So as some regulars on ApS know I have lucky enough due to an unexpected but pleasant windfall been able to purchase a new turntable. After considering several different makes including VPI, Nottingham Analogue, Clearaudio, and Origin Live to name a few I found what I thought would work for me and as it was within budget.

It arrived on Friday delivered by the dealer who spent 2 hours setting it up showing me at the same time and chatting. My initial thoughts on listening was oh this rather good, more depth and detail, but time had disappeared and Sue was home so it was time stop listening after only 5 tracks.

One thing I felt we had not quite got right was the VTA and subsequent checking in the morning revealed the arm was slightly down at the rear, which is quite critical on an LP-S. So I carefully took the. TT off its shelf with some trepidation and started to investigate. An hour or so later having changed the head shell and completely reset up the arm, I wanted to be certain it was spot on back it went to its pride of place.

On went a random track to check how it sounded and there was that lovely moment of euphoria when everything just sounds right. Lots of darkness in quiet passages, great detailed bass, and wonderful mid and top end and superb timing, and the music sounded alive. I had not chosen the best track, in fact it was a spare copy of Wishbone Ash live dates track one, I use this for arm cartridge set up and an initial listen.

So feeling very happy I and my friend Dave went off to Clock Tower Records in Bridport for the first time to see what it was like and satisfy our vinyl lust. I have to say this is a great vinyl shop, on arrival wet from a downpour we were warmly welcome and offered a code or tea, Roy the owner explained the set up and made us welcome saying if we had any stock issues just ask. He pointed me to a reasonable blues and jazz section and said I have a new lot out back I am just about to put out let me know when you are ready look at them. So after. About 2 hours I had a pile of about 20 records ranging from £2 to £15 each of various genres. Too much for my pocket o carefully chose the must haves and ended up with 12 for £60, a good buy I thought.

So we got back home early afternoon and selected records that looked clean an popped them on the new TT, generally listening to one side of each album and moving on. What quickly became apparent to us both as we listened and talked about what we heard was this was a rather special TT. It just sounded right, dynamic and lively but not OTT, notes just hung in the air, particularly evident on one Procal Harum track with guitar solo with a hanging note no wavering or wow/flutter here, just wonderful. My friend commented on how natural and tonally right it all sounded and completely unfatiging. Later in the evening I put on an old favourite and I just knew this was the best I had heard it on my system.

I think that I have been quite lucky in that the new Turntable was a bit of a leap of faith in some respects, although I had read about it and been told it was good, I could not confirm this before buying, anyway its here and I am pleased.

I will post some pics later, in between listening. Cheers Adrian