Audiophilepure

The GrooveMaster III arrives well-packed with an excellent manual, armboard, pivot-to-spindle mounting templates, protractor, hardware, and a handy metric Allen wrench set making this tonearm setup relatively painless. I say that with a caveat: If you’ve set up turntables before or have an experienced person who can help you, this should be a snap; if not, it might be best to hire a turntable specialist. 

https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1238-thales-ttt-compact-ii-turntable-system

Dynamics—that’s the key here. The Thales system made a distinct happening of the start and stop of each note, each effect, each sharp moment. So when Waits disburses a grunt or a grumble, it stood out from the other instruments and sounds that make up this complicated song. The Thales does it again on “Metropolitan Glide,” where Waits’s front-and-center vocals gained an appropriate serving of spit and gristle, the Thales expanding the reach and spread of his explosive, whole-head voice

Below the plinth are three adjustable feet, so you can ensure the turntable is level. These feet can also be removed and replaced but, considering just how heavy and inert the plinth is, I’d be surprised if you would hear any improvement with aftermarket feet.

This is a very good-looking turntable in my opinion. The machined aluminum on the top of the plinth has a warm textured pattern that catches and diffuses light. The company’s logo is featured prominently in white just below the tonearm’s cartridge position.

Power to the Cyrus Audio TTP Turntable was provided by a PSX-R PSU power brick supplied with the table, which is suitable for 90-264V operation (50/60Hz). This PSU features a low-consumption standby mode for sustainable operation. When in use, power from the PSU is routed internally to the motor drive stage to provide an even more stable, ultra-low noise power supply for the turntable motor.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/spin-doctor-13-acoustic-signature-verona-neo-turntable-ta-5000-neo-ta-7000-neo-tonearms

The TA-5000 NEO and TA-7000 NEO tonearms continue the effort to keep things simple, providing all of the key adjustments and most of the tools needed for an accurate cartridge setup. Azimuth adjusts in the familiar Acoustic Signature way, by slightly loosening the two screws that attach the armtube to the bearing assembly, then rotating the tube. An uncalibrated counterweight screws onto a fine-pitch threaded rod at the back of the arm, making it easy to fine-tune small changes in the tracking force. The antiskating adjustment is a simple, calibrated dial. The arm comes with a nice dedicated Dennesen-style single-point alignment protractor for setting overhang and zenith, but you will need to provide your own tracking force gauge. I recommend and use the Riverstone Audio gauge: It’s accurate, affordable, and it measures the tracking force close to the level of a record’s surface.

The Audio Creative GrooveMaster 3 tonearm came with a well-earned reputation for excellence for the money, and it left no doubt that inserting it in place of my stock tonearm was an excellent upgrade. Like switching from a bulky mountain bike to a svelte racing bicycle for a street rally—or loudspeakers using a pair of fast eight-inch drivers instead of a single 15″ woofer—the GrooveMaster was fleeter and more nimble, making a noticeable improvement in responsiveness, sensitivity, and detail. It’s a beautiful instrument, a versatile, universal tonearm suited for a wide variety of turntables, and one that I can’t see myself parting with anytime soon. I highly recommend it.

https://www.audiophilia.com/reviews/2024/1/16/muarah-mt3-turntable

Type “3K turntables” into Google and press the shopping tab. It’s almost overwhelming the choices for your analog dollar. As such, only the very best sound and design value-for-money products will survive. I’m confident that an audition of this ‘table, correctly set up and with an appropriate cartridge, will convince those searching for their next turntable to shortlist the Muarah Audio MT-3. At USD 2990 including a well-designed tonearm, it’s a solid analog bargain. A warm recommendation from me.

https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipmen-menu/1234-audio-technica-at-art20-moving-coil-cartridge

A-T claims a channel separation of 30dB at 1kHz, a frequency response of 20Hz to 50kHz, an output voltage of a healthy 0.55mV (1kHz at 5cm/sec), and an overall weight of 9.3gm. The suggested load impedance is >100 ohms, with a recommended tracking force in the range of 1.6–2.0gm. Average compliance figures and moderate mass suggest this cartridge would be easy to accommodate in a variety of high-quality, medium-mass tonearms such as SME and Origin Live.

It’s worth noting that the stylus tip of the ART20 is some way forward in the body, which could present a problem for arms with insufficient front/rear alignment. The SME Series IV tonearm I used had no problem with this, but SME arms are among the most flexible in the world in terms of mounting position and adjustment.