If I ever get a turntable....

....it's going to be one of these:





The Oracle Delphi MkV . It's reviewed in this months (July 2004) HiFi News and it's just gorgeous.

I'd buy it on looks alone and the fact that it has built in cover. The way the 33 and 45 selector levers illuminate with the little etched 33 and 45 is also just sooo stylish.

Unfortunately we're talking £3500-4000 depending on options and I don't even know if that includes an arm or cart. It really annoys me that HiFi News says £4117 "as tested" but don't say what that includes . If we're looking at another £500 each for arm and cart (at a minimum) then it's starting to be a seriously expensive TT :cry:

Oh well, I always said I'd never get one

Michael.

 

Agree with you mike looks gorgeous IIRC the price included the arm but not the cart, i think the answer was in the text.

So £4117 is not seriously expensive but £5k is?

Know what you mean, thoght the MF M1 looked good, but the delphi makes it look dumpy, don't suppose I'll ever get another TT as only have about 150 albies left in loft and most of these I have on cd now anyway, and I would have to spend that kind of money for it to compete with my CDP.

I am thinking about a heahphone rig instead maybe gonna go stax as does away with need for seperate amp. Was thinking of the ones about £400, but does anyone heard the small in ear ones, are they any good, do they hurt your ears etc.

 

But can it compete with a dac 64?, you'll be wasting your money mike.
Hold you horses before going off on anti 64 point, I simply mean, the other day in a thread you stated 'what was all the fuss about with a TT<>CDP, you felt you couldn't hear a difference?
So why bother with a TT, even if it looks nice, more of a audio phool jewellery thing then?

 

I know this is a contentious issue, and I wouldnt want to start an LP vs CD debate, but Id humbly suggest you can get a TT, phono stage , arm and cart that will match CD performance (/better it depending on preferences) for less than 1,000 used, and less than 2,000 new.

I think I could do it for about 600 used / 1200 new, but that would be pushing the edges IMHO..



NB If anyones interested in an Oracle, send me a PM... I know somebody that can help...

Chris

 

Yep

I honestly don't think that TTs are all that special. As I said, I can see what people are on about but it's not that amazing. No, before I spend anything like that amount of money on any bit of hifi, nevermind a TT, I'll have to win the lottery or something. Got far more sensible things to be spending £5K on

Michael.

 

But not as nice as :-



or



Posted using "Copy image location"

 

I think someone has to own a decent turntable for a while and build a vinyl collection before making that sort of judgement. Doesn't have to be expensive either, a Rega P25 would do the job.

Oracles look lovely, but they're awfully expensive for what they are.

-- Ian

 

It makes the Linn look cheap.... (and of course the Linn is simply better)

One of the most laughably crap demos I ever heard involved an Oracle and some very exotic Koetsu.

Paul

 

Personally i can't stand the crackling I know it gets better the more you tweak/spend/clean records, BUT, it's still there, i don't even like it in those CDs that have the crackling added for nostalgic reasons, Tony is right I would only really ever buy one for how they look, oneday might get seconhand Gyrodek, still stunning looking and plays those funny old black things.

 

Paul (A/K)
I will say this the best sounds I've ever heard are from TT's, not by the margin it once was, But I feel Sideshow is right, you have own a good one to appricate one.
Mike B, when your over in the UK next I will take you to listen to a correctly set up one, see if you change your mind then.
Best TT for music imho Well tempered Ref, destroys every thing I've heard by a large margin.

 

Am i the only one who thinks its funny, analoguekid doesnt like analogue source?

 

A good TT/arm/cart has minimal crackling/backgound noise, especially if you use a record cleaning machine. I have piles of records from the 50s and 60s that are as quiet as anyone could possibly want. Poor or damaged vinyl is no great shakes, but neither is poor or damaged digital.

Anyone who's serious about building a comprehensive music collection ought to have a TT, whether they buy the "analogue is better than digital" view or not (it is better, of course, but that's not the important thing).

Anyway, I'll stop now before this turns into another analogue v. digital war, which is boring for everyone, me included...

-- Ian

 

Irony eh

got the name from Rush song "Analog Kid" on "Signals", had a nice ring to it I thought, wish I had stuck to original spelling, suppose it was better than calling myself "A passage to Bangcock".

Tony know exactly what you mean by analogue sound and had decent TT years ago, but no matter how good they still crackle, It drives me mad, Ieven hate some of the older AAD cds that still retain some tape hiss, just me I guess, Jack Lawson has promised to let me hear his Simon Yorke over the next coupla weeks, but I stick to the coasters thanks.

Ps Sgt those things are grotesque, their not German by any chance? IMHO they don't know how to "Do wood" properly yet, compare Maybach interior with new Rolls (I know it's german but British Craftsmen did the wood bits), they look like they are made of seventies teak formica

 

Its funny cos this old argument comes round again and again and sound quality is the issue it always comes down to BUT there's far more to it than that I'd say.

For starters my deck is not a super deck by any means you could probably sort yourself out with same for less than £400 with the mods and cart included - crackling is only an issue with old, worn secondhand discs, even on a relatively budget deck like mine.

Its easily as good as (even if it isn't necessarily better than) my CD player, which whilst it isn't in the super league either isn't a slouch. Its different for sure.

That all aside the thing about records as opposed to CDs for me is a pride of ownership thing. I like records, I like the heft of them , I like the sleeves, I like collecting them and I like riffling through the bins at record fairs and charity shops. I like the ritual of putting them on, dusting them and cueing them up. I like that you only get twenty minutes or so and then you have to swap sides or put something else on. I even like the cracjkles on the rare occasions you get it (not so keen on pops though ) and finally I like the way they sound.

90% of this has nothing to do with sound quality, but there is definitely a difference in the quality of the sound which I like and which suits a lot of the music I listen to.

If I look at CDs they do none of the above for me. Sound quality aside (something I don't actually have a big issue with), they look cheap and they are cheap. They give me no pride of ownership. Someone could nick my CD collection tomorrow and I'd just shrug and get on the blower to the Insurance company. If someone nicked my record collection I'd break down and weep.

Finally - think of how beautiful a lot of TTs are - all that lovely engineering on show, then think of how boring 99.9% of CDPs are - just another crappy looking black box to sit besides all the other crappy looking black boxes.

 

Not disagreeing with any of you but only have 150 lps left and not one of my priorities, crackles pops, call them what you will they still annoy me, somepeople it's labels sticking up from collars, cap off the toothpaste tube, with me it's snap cracle and pop.

disagree about attachment to cds a lot of mine are hard to get unless they have been remnastered I have los a few over the years and it has taken me years to get replacements. Although it would be harder still to replace my copy of Santana's Lotus on LP (not one of their best albums (that has to be moonflower) but great sleeve)

 

Oh absolutely. Auntie Ants had half her collection nicked last year and she was devistated - a lot of rare items gone and hard to replace - mainly because she always tries to go for special editions, fancy cases etc if she can. She has a lot of emotional investment in her CDs, whereas I have mine in my LPs. Its a very personal thing.

With you its snap crackle and pop - with me its those bloody awful crystal cases and the impossible to get out without bending them, thin and nasty inserts you get on the silver spinners

 

Sgt Rock, I'm going to have to, respectfully, disagree with you about that lump of wood. Looks :chunder: to me

It's a chicken and egg thing for me. No LPs, don't need a TT. No TT, no need to buy LPs . Reaslistically, I'm only going to get a TT if I inherit or get given a collection of LPs as I'm unlikely to go looking for a s/h collection myself.

Michael.

 

Mine are not boring black boxes still boxes but lovely brushed aluminium with lacquer coat to stop fingermarks.

http://www.bowtechnologies.com/

check my sig to see which one, personally i think my CD player looks as good as girodek and oracle and would love to have the cash for them Phonostage arm cart and records. as I think they would complement the look of my stuff.

 

Micheal
I can donate a Toya LP and Great war movie themes LP

There ya go, best go buy a TT

 

Why you giving Toyah lp away? or is it a MITHSTERY