Audiophilepure

https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-hall-stealth-record-player

The Stealth’s 4lb, viscous-elastomer–damped, die-cast aluminum platter is topped by a 1/16″-thick, slightly hard, slightly sticky rubber platter mat, which bugged me due to its propensity to attract and hold dust. For comparison, the mat on the original Technics SL-1200 (which I still have and now use on my PLX-1000) is 3/16″ thick, much softer, and doesn’t collect dust. The Stealth’s S-shaped aluminum tonearm sports a light, detachable headshell that does not allow for azimuth adjustment. The arm is specified to accept cartridges weighing 6–10gm—more when the included subweight is installed. Its thick cylindrical arm-pillar housing features a “window” for viewing the movements of the arm’s calibrated (in mm) arm pillar. At the top of this housing is a knurled, 1.5″-diameter knob that allows adjustment of VTA even while a record is playing. A thick, side-mounted lock nut secures the arm in place.

I mentioned that Music Hall was started back in 1985. The fact that they are still around with a complete line of turntables and accessories tells you something about the dedication of Roy Hall, the president of Music Hall, to continuously improve their line of offerings. Music Hall and their authorized dealers continue to provide you with outstanding customer service.

Even though this turntable is a simple plug and play unit with everything ready to go, I still recommend purchasing it from your local authorized dealer. It is nice to have hands-on advice in case you have questions about setting up the turntable. You still need to set the tracking force. Your dealer can also be a great resource if or when you need to replace or upgrade the phono cartridge. The prices are the same and this ensures that, if you have any problems, they can be addressed right away. There are Music Hall authorized dealers all over the United States, so it is not necessary for most consumers to purchase this product online.

If you want to play records, this is the way to go in my view.  (If you are totally focused on correct pitch, you could look for a used Nakamichi disc-centering turntable; otherwise, this is the one.) All the Pear Audio designs of Peter Mezek aim at the same goals of silence, solidity, absence of micro-speed variations, and absence  of grit, grain, and resonance effects. In short, they are designed to reproduce what is actually on the record—and, of course, there are some definite things on it. One of the less expensive Pear Blue setups will likely get you close to the ultimate that the Odar/Cornet 3 combination represents. But if you want to go for the best, here it is. Typical analog playback reviews are usually “yes and then again no.” This one is all “yes.” The Blue Odar is different and better at a price that is lower than other super-tables. 

https://www.hifinews.com/content/vertere-sg-1sg-1-pta-hb-turntable

With the SG-1 flaunting undeniable finesse above palpably powerful lower registers in recordings so endowed, it seemed to be in direct contradiction to my near-religious belief that an LP should be all-but-glued to the platter. Yes, the truly commanding TechDAS Air Force III Premium [HFN Jun ’19], at twice the price and with vacuum hold-down and air-bearing, can extract a trace more mass and solidity, but that’s not the point. The SG-1 satisfies nearly as much by going in a different direction. Like I said, Touraj is an iconoclast.

Even cacophony doesn’t faze the SG-1. Few saxophone solos are as madly screechy as that in ‘Astronaut Food’ from Sopwith Camel’s The Miraculous Hump Returns From The Moon [Reprise MS2108]. Think of the weirdest noises ever made by the astounding Sun Ra and you’re close: soaring treble, rapid attack, red hot transients. By the time I got to Carole King’s Tapestry [Ode Records SP-77009], chosen to relax me by wallowing in its deliciously convincing piano and yet more floor-filling bass, I was hooked

https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2021/12/14/71h9nz962j0wvz6l3c3bxvzss7bk1u

Any complaints? Only the expanding popularity of this turntable along with inflation and global supply chain issues has caused the cost to rise somewhat significantly over the past two years. Is it still a value of $10,000 for the arm and table together? Answering that question in any type of objective sense would require a sample size of turntables most people will never even encounter, let alone spend time with. 

For me, the Pure Fidelity Horizon (USD $9995 incl. arm) fits the bill. It offers sonic clarity with an analog flow that only a good belt drive design can achieve. It showcases a beautiful and simple design with high-quality components, and it comes as a complete package that prevents the need to spend countless hours and dollars tweaking accessories and add-ons. Pair with one of the high quality 9” tonearms offered from either Origin Live or Acoustic Signature, and you have a turntable that can get you off the HiFi merry-go-round. For me, I’ve found my “last” turntable, and I couldn’t be happier.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/sme-model-60series-va-turntable

This astonishing, incredible level of detail never once left the Model 60 sounding like a surgical instrument heartlessly dissecting the music. Rather, its level of insight worked to knit the music together as a whole. Detail is definitely not the enemy; I’ve always found that more information equals more musical enjoyment, and the Model 60 showcased this theory exquisitely.

The sense of sumptuous clarity continued into the top end, with vocal performances in particular an absolute joy to behold. On the a cappella version of ‘Too Many Walls’ [12in single; Polydor CATHX 4], Cathy Dennis was a clear and vivid presence, her singing given a scale greater than I have ever heard. Even more striking was the reproduction of the track’s few vocal plosives, although – again – rather than being a distraction this just added to the sense of realism on offer.

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1690-roksan-attessa-turntable

Prior to this review I knew embarrassingly little about Roksan, a company with a well-established pedigree in the industry. Furthermore, when I requested the Attessa turntable for review, it had as much to do with my interest in its design aesthetics as it did in hearing something from the brand. However, as much as I appreciated how it looked sitting at the front of my room, my enduring memory of the Attessa won’t be nearly so superficial. This is a fine-sounding deck, and for a listener like me that gravitates toward components that are transparent, it’s an easy recommendation. The Attessa is a well-executed design both in terms of its engineering and its appearance. Regarding the latter, I found it simultaneously subtle and striking; particularly in the white finish, I think it could add a touch of flair to somebody’s décor. More importantly, the Attessa delivers great sonics. Whether used in its basic configuration or as a platform for upgrading, Roksan’s newest turntable is an excellent option for a no-fuss setup that can also be a long-term investment.