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In the Forum: Analog Playback
In the Thread: Ultimate Turntable
Post Subject: I have a slightly diferent view.Posted by Romy the Cat on: 5/5/2014
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David, I think you a bit overly glorify the notion of "precision instruments" that we all are a bit taken in high-end audio. If you go to a good hobby shop and by a microscope for 200 dollars, or lawn mower for $300, or a kitchen juicer  for $300 then you will get a devise that will be orders of magnitude build to a more precise specification then TTs ever seen. With  civilized production discipline the "precision" that TT is made is not a problem at all, if appropriate engineering recourses be put into it. The cost of material and our exaltation about the  materials is truly laughable. It for sure "explain" the cost if case of 5 turntables are made and sold a year but it does so only for the people who wiling subscribe the explanation. Yes, the Micro turntables topology  is expensive and this why it might cost a few thousand dollars, the rest TTs shall cost a few hundred dollars.

Think about musical instruments. How much cost to make and sell a viola or trumpet for instance? Virtually nothing and this is why you will see zillion chip violas or trumpets for $300. Yeas, there are some instilments that cost millions but pay attention - it is not because it was more expensive to make them and no one justify their price because the "cost of raw metals" and "precision of making". The very same in TT and in fact it has to be the same in any other aspect of audio: the cost shall be determined by an ability to deliver an advanced result. Since high End audio industry has no "definition of  success" and after the years of selling crap to consummates the stupid industry did not developed even simplistic result assessment methodology then there is absolutely no  reasons, in my view, to justify a TT cost in the way how we would do it for viola or trumpet. The "cost of raw metals" and "precision of making" has absolutely no relation to an ability of TT to be or not to be more engaging in a musical message of a performance.  We think that we do, but I am not sure that our thinking is accurate.

The TT that would welcome would be very different then what you envision as "ultimate". it would be light and literally $20 worth TT that would deliver somehow a phenomenal sound. That TT might cost a lot, in the very same way how a very cheaply made musical instrument might deliver a stunning sound and to be very valid for a given particular player. Do not think that I am so naive about the musical instruments pricing, in many instances  they have as much BS as we have in audio and they also sell crappie sounding instruments for very high price. However, the good thing about them that they do not BS each other with neither "cost of raw metals" nor with "precision of making".

Rgs, Me

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