[Jason Stoddard]

Some news: Jotunheim R boards are here.

Give us a few days, and we'll be shipping (assembly, burn-in, manuals...hilariously, I forgot to finish the manual.)

 

[bcowen]

Belt drive and a low torque turntable motor are a design choice, normally chosen to reduce motor vibration from reaching the platter. It's not a "problem" with the motor.

JC

Totally. Change the motor, change the sound. As long as the motor can keep wow and flutter within the designer's intended parameters (and won't emit smoke signals if stalled), then how much torque it applies to the belt/platter is part of the voicing of the 'table. If someone has a high personal priority for mega-torque to instantly spin a platter (unassisted), get a direct drive. Or even better, get a rebuilt Garrard 301 or 401 idler-wheel drive. Bring fat wallet.

 

[bcowen]

Some news: Jotunheim R boards are here.

Give us a few days, and we'll be shipping (assembly, burn-in, manuals...hilariously, I forgot to finish the manual.)

People actually read those? Dang. Who knew.

 

[Varejao17]

Totally. Change the motor, change the sound. As long as the motor can keep wow and flutter within the designer's intended parameters (and won't emit smoke signals if stalled), then how much torque it applies to the belt/platter is part of the voicing of the 'table. If someone has a high personal priority for mega-torque to instantly spin a platter (unassisted), get a direct drive. Or even better, get a rebuilt Garrard 301 or 401 idler-wheel drive. Bring fat wallet.

They are selling brand new ones now: not that it's any cheaper!
https://www.stereophile.com/content/listening-204-new-garrard-301

ed

 

[saddleup]

Haven't cared about turntables in a looooonnnnnggg time! That said, I'd agree with your analysis.

If I were interested in turntables. I'd be looking for a high-value, high-quality product and...

I'd either be choosing a well thought of 'inexpensive' manual turntable in the $300-500 range (Rega, Pro-Ject, U-Turn, Music Hall, etc.) to occasionally play albums that I've never been able to replace when I made the switch to digital.

or...I'd be looking to go "all-in" (relatively) and would expect that cost to be north of $2K. So even $1500 for the turntable plus $500-1000 for the cartridge would be 'reasonable'.

EDIT: just looked at my old brands -- Linn & Thorens; seems that I should up my "all-in" number to north of $5K

So glad I dropped the needle ...ugh! To each his own but it's a high-maintenance, lower fidelity format -- imo

I purchased a new Thorens 320 sometime in the eighties. It was the successor of the legendary TD 160. I loved that table. In the nineties I 'upgraded' to a Linn Axis. It wasn't a LP 12 but I thought it would be a step up. Turned out to be a perhaps a backward move, a lateral one at best. It had a dark quality I never fell in love with. I sold the Linn and most of my LP collection with the exception of around 200 of my albums in 1999 when I went all in on CD.

In 2019 I started shopping for a new table and quickly realized that I'm going to have to spend a few dollars to get a table at least as good as my past tables. All though I've been tempted by the modestly priced Music Hall, Pro-Ject and U-Turns of the world I know in the long run they won't be satisfying.

The SOL at $700-$800 looked like a steal. I've been without a turntable for 20 years so I have been patiently waiting for the release of SOL to read the user reviews. When that went sideways I did the most logical thing. I found a used TD 320 in really good shape and at an amazing price and jumped on it. Because of the much better electronics that I own today compared to what I had 20 years ago my 200 albums never sounded better.

A SOL at $699-$799-$899 would occupy that space all on it's own. Nothing else would compete. The higher it goes in price closer it gets to a space that has a lot more occupants. @Jason Stoddard if you are going to do it make it a giant killer.

 

[GearMe]

Totally. Change the motor, change the sound. As long as the motor can keep wow and flutter within the designer's intended parameters (and won't emit smoke signals if stalled), then how much torque it applies to the belt/platter is part of the voicing of the 'table. If someone has a high personal priority for mega-torque to instantly spin a platter (unassisted), get a direct drive. Or even better, get a rebuilt Garrard 301 or 401 idler-wheel drive. Bring fat wallet.

Interesting...is this a thing now?

Neither the Linn or the Thorens turntables required a 'jump start" back in the day.

 

[vladpetric]

A blind test is a test where the participants are unaware of the test purpose , in a double blind both participants and the people administering the test are unaware .

I think your definition is a bit too strict.

From Wikipedia:

"In a blind or blinded experiment, information which may influence the participants of the experiment is withheld (masked or blinded) until after the experiment is complete. Good blinding can reduce or eliminate experimental biases that arise from a participants' expectations, observer's effect on the participants, observer bias, confirmation bias, and other sources."

I think this qualifies.

 

[FLTWS]

A Jotunheim R question for Jason. Any issue running the unit without the RS1a connected, say accidentally?

 

[TS0711]

I read this all the time but how do we know?

I'm basing my opinion on the feature set... Stand-alone motor, VTA on the fly, inverted plater bearing, 10 inch switchable arm... You won't find those anywhere else for the price. But I could be wrong.

 

[bcowen]

Interesting...is this a thing now?

Neither the Linn or the Thorens turntables required a 'jump start" back in the day.

Is what a thing? The jump-start? It's a thing, but not just now. The Roksan I had 25+ years ago needed a push to get it going. So from personal experience, it's at least a 25+ year thing.

 

[leonthebumme]

People actually read those? Dang. Who knew.

I love reading my Schiit manuals. Besides the obvious useful product info, they are filled with many tidbits of hilarity.

 

[dieslemat]

Depends on the levels you listen at and what impedance they are...

On 87dB 4 ohm towers a pair of Aegir will go into over-current protection quite easily.

No problem going up to 96db (measure using an iphone app)

i believe also said I run 2 aegirs. Speakers are also 8 ohms.

 

[GearMe]

I purchased a new Thorens 320 sometime in the eighties. It was the successor of the legendary TD 160. I loved that table. In the nineties I 'upgraded' to a Linn Axis. It wasn't a LP 12 but I thought it would be a step up. Turned out to be a perhaps a backward move, a lateral one at best. It had a dark quality I never fell in love with. I sold the Linn and most of my LP collection with the exception of around 200 of my albums in 1999 when I went all in on CD.

In 2019 I started shopping for a new table and quickly realized that I'm going to have to spend a few dollars to get a table at least as good as my past tables. All though I've been tempted by the modestly priced Music Hall, Pro-Ject and U-Turns of the world I know in the long run they won't be satisfying.

The SOL at $700-$800 looked like a steal. I've been without a turntable for 20 years so I have been patiently waiting for the release of SOL to read the user reviews. When that went sideways I did the most logical thing. I found a used TD 320 in really good shape and at an amazing price and jumped on it. Because of the much better electronics that I own today compared to what I had 20 years ago my 200 albums never sounded better.

A SOL at $699-$799-$899 would occupy that space all on their own. Nothing else would compete. The higher it goes in price closer it gets to a space that has a lot more occupants.

Seems like a great solution...loved my TD 125 when I had it.
Most importantly, sounds like you're really enjoying the TD 320!

I sold my albums as well when CDs came out and never looked back...don't spin CDs now either!
Still buy CD's (typically used) in addition to digital downloads but only to xfer them to computer/phone.
Guess I'm getting lazy but the convenience/portability/etc of the digital format is so nice in so many ways!

 

[Jason Stoddard]

A Jotunheim R question for Jason. Any issue running the unit without the RS1a connected, say accidentally?

If you mean the SR1a headphones, nope, no problem at all.

 

[Mr Rick]

Some news: Jotunheim R boards are here.

Give us a few days, and we'll be shipping (assembly, burn-in, manuals...hilariously, I forgot to finish the manual.)

No one ever reads those things anyway.