Hi folks, and welcome to this month’s article from us here at Audio T Brighton. Continuing from where we left off last month, we are going to focus our attention on the more exclusive end of the turntable market. What fun!

In part two of our blog on turntables, we are delighted to have the opportunity to listen to six turntables of distinction. To say that we have a rare opportunity is a bit of an understatement, as the turntables under consideration have been drawn from all over the country for comparison. To mark the occasion, Audio T Brighton will be hosting a week-long event to demonstrate to our customers the joys of quality record playback and what they may bring to your musical pleasure, taking place between Tuesday 5th November and Saturday 9th November.

An audio preface to phono stages...

Before we start on the major task of turntable reviews, we mustn’t forget the all-important phono stage. Whether moving-magnet (MM) or moving-coil (MC), they shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to system matching and synergy.

The Aura is the finest in Rega’s current range and Moving Coil only phono stage, although this isn’t a problem at this end of the market because most of the cartridges employed tend to be of this type anyway.

The Cyrus Classic phono stage with PSU is another option we will use in these reviews. More flexible in its settings and MM/MC compatibility, it offers an excellent alternative when turntable matching comes into play (which, as you will see, it does quite often).

The Linn Urika phono stage with Linn Radikal 2 power supply is a little different, in that it is mounted internally on the Linn LP12 Klimax turntable, explaining why I haven’t included a photo here!

The brawn behind the brains...

Our blog wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the powerhouse system we’ve used to amplify and play our favourite records…

The top shop system comprises a Naim NAC 552 preamp with a NAC 555PS power supply and a NAP 500DR power amp with CD 555PS power supply, feeding a pair of ATC SCM50 passive loudspeakers. This system is as dynamic and transparent as they come, allowing our turntables to really show their stuff.

As an addendum to the above, we have just taken delivery of some Dynaudio Confidence 50 speakers, making a pleasant change from our resident ATC’s and their sound can only be described as spectacular!

our resident naim 500 series system, now with dynaudio confidence 50 speakers

Describing the sound and character of our turntables...

Our thoughts on the sound characteristics of the six turntables is difficult to do without personal preference or favouritism and is very subjective, so we’ve attempted to go back to school and remember our friends and peers in the context of the character they displayed and use that as a vehicle for description. Fingers crossed!

Audio Note TT3 with PSU3 and Audio Note IO cartridge...

audio note tt3 turntable with audio note io blue cartridge

Our first record player is an Audio Note TT-3 turntable with its matching PSU-3 power supply and an Audio Note IO Blue low-output MC cartridge.

Armed with an independently controlled, suspended 3 motor belt-drive, LEXAN platter (low resonance and non-reflective material) and Audio Note’s own in-house design tonearm, called the Audio Note ARM -THREE/II, all mounted on a substantial anodised-aluminium plinth, this turntable is a substantial beast on our hi-fi rack, yet subtle and finessed in its musical rendition. Interestingly, during our first listen with the Rega Aura phono stage, we felt the deck was not quite “singing”. Changing to our Cyrus Classic phono stage, and altering the gain settings, we found our preferred sound signature.

Bestowed with a fine and airy top-end, the Audio Note seemed to extract oodles of detail from our copy of Miles Davis, “Kind of Blue”, yet provided a pure and well-balanced, neutral performance. Overall, the sound was clean and easy on the ear, with long listening sessions possible, without the fatigue some decks can produce with over-mastered modern guitar-based recordings. I certainly enjoyed its sonic ease and transparency with old-school jazz. Unfortunately, access to an Audio Note phono stage wasn’t possible in time for our event. It's a pity because it would have been interesting to hear this deck with a “home-grown” phono stage before any final conclusions were drawn.

Our colleagues at Audio T in Reading have written an earlier blog on this turntable, so if you fancy an alternative and more technical review read here.

Using our student analogy, the Audio Note TT-3 was like a student I knew at school. He had an air of confidence, yet was socially quite laid-back in character. Particularly good at Art and Technical Drawing, with an eye for detail in his studies, he went on to study Graphic Design at Cambridge University.

Rega NAIA with Rega AURA phono stage...

rega naia turntable with rega aphelion 2 MC cartridge

Rega has established a formidable reputation as a major brand in-store at Audio T in Brighton. For over 50 years Rega has been producing quality music playback equipment, but they are currently best known for their turntables. In our case, we listened to the Rega NAIA with Rega Aphelion 2 MC cartridge played through a Rega Aura phono stage.

Rega NAIA spotlight...

I have written at length about the virtues of the Rega NAIA and its matching MC cartridge and phono stage in an earlier blog. To avoid repeating the technical details of the deck, I will point you to this article - Rega Naia blog and review.

Differences between the Rega NAIA and Audio Note TT-3 combos are quite marked, with physical characteristics being a world apart and reflecting a very different design philosophy when it comes to dealing with energy dispersal. Rega’s low mass theory versus the higher mass/suspension system of the Audio Note is an argument for theoretical physicists but there is no denying it affects the sonic qualities of each deck.

The Rega Naia is an exceptionally dynamic and weighty-sounding turntable with a wonderfully diverse tonal palette and a beguiling nature. As I have mentioned before, the phono stage changes the game, with the two decks sounding more alike (yet still totally unalike!) when the Cyrus Classic phono stage was used instead of the Rega Aura. The Rega combo is a synergistic marriage made in heaven!

Ending with our student analogy, the Rega Naia is a bit of a string bean, popular with his peers, has a playful and experimental nature, yet gets good exam results and goes on to achieve a 1st Class Honours Vocational Degree in Engineering.

Linn LP12 Klimax/Urika1/Radikal2/Ekstatik...

linn lp12 klimax with urika phono stage and linn ekstatik mc cartridge

There’s a saying that two’s company and three’s a crowd! Certainly, the market is flooded with a ton of turntable combinations and at these heady price levels, customers should expect their purchase to stand out from the crowd.

The Linn LP12 Klimax turntable with Ekos SE tonearm, Ekstatik MC cartridge and Urika/Radikal 2 phono stage/power supply does the best it can to do this and in many ways, its upgradeability, serviceability and heritage mark it out from the crowd. I guess the question is, does the LP12 Klimax live up to its name amongst the modern-day competition?

We have written extensively about Linn’s turntable options in many of Audio T’s blogs, including the more affordable combinations of Linn LP12 add-ons. Please read here for more info.

So how does the Linn LP12 Klimax with Ekos SE/Ekstatik combo fare in such esteemed competition? The answer is, as you’d expect, very well indeed! However, when you are listening at this level, they all sound amazing.

I would describe the Linn LP12 Klimax sound as detailed and dynamic with great pizzazz and etched in the presence/lower treble region, a transparent mid-range and fluid bass with great timing. One of the beauties of vinyl playback is the ability to “flavour” your sound with different cartridges, with an extensive choice of quality cartridges on the market. We’ve certainly heard our fair share here at Audio T Brighton and some work better than others, especially when partnered symbiotically with amps and speakers in the audio chain. I guess this highlights the importance of listening to a range of system combinations before you buy and Audio T offer unparalleled services in that area that cannot be matched by reading reviews or buying online.

The Linn LP12 Klimax was a sporting wizard at school, has a very fastidious work ethic and a socially adept character, who went on to get a First Class Honours Degree at St.Andrews!

Michell Gyrodec with T8 tonearm & Cusis S MC cartridge...

michell gyrodec with michell t8 tonearm and cusis mc cartridge

At this point, we’ve gone beyond the two’s company, three’s a crowd, so we’ll say hello to the Michell Gyrodec with Michell T8 tonearm and Cusis MC cartridge, as it gatecrashes the party.

The Michell Gyrodec really is a sight to behold when it’s spinning, being beautifully eye-catching and yet distracting at the same time. The video -clip below will give you an idea of what I mean.

The Michell Gyrodec is probably closest in character to the Audio Note TT3, with less “air” in the upper treble, yet is more fleshed-out in the lower treble/presence region, giving cymbals a smoother yet more tonally rounded character. Interestingly, at least for us, we preferred the sound of the Michell without the record clamp attached. The clamp seemed to produce a slightly more sat-on character, possibly because of the damping effect it had, so we’d recommend leaving it off, but as usual, your mileage may vary!

Using our student analogy, it is like the quiet student in class, with an immaculate school uniform, gets on with their work without misbehaving, putting their hand up or joining in - yet still gets good exam results.

SME Model 15A-V Diamond with Series V tonearm and Rega Ania Pro MC cartridge...

SME model15/309 with series v tonearm and rega ania pro mc cartridge

The SME Model 15A - V Diamond with Series 5 tonearm is an engineering marvel and our crowd of turntables is rapidly turning into a collective pronoun, if one exists. Our visitors, Ian and Alester, took us through the extensive process of setting up the SME Model 15A - V Diamond with Series 5 tonearm, with a plethora of adjustment tools - all very impressive stuff!

The finished assembly is a sight to behold, with impressive engineering and a solidity that is commensurate with its elevated price. The SME design certainly falls into the high mass, suspended design, as opposed to the Rega NAIA with Aphelion 2 cartridge design, which favours a low mass design, platters aside.

The SME Model 15A - V Diamond with Series 5 tonearm and Rega Ania Pro MC cartridge was auditioned through a Cyrus Classic Phono stage plus PSU-XR.

Sonically, the SME combination has a very lucid presentation, with bass quality and its ability to play a tune especially noticeable. Dynamically, the SME sounded very adept and instruments were delivered very cleanly and with gravitas.

So what type of student is it? The SME Model 15A - V Diamond with Series 5 tonearm went to Lancing College, was a bit of a swot, a teacher’s pet, with shoes buffed like mirrors and won a scholarship in engineering at Cambridge!

Cyrus TTP with PSX-R2 PSU, Rega RB330 tonearm and Dynavector 20XII cartridge...

Last but not least comes the Cyrus TTP with PSX-R2 PSU supplied as standard with a Rega RB330 tonearm and Dynavector 20XII cartridge. Lifting this deck gives a good impression of quality and it certainly falls into the high mass camp regards energy suppression. Along with some other decks in this blog, the Rega tonearm seems to be a go-to for turntable manufacturers, with several iterations depending on the audiophile tier that the deck falls into. All I can say is hats off to Rega for designing an arm that is ubiquitous in the hi-fi turntable manufacturers toolkit.

Fit and finish are splendid and we felt our choice of Dynavector 20XII cartridge was a good match for the Cyrus TTP when it came to our listening sessions.

It is almost a little unfair to compare the Cyrus TTP with our other decks in this blog because they operate in a different stratosphere when it comes to cost. However, you may be pleased to hear that the Cyrus TTP fared well, especially when used with the additional PSX-R2 PSU. We are a big fan of additional power supplies here at Brighton and with it, the Cyrus TTP is elevated significantly in sound quality, with a lot more detail and “meat on the bone”, producing a clean, well-separated sound, as sturdy sonically as it is in terms of its construction.

Using our student analogy, the Cyrus TTP with PSX-R2 PSU was the energetic, sporty student at the local comprehensive school, is popular with the girls and plays an Ovation acoustic guitar with his mates in a school band.

A turntable event to look forward to...

It is not often that the opportunity arises to be able to listen to such a range of quality turntables. We are already spoilt with our resident decks, available to demo every week, but to have four additional “special” decks is a privilege for us and an opportunity not to be missed for the turntable lover, so put these dates in your diary and give us a call.

Tuesday 5th November until Saturday 9th November at Audio T in Brighton.

Tel: 01273 609431

Email: brighton@audio-t.co.uk

As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so get in touch to book a demonstration.

Thanks for reading.

Adey, John & Paul - Audio T Brighton

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

If you’ve enjoyed this, why not go ahead and read some more of our other blogs, and be sure to follow us on our social media channels below…

Rega can be found at the following Audio T stores

Cyrus can be found at the following Audio T stores

Audio Note can be found at the following Audio T stores:

Michell can be found at the following Audio T stores

Linn can be found at the following Audio T stores

SME can be found at the following Audio T stores

Dynavector can be found at the following Audio T stores

Dynaudio can be found at the following Audio T stores -

Naim can be found at the following Audio-T stores

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