Yo ! Happy Weekend ! Contact Charisma Audio: www.charismaaudio.com/?page_id=305 Well tempered: www.welltemperedlab.net/ price at the time of the video: Charisma Audio ECO Cartridge: $795 USD Well Tempered Amadeus Junior: $4977 CAD (not sure in USD)
Cheers for this excellent and uncomplicated review! I own a Simplex combined with a Ear Yoshino Phono Classic phonostage and Teddy Pardo PSU. It just sounds magical. Totally blows my Cambridge streamer away.
Thank you Jay for this little dive into the analog world! I own a WTL Versalex that I bought from Bernard (a real gentleman by the way) and I couldn't be happier! For me, turntables are not really about sounding better than digital or not; it's about the feel! I made the test many times comparing the same song with digital vs vinyl. Everytime I listen to digital (I have a really good DAC), I am flabergasted by the amount of details, the clarity, and the whole "wow" experience it brings to me. But it never last very long and I get bored and distracted from music after a few minutes... With analog, it's the exact opposite! It pulls me more & more into the music with a kind of magic I still can't explain, and I end up listening for long sessions at the time without any fatigue. When dore right, analog is simply magical!
Hello François , hallo Jay, I am also a music lover and I explore the music history with my VERSALEX, DECCA LONDON SUPER GOLD CARTRIDGE and GERMAN PHYSIKS UNLIMITED ULTIMATE since 6 years. (YT v=POwoXqjvNJg&t=18s ) I propose to you an other heavy argument to support the culture of analoge sound art (re)production on vinyl. Try direct to disc recordings, called also direct cut vinyl records on your Well Tempered Labs. You feel and hear instantly the superiority of dynamic reproduction, clearity , and you remark the silence of the background aso, A result of this recording methode, without taperecording. without digital recording and without mixing and without cut options. The original mother-matrix is cut during the artists are performing, the same method as in the pioneer time of recording, but with sophisticated modern material. The authenticity of such musical recording sessions has dramaticly dimensions. The pauses between tracks must be kept real. If a technical mishap occurs during the editing, or if the artist misses his cue, the whole page has to be re-recorded. Not just the track. Imagine this by recording, for example, a big classical, orchestra at the end of an 20 min recording. The cutting time of a direct cut record session is limited at maximum 20 min. The collaboration between the performer sound engineers and editors must be intensive. In this way, a work of art can be created , in terms of authenticity, a such kind of musical work has much more authenticity than all digital recordings and analog tape mixing processes can ever achieve. Even if the technical results are not so accurate compared with modern digital processings. A great chance for creative performers, sound engineers, electronic engineers and forgotten professions such as cutters and ambitous record makers, graphists, to use their skills and knowledge together to create limited editions of authentic works of art. And a chance for the vinyl record to survive as a original work of art, in time of the industrie of anonymous mass-reproductions. Music lovers.... look forward to it and enjoy.!
Love my original spec Linn LP12 circa 1982 and have no desire to upgrade, apart from maybe my cartridge. Everything works fine, no issues with motor or bearing etc. still looks great too with smoked cover.
@@nicholas6823 you are right of course and I needed a stiff whiskey before signing up. One of the nice things about Linn is that you can update an old family friend. Recently I had my Linn Akurate DS updated and the sound improvement is also amazing. Best wishes
I have set up my system so I can stream, play CD’s & play Vinyl. I’m extremely happy with the results I’m achieving. Very musical and warm whilst still plenty of details 👍😊
I get what you are saying about Clear Audio.. went to a dealer who demonstrated 3 progressively more expensive CA turntables. The more money, the more his eyes lit up and the more wierd it sounded to me. Kinda bright, hard, thin. I played music for 15 years and came up working in all manner of studios and things did not sound like that to these ears.
I have klipsch speakers made in hope Arkansas. The sound from them are like round notes and I can pick up the smallest details compared to other speakers. Like you said like a tube Amp. The warmth and the crisp detail without the harsh tweeter. Some people don't like horn speakers. I say that because they have never had one. I have a friend who has 50 thousand dollar speakers. Yet he cones to my house and listens to my klipsch speakers. His wallet is sore I can tell. I don't disrespect his buying habits we all have been there. Sometimes the right amount of volume and the right tone woods and the history behind the company produce excellent products. I like your channel.
I miss my higher end turntable setup from the 90's that was so engaging, soundstage, imaging and life likeness of the vocals just amazing. Glad that you found this product.
l have owned two WTL turntables and as well rebuilt a vintage Linn LP12 with a WTL tonearm. Bliss! Maybe it's a time to be reacquainted with WTL. p.s. Bernard is a gem and an honour to know.
I can agree that higher end turntables sound almost CD-like in their perfection, but I was never more impressed with the sound of vinyl than the time I heard songs I knew being played on a 50k TT setup.
I like streaming, have many CDs and vinyl records. When analogue is done right, is hard to beat. The best way to love digital is by never been exposed to a proper analogue setup.
No recorded format is truly analog.reel to reel would be the closest. Vinyl uses compression in the fact the grooves can only be cut so deep and so wide. RIAA and such. How many times you think the signal is converted from the needle to its end point? Vinyl is boosted in a certain frequency range too. I like vinyl but I get so tired of hearing this nonsense.
Also our ears are equivalent to analog and our brain digital. High res formats are much more true to the original recording because reel to reel captures a frequency range that could never be transferred to vinyl because you cant cut the grooves that deep or wide because the needle wouldnt track proper. Just physical limiting facts.
Excellent review. I have had a number of high end turntables including Kenwood KD 550/SME 3009, Dual 621, Garrard 301, VPI Reference but I was introduced to the Well Tempered Record Player around 1986 and like you described there was an amazing sound that was mesmerizing with the WT and I was hooked. Now I have 2 WT tables, the Reference model with 4 granite layers and a Record Player that I have made some tweaks to. I have a large cement table where I can play with different external arm lengths as well as cartridges. The problem with DACs is they are constantly improving and the cost goes up and up. They do sound great but I am more captivated by analog from my WT tables. What looks promising is WELL RECORDED and MIXED music which is processed with newer encoding technologies then converted back to analog and then onto Vinyl. I'll always keep my vintage collection of LP's but I am open to vinyl which has a digital source before becoming analog again. BTW Your Teac X 10 R2R is an amazing deck. I had a X10R and plan to get another unit, rebuild the electronics and be done. We audiophiles tend to over tweak and overpay to get to where we want to be. For me, I am there. I designed my nuvistor preamps and several Class A tube amps and Life is good.. I hope you enjoy your WT for years to come !!
Ahhhhhhh Jay... ***FINALLY!*** It is SO nice to see you finally talking about F'n vinyl! :D I just assumed that you like everyone else was DAC here, DAC there, DAC DAC everywhere. I also assumed then that you (like most, even your Zero Fidelity Buddy) just never messed with them. BUT, how wonderful to hear that you have actually gone through that journey, and apparently gone quite a ways through it, certainly far more than me. But, I just had to praise you not only for just MENTIONING turntables, but actually having some darn good experience with them. Thank you, thank you Jay for finally mentioning turntables! My respect for you has just zoomed upward my friend, and now my thoughts about you will be even warmer! (see what I did there : ) [I actually stopped the video because I was SO damn thrilled I HAD to comment - I'm now going back to watch the rest!] ***EDIT **OH MY GOD JAY!** You just said that that TT sounds BETTER than your $5000 DAC!! I can't believe it :D [okay, back to the video, sorry...]
A very good lecture, and concise, informative demonstration. I'm a couple of years older than you so I grew up with listening to music from analogue playback, such as FM stereo radio, vinyl records, 8 Track Tape, and a bit later Cassette Tape during the 1970s, and nineteen eighties. Anyhow, I have at least 2 turntables; second one I'm refurbishing, repairing; and a third one I'm building. I listen mainly to records from one turntable. However, I prefer music whereby I can hear detail! I also have up to 4 different CD Players, from three eras connected to my Sony Receiver of 85W (2012); connected by 3 various connections. At least one CD Player is connected with a digital output, by Coax RCA interconnect Cable. Two CD Players are connected with traditional RCA Cables. Furthermore, I prefer detail in playback of a record from a turntable since that is where we differ in our musical preference. I replaced an Audio Technica AT70 MM with a moving coil cartridge that is used; I mounted a Denon DL-80A MC to a used Harman Kardon T25 Turntable belt drive. Certainly the stylus has got to be eventually replaced. This Well Tempered Amadeus Junior Turntable is certainly made very well, is well-engineered, is accurate with high quality materials; but it's a bit expensive! A very good thing is that it is made in Canada. However, I'd choose a Rega Planar 3 Turntable, and the newer version, or Technics SL-1500C, or the Technics SL-1200MK7 Direct Drive Turntable. Furthermore, there is an audiophile turntable that is more affordable, it's the Rega Planar 2, by the way.🔉🎵🎶
I went a different route. I found an open box Rega P3 in sale, upgraded to a 6 pound machined acrylic platter, a machined subplatter and a ruby bearing. Topped it off with a Dynavector 20x2L. The TT still cost leas than a new P3 unit, save for the cart. It sounds real good with an Allnic H1202 phono stage. I went for the modded Rega to avoid the complexity of higher end TTs.
I have 3 turntables, a Linn LP12, a ProJect Perspex and a vintage Philips GA 312, ca 1978. I prefer the Philips. I use an ADC XLM II cartridge into an analog tube based phono preamp. More presence than my cd source, and hugely functional. Looks good too. The better turntables are just too fussy to use.
Once you heard the all new Mcintosh MCD-12000 Tube CD Player with DAC your never want to go back to Vinyl again at any price !😇 Audio Heaven..as close to Analog as it gets 😉
Yep , the output signal is analog from both SACD and CD players I think ..I play SACDs on a 200 dollar Yamaha DVD player bought in 2007 and they sound great
Thanks Jay for the analog/turntable content. As you are aware there is a whole world to explore and review within these "systems" and hope to see more on your channel. Cheers from Vancouver, Canada.
I guess everybody hears differently. I have a rega rp3 and an older linn lp12. For me the linn is far more enjoyable and just more musical. The rega is ok, but is somewhat two dimensional and lacking something. Also with the linn there is no trace of rumble at all unlike the rega where there is a little.
Many thanks from the highlands of Scotland. I'm right in the middle of a Vinyl revival. I'm loving it so much. New Vinyl is so good and expensive. I'm researching into making my own turntable. Why not? I'm finding it bewildering and interesting in equal measure. The Squash balls are an excellent idea. A quick hunt shows I'll have to experiment with the different grades of ball. Dut that's part of the fun. My budget means that the parts I've sourced are from Dual, Rega and Pro-ject turntables. I'll use a blend of Epoxy, wood, aluminium, silicone, Carbon fibre and now squash balls. Wish me luck. I may be gone for some time. Regards Norrie.
The Nagaoka mp110 cartridge has a nice warming sound to my ear. It’s about $150 USD. I’m using it with a Pioneer 1000 turntable and it seems like a good match for that tone arm.
Jay, I really appreciate your observations on the Well Tempered table, especially because, as you say, you are not a turntable guy. And what you heard is what I hear every time I listen to my Well Tempered Simplex (and the Well Tempered Classic before it). I had a Clearaudio table before, and while I appreciated all the detail it provided, I found it a little too clinical. The Well Tempered gives me all the detail I could want, but it's so much more musical and flowing and warm. I've been using turntables since 1958, and I think I've found my end game here.
I still have my vintage (amazing to say that now) technics sl-b202. I have updated it of recent. The chassis is dampened as well as that ringing platter. Ortofon 2m. New RCA and ground cables soldered. Amongst other updates. This turntable now will punch well into the very highend. You don't need to spend stupid monies to get great sound. That cartridge is so important. Oh and getting a vintage turntable update the headshell cables as well!!
Great job Jay, I would love to see more and more TT reviews since I retrurned just a few months ago to rediscover vinyl and I have abandoned stupid streaming services, I only buy cd's and vinyl now!
The setup of the turntable is more critical than even the brand and price..... If any of the parameters are "off," such as cartridge alignment in the headshell, vertical tracking angle, anti-skate, azimuth, levelness (if you use a static balance arm), overhang, etc., the sound will degrade mightily. The best investment is a nice protractor, like the Feickert or Smartractor.
My turntable is a Thorens TD166 MK II installed into a heavy duty wood plinth. I think the extra weight of the plinth takes it into "giant killer" land. Even souped up and restored it was under $1K. I use the Ortofon Blue on it right now, but I'm open to suggestions. I highly recommend finding a heavier plinth for any (especially belt drive) turntable you might use.
I am still waiting for digital to catch up to analogue's musicality. I have owned many turntables, tone arms and cartridges over the years. My latest, and, hopefully last combination. Is a magnetic suspension turntable from Pro-Ject, I removed the arm that came with the turntable and replaced it with a Hadcock uni-pivot tonearm with a Denon high output moving coil cartridge. This combination is the best i have ever heard. Because of the relative stiffness of the magnetic suspension (not bouncy) a uni-pivot tonearm tracks better.
My best guess at where the uniquely appealing sound of analogue sources (tape, turn-table, etc.) comes from is their extremely high (theoretically infinite) sample rate.
Or just their distortion haha. Probably why he doesn't like most modern turn tables and most d class dacs. Some second and third order distortion can add a nice sound. Actually a lot of people and audiophile youtube channels don't love good measuring equipement.
@@jortpeters6419 Even order (2nd, 4th, etc.) harmonics are probably the source of the tube sound. Odd order harmonics (3rd, 5th, etc.) may be the source of the delta-sigma DAC and class D amp sounds. At least that's the impression I've got from reviewer comments and the reviews that combine measurement and subjective listening. A high noise floor is characteristic of analogue sources, but I don't think harmonics are? Of course, since Jay likes some but not all analogue equipment, so it could be that he likes that which produces harmonics similar to tube gear, and dislikes that which doesn't.
Dennis is on to something here. Analogue is not simply “warmer” or “harmonically “ more appealing. There is many times more musical information in a record groove than in even the highest resolution digital file. A good place to learn about this through UA-cam or web site for the US based cartridge manufacturer Soundsmith. Peter, the owner, gives excellent treatment to these issues. Start with a video entitled something like “Why Analogue is Digital”.
I hear people talking about a 'warm' sound all the time. I have no idea what it means because when I think of warm, I think of muddy and unclear. Can you use a word that explains you mean with another word ?
Vinyl noise can be minimized by affecting the particular passage of the record with a "wettened" layer of water made more wet with a mixture of Photo-Flo and water.
Sometimes it's a matter of system synergy, proper setup, and adequate break-in. I have a high-end turntable from a line people often consider sterile, but my phono stage and linestage are modern all-tube designs, and the turntable was set up by an real expert, and it typically sounds very detailed and expansive to me, but also very natural and non-clinical as well- just playing records without coloring their sound. Also, critically, the table required a few hundred hours of break-in.
Equipment matching. If you of course have a high-end super detail oriented sound characteristics then of course you pair it with also a high-end lush and darker sounding amp, preferably tube amp.
Fantastic review, thanks Jay that was really enjoyable. I really like the philosophy of well tempered, I don't have one but I have read a lot about it. As Jay says, there is an awful lot of creativity going in their engineering. I have more than 10 vintage turntables but I always came back to a Dual 1009 or 1019, they have some magic or X factor.
I have a heavily modified Marc Morin ARXA (Vintage) and I have a newer Nottingham Ace Spacedeck with an Audiomods Series 6 Tonearm and Ortofon A90 cart. Although the Nottingham is better than my XA the XA is not embarrassed by the much more costly Nottingham setup either.
Thanks for reviewing a turntable. I listened to a Well Tempered Amadeus GTA before buying my last turntable Rega P10. If you like warm dynamic sound might want to try a Rega P8 or P10. I personally found the Amadeus GTA to not be very dynamic, nice and warm, decent level of details but some smearing. The new Well Tempered turntable might be better or another cartridge besides theirs might be a lot better. Considering my current and previous cartridge is Benz micro Ruby ($2k) and not a basic MC cartridge like that one. The US dealer that I found that carried Well Tempered refused to swap cartridges for my demo, which may be the reason it underperformed at its price point. Even Rega P10 was available with an optional cartridge that is considered drastically better then the Eco and is used for demoing, Apheta 3 ($2k). More fitting price point cartridge for a table of that price point. My 80’s Lynn turntable has been rock solid, a few belt changes and a cartridges but that’s it. The Thorens 160 I had was a bit more work, hence the replacement P10.
Hey Jay, I have a Well Tempered record player I bought new in 1990, along with a Sumiko Talisman Alchemist IIb MC with Van Den Hul stylus. I would like to upgrade my table , but only if I can see some real difference. Unfortunately, it is next to impossible to listen to cartridges and know if I will see any real improvement. Any thoughts on tables/cartridges?
You and i have the same taste when it comes to what we like for in sound Quality. Any recomondations in the higher end tables. I have a old VPI scout with a Koetsu Rosewood and like the sound just wondering what will best it for a little more cash? Thanks.
Interesting take. I don't have a high end table. I own a Technics 1200MK7. Contrary to your taste, I'd like the table to be as analytical as possible and rely on the musicality to come from the disc.
Hi Jay Great to see a turntable review, I have cd streaming and turntable Always prefer listening to turntable, You get to pick out an album, listen to multiple tracks from same band/artists and their is a warmth to the sound and definitely intangibles Take Care
Great vid Jay👍👍 You are correct on issues with vintage TTs. I have a fully automatic 1979 Pioneer PL-630 TT with known motor speed issues. Spent a decent amount of dollars to have it fixed. Installed a NOS Pioneer head shell, Dynavector 20x2 LOMC cart and Cardas head shell wires. I own a refurbed late 70s Technics SL-1800 TT (manual) and a newer VPI Scout 1.1. I am sure the TT you reviewed is very nice but I could not see spending $5k on it. The plinth, platter, feet, drive belt etc. isn’t worth it even with the cartridge. PS - I look forward to your future reviews of record cleaning machines. I can visualize you laughing. Take care👍👍
I have a Roksan Radius and id's say with it's unipivot tone arm it sounds really great. But I think if I were to do it again I'd just go for something like the Rega P6 or one of the MoFi Ultradeck and live without setup complexity. I'd put this in the same fiddly camp as my Roksan
I wonder if you can provide a list of your most love vinyl and test vinyl? After 4 Dual 1229Q turntables with issues of keeping and repairing; I researched & purchased the infinite
I used to work selling high-end in the late 80s. I went through a lot of turntables. I ended up with a Well Tempered. It simply sounded better and back then was affordable. They only had 1 model. After leaving the hobby and coming back to it I can no longer afford the Well Tempered, so I just have a Rega.
Record cleaning and stylus cleaning very important. My T/T set up is very good and very little background noise. It does take time to set up. But only real analogue LPs recorded in analogue sound best.
I have an restored TD160 with Jelco ST-550S tunearm. My Audio Sandbox best isolation squash balls under box. My cartridge are Grace F9- safire cantiliver and Hyper Eliptical Nude stylus, Astatic MF-200 Shabbata, AT, VM750LM, My York Fhono Stage is great and fantastic. 78 now . Look after your records and they will be dead quiet 🎉 ❤ 😅 Johnnnie here
I have a well serviced Beogram 8000 with a MMC 20 CL that I inadvertently aquired many years ago. I keep thinking I need to replace it, cause I don't think of B&O as audiophile equipment, but it sounds so bloody good, it has stayed in my system for years.
No, no, that is an excellent system, especially if you get it upgraded by soundsmith (where you pretty much have to go for replacement cartridges for it anyway). They do an $1500 or $1800 upgrade that makes it, well, great.
@@hugobloemers4425 Went to the audio store way back in 1978 to pick up a new, flashy Sony receiver and some new speakers, Came home with a Accuphase amp, Accuphase tuner, Kef 104ab's and the Micro Seiki. Everything still works and still sounds amazing !
Can you please review some Technics turntables in the 1500 to 2000 range please. I'm really looking into Technics and I want a nice engaging and accurate table. I did not like all the problems I had with my clear audio concept.
Yes, sometimes the high end stuff is notably crisper and more clear - but it can lose some of the original warmth those of us grew up with find pleasing, not saying its better just saying its a quality us who grew up with vinyl may well miss in a to bright cartridge etc.
No, pivot distance equally flawed on both those models… good workhorses/platform for a nice cartridge but more precision is available for less. I have similar feelings about Harley Davidson motorcycles.
I prefer my Victor VV-VI with Exhibition soundbox, which is a vintage type of cartridge that uses a steel stylus, which is unusual for this day and age. You have to replace the needle (stylus) after every play, but trust me, it's worth it when you are rewarded with a sound that takes you right to the dance hall. I found it to be live and warm, with a presence you don't get with modern cartridges. For a more mellow sound, you can use a fiber stylus to take that "edge" off if the music sounds too "clinical". The VV-VI brings a warm soundstage with its internal horn and felt turntable mat. The musical presence is such that you don't even hear the governor (if it's well oiled), and the wow and flutter performance is actually, measurably better than a Crosley Cruiser! (No, seriously, a Victor VV-VI in working order does have better wow and flutter than a brand new Crosley Cruiser!) Audiophiles know that faster recording speed gives you better fidelity and a lower noise floor, and for that you can't beat 78 RPM! (If you've read this far, you should know that my Victrola was actually a "gateway" that ended up getting me back into vinyl. Really!)
That's like bringing up a horse and buggy when someone's talking about a modern car. That being said, I have enjoyed wind up gramophones for some old 78's too, and I like the bamboo or cactus needles. Some of those old 78's do sound amazing, but then they sound "better" with a newer turntable, with a 78 stylus, and a preamp eq'd for the correct equalization. Better is only preferences of course.
@@jeb419 You got me. If I was a collector horse drawn buggies, I would indeed have made a similar joke on a modern car post. It's just one of those things I like to do, like expounding on the superiority of Blue Amberol over CDs when people are talking about vinyl.
It’s funny you mentioned Clearaudio. I purchased a Performance DC a year ago and it might be my least favorite purchase ever. I viewed it much the same. I didn’t have a chance to demo. (My bad). I’ve also had a Thorens and few other older tables and loved them. They just have warmth and character along with the musicality.
Well, that was a slightly different take on a turntable review. Good as far as I am concerned. Don't know about high end turntables as I am still regularly using my Systemdek IIX Limited Edition purchased in 1985. An excellent mid level turntable at the time, still runs very well. I'll probably get another at some point, but as you can see I am not in any great hurry. 🤣 Certainly not at $5000 though. I too am willing to put up with a few ticks and pops for the overall more pleasing sound. Although I do have a couple of albums that were not mastered or made quite right and the CD sounds better. Keep listening!!!
Hi Jay My Name is Ben end i have a question . What would be a good match amp for the Klipsch rp-8000f for stereo music sound ( ps i have now the Yamaha rx-a3080 av receiver) but is missing something for music sound. Grz : From Belgium
I always figured the cracks and pops are just a nostalgic part of the record medium, after all the technology is over a hundred years old and many improvements have been made - but in the end its a flawed mass produced medium and in the end no matter what you do its still a needle in a groove. This has gotten notably better with newer table developments and some of the much higher quality 180 gram vinyl thats being produced today. Vinyl has become an elitist hobby for many but the record noise will always be a part of it to some degree.
So many variables with turntables. Not sure I'd levy the charge that high-end turntables are bright per se. What IS true is that many, many moving coils have a rising frequency response. Nearly always in fact. Think of the folks that buy high end TT's - generally older guys with diminished high frequency response. I think it's deliberate, hence why it sounds wrong to younger ears.
Barry, you are so very correct. The Well Tempered Amadeus and matching cartridge is obviously tailored to a specific sound. One that is obviously “analog” as I current fashion, a sound with overt warmth and a lack of transparency. It’s a coloration, no matter how you state it, and will will be pervasive in the sound of every piece of vinyl played making every LP sound somewhat the same. The job of the turntable system, or any source for that matter, is to get as much information out of the groove/pits/stream as accurately as possible. Any information lost or changed at the source is gone from the signal and nothing upstream can replace it.
Just get a Technics SL-1200G and you won't be fussing about the turntable sound, but about the cartridge sound instead. It's a modernized HiFi version of the original 1200 turntables. Designed all about accuracy, making the cartridge do all the work. On these tables it's almost only the cartridge making the sound color - the table itself has almost no sound on it's own.
I'm 57, I'm a lazy ass, too, and if great digital sound generally matched or exceeded great analog sound, I'd dump analog in a moment- but I won't, because I haven't yet encountered that kind of digital sound yet (one exception, though, is good hi-res or redbook recordings of classical orchestral performances, where to my ears, vinyl pressings often don't handle the scale and dynamism quite as well as the best digital). But generally, in other genres, analog usually sounds better to me- and it's not simply warmth- it's notably the depth of the sound stage and macro-dynamics as well
Yo ! Happy Weekend !
Contact Charisma Audio: www.charismaaudio.com/?page_id=305
Well tempered: www.welltemperedlab.net/
price at the time of the video:
Charisma Audio ECO Cartridge: $795 USD
Well Tempered Amadeus Junior: $4977 CAD (not sure in USD)
Jay derris fraud going on on your account please call me back
There is fraud going on somebody is pretending to be you saying they won and is demanding money for shipment
@@stephencosta6814 ua-cam.com/video/qQS89qnKdPk/v-deo.html
Cheers for this excellent and uncomplicated review! I own a Simplex combined with a Ear Yoshino Phono Classic phonostage and Teddy Pardo PSU. It just sounds magical. Totally blows my Cambridge streamer away.
I should hope so.
Thank you Jay for this little dive into the analog world! I own a WTL Versalex that I bought from Bernard (a real gentleman by the way) and I couldn't be happier! For me, turntables are not really about sounding better than digital or not; it's about the feel! I made the test many times comparing the same song with digital vs vinyl. Everytime I listen to digital (I have a really good DAC), I am flabergasted by the amount of details, the clarity, and the whole "wow" experience it brings to me. But it never last very long and I get bored and distracted from music after a few minutes... With analog, it's the exact opposite! It pulls me more & more into the music with a kind of magic I still can't explain, and I end up listening for long sessions at the time without any fatigue. When dore right, analog is simply magical!
Hello François , hallo Jay, I am also a music lover and I explore the music history with my VERSALEX, DECCA LONDON SUPER GOLD CARTRIDGE and GERMAN PHYSIKS UNLIMITED ULTIMATE since 6 years. (YT v=POwoXqjvNJg&t=18s )
I propose to you an other heavy argument to support the culture of analoge sound art (re)production on vinyl.
Try direct to disc recordings, called also direct cut vinyl records on your Well Tempered Labs. You feel and hear instantly the superiority of dynamic reproduction, clearity , and you remark the silence of the background aso, A result of this recording methode, without taperecording. without digital recording and without mixing and without cut options. The original mother-matrix is cut during the artists are performing, the same method as in the pioneer time of recording, but with sophisticated modern material. The authenticity of such musical recording sessions has dramaticly dimensions. The pauses between tracks must be kept real. If a technical mishap occurs during the editing, or if the artist misses his cue, the whole page has to be re-recorded. Not just the track. Imagine this by recording, for example, a big classical, orchestra at the end of an 20 min recording. The cutting time of a direct cut record session is limited at maximum 20 min. The collaboration between the performer sound engineers and editors must be intensive. In this way, a work of art can be created , in terms of authenticity, a such kind of musical work has much more authenticity than all digital recordings and analog tape mixing processes can ever achieve. Even if the technical results are not so accurate compared with modern digital processings. A great chance for creative performers, sound engineers, electronic engineers and forgotten professions such as cutters and ambitous record makers, graphists, to use their skills and knowledge together to create limited editions of authentic works of art. And a chance for the vinyl record to survive as a original work of art, in time of the industrie of anonymous mass-reproductions.
Music lovers.... look forward to it and enjoy.!
Love my original spec Linn LP12 circa 1982 and have no desire to upgrade, apart from maybe my cartridge. Everything works fine, no issues with motor or bearing etc. still looks great too with smoked cover.
Likewise I love my pre 1985 LP12. However I had it upgraded in 2012 to include Keel, Radikal and Urika and the sound improvement is wonderful.
@@peterwicksteed5478 The cost of those upgrades is a major deterrent for me, as it can get pretty expensive. Enjoy!
@@nicholas6823 you are right of course and I needed a stiff whiskey before signing up. One of the nice things about Linn is that you can update an old family friend. Recently I had my Linn Akurate DS updated and the sound improvement is also amazing. Best wishes
I have set up my system so I can stream, play CD’s & play Vinyl. I’m extremely happy with the results I’m achieving. Very musical and warm whilst still plenty of details 👍😊
Nice work Jay. I really enjoyed your down-to-earth demeanor on this one. It’s hard to describe sound. Hats off.
I get what you are saying about Clear Audio.. went to a dealer who demonstrated 3 progressively more expensive CA turntables. The more money, the more his eyes lit up and the more wierd it sounded to me. Kinda bright, hard, thin. I played music for 15 years and came up working in all manner of studios and things did not sound like that to these ears.
I have klipsch speakers made in hope Arkansas. The sound from them are like round notes and I can pick up the smallest details compared to other speakers. Like you said like a tube Amp. The warmth and the crisp detail without the harsh tweeter. Some people don't like horn speakers. I say that because they have never had one. I have a friend who has 50 thousand dollar speakers. Yet he cones to my house and listens to my klipsch speakers. His wallet is sore I can tell. I don't disrespect his buying habits we all have been there. Sometimes the right amount of volume and the right tone woods and the history behind the company produce excellent products. I like your channel.
I miss my higher end turntable setup from the 90's that was so engaging, soundstage, imaging and life likeness of the vocals just amazing. Glad that you found this product.
Service fraud going on here somebody is pretending to be Jay
@@stephencosta6814 ua-cam.com/video/qQS89qnKdPk/v-deo.html
l have owned two WTL turntables and as well rebuilt a vintage Linn LP12 with a WTL tonearm. Bliss! Maybe it's a time to be reacquainted with WTL.
p.s. Bernard is a gem and an honour to know.
I can agree that higher end turntables sound almost CD-like in their perfection, but I was never more impressed with the sound of vinyl than the time I heard songs I knew being played on a 50k TT setup.
I would have to say my favourite turntable right now is the Rega P8 as I appreciate that it's a set and forget design.
It's a horrible ugly design I can't forget such a monstruosity even if it would be the better TT on this planet (and it's NOT)
I like streaming, have many CDs and vinyl records. When analogue is done right, is hard to beat. The best way to love digital is by never been exposed to a proper analogue setup.
There is fraud going on somebody is pretending to be Jay and he’s demanding money for shipment of an item
ua-cam.com/video/qQS89qnKdPk/v-deo.html
No recorded format is truly analog.reel to reel would be the closest. Vinyl uses compression in the fact the grooves can only be cut so deep and so wide. RIAA and such. How many times you think the signal is converted from the needle to its end point? Vinyl is boosted in a certain frequency range too. I like vinyl but I get so tired of hearing this nonsense.
Also our ears are equivalent to analog and our brain digital. High res formats are much more true to the original recording because reel to reel captures a frequency range that could never be transferred to vinyl because you cant cut the grooves that deep or wide because the needle wouldnt track proper. Just physical limiting facts.
@@slimjim1104 loved my teac reel to reel.
Excellent review. I have had a number of high end turntables including Kenwood KD 550/SME 3009, Dual 621, Garrard 301, VPI Reference but I was introduced to the Well Tempered Record Player around 1986 and like you described there was an amazing sound that was mesmerizing with the WT and I was hooked. Now I have 2 WT tables, the Reference model with 4 granite layers and a Record Player that I have made some tweaks to. I have a large cement table where I can play with different external arm lengths as well as cartridges.
The problem with DACs is they are constantly improving and the cost goes up and up. They do sound great but I am more captivated by analog from my WT tables.
What looks promising is WELL RECORDED and MIXED music which is processed with newer encoding technologies then converted back to analog and then onto Vinyl. I'll always keep my vintage collection of LP's but I am open to vinyl which has a digital source before becoming analog again.
BTW Your Teac X 10 R2R is an amazing deck. I had a X10R and plan to get another unit, rebuild the electronics and be done.
We audiophiles tend to over tweak and overpay to get to where we want to be. For me, I am there.
I designed my nuvistor preamps and several Class A tube amps and Life is good..
I hope you enjoy your WT for years to come !!
Ahhhhhhh Jay... ***FINALLY!*** It is SO nice to see you finally talking about F'n vinyl! :D I just assumed that you like everyone else was DAC here, DAC there, DAC DAC everywhere. I also assumed then that you (like most, even your Zero Fidelity Buddy) just never messed with them. BUT, how wonderful to hear that you have actually gone through that journey, and apparently gone quite a ways through it, certainly far more than me. But, I just had to praise you not only for just MENTIONING turntables, but actually having some darn good experience with them.
Thank you, thank you Jay for finally mentioning turntables!
My respect for you has just zoomed upward my friend, and now my thoughts about you will be even warmer! (see what I did there : ) [I actually stopped the video because I was SO damn thrilled I HAD to comment - I'm now going back to watch the rest!]
***EDIT
**OH MY GOD JAY!** You just said that that TT sounds BETTER than your $5000 DAC!! I can't believe it :D [okay, back to the video, sorry...]
A very good lecture, and concise, informative demonstration. I'm a couple of years older than you so I grew up with listening to music from analogue playback, such as FM stereo radio, vinyl records, 8 Track Tape, and a bit later Cassette Tape during the 1970s, and nineteen eighties.
Anyhow, I have at least 2 turntables; second one I'm refurbishing, repairing; and a third one I'm building. I listen mainly to records from one turntable. However, I prefer music whereby I can hear detail! I also have up to 4 different CD Players, from three eras connected to my Sony Receiver of 85W (2012); connected by 3 various connections. At least one CD Player is connected with a digital output, by Coax RCA interconnect Cable. Two CD Players are connected with traditional RCA Cables.
Furthermore, I prefer detail in playback of a record from a turntable since that is where we differ in our musical preference. I replaced an Audio Technica AT70 MM with a moving coil cartridge that is used; I mounted a Denon DL-80A MC to a used Harman Kardon T25 Turntable belt drive. Certainly the stylus has got to be eventually replaced.
This Well Tempered Amadeus Junior Turntable is certainly made very well, is well-engineered, is accurate with high quality materials; but it's a bit expensive! A very good thing is that it is made in Canada. However, I'd choose a Rega Planar 3 Turntable, and the newer version, or Technics SL-1500C, or the Technics SL-1200MK7 Direct Drive Turntable. Furthermore, there is an audiophile turntable that is more affordable, it's the Rega Planar 2, by the way.🔉🎵🎶
I went a different route. I found an open box Rega P3 in sale, upgraded to a 6 pound machined acrylic platter, a machined subplatter and a ruby bearing. Topped it off with a Dynavector 20x2L. The TT still cost leas than a new P3 unit, save for the cart. It sounds real good with an Allnic H1202 phono stage. I went for the modded Rega to avoid the complexity of higher end TTs.
I have 3 turntables, a Linn LP12, a ProJect Perspex and a vintage Philips GA 312, ca 1978. I prefer the Philips. I use an ADC XLM II cartridge into an analog tube based phono preamp. More presence than my cd source, and hugely functional. Looks good too. The better turntables are just too fussy to use.
Hi. Can you elaborate on how Philips GA 312 is better than the Linn and Pro Ject? Do you use the original tone arm?
Once you heard the all new Mcintosh MCD-12000 Tube CD Player with DAC your never want to go back to Vinyl again at any price !😇 Audio Heaven..as close to Analog as it gets 😉
Yep , the output signal is analog from both SACD and CD players I think ..I play SACDs on a 200 dollar Yamaha DVD player bought in 2007 and they sound great
I've been using racket balls below my TT since the '80s.
Thanks Jay for the analog/turntable content. As you are aware there is a whole world to explore and review within these "systems" and hope to see more on your channel. Cheers from Vancouver, Canada.
You make some good points, I know a few people that like Rega's P1, when they could afford anything they want. They say the P1 makes music.
I guess everybody hears differently. I have a rega rp3 and an older linn lp12. For me the linn is far more enjoyable and just more musical. The rega is ok, but is somewhat two dimensional and lacking something. Also with the linn there is no trace of rumble at all unlike the rega where there is a little.
Thanks for being so honest, bro. Really appreciate it.
Many thanks from the highlands of Scotland. I'm right in the middle of a Vinyl revival. I'm loving it so much. New Vinyl is so good and expensive.
I'm researching into making my own turntable. Why not? I'm finding it bewildering and interesting in equal measure. The Squash balls are an excellent idea. A quick hunt shows I'll have to experiment with the different grades of ball. Dut that's part of the fun. My budget means that the parts I've sourced are from Dual, Rega and Pro-ject turntables. I'll use a blend of Epoxy, wood, aluminium, silicone, Carbon fibre and now squash balls. Wish me luck. I may be gone for some time. Regards Norrie.
BIG SHOUT OUT! - Thanks Jay for this video. Very informative and from the heart. Plus, thanks to you, I now own Magnepan LRS's...also great.
The Nagaoka mp110 cartridge has a nice warming sound to my ear. It’s about $150 USD. I’m using it with a Pioneer 1000 turntable and it seems like a good match for that tone arm.
The MP-150 is MUCH BETTER, and IMHO, the sweetspot of the Nagoaka line
I could tell that you had quite a ball with this review 😀.
Jay, I really appreciate your observations on the Well Tempered table, especially because, as you say, you are not a turntable guy. And what you heard is what I hear every time I listen to my Well Tempered Simplex (and the Well Tempered Classic before it). I had a Clearaudio table before, and while I appreciated all the detail it provided, I found it a little too clinical. The Well Tempered gives me all the detail I could want, but it's so much more musical and flowing and warm. I've been using turntables since 1958, and I think I've found my end game here.
I still have my vintage (amazing to say that now) technics sl-b202. I have updated it of recent. The chassis is dampened as well as that ringing platter. Ortofon 2m. New RCA and ground cables soldered. Amongst other updates. This turntable now will punch well into the very highend. You don't need to spend stupid monies to get great sound. That cartridge is so important. Oh and getting a vintage turntable update the headshell cables as well!!
Great job Jay, I would love to see more and more TT reviews since I retrurned just a few months ago to rediscover vinyl and I have abandoned stupid streaming services, I only buy cd's and vinyl now!
The setup of the turntable is more critical than even the brand and price..... If any of the parameters are "off," such as cartridge alignment in the headshell, vertical tracking angle, anti-skate, azimuth, levelness (if you use a static balance arm), overhang, etc., the sound will degrade mightily. The best investment is a nice protractor, like the Feickert or Smartractor.
I love well tempered and their inventive engineering solutions.
My turntable is a Thorens TD166 MK II installed into a heavy duty wood plinth. I think the extra weight of the plinth takes it into "giant killer" land. Even souped up and restored it was under $1K. I use the Ortofon Blue on it right now, but I'm open to suggestions. I highly recommend finding a heavier plinth for any (especially belt drive) turntable you might use.
I am still waiting for digital to catch up to analogue's musicality. I have owned many turntables, tone arms and cartridges over the years. My latest, and, hopefully last combination. Is a magnetic suspension turntable from Pro-Ject, I removed the arm that came with the turntable and replaced it with a Hadcock uni-pivot tonearm with a Denon high output moving coil cartridge. This combination is the best i have ever heard. Because of the relative stiffness of the magnetic suspension (not bouncy) a uni-pivot tonearm tracks better.
My best guess at where the uniquely appealing sound of analogue sources (tape, turn-table, etc.) comes from is their extremely high (theoretically infinite) sample rate.
Or just their distortion haha. Probably why he doesn't like most modern turn tables and most d class dacs. Some second and third order distortion can add a nice sound.
Actually a lot of people and audiophile youtube channels don't love good measuring equipement.
@@jortpeters6419 Even order (2nd, 4th, etc.) harmonics are probably the source of the tube sound. Odd order harmonics (3rd, 5th, etc.) may be the source of the delta-sigma DAC and class D amp sounds. At least that's the impression I've got from reviewer comments and the reviews that combine measurement and subjective listening.
A high noise floor is characteristic of analogue sources, but I don't think harmonics are? Of course, since Jay likes some but not all analogue equipment, so it could be that he likes that which produces harmonics similar to tube gear, and dislikes that which doesn't.
Dennis is on to something here. Analogue is not simply “warmer” or “harmonically “ more appealing. There is many times more musical information in a record groove than in even the highest resolution digital file. A good place to learn about this through UA-cam or web site for the US based cartridge manufacturer Soundsmith. Peter, the owner, gives excellent treatment to these issues. Start with a video entitled something like “Why Analogue is Digital”.
Got a Luxman 171A used in great shape for a good price. Easy to setup and not finicky
Some truth about what you say. Have been buying Rega turntables for 40 yrs and never had any issues and certainly not over priced
I hear people talking about a 'warm' sound all the time. I have no idea what it means because when I think of warm, I think of muddy and unclear. Can you use a word that explains you mean with another word ?
I also have a Well Tempered turntable. The Amadeus GTA and it was chosen over a SME 20/30, just because its amazing musicality.
I have too, with a vdh crimson, achromat
Would you say the Technics SL-1200MK2 is a good sound quality turntable? I see some audiophiles use them!
It just sounds in control no matter the panic.
You are so right my favour was A Dual 1229 with a Astatic MF 200 cartridge .Jay ultra sonic record cleaner is a game chager
Vinyl noise can be minimized by affecting the particular passage of the record with a "wettened" layer of water made more wet with a mixture of Photo-Flo and water.
Great video. I have a MoFi Studiodeck Plus and a SoundSmith MMP4 phono stage. I love it!!!!
Sometimes it's a matter of system synergy, proper setup, and adequate break-in. I have a high-end turntable from a line people often consider sterile, but my phono stage and linestage are modern all-tube designs, and the turntable was set up by an real expert, and it typically sounds very detailed and expansive to me, but also very natural and non-clinical as well- just playing records without coloring their sound. Also, critically, the table required a few hundred hours of break-in.
Jay would love to hear your reviews on Pro-ject Debut Evo, Fluance RT85 etc. please
I have a WTA GT. With the right recording it can sound amazing.
Equipment matching. If you of course have a high-end super detail oriented sound characteristics then of course you pair it with also a high-end lush and darker sounding amp, preferably tube amp.
Which MM/MI cartridges are recommended for the Well Tempered turntable? I prefer a warm sound. I don't like harsh highs.
Fantastic review, thanks Jay that was really enjoyable.
I really like the philosophy of well tempered, I don't have one but I have read a lot about it. As Jay says, there is an awful lot of creativity going in their engineering. I have more than 10 vintage turntables but I always came back to a Dual 1009 or 1019, they have some magic or X factor.
That's some testimonial about the Dual; I have a 1019 and I love it.
I have a heavily modified Marc Morin ARXA (Vintage) and I have a newer Nottingham Ace Spacedeck with an Audiomods Series 6 Tonearm and Ortofon A90 cart. Although the Nottingham is better than my XA the XA is not embarrassed by the much more costly Nottingham setup either.
I really love my Fluance RT85
Thanks for reviewing a turntable. I listened to a Well Tempered Amadeus GTA before buying my last turntable Rega P10. If you like warm dynamic sound might want to try a Rega P8 or P10. I personally found the Amadeus GTA to not be very dynamic, nice and warm, decent level of details but some smearing. The new Well Tempered turntable might be better or another cartridge besides theirs might be a lot better. Considering my current and previous cartridge is Benz micro Ruby ($2k) and not a basic MC cartridge like that one. The US dealer that I found that carried Well Tempered refused to swap cartridges for my demo, which may be the reason it underperformed at its price point. Even Rega P10 was available with an optional cartridge that is considered drastically better then the Eco and is used for demoing, Apheta 3 ($2k). More fitting price point cartridge for a table of that price point.
My 80’s Lynn turntable has been rock solid, a few belt changes and a cartridges but that’s it. The Thorens 160 I had was a bit more work, hence the replacement P10.
A common sense approach to turntables , How refreshing. Nicely done.
Well done. I so enjoyed Frank Sinatra's music with A dual turntable, & headphones 1969. Perfection
It’s about time you did something turntable
I'm using a Technics SL1210 Mk2 with a Rega RB 330 arm and a Audio Technica AT OC9 XML and could not be happier!
Hey Jay, I have a Well Tempered record player I bought new in 1990, along with a Sumiko Talisman Alchemist IIb MC with Van Den Hul stylus. I would like to upgrade my table , but only if I can see some real difference. Unfortunately, it is next to impossible to listen to cartridges and know if I will see any real improvement. Any thoughts on tables/cartridges?
in my humble experience tt sound depends more on the cartridge/stylus than the tt itself.
I hear where you are coming from. I’d say it’s the entire thing - I see it as one system
Where Synergy is very very important
@@Jayiyagi Someone is saying that we have won the contest and we need to send the money for shipping is this true Jay
@@stephencosta6814 ua-cam.com/video/qQS89qnKdPk/v-deo.html
You and i have the same taste when it comes to what we like for in sound Quality. Any recomondations in the higher end tables. I have a old VPI scout with a Koetsu Rosewood and like the sound just wondering what will best it for a little more cash? Thanks.
Interesting take. I don't have a high end table. I own a Technics 1200MK7. Contrary to your taste, I'd like the table to be as analytical as possible and rely on the musicality to come from the disc.
I have a Sony PS-X5 with a Sumiko Rainier cartridge that sounds just great. Unless I win the lottery I don't see myself "upgrading" anytime soon.
Hi Jay
Great to see a turntable review, I have cd streaming and turntable
Always prefer listening to turntable, You get to pick out an album, listen to multiple tracks from same band/artists and their is a warmth to the sound and definitely intangibles
Take Care
Great vid Jay👍👍
You are correct on issues with vintage TTs. I have a fully automatic 1979 Pioneer PL-630 TT with known motor speed issues. Spent a decent amount of dollars to have it fixed. Installed a NOS Pioneer head shell, Dynavector 20x2 LOMC cart and Cardas head shell wires.
I own a refurbed late 70s Technics SL-1800 TT (manual) and a newer VPI Scout 1.1.
I am sure the TT you reviewed is very nice but I could not see spending $5k on it. The plinth, platter, feet, drive belt etc. isn’t worth it even with the cartridge.
PS - I look forward to your future reviews of record cleaning machines. I can visualize you laughing. Take care👍👍
I have a Roksan Radius and id's say with it's unipivot tone arm it sounds really great. But I think if I were to do it again I'd just go for something like the Rega P6 or one of the MoFi Ultradeck and live without setup complexity. I'd put this in the same fiddly camp as my Roksan
I wonder if you can provide a list of your most love vinyl and test vinyl? After 4 Dual 1229Q turntables with issues of keeping and repairing; I researched & purchased the infinite
Does the isolation table allow you to level
I used to work selling high-end in the late 80s. I went through a lot of turntables. I ended up with a Well Tempered. It simply sounded better and back then was affordable. They only had 1 model. After leaving the hobby and coming back to it I can no longer afford the Well Tempered, so I just have a Rega.
Record cleaning and stylus cleaning very important. My T/T set up is very good and very little background noise. It does take time to set up. But only real analogue LPs recorded in analogue sound best.
So if you were given a free TT, you're saying you would choose this Well Tempered over Steve's SME 50?
I have an restored TD160 with Jelco ST-550S tunearm. My Audio Sandbox best isolation squash balls under box.
My cartridge are Grace F9- safire cantiliver and Hyper Eliptical Nude stylus, Astatic MF-200 Shabbata, AT, VM750LM, My York Fhono Stage is great and fantastic. 78 now . Look after your records and they will be dead quiet 🎉 ❤ 😅 Johnnnie here
Well done video, honest take on a many sided subject.
Tubes and turmtables=heaven
I have a well serviced Beogram 8000 with a MMC 20 CL that I inadvertently aquired many years ago.
I keep thinking I need to replace it, cause I don't think of B&O as audiophile equipment, but it sounds so bloody good, it has stayed in my system for years.
No, no, that is an excellent system, especially if you get it upgraded by soundsmith (where you pretty much have to go for replacement cartridges for it anyway). They do an $1500 or $1800 upgrade that makes it, well, great.
Nice review, is there any chance of a McIntosh MT2 review?
Still enjoying my 1000 year old Micro Seki DD-35 with a current Denon DL-103 mc.
That was my first encounter with high end gear back in the day.
@@hugobloemers4425 Went to the audio store way back in 1978 to pick up a new, flashy Sony receiver and some new speakers, Came home with a Accuphase amp, Accuphase tuner, Kef 104ab's and the Micro Seiki. Everything still works and still sounds amazing !
Nice
Can you please review some Technics turntables in the 1500 to 2000 range please. I'm really looking into Technics and I want a nice engaging and accurate table. I did not like all the problems I had with my clear audio concept.
Excellent conversation about turntables😎👍
Thanks !
Did you tell me that I want something?
Yes, sometimes the high end stuff is notably crisper and more clear - but it can lose some of the original warmth those of us grew up with find pleasing, not saying its better just saying its a quality us who grew up with vinyl may well miss in a to bright cartridge etc.
love my old Japanese aurze sr 255 turntable
I honestly couldn't tell the difference between my VPI Classic I and later the Classic III in the same system.
No, pivot distance equally flawed on both those models… good workhorses/platform for a nice cartridge but more precision is available for less. I have similar feelings about Harley Davidson motorcycles.
I prefer my Victor VV-VI with Exhibition soundbox, which is a vintage type of cartridge that uses a steel stylus, which is unusual for this day and age. You have to replace the needle (stylus) after every play, but trust me, it's worth it when you are rewarded with a sound that takes you right to the dance hall. I found it to be live and warm, with a presence you don't get with modern cartridges. For a more mellow sound, you can use a fiber stylus to take that "edge" off if the music sounds too "clinical". The VV-VI brings a warm soundstage with its internal horn and felt turntable mat. The musical presence is such that you don't even hear the governor (if it's well oiled), and the wow and flutter performance is actually, measurably better than a Crosley Cruiser! (No, seriously, a Victor VV-VI in working order does have better wow and flutter than a brand new Crosley Cruiser!) Audiophiles know that faster recording speed gives you better fidelity and a lower noise floor, and for that you can't beat 78 RPM! (If you've read this far, you should know that my Victrola was actually a "gateway" that ended up getting me back into vinyl. Really!)
That's like bringing up a horse and buggy when someone's talking about a modern car. That being said, I have enjoyed wind up gramophones for some old 78's too, and I like the bamboo or cactus needles. Some of those old 78's do sound amazing, but then they sound "better" with a newer turntable, with a 78 stylus, and a preamp eq'd for the correct equalization. Better is only preferences of course.
@@jeb419 You got me. If I was a collector horse drawn buggies, I would indeed have made a similar joke on a modern car post. It's just one of those things I like to do, like expounding on the superiority of Blue Amberol over CDs when people are talking about vinyl.
“Just one of those things I like to do”. You might think better of it the next time you get one of these completely insane impulses.
I sure like what you are saying, , if get an ultrasonic record cleaner my 1965 Jazz records sound dead quiet as CD’s
It’s funny you mentioned Clearaudio. I purchased a Performance DC a year ago and it might be my least favorite purchase ever. I viewed it much the same. I didn’t have a chance to demo. (My bad). I’ve also had a Thorens and few other older tables and loved them. They just have warmth and character along with the musicality.
Jay any thoughts on Modwright ls 100 pre, maybe you can make a video on importance of the good preamp, thank you
I made it easy - sold all my vinyl at the time CD's was introduced
Well, that was a slightly different take on a turntable review. Good as far as I am concerned. Don't know about high end turntables as I am still regularly using my Systemdek IIX Limited Edition purchased in 1985. An excellent mid level turntable at the time, still runs very well. I'll probably get another at some point, but as you can see I am not in any great hurry. 🤣 Certainly not at $5000 though.
I too am willing to put up with a few ticks and pops for the overall more pleasing sound. Although I do have a couple of albums that were not mastered or made quite right and the CD sounds better.
Keep listening!!!
@Greg McRae Yeah, know what you're saying, which is why I still have mine. Presently I am using a Goldring 1006 cart.
Systemdek IIX here also with a Profile arm and Audio Technica cartridge. iv had it since about 1990 and its time for a cartridge change.
I have a Rega RP 6 Piano black.....looks great sounds great
Bill firebaugh a genius.
3 sport deck golf ball squash ball, fishing line for drivebelt.
Hi Jay
My Name is Ben end i have a question .
What would be a good match amp for the Klipsch rp-8000f for stereo music sound ( ps i have now the Yamaha rx-a3080 av receiver) but is missing something for music sound.
Grz : From Belgium
I always figured the cracks and pops are just a nostalgic part of the record medium, after all the technology is over a hundred years old and many improvements have been made - but in the end its a flawed mass produced medium and in the end no matter what you do its still a needle in a groove. This has gotten notably better with newer table developments and some of the much higher quality 180 gram vinyl thats being produced today. Vinyl has become an elitist hobby for many but the record noise will always be a part of it to some degree.
So many variables with turntables. Not sure I'd levy the charge that high-end turntables are bright per se. What IS true is that many, many moving coils have a rising frequency response. Nearly always in fact. Think of the folks that buy high end TT's - generally older guys with diminished high frequency response. I think it's deliberate, hence why it sounds wrong to younger ears.
Barry, you are so very correct. The Well Tempered Amadeus and matching cartridge is obviously tailored to a specific sound. One that is obviously “analog” as I current fashion, a sound with overt warmth and a lack of transparency. It’s a coloration, no matter how you state it, and will will be pervasive in the sound of every piece of vinyl played making every LP sound somewhat the same. The job of the turntable system, or any source for that matter, is to get as much information out of the groove/pits/stream as accurately as possible. Any information lost or changed at the source is gone from the signal and nothing upstream can replace it.
the tone arm looks super low mass which is good
What’s going on with all the giveaways you were supposed to have
Your exactly right
a good tube system with a resistor dac is excellent.All cartridges have a HF roll off.
Just get a Technics SL-1200G and you won't be fussing about the turntable sound, but about the cartridge sound instead.
It's a modernized HiFi version of the original 1200 turntables.
Designed all about accuracy, making the cartridge do all the work.
On these tables it's almost only the cartridge making the sound color - the table itself has almost no sound on it's own.
I have a few high end turntables but the cheaper tables I have such as my AR and Rek O Kut are more enjoyable.
Ty for a good video as always!
Please review Heed Lagrange! :)
I miss my Linn Sondek LP12. Time for a replacement.
I'm 57, I'm a lazy ass, too, and if great digital sound generally matched or exceeded great analog sound, I'd dump analog in a moment- but I won't, because I haven't yet encountered that kind of digital sound yet (one exception, though, is good hi-res or redbook recordings of classical orchestral performances, where to my ears, vinyl pressings often don't handle the scale and dynamism quite as well as the best digital). But generally, in other genres, analog usually sounds better to me- and it's not simply warmth- it's notably the depth of the sound stage and macro-dynamics as well