Going Back in Time

[hermit]

Thanks Loz. I took the decision a couple of months ago to sell off most of my horde in order to help fund the Kiseki and, if all goes to plan, another forthcoming purchase. All I'm keeping is the tt, amp, dac and one or two tuners. The Yamaha amps were part of the cull. A nice chap from pink fish came up to Glasgow to collect them.

[Marco]

Who'd have thunk it, eh.... A Kiseki Purpleheart and SME 310, on a Sony 'DJ deck'?

Just shows you how much the biased belt-drive brigade knew about turntables, back in the day.........

Marco.

[hermit]

Who'd have thunk it, eh.... A Kiseki Purpleheart and SME 310, on a Sony 'DJ deck'?

Just shows you how much the biased belt-drive brigade knew about turntables, back in the day.........

Marco.

I'm ashamed to admit that since I got back into playing records, I've not really had much interest in belt drive decks so I've not heard many decent examples. I've nothing against belt drives or idlers but they just don't rock my boat. I've been totally obsessed with vintage Japanese direct drives and struggle to comprehend past and present prejudices.

The Sony's plinth was designed to take a 10" arm and has a factory SME armboard so I opted for an SME 310. With the Purpleheart it all makes for a very satisfying front end

[Marco]

I don't doubt it does, Paul! And that was essentially my point....

I'd expect your Sony, thus or similarly partnered, to have spanked the pants of any of the 'revered' belt-drives, back in the day (LP12s, etc), yet because of the bias that existed back then, T/Ts like yours simply weren't seen at your average dealer, and would've likely been laughed at as being any good, if even suggested!

Never mind, we know better now these days, thanks largely to forums such as this, so enjoy

Marco.

[Haselsh1]

Since my first interest in Hi-Fi around about 1979 I have owned Japanese DJ decks and belt drive Hi-Fi decks and my personal preference is very definitely for the latter. When it comes down to what I have heard, there really is no competition.

[Marco]

That's because you haven't heard a really good one yet, Shaun.... Plenty of time still, though, to educate you in that respect (that is if you want to learn and hear new things). All it'd take is a visit to your place from someone with the right T/T, or you to venture out yourself

Marco.

[Haselsh1]

I am currently in the best place sonically I have ever been and I have no requirement to chase after some fantasy sound in the way a religious idiot chases a fantasy figure. I am at peace with my current system and do not see any kind of change coming any time soon. Yes, I shall have to renew quite a lot of valves and that will have to be done carefully and yes, there will have to be a cartridge change at some point but even having heard so much gear in almost forty years of listening, I am totally satisfied with my current sound system. I have compared my present system to those of friends who use a whole range of turntables and I always prefer my own. This is a good place to be. My only dilemma...? Buy CD's at a tenner or vinyl at twenty odd quid...?

[Haselsh1]

That's because you haven't heard a really good one yet

In forty years of listening I have heard most of what are termed the best. I worked in the retail sector for years and also heard hundreds of setups. I very definitely have heard many 'good' ones. Maybe it is you who have not...?

[Marco]

Lol.. Ok, so please list all the direct-drive turntables you've heard to date, and in what context.

Marco.

[farflungstar]

The point of this 'game' is to find contentment and fulfillment from our systems, of whatever flavour. We each have a certain sound we are looking for - and if you have found it then I'm very happy for you. There is no absolute perfect holy grail in this game.