Audiophilepure

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/1922-pro-ject-audio-systems-xa-b-turntable-and-pick-it-pro-balanced-cartridge

This is the fourth Pro-Ject turntable I’ve reviewed, and I confess that I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Although its clean, neutral demeanor embodies Pro-Ject’s house sound, it’s the XA B’s intriguing design that sets it apart from those other models. Even when it’s not spinning records, it’s a conversation piece, and it’s certain to elicit attention even from non-audiophiles. For $1499, anyone buying an XA B will have the pleasure of owning a turntable that can likely hold its own sonically against anything at its price point, and, as I found in my comparison, quite a bit higher. However, they’ll also have the pleasure of purchasing something that is almost certainly going to look better than much of the competition. Don’t get me wrong: Pro-Ject’s XA B is first and foremost a great performer, and that’s the main reason you should add it to your list of decks to audition if you’re shopping anywhere around and even above this price point. The cherry on top is that it looks stunning as well, proving that sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too. Enthusiastically recommended.

https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2024/9/1/pure-fidelity-symphony-turntable

The ambient information around the guitar, his gravelly baritone, the smooth guitar response, and the bass are better defined than I’ve heard previously. So many cues from the Symphony made my ears perk up. Nothing, even Ricks’ most subtle guitar playing, escapes. And that old audiophile axiom “Rhythm, Pace and Dynamics“ was highlighted in “Ain’t No Fool” and then focused specifically on accelerated rhythm in “Frisco Whistle Blues.” The guitar timbre is outstanding, and his strumming was made especially beautiful. The coda of “Down Delta” will convince you of Ricks’ virtuosity and the Symphony’s superior playback.

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/vpi-scout-21-turntable

Through the VPI Scout 21/VPI Shyla combo, I marveled at the fresh-scrubbed sonic details, and perhaps better instrument placement, than the Giles Martin mixes. I’ve never heard Beatles tracks so cleanly remastered with excellent back-to-front layering, and with a level of exacting placement and imaging within the mixes that brought new revelations, track after track. The Scout 21 let The Beatles’ eternal good vibrations shine through, from the deep-toned guitar goodness of “Day Tripper” (LP2, Side Three, Track 4) and the glowing introspection of “In My Life” (LP2, Side Four, Track 2) to the bleary-eyed, seemingly lost-at-sea daydreaming of “I’m Only Sleeping” (LP3, Side Six, Track 3). The Scout 21 made it all dead-eye clear and wide-eyes resplendent.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/garrard-301-advanced

With my Ortofon Cadenza Black MC fitted, the 301 Advanced provided a trip down memory lane. To my shame, my own Garrard 301 has been unused for several years, but I was instantly reminded of everything that I always loved about it, such as its sheer drive, power and timing. This turntable locks onto rhythms and basslines with scarcely believable precision. Low-end elements simply arrive, stun you with their impact and leave. There is no wallow, no overhang and no uncertainty. And if that bass note is a proper deep, juicy one, then you’ll know about it.

And yet the 301 Advanced can be soft, subtle and beautifully restrained when the occasion demands. It can reveal everything on the record and has an impressively wide dynamic range. Sounds ranging from a very

soft background effect to a huge percussive crescendo are handled with ease, the former helped by something that may be a concern to many reading about an idler drive deck… Don’t worry – the 301 Advanced is as quiet as a church mouse in terms of background noise and rumble.