Turntable Advice Please

[DSJR]

For me, the only NA deck that has really floated my boat is the Dais - but I did like that.

I'd suggest the AceSpace with Heavy Kit! Much closer to the Dias presentation than the standard AceSpace (more treble refinement and slightly more powerful bass reproduction in my experience). A real bargain as I think the once fairly price-matched Raven One seems to have all but doubled in price in recent years.

NAS decks LOVE the Rega arms too, the arms able to sing sweetly instead of all too often sounding constricted..



P.S. It's my personal experience that even a well plinthed 301 or 401 is easily bettered by a SpaceDeck in almost every area - in direct comparison. the Garrard idlers, in this case Bastin plinthed, were just a bit too 'convex' in their soundstaging and not quite as 'clean' lower down in the bass. Just my thoughts of happy times comparing them all... In comparison with any of them, an equivalent period LP12 and Gyro HE sounded like they were swimming all over the place..

[walpurgis]

It's my personal experience that even a well plinthed 301 or 401 is easily bettered by a SpaceDeck in almost every area.

Not done the comparison, but that would not surprise me.

[Chivas]

Probably too late now, but there is an AS Wood black and AN arm 3 going for £2k on the Wam. If you sell the RB250 you may just make it and that is a hell of a lot of deck and arm in a good looking package for your budget!

[IslandPink]

Having used a Garrard 401 and a Hyperspace both in 'stock' condition and with modifications, each for several years, I can say these are rather different decks in standard form . The Garrard will ( in any reasonably heavy plinth ) give significantly deeper and more defined bass than the Spacedeck and Hyperspace . The Nottingham decks are more refined and have more tone in the upper mids and treble. With modifications to plinth, armboard , motor power supply etc on a 401 you can retain the Garrard bass but get closer to the refined Nottingham top-end. If you listen to a lot of classical you might find the Nottingham decks ideal almost all the time. For anything relying on timing and rhythm the Garrard would be better .
If you are prepared to ditch the Nottingham AC motor and belt drive on a Hyperpace and use a rim-drive motor pod ( I use the rather expensive 'Verus' from Teres ) you'll find the bass suddenly becomes like a Garrard and you can keep the midrange and treble tone too . I did this swap and then invited my local audio mate to come round and hear the difference and it took him about 10 seconds to agree it was 'night and day' .
Vic at Trans-Fi Auio does a cheaper DC-driven motor pod that is along the same lines and this could be a very good option.

[talisman2]

look at the Clearaudio range

[Oldpinkman]

A good idler needs probably less attention than a belt drive turntable. That's why there are still many pretty old good ones about. Mind you, either are easier to sort than direct drives when there's a problem.

I'm fascinated. What attention does a belt drive need? Apart from a new belt every 5 years or so. My Pink Triangle has had "fiddling" when I changed an arm or cartridge, but essentially, apart from a new bearing this year and maybe 3 belts, has had no "attention" at all. It is utterly maintenance free.

[Gordon Steadman]

I'm fascinated. What attention does a belt drive need? Apart from a new belt every 5 years or so. My Pink Triangle has had "fiddling" when I changed an arm or cartridge, but essentially, apart from a new bearing this year and maybe 3 belts, has had no "attention" at all. It is utterly maintenance free.

Can't be proper hi-fi then if it doesn't need constant fettling to give of its best. Surely you can hear the .001% reduction in overall sound quality that must be in there....somewhere?