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Review 1 of 2
Price Paid:
$1600500.00
from Offenes Ohr, Berlin Summary:
thank you mr. lurne´! i understand (read about it under "tnt-audio.com" -whose review, by the way, says it more and better than me here / great website guys!) that the romance is back in production and for less than it sold for ten or so years ago. where to begin? the sound: it is phenominal, especially when taking into context its price. my unit doesn't stand behind the four illustrious turntables owned and well-known by me in opperation in systems of my friends - and the least expensive (linn lp12/ittok/etc., etc) of these is three times as expensive, the most, five times as expensive. to give you an idea of how much i like this unit, well, about a year ago i could have picked up a (hardly) used goldmund studio guiletta (sp?) with tangial arm, a turntable i understand mr. lurne´at least helped design at about a quarter of its original price. i happily passed. twice, i've had the occasion of needing to ask a question and have had mme. lurne´on the phone. anyway, her husband both times got back to me with answers within 24hrs. i've yet to meet him personally but i'd like to know if he really endorses the use of his record clamp for the romance (combination, i.e., we're talking about a superbly concepted and finished arm and player here). i went for the rather heavy outlay (160 euro) and bought one and found that it took too much dynamics away from the signal. i sold it to an owner of a rega mod. 9 w/rb300 arm and it did imrove things there. i also went to the expense of adding a psn; a power 'filter/generator' for the romance's motor. it is designed after the reference psn accessory for clearaudio up-market players. as my analog electric line already has a 'passive' line filter (from tdk - it was taken from the box of a defunkt cold-storage warehouse) in-wall next to the breaker box, my psn basically is responsible only for 'timing.' well, yes, it does improve the 'timing' but with so little effect that i can only suggest you try one out first before buying. the outlay, unless you are "bound-for-sound" and money is not an object, isn't necessary. how i got to where i am: the romance is designed to extract the maximum signal from the lp's groove. it does this with a genial two soft and one hard three-point suspension. the hard, metall, rear spike from the plinth 'empties' into the motor platform that, in-turn, 'empties' with three metall spikes into the base/turntable shelf. as i have had excellent experience using gryphon's "the black spike" (cone) that is made of ceramic and what-not, i've put three of them under a 49-ply 5cm thick plywood designated turntable base. i choose plywood because i wanted some 'saturation' of energy to take place before it reaches the spikes, i.e., cone. in turn, i have this base supported by a 19mm mdf top shelf with a 'stabilizing' 2.5kg steel brick placed in the middle(this shelf, in turn, rests upon three gryphon cones w/brass counterplate) supported on lead shot & sand in vertical steel shafts. the 3-point tripod rack is custom made and for its size is extremely heavy at 98kg empty. the tripod's 'feet' are mitchell's steel tiptoes/cones that i purchased long before spikes came into vogue. the back support has a bolt that is mechanically 'earthed' about 6" into my concrete floor. the rack also has an 'electricalan 'electrical' earth. i mention all this only to illustrate to a would-be buyer of the romance just how important mr. lurne´s mention in the hand book: "please try to place the unit on a solid platform" (or something like this). the payoff for my spending so much time, energy and money in my rack has paid off in spades - especially for my turntable's performance! [not to mention the rest of my hifi gear's] my a-b checks (with a target turntable wall mount into brick wall and 'ballistic' -grade 42mm plywood platform) are 'monitored' on cassette tape recordings tell the story. that is: if you live on a ganite mountain and can drill a turntable support inti it - do it with this turntable! i am surprised how good the units does sound straight out of the box. i can and have set up many massive as well as spring suspended turntables in my day and this baby is by far the easiest - and it stays that way (oh my but, so few do)! if you know what you're doing (don't forget the a-b tape record the difference test - 'sounding' different doesn't certainly mean 'better'), then you can try adjusting the tourque on the screws on this unit, or the amount of oil for the bearing makes a real audible difference! remember to regularly clean the belt and groove on the platter. two draw backs / suggestions: 1) the overhang is wrong on my [old] series. it should permit about 4mm further adjustment. i can live with this although, at least in theory, i'm 'always' out of the time recorded on the lathe. 2) there is no provision for tying down the chinch cables from the arm; i.e., the weight of the cables pulls the suspension down. i will not drill and tap a hole... Strengths:
*ease of set up *high(est) standard of playback for an amazingly low price *gorgeous build - this turntable looks and feels like a million... *the adjustments stay like they are for a long time - i 'review' my hoizontal plinth setting about once a year and have only readjusted it twice in eight years * vta-adjustable and easy-to-use *cartrige allignment a snap as just parrallel to the front of the headshell Weaknesses:
* lack of tapped screw fitting on the rear side of the motor support to be used for relieving the strain on/from the signal cables * overhang is off on my unit (and no way i'm going to mess with it) * the needle/cantilever hangs out in space fairly openly. some sort of guard 'wire' construction (removeable option) could be useful. * no dust cover! i used an attractive kitchen dish towel then a versace silk scarf for years until i tore off the diamond/stylus on my cartrige. retipping costs 70% of the new price... (see comment above) * allot of sound quality will be lost on poor support set up. to be sarcastic: i don't think a glass support is quite right (the 'more dead' and heavier the better!) and the ikea table (works perfect for linn's lp12) just may not fit the bill Similar Products Used:
back then: Dual 1219
Thorens TD 160 (stock and modified) w/innumerable amount of arms
Thorens TD 320
Kenwood 650 (stock and modified)
(about 6 others that didn't stay long enough to mention here)
Turntables in friends systems I know well:
Linn LP12 with Ittok/Trampolin, etc., etc.
Brinkman Balance with Breuer
Clearaudion Master Reference (I do find this one 'better' sounding but it is pricey!)
Forsell Air Force One & arm
Rega Planer Mod. 9 & RB300
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