[nature boy]

I compared the Nottingham Interspace to the VPI Scout a few years ago and preferred the Nottingham sound. 

NB

[Curly Woods]

Thanks Curly...very helpful!

This is the type of informative and fair comparo that I was looking for.

 

  Sometimes the Nottingham can be a bit too much (it is a little darker sounding vs the VPI), if your system (tube components are too far towards the rich side), but if they are fairly neutral (I hate that word really),or at least not syrupy sweet, the Nottingham complements a system like this superbly.  I liked the Koetsu Rosewood cartridge also as it was a richer sound vs. the more analytical MC's.  But as all things its a balance that makes your system sing that counts!

 It sounds like you and I might have similar system expectations and I certainly liked the Nottingham.  I got out of vinyl for a period, but found that I could not stand to listen without it anymore.  I am also looking for a new table and am leaning towards a Nottingham.  It is hard anymore with the demise of many quality audio stores to find a lot of the analogue systems still being sold locally a lot of times. 

[bluemike]

Well said Curly
I have a particularly difficult time of articulating differences in turntable a vs turntable b

I agree with your assesment and would add another player into the mix the mitchell table is a good balance between the two  organic and less dark sounding then the nottingham 
Tone arm choices not withstanding

[Curly Woods]

Well said Curly
I have a particularly difficult time of articulating differences in turntable a vs turntable b

I agree with your assesment and would add another player into the mix the mitchell table is a good balance between the two  organic and less dark sounding then the nottingham 
Tone arm choices not withstanding

I have not listened to any of the Mitchell tables in years.  I know a lot of folks that like their sound, but I am unfamiliar with them other than the original Gyrodecks.   I try not to get too flowery about what I hear, just keep it simple.  It is easy to over analyze the differences and people then tend to look at you as a "lunatic"

[JimJ]

an enchanting, seductive and emotional listening experience.   

That's pretty much "hi-fi" for me, not mutually exclusive, IMO.

The HW-19jr I had was plenty involving and musical.

[Browntrout]

The platter material is incorrect being Acrylic for correct sound. This is the problem. There is nothing wrong with unipivot arms moving as they do, quite simply if the arm does not move in that plane then the suspension of the cartridge has to move more because the record surface does not move, no? and..with the pivot point of the arm being much further away than the pivot point of the cantilever the change in angle of contact made by the stylus is much less of an issue.

[sts9fan]

Based on what is acrylic "incorrect"?  For the sake of the explaination we will pretend all vpi platters are acrylic.

[twitch54]

The platter material is incorrect being Acrylic for correct sound.

As a general statement regarding VPI I totally disagree, you obviously have not listened via the "Super Platter" !

[TheChairGuy]

Sir John of Long Beach 

The VPI Classic is cut from a different cloth entirely in the line, past and present.  It's plenty involving and just plain fine value for the money - in my opinion. 

I have a outer record clamp (thanks Tuan!) and haven't tried it on there....but they are $350 and you can betcha' bottom dollar that your record will be as flat as can be with it (to overcome the potential issue of unipivot tracking)

$2850 is still in your price range.  You get to sell you aftermarket arms to fund the purchase as this deck comes complete with 10.5" arm (10% better tracking than any 9" arm...no matter what doodads are added to it).  It's better tracking that I hear clearly on cherished piano pieces, personally.  I'lll likely never go back to a 9" arm now.

Above said, I use a JVC DD with 13" oversized platter, magnetic-assist mainbearing, electronic horizontal and vertical damping as I listen during work mostly and having full auto functions are just too swell to ignore.  It cost me only about $500 in deck and modeling clay....yet it's fully 98% of the VPI's sound.  A fair enough trade-off for my non-critical listening during work.

But, the VPI sounds wonderful, really - and I'm not that much of a VPI fan in the past.  It's mostly in support of their fabulous customer service that I have bought them in the past - not as much for ultimate sound quality. But, the Classic shatters that mold completely.

John

[guest1632]

In my opinion no ..i'm sure others will disagree
i've heard many vpi setups in my stereo group and they all seem to have that analytical mechanical sound
this is strictly subjective and somewhat system dependant !

Take a look at the Nottingham tables they may be a better match  they are on the other extreme in terms of musical presentation
chocolate or vanilla pick your flavour

The Nottingham tables do exhibit a richer tone to my ears overall.  They simply are smoother and more liquid sounding to my ears vs SOTA's or VPI's.  Now that is not to say that many will prefer the latter two tables for their sound.  I was a Linn owner for many years, and really enjoyed the Nottingham in my system.  It had a better foundation to its sound also over the Linn.

 If you like tubes, like I do, the Nottingham's are superb tables, bringing the "life and soul" out of your recordings.  I have sold both the VPI and the SOTA's and they are grand tables without question, but they are a bit drier in their presentation vs. the Nottinghams.  Not that one is really better than the other, they are simply different in their presentation.

You know while we are at it, go find an old Weathers turntable with the wooden arm. Surprisingly, when I heard it many years ago, it sounded rather good.

Seriously, where does Rega git in to this equation? It's certainly doesn't have the Linn sound, but it's supposed to be rather detailed in character. Or the tables from what's his name, Hall, out of New York. I thought I'd throw my two cents in here and ask these questions. Was thinking about the Rega tables or at least the Rega arms.

Grace 707 anyone?

I have heard the same comments about the VPI stuff. I'd certainly give the Fireball a look see. Hearing a piano reproduced by one of them is scary. Just don't want to mess around with the delicate tonearm.

Ray Bronk

[lcrim]

Here's a white paper by Robert Graham, the highly regarded manufacturer of tonearms   http://web.archive.org/web/20020803152937/www.cris.com/~tnv2001/WHITPAPR.HTML
Its very readable, not dryly technical but it covers much of what was discussed in this thread in a more fact based fashion.

[toobluvr]

Can anyone comment on the Michell Tecnodec....or the "Michell sound" (if there is such an animal) in general?

I think the Tecnodec is the only non-sprung table in the Michell line, so I wonder if that would make it stray from the "house sound"?

Thanks
John

[Browntrout]

I think what the main topic of this thread has been actually about is platter material. I think it is this part of the table which can colour the sound (for want of a better word) in the way that has been described by the original poster.
  If you look at Nottingham Analogue tables the chap has spent alot of time listening to different materials and combinations of different materials for the construction of the platter and has come to a conclusion based upon his listening experiences.
  I have not heard the super platter and my judgement of acrylic as a platter material is based upon the sound of acrylic platters. I'm not having a go at VPI by the way I just think acrylic does not sound right, it does look very nice though.
 

[Scottdazzle]

I think what the main topic of this thread has been actually about is platter material. I think it is this part of the table which can colour the sound (for want of a better word) in the way that has been described by the original poster.
  If you look at Nottingham Analogue tables the chap has spent alot of time listening to different materials and combinations of different materials for the construction of the platter and has come to a conclusion based upon his listening experiences.
  I have not heard the super platter and my judgement of acrylic as a platter material is based upon the sound of acrylic platters. I'm not having a go at VPI by the way I just think acrylic does not sound right, it does look very nice though.

FWIW, the VPI Classic has a massive 20-pound cast aluminum platter.

[toobluvr]

No comments on Michell tables....specifically the Tecnodec?

I'm surprised that there are no Michell afficianados here!

 

[bluemike]

The Mitchell tables are good tables
They have great finesse and are very quiet
they work very well within a tubed system
I've heard a gyrodec in a mac system very nice
The rs labs arm was a great match

btw are you interested in a gyrodec I have a buddy who is selling his
it's in very good condition. Here's a link to his system and table

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwkgEP3ZLys

[toobluvr]

Hey BM.....

Sweet system your buddy has there!  Speakers look like Meadowlark Blue Herons or Heron "i".    Know them well!     

Always loved the look of the Gyrodec, and all Michell tables for that matter! 

But the whole sprung thing makes me hesitate.  Apart from my Linn (my very first hi-end table), I've always owned non-sprung.

Any idea of price?
Just rough ballpark...won't hold ya to it!

Thx....John

[bluemike]

Let me find out ..I will pm you

[Wayner]

Besides my arm comment, I think a mat is in order as well. I have the Hw-19jr. and it requires a mat. If I were to by any VPI, it would be the Classic as John Thechairguy has. I would maybe also put a Grado Longhorn on it to see if the weight of the Longhorn would help to stabilize the arm a bit more (to my liking), hoping it would act more like a balance beam like a tight-rope walker would use.

Wayner