boomac Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 I saw and listened to a laser turntable today and was wondering why I haven't heard anything about these on the Forum. I know they're expensive but so are some of the rigs many of you have. What's the story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandi Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 the ad I saw had them selling at $10,500,,,,,too much for my blood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 You tell us! How'd it sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 I heard a demo a few years back too. Sounded LOUSY. Records have to be PERFECT to sound even decent--they are HORRIBLE as far as surface noise and ticks and pops--MUCH worse than any table/arm/cartridge combo. When I heard it they wanted $10,000 and would only build them to order with a $2500 deposit up front. Don't think they got any takers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 ---------------- On 2/3/2005 11:10:29 PM Allan Songer wrote: I heard a demo a few years back too. Sounded LOUSY. Records have to be PERFECT to sound even decent--they are HORRIBLE as far as surface noise and ticks and pops--MUCH worse than any table/arm/cartridge combo. When I heard it they wanted $10,000 and would only build them to order with a $2500 deposit up front. Don't think they got any takers! ---------------- Think about the technology here. A regular needle makes a mechanical connection and then amplifies the vibrations. A CD reads informatiomn and translates it via DAC's. This laser TT does the same thing but has an inferior source (for digital) than a CD. It seems that at best, it can only be as good as a good CD, and then only with a perfect album. Stick with analog for albums. This seems to be just a novelty. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdm56 Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 There's no market for the things. The analog guys LOVE the "hands-on" of playing records, and they love the mechanicalness of their turntable/arm/cartridge set-ups. And the digital guys, have by now for the most part replaced the bulk of their LP's with CD's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 I read the sound was flawless, but the disc had to be cleaned EACH time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 The few advantages are outweighed by disadvantages. They cannot even play red vinyl, or anything but black at this point, so why bother. I thought the advantage had to do with their ability to ignore some of those surface imperfections. I thought that was the whole point of them. C&S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 ---------------- On 2/3/2005 11:50:24 PM jdm56 wrote: There's no market for the things. The analog guys LOVE the "hands-on" of playing records, and they love the mechanicalness of their turntable/arm/cartridge set-ups. And the digital guys, have by now for the most part replaced the bulk of their LP's with CD's. ---------------- Doug, I would think the lack of demand has much more to do with the price/performance ratio (by all reports poor even by nervosus audiophilius standards) than any attachment to a mechanism or media type. Just my take... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 These tables have been mentioned here a good many times the threads just don't seem to last very long when the 10K price tag comes up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 I recall hearing about a laser turntable at least once here in the last two years. Someone even mentioned that it could play records that were broken, or deeply scratched by applying an algorithm to extrapolate the missing information, just like a cd player does. I do not know if this is fact or fiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted February 4, 2005 Author Share Posted February 4, 2005 Ben, I listened to a dusty 45 in an office through computer speakers so its pretty hard to form an opinion based on that experience. The owner seemed very experienced in records & recording and was quite honest about the pros and cons. The disc does have to be perfectly clean. If it is, he claims it will produce excellent quality sound. He owns a Linn Sondek table and says the laser is more accurate. He mentioned something about a stylus causing distortion because of the bass tones. I guess the laser can get way down in and avoid any surface noise associated with minor groove damage. It will even play damaged and/or cracked records. Not a plus for me but this guy is into rare records and I guess they're often less than perfect. His machine cost around 9K and plays 45s and 33s. He wishes he would have upgraded to the model that also plays 78s but thats another 5 or 6K. He said 78s have great sound and that most, if not all surface noise that can be eliminated when played by laser. C&S is right about not being able to play red vinyl. It sounds like you guys are on the right track. Probably not enough bang for the buck. The guy expressed that current laser technology along with the high cost would not justify purchase by a typical audiophile. He did say it will never wear out those old Blue Notes though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fgarib Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Boomac, I had posted about this earlier. In last month's Stereo Review (I think) there was a review on, I believe the company's name is ELS's new digital turntable. The review was HIGHLY favorable, thus prompting me to post along the same lines as you. But it's clear even from that stunning review that the benefits are by far outweighed by the drawbacks. And the 12,500 British pound price tag also doesn't help the case. Personally, neither the concept nor the technical aspect appeals to me. I feel the charm of the TT lies in its "analog-ness" and a good thing should be left as it is. It feels like this thing has been developed more for the people who like talking about how they have the latest technology, and don't understand the basic concepts of the technologies involved. Regards, -F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted February 4, 2005 Author Share Posted February 4, 2005 I agree with you There's something special and charming about placing an old Blue Note on a turntable and dropping that arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 I cant remember when this technology first came up - I think it was sometime in the 80's. Every now and then it re-appears. The problem, as you have all identified, is the price, more than anything else. For the money you get into some very serious TT's indeed - way beyond my budget - and I am buying what I regard as a high end table anyway (for about half of this in fact). Had it been in my budget I would consider auditioning it - but as very little of my vinyl is really clean I am not sure how it would cope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fgarib Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 ---------------- Had it been in my budget I would consider auditioning it - but as very little of my vinyl is really clean I am not sure how it would cope. ---------------- Maxg, Probably not very well, as the tiniest, microscopic speck on a cd tends to affect the playing of the cd. Likewise, I can imagine the groove being filled with the same sort of dust creating havoc in the actual reproduction by laser. I'm really curious to know how the "scritchy crackling" sound on most LP's would sound when a laser is reading and playing it. -F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Apparently there are worse problems with owning or buying one of these TT's. Who knows where truth lies - but having read the following link my advice would be to steer clear with your $10,000 plus.... http://www.smartdev.com/LT/laserturntable.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fgarib Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Wow! That sounds a lot like some of the Pakistani companies that I work with! Especially the bit about not being in any hurry to produce your order once they have your money! Funny.... sheds a whole different light on things! -F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 It might be a useful machine for mastering old 78s for reissue if you are in that business. I have some CD compilaitons of rare old 78s that sound like they have been taken from very stressed rare examples, sometimes awful. C&S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomac Posted February 4, 2005 Author Share Posted February 4, 2005 The owner that showed me this rig transfers 45s and 33s to his computer. With a through cleaning, he can get noisy vinyl to sound significantly better. Get this though! After cleaning the record on a VIP, he still has to use a special blower to remove the dust that accumulates during the three foot move to the laser table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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