Price Paid:  $900.00 from hollywood sound

Summary:
I have been using this table for more than a year and here my impressions:

I allways liked the sound of vynil records, even whit its shortcomings, but as most people, ended listening mostly to CDs, which I thing sounds ok only if you dont pay atention to the sound. . Here in Venezuela, CDs made records and turntables dissapear in few years, but still I used to listen to my records from time to time in a very unexpensive technics table.One day I managed to get a stanton DJ cartridge( a moving iron deign) and installed it into that table and me and my family were amazed by the sound we were listening to. So, i started to research the internet about tables and that is how I knew about this one. I got it from Hollywood sound a year or so ago and so far i am very satisfied with it.
I have to tell you that I have an accident with the goldring heroica cartridge the unit came with (i damaged it completely ) two weeks after the table arrived, so Larry Weinstein, my retailer, adviced me to get the dynavector DV 20 H moving coil cartridge. So I did, and from the very begining the sound was clearer and more detailed than with the goldring.
However, I was feeling the sound a bit bright, maybe the soundstage a bit narrow, but I asumed it has something to do with brake in. Time passed and things improved just a bit, so i started to do a more fine tuning of cartridge aligment , VTA etc
Let me tell you, the Dynavector is sensitive to these adjustments. I agree whit another reviewer about VTA been a bit shallow from the factory. I raised it and the sound improved a lot. And more recently I adjusted the Azimuth and then i got great sound, pleasing, deep, a lot of body,wider soundstage etc etc.
Bottom line, take time for cartridge aligment mostly for those replacing the goldring (which i would recommend). It could make a huge difference.Another thing: for those that like a warmer sound, I recomend try whit a good quality moving magnet This is because to my ears, this table is very detailed sounding but could sound a bit warmer.
About weakneses, well, maybe the blue ligth on the motor can be anoying when you are an top of the table,and i havent find out yet how to adjust arm lift.( maybe my fault)Otherwise the table is very well finished, beautiful and well isolated.
Finally, i strongly recomend Larry weinstein in Hollywood Sound ,Hollywood,Florida.

Strengths:
Well built
Great bass
Detailed sound
High gloss piano finish is pretty
great quality for money

Weaknesses:
Motor blue ligth
Depending on preferences, sound could be a bit warmer
I feel the felt mat improvable

Similar Products Used:
Garrard , technics,luxman (all vintage)

Price Paid:  $1050.00 from Deet's sound room

Summary:
I bought this turn table in 2002 it just gets better and better,with a ringmat and a 60 pound granite slab added for a 3rd plinth all I can say is fantastic!! I'm useing white zombie all silver ballanced interconects with a bellari tube preamp with a tubeweight over a tung sol 12Ax7 .I have always felt this table was under priced .It's like buying the cartrage at full retail and getting the table for cost.

Strengths:
It brings your LP's out of the rack and into your speakers in a big way, large sounding, bubble level is right on. Arm has correct geomitry from project 9 and the motor is dead silent and never comes in contact with the table.Platter is true wow and flutter is not an issiue and the goldring Exotica H is forgiveing and warm.I have never used or needed the rummble filter in the Bellari .

Weaknesses:
It dosen't cost 3,800.00 dollers and you get a great cartrage too. So there 's no braging rights,It's not excusionary so even a working guy can get one.. And worst of all you will neglect your cd"s.

Similar Products Used:
to menny to list.

Price Paid:  $999.00 from NeedleDoctor

Summary:
This is the steal of the decade, even though it doesn't have the cachet of snooty so-called "audiophile" turntable labels. If your interest is more into listening to music rather than enjoying the tweaking and the array of options available for changing tonearms and such on more expensive turntables, then you'll probably like this turntable. As one of the reviewers below has said, buy this turntable and try the following low cost tweaks and you will discover why this it garners such rave reviews. Place the MMF-7 atop a 5/8" MDF board (24"x16") with rubber feet to isolate the turntable from room vibrations, then replace the felt mat with a Ringmat Anniversary mat. This will remove platter vibrations, improve the bass response, open the soundstage and give you a low-cost world class turntable. Where I differ from the other reviewer, though, is to change the cartridge from the so-so Goldring Eroica to the incredible Bluenote Boboli MkII cartridge. This Italian, high-output MC cartridge on a Graham Slee Communicator phono stage is simply outstanding! Dead silent background, full, engaging bass, accurate reproduction across the tonal spectrum, this combination, along with the use of Disk Doctor's Quick Wash and Audio Advisor's Nitty Gritty record cleaning machine clone, the Record Doctor, is a winner, especially with female vocals and acoustic guitars.

My system:

Krell Showcase pre/pro
Graham Slee Communicator phono stage
MMF-7 w/ Boboli Cartridge and Ringmat (Anniversary)
Outlaw 7500 amplifier
Reference Audio Modifications modified Oppo 970 DVD Audio/SACD/CD/DVD player
Paradigm Studio 20 Mains
Paradigm CC350 Center
Paradigm ADP350 Surrounds
B&W AS-600 Subwoofer

Strengths:
A solid foundation due to the isolated motor, ceramic platform, the Ringmat and the Boboli. It blows away even the best CD players and a lot of more expensive turntables. Finally, the price is incredible for the value you receive.

Weaknesses:
The table, from what I understand, is difficult to modify because it is not designed to easily swap out tonearms. However, the Project 9 tonearm that is on the table is very nice and the Ringmat (something you must purchase separately) improves the performance significantly to the point where modification seems superfluous.

Similar Products Used:
I tried the MMF5 but determined that the MM7 offered a far greater level of refinement for a moderate increase in price.

Price Paid:  $1025.00 from Spearit Sound Boston

Summary:
So far so GOOD.

It didn't take long to recognize a real fine poduct. I left the vynal realm for space reason. I sold my Linn LP12. A mistake. OR was it. I still had lots of records, but couldn't play them. ......until now. and Wow. It is better the Linn LP12 with the best Alphason S tonearm with the HCL wires and foam damping. I know it is hard to believe. Yet, there is a quieter presentation and a much better retieval of detail. The pickup is diferent than my former Audio Technica ML-170, which was a MM. True, MC may be more detailed. Nonetheless, this is a very angaging component.

Two Argo recordings of Kings College Choir yeilded enormous soundstage with nice layering of soloists appearing to be in the foreground. Leontine Priice singing with Andre Previn provided sufficient intimacy between orchestra and piano without distortion on high notes.

Nice Turntable at a nice price.

Strengths:
Detail and soundstage

Weaknesses:
None so far.

Similar Products Used:
Linn LP 12 basic

Price Paid:  $1200.00

Summary:
Music Hall Turntable. The foreign mfg makes a good product but the U.S.A imported does not stand by its product. Difficult to obtain customer service repair and then the cost are astronomical. THIS COMPANY IS RUN BY ONE MAN... DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THESE PRODUCTS, BUY FROM U.S. SOURCE LIKE EPI OR OTHERS.

Weaknesses:
POOR AFTER GUARANTEE REPAIRS, TOO COSTLY

Similar Products Used:
SUMIKO, EPI

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