both these tables the TW's bass is slow and full lacking the prat these other tables have. The P3 is so quick and nimble in the bass, going directly back to the TW, the TW sounds as if it is running slow :-)
The TW has a grander presentation. To me that is the rub.

Depending on one's system, the TW could be diamonds or soft rocks.

I've had the same experience as Downunder, only with the Raven One---solid speed,as verified by the KAB speedstrobe. While I'm getting full bass also,I don't sense it is slow, but rather more like the kind of presentation I've heard in a number of concert halls live. Of course, preference for a certain kind of bass reproduction can be quite subjective. To me,the important thing is am I getting the kind of sound I enjoy without having to analyze it? Yes.

The TW Ac-1 in my system either with solid state (Rowland) or tubes (ARC) gives me meaty, beefy images with good air and soundstaging. The images are so solid, it gives me the illusion of reality. Super quiet noisefloor. Bass is full and impactful yet it has bloom too. PRAT is not high on my list of desires. Did my former table (VPI Aries 3) have more PRAT? Probably.....but I prefer the TW table leaps and bounds more.

Dgad, as always, I am amused by questions like "does
live music have PRAT ?" !! The fundamental building
block of music is PRAT and dynamics. An instrument doesnt
create music, it only creates sounds. When those sounds are
played in certain "time" intervals, in a certain
"pattern" at a certain "speed" we call
it music. This is what people refer to as PRAT, is it so
complicated to make sense ? And you ask me whether Live
music has PRAT ? Live or Reproduced, music is made out of
PRAT and dynamics. Inaccuracy or inability to preserve any
of these is seriously detrimental to the realization of the
actual art that is embedded in the music one is listening.
You say some people love it, some like it and some
"outgrow" it!! To me, people who outgrow it are
basically people who have very less understanding of the art
of music and are mostly concerned about "sound".
They are typical audiophiles who care about the audiophile
aspects of sound and are in hifi only to experience that,
they are always after soundstage, which itself is an
artificial phenomenon which doesnt have any reference. I
agree that dynamics cannot be fully preserved because of
extreme limitations starting from the microphones, recording
tape and all the subsequent equipments in the recording
chain. But PRAT is a lot easier to preserve and most lo-fi
equipments actually preserve PRAT very well. Why do we start
losing it once we enter hifi is something to think about.

Regarding UK turntables, Linn, Rega, Roksan, Avid, SME,
combined sales of these turntables comprise of more than 85%
of "made in uk" TT sales around the world. All of
them keep the timing and pace very well. How big a
soundstage they create is trivial IMO.