I did say 'if'. I'm not so was just having a gentle jibe 🙂
5 years ago I would have agreed, but then something happened...
Carrying a shell around, snail or otherwise, at night in France can be a liability.
(a right arm is commonly the more expensive)
Um Guys, don't quote a post that's directly above your response. It clogs things up and is against the rules
I am sure it is very good I use his Vector 4 and love it a pretty interesting design. AJ knows his stuff and spent a long time optimizing that new one.
While I'm willing to accept the simple truth that by costing $14k a tone arm should by all means be way more capable that a mid range integgrated TT arm, I seriously doubt its better by the same factor as it's more expensive. That is, IF the budget unit has a well matched (physically and electrically) cartridge, in terms of compliance, trackability, and especially the cartridge termination properties (the recommended load impedance, and capacitance).
30 years ago, wheb the TT was still the price source of high quality sound, I did listen to as many exotic TT systems as I could, but more often than not, I was left wondering what was the whopping price tag in aid of, because what I usually heard was somewhat better than the best of well put together mid range systems, but by no means in any proportion for the price premium they usually commanded.
Just my opinion.
30 years ago, wheb the TT was still the price source of high quality sound, I did listen to as many exotic TT systems as I could, but more often than not, I was left wondering what was the whopping price tag in aid of, because what I usually heard was somewhat better than the best of well put together mid range systems, but by no means in any proportion for the price premium they usually commanded.
Just my opinion.
At some point of cost you hit 'good enough', then the law of diminishing returns kicks in. At some point along that curve it becomes 'lifestyle' to match the ferrari, patek philippe watch (sp?), trophy ex-model with plastic boobies etc. In audio there is also Cult stuff where you buy into guru philosophy, which doesn't fit on the std curve.
I will note for balance that I consider JCs Parasound designs as top end of the 'good enough' part of the curve. They are not cheap, but you do get well engineered and well performing products that will last for decades.
Would I pay silly $$$ for a turntable? No, but I so nearly bought a wilson benesch carbon tonearm 6 months ago for more than my car is worth ($600) 🙂
I will note for balance that I consider JCs Parasound designs as top end of the 'good enough' part of the curve. They are not cheap, but you do get well engineered and well performing products that will last for decades.
Would I pay silly $$$ for a turntable? No, but I so nearly bought a wilson benesch carbon tonearm 6 months ago for more than my car is worth ($600) 🙂
Lars is a go anywhere tug-boat style 120ft superyacht.
It has a backup system with fully retractable propulsor, in case the main propulsion is damaged for whatever reason.
Lars' superstructure is all-aluminum, the hull is entirely made of stainless steel.
Compared to regular high tensile construction steel, SS is very expensive, and much more time consuming to shape and weld.
Single other material to beat that would be titanium, but the mere thought of the cost level is migraine grade.
But if one wishes the absolute best, cost is no object.
14K tone arms are kindergarten level toys.
It has a backup system with fully retractable propulsor, in case the main propulsion is damaged for whatever reason.
Lars' superstructure is all-aluminum, the hull is entirely made of stainless steel.
Compared to regular high tensile construction steel, SS is very expensive, and much more time consuming to shape and weld.
Single other material to beat that would be titanium, but the mere thought of the cost level is migraine grade.
But if one wishes the absolute best, cost is no object.
14K tone arms are kindergarten level toys.
Attachments
In the world of willy-waving super-rich that is an odd concept.
Mind you having seen the Wally lunch boat that boggled my mind too. Its a conservatory on a large engine!
Mind you having seen the Wally lunch boat that boggled my mind too. Its a conservatory on a large engine!
But why not take a std tug and luxuriate it inside? It's almost like grafting a classic beetle onto a 911 chassis. Then again, Look at what tickford has done over the years. Tickford Owners Club
(for those who don't know, Tickford was the coachbuilding side of Aston Martin, when they did things properly).
(for those who don't know, Tickford was the coachbuilding side of Aston Martin, when they did things properly).
It would take me an hour to explain
Lars is a rebuild, the original owner of the vessel couldn't afford to complete the project.
The yacht had been lying idle in the water for 10-15 years, before it was sold. Everything but the hull is entirely new and redesigned.
You need to type faster then 😛
Boat equivalent of rolling chassis when he bought it basically?
Boat equivalent of rolling chassis when he bought it basically?
I quite agree with the above, the question is where is that point, at what price level?
Remember, it must be at some point before you start complaining that the reproduced sound is off because the recorded violin player does not have a Stradivarius. 😀
This view is what makes me consistently use Ortofon cartridges (currently 2M Blue, euro prie €200). It's not that I think Ortofon is the best in the world price backet, but because its requirements are EXACTLY matched by my factory isntalled low mass tonearm. It was, in its day (1978), rumoured that Dual and Ortofon closely collaborated in producing a truly viable system. I don't know if that's true or not, but I do know that I get more out of some Ortofon cartridges more sound than any other TT systems in its price bracket than any other competing model I have ever heard. Better, in my view, than that humble Dual CS 604 does with any other cartridge I tried with it, like offerings from Shure, Stanton, Audio Technica, etc. A marriage made in heaven, quite literally.
BUT, that's using the Luxman C-03 phono stage. Switch to say Philips Black Tulip AH280 preamp, and much of the magic is instantly gone (uses a fully complementary bipolar phono stage). Use a Marantz 3265 preamp and it's about the midpoint between the other two preamps in terms of sound quality. Use a Harman/Kardon Citation preamp and it's almost the same as with the Luxman. I don't know whether that has anything to do with the sound, but from what I have bee able to gather here, the Luxman's phono amp/eq is roughly similar to Johns', while H/K's stage is a fully complementary bipolar stage, its star value being in outstanding speed and powerful bass lines (with its subsonic filter, 6 dB/oct at @ 15 Hz as its -3 dB point. Ditto with the Luxman.).
The total opposite.
Lars is just an example to illustrate that it's hard to pass judgement on something one has little to no experience with, and most likely never will.
(you'll have to excuse me, my man period is acting up again)
Hull is the basic floating bit. Rolling chassis is the basic rolling bit that you add engine and bodywork to. same thing?
These local cray (lobster) fishing boats have always appealed to me.
Just fit a roof over the long, wide flat deck and instant party/deep sea fishing boat.
Dan.
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