Turntables

Galleries:
Continuum, Blue Pearl, Walker, Brinkmann, Teres, Clearaudio, Other,
AM&ff Club - Exotic Turntables

2002: The 3 best turntables, and there is little argument about it here in the U.S. (an amazing thing, consensus amongst audiophiles! :-) are the Rockport Sirius III, the Walker Proscenium Gold, and the SME 30/2. All three are easy to use AFTER they are setup (only the SME is easy to setup) - which is a crucial requirement for many as they do not want to have to fuss with the thing every time an album is played.

2006 Well, that was then and this is now. There is much more confusion in the turntable world these days. The new Continuum at $90K and the Blue Pearl at $80K has hit our shores. Rockport is in the process of making a new 'statement' turntable. There has been a flood of $29K turntables into the market, many of very high quality: Brinkmann, Red Point, Immedia, Grand Prix Audio, etc. Just how much better are the $70K+ turntables?

Rockport Technologies -

Using an air-bearing tonearm and platter, the Rockport Sirius III ($70K) is considered the best turntable ever built. There is also a Sirius II (at about $30K, but it is the tiniest bit on the cool side) and the Capella (about $25K, but hasn't been built in a few years now). Andy Payor, the builder, is now focusing on making his speakers and no longer makes turntables anymore - but these are still considered the high-bar and are sometimes, infrequently available on the used market.

These turntables use air suspension for the platter and linear-tracking tonearm. The price includes the tonearm. The Sirius III got a rave review from Mike Fremer at Stereophile (see website) and is in general considered the best turntable currently available. But it is a close race...

Continuum -

Blue Pearl -

This is the Walker Proscenium Gold ($25K or so, depending on options). This turntable also uses air suspension for the platter and linear-tracking tonearm. This turntable got a rave review from Jonanthan Valin at TAS who continues to be enamored with this 'table. Everybody who owns this turntable absolutely loves it and the builder, Lloyd Walker, continually works on improving the table and will setup your turntables in person (for a fee which the dealer should pay). Price includes the tonearm.

This turntable is hand-built in Italy and was imported and distributed by Acoustic Drreams.

The turntable is distributed by Cardas in the U.S. It has a reputation as being very lively and a little forward in the upper midrange, perhaps over-emphasizing defects in LPs (like pops and clicks).

The SME 30/2 - ($25K + tonearm) is one of the best, popular high-end turntables. This is a conventional turntable except that it has a nice built in suspension. SME is manufactured in England by a company (most of the other best tables are hand-built). SME is a subsidiary of a larger company that manufactures parts for aircraft instruments and business machines. SME makes 2 other turntables which have a reputation for being a little on the cool side and built like tanks (and perhaps somewhat boring looking). Mike Fremer (Stereophile) gave this table a rave review (using a Graham 2.2 tonearm, not the SME tonearm) in the February 2003 Stereophile - and wrote that this table may be comparable with the Rockport Sirius III.

This turntable was Michael Fremer (Stereophile)'s reference turntable until 2003 when he switched to the SME 30/2.

This is one of the most popular selling turntables - and one of the best looking. The use of 3 motors and a solid acrylic platter contribute to some sonic degradation according to some.

This table, along with the SME and VPI, is one of the few tables that offers built-in suspension. It is also one of the few, along with the Rockport, that offers a vacuum record clamp (to hold the LP down).