Audiophilepure

https://www.hifinews.com/content/vpi-avenger-direct-turntable-package

Solo vocalists also benefitted hugely from the Avenger Direct’s abilities. The Kari Bremnes’ track ‘A Lover In Berlin’ from her Norwegian Mood album [Kirkelig Kulturverksted ARS-FXLP 221] seemed to soar free and unfettered from my speakers. Miss Bremnes’ voice was fabulous, larger than life and absolutely rock-solid in the centre of the soundstage, with a majestic sense of atmosphere and space accompanying it. The fine percussive backing effects were also sharply defined and easy to focus on, but never intruded on the main action. Everything was expertly underpinned by a taut and fulsome acoustic bass with a crystal-clear note structure. Superb.

Across the lower bass registers the Avenger Direct/Fatboy combo played a masterful hand, dealing back anything I cared to throw at it with weight and confidence. Whether it was the punchy synths on Kylie Minogue’s infectious ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ from her Fever LP [Parlophone 0190295846248], or the thunderous organ work of Bach’s ‘Toccata and Fugue’ from the Invitation To Denon/PCM Digital Classics Part 2 record [Nippon Columbia ST-6011], VPI’s deck sailed through without breaking a sweat. At all times there was a reassuring mass and momentum to the sound, combined with an ease and effortlessness that was captivating.

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/acoustic-signature%E2%80%99s-maximus-neo-turntable-max-quiet-clean-soundstage-and-excellent-dynamics

Coming in at the $9,200 turntable ballpark complete with tonearm and cartridge included, the Acoustic Signature Maximus NEO combo as reviewed here goes up against the following: 1) J.Sikora Initial ($9,495 without tonearm or cart); 2) Kuzma Stabi R with one arm wing ($8,845, and no tonearm or cart); 3) Rega Planar 10 ($6,375, sans cartridge); 4) Thorens TD 124 DD ($11,999 w/TP 124 tonearm but no cart); and 5) SME Model 6 ($8,995 with SME M2-9 tonearm).

That’s some tall cotton to be measured against, to be sure. But the Acoustic Signature Maximus NEO turntable juts out its chin and demands an audition. It’s a well-built machine that’s dead-quiet, fast off the mark, super-resolving, and uber-lively. In short, it’s a maximally great turntable well worth checking out. Gut gemacht!

Clearly, it was a big deal for SME to produce a brand-new turntable intended to better the company founder’s original, now-classic design. Challenge met. The new SME Model 60 with Series VA arm is an overwhelmingly successful upgrade to what was formerly the company’s flagship Model 30. It achieves new SME greatness without forsaking the vision of founder Alastair Robertson-Aikman, who would surely appreciate both this new turntable/arm combo and where his company is headed.

That said, if you want a table that allows you to swap arms or carry a pair of them, the Model 60 isn’t for you. Otherwise, if you’ve got $71,000 or a bit more for something blue or one of the other variants, you’d best check out the SME Model 60 before buying anything at or near the price point. The only remaining question is, who the hell really designed this thing?

Breaking down the sound of the Burmester 217 is ultimately self-defeating because it’s an extremely coherent sound. Going back to that Nic Jones album once more, his voice, guitar and fiddle playing demand a system that communicates music well, and that’s precisely what the 217 does so well. This album normally shows up a higher-mass turntable as being a bit ponderous and rhythmically challenged, but on the 217, it’s light, tight and beautifully ordered. Swap Nic Jones for Frank Sinatra singing ‘It Happened in Monterey’ [Songs For Swinging Lovers, Capitol] and the 217 nails it; both Nelson Riddle’s excellent scoring and Sinatra’s uncanny passing tones meld together exactly as you always knew they should.

My only real issue with the 217 is more ‘philosophical’ than ‘musical’. I’m still unsure if the high-end turntable market ‘gets’ the notion of a turn-key turntable like this. While there was a long hiatus when turntables were starting to be discussed in the past tense, audiophiles before and after the vinyl revival almost universally selected the turntable, arm, and cartridge from a selection rather than select them as a single entity. Even brands that provide all the links in the chain (Clearaudio, for example) don’t specify their high-end models as a turnkey solution.