|
Review 2 of 3
Price Paid:
$1200.00
from Audio Elation Summary:
I purchased the Horizon SE for the price but was sent the Horizon non-SE instead but the turntable is so good I did not care at all that it was SE or not. (The dealer actually refunded me the difference in price later. )
The set-up instructions are clear to the initiated but perhaps not that understandable to a newbie turntable person. Anyhow, after some trial and error, one discovers how it all goes together. the turntable comes with a protractor, oil, allen wrenches, to set-up the table. No additional tools are needed.
My turntable came with the RB250 stock tonearm and the original price included a Nottingham cartridge which was fairly easy to install. Only a screwdriver is needed to tighten the screws.
This is only my second kind of turntable after a couple of Rega turntables. After the first few seconds of hearing it, I was amazed at the warmth, clarity, and overall sound. It was hard to stop listening and go to dinner when the time came!
The turntable hummed for a few seconds when first spun the platter and eventually even the tonearm vibrated too but when I stopped it and then gave it a more brisk manual spin and it never vibrated like that ever again.
I noticed that a few records that my previous Rega did not play without skipping played perfectly on the Nottingham. Conversely, some that I had no problem had some skips however those apparent warps on the lp's went away when I placed the turntable on the most level shelf of where the turntable now is. The Horizon (or any decent turntable) is very sensitive to how level the surface is and needs to placed properly.
It has VTA which brings the cartridge out closer to the record and allows for a precise measurement with the protractor.
The turntable sounded better with the black plinth under it on some surfaces but on others, it sounds better without it.
The most important adjustment I made is this. I placed small rubber feet that I had once used under an Arcam CD player and placed them on the feet of the 3 supports of the Horizon and WOW! The turntable sounds still more clear and deeper! Isolation of its feet is key and vibration of any kind is its biggest enemy! Vbration has come from the shelf i once place it on or an improper start of the turntable or having not placed the belt in the best ridge of the platter. (the belt has 3 settings for it.) Now that I know all this, I have no problems whatsoever with the turntable and can set it up in 10 minutes including measuring the VTA!
I could hear the skips and pops on my previous Rega P3 and the pops from the switch that I need to turn on or off everytime I stop the turntable. For my first turntable, that was not a problem but with the Horizon, I stop it and spin it rapidy and it is dead silent. When my records are finished, it is dead quiet not needing to be given your immediate attention. It definitely feels and looks like a very expensive piece. Being so quiet, it just does not draw any attention to itself and just plays the music.
Its characteristic sound is tipped from neutral to warm and I play a lot of Rock music so did the following to give it more spank. I got the Dynavector 10x5 cartridge first, then swtched to a brighter interconnect from my Pro-ject Tubebox II phono preamp to my tube amp and switched to 2 Groovetube 5751 Mullard tubes in the phono preamp and now I am hearing sounds in every recording that I did not know were there. Perhaps the sound that can rival a $4000 plus CD player. It is really sounds that good to my ears!
Strengths:
-Solid build.
-Very smooth sounding. Tipped toward warm from neutral.
-Very responsive to different cartridges(Grado, Dynavector all sound great with it)
-Changing the tubes on your tube phonostage will improve the performance of the turntables sound still more.
-Motor can be left on (always plugged in to a wall socket) without a problem.
-Dead quiet when set-up properly.
-Easy to upgrade tonearm. (Just drop it in on the well of the base.)
-The Horizon with the mat and the tonearm and with the cartridge of your choice is good enough sounding so that upgrading its parts is only an option later or not necessary at all.
-The feel and sound of a very high end turntable yet very reasonably priced. Weaknesses:
-It is very sensitive to vibration from its placement so it needs a good sturdy and level surface to be placed on.
-It is all manual which I don't mind at all but if you get a spacer, you can use the cue to lower and raise tonearm.
-The worst thing about the Horizon is that it was discontinued by Nottingham Analogue. Similar Products Used:
Demoed Music Hall MMF-5. Owned the Rega P25 and then P3. They are nice but IMHO only just introductory turntables.
| 
5 of 5
1 of 5
View Comments (2)
