Quote Originally Posted by hermit View Post
I got your point Marco but I was attempting to set out why I wasn't agreeing wholeheartedly. I think the Sony is sensational but I am very circumspect when talking about my equipment due to an overall lack of experience in the hobby compared to many here. Anyway, I hope you get the chance to pop in and hear it for yourself on one of your trips north.
Totally get that, Paul, and I will defo pop by for a listen next time I'm up in Glasgow.

My main point really was that high-quality, very capable and well engineered T/Ts. like yours, were almost completely ignored by the UK hi-fi press and dealers, back in the day (mainly due to their obsession with the LP12), and it was a major bugbear of mine, as it meant that we missed out on *so* much quality kit from Japan, which found its way onto other shores, such as Germany and Italy, because in those countries there didn't exist the same bias.

This lack of experience in general and of belt drive decks in particular means I can't really make statements in reference to the Sony like yours above in bold or, indeed, claim like Shaun that I have an informed preference for one drive type over the other based on years of listening. That said, the feedback I have had on my deck from more experienced audiophile visitors suggests that it is a very decent performer by any yardstick.
I appreciate that, mate.

The difference is, I've used 'high-end' T/Ts since 1982, and have owned many different ones in that time, but crucially also in the last 10 years, have attended numerous bake-offs, including large shows such as Scalford, where I've demonstrated my T/T to 100s of people, and also taken it folk who own some very serious turntables, some costing five figures(!) so I *know* exactly what it's capable of and how it compares against numerous other T/Ts, idlers, belt-drives or direct-drives, which means I can comment with some authority, not only on how good it is against such competition, but also how good all the other turntables I've heard to date are, in general, against a known and constant point of reference.

Not many folk I know have done that, and pitched their kit up against the best, in all different sorts of contexts/environments (most only have their own system/kit and that belonging to a few friends, acting as their benchmark), so in this particular area I have LOTS of experience, and so really do know what I'm talking about

FWIW, my friend has a very decent high mass belt drive deck with a top OL arm and an Ortofon cartridge from their exclusive range. To me it sounds absolutely superb and I have no doubt I could live with it long term from a SQ point of view. If the Sony were to fail, I expect I would look out for an EMT DD or an SP10 but I wouldn't rule out a high mass belt drive deck.
There's nothing wrong with belt-drive turntables; I've also heard some superb ones, especially those who've given my own T/T a run for its money (or bettered it), and of course no turntable or drive system is perfect (they all have their compromises), but there still exists the perception, especially here in the UK (old habits die hard and all that) that any 'serious' turntable is a belt-drive, and that D/Ds and idlers aren't in the same league, which I'm afraid is patent nonsense!

That's why, on AoS, we go out of our way to champion the best D/Ds and idlers (to educate and inform our members), such as the Technics SL-1200/1210 (when suitably modded), and SP10, your Sony (and other Sonys of a similar calibre), the Pioneer PL-71, Denons, Toshibas and JVCs, etc, and with idlers, the various Garrards, Lencos, Goldrings, and Thorens TD124, because in many instances they completely outperform (or have the potential to do so) to many overpriced, currently produced belt-drive T/Ts, purported as being 'high-end', and where they'll ultimately deliver higher 'SPPV'.

As you know (or should know), the 'SPPV principle' is a fundamental and core part of the AoS ethos, as indeed is me flying the flag for some of T/T's 'unsung heroes', in order to help eradicate the belt-drive bias that still exists, and dilute the perception that only 'proper turntables' are driven by a rubber band...

Anyway, I trust you can appreciate where I'm coming from. If you do decide to go for an EMT (D/D) or SP10, do make sure that you get it properly serviced by someone qualified to do so, as the majority of these, undeniably superb, but *very old* (electronically complicated) designs, will need looked at by a professional, in order to perform at anywhere near 100% of the original capability.

Marco.