ChrisK Posted September 20, 2005 Share Posted September 20, 2005 The picture of Allen's TT does NOT even come close to giving an accurate depiction of just how gorgeous it is in person. His Thorens is one of the prettiest pieces of audio gear I've ever seen. Bar none. As a matter of fact, all of his gear is visually stunning due to his incredible restorative skills. Some serious anal tendencies at work here. I'm betting he's a folder, not a wadder.[] Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 20, 2005 Share Posted September 20, 2005 "I'm betting he's a folder, not a wadder." And I am hoping any future photo confirming this does not do it justice...;^) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 Now Allan, Lets leave the Clearaudio out of this shall we. I happen to think it looks fabulous and even my wife is not averse. If retro styling is your thing then the 124 is your baby. Mine looks like the sort of TT NASA would build. I happen to like that. Plus - that is about the worst angle to photo the beast - you would never see it like that - from the side it looks good IMHO. This is a shot of the same beast at the high end show in Athens last November: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted September 21, 2005 Author Share Posted September 21, 2005 I guess any product from Germany called "The FInal Solution" fails at the "get go" for me. Too much lucite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anarchist Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 Let me be the first to say both those examples are visually offensive; those ancient TD's and that contraption Max threw out there. Now the Nottingham Horizon... Course I find Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry extremely hot and I am informed there are certain defective males who are repulsed by them. [6] Its all a matter of taste and subjective - excepting any negative viewpoints on the two fems mentioned above. If they don't rock your boat, you need extensive counseling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 Why did I have the feeling that Max was going to chime in []? Personally I am not at all a Clearaudio guy (like most so-called high end gear I find it way overpriced).....give me a good ol' Thorens any day....[], but having gone to the Clearaudio website I am afraid, Allan, that the name you've quoted (which would indeed be bad taste and really stupid) isn't quite correct. The 'biggest' TT of their Master series seems to be called 'Master Solution' (not smashing either!); their flagship is the Master Reference....... Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted September 21, 2005 Author Share Posted September 21, 2005 "Master Solution" "FInal Solution" "Master Race" Whatever . . . From where I sit it's still in REALLY bad taste. But that's just me, the left-wing Episcopal bleeding heart from California . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZAKO Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 How about solution in hand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 Allan, It is only offensive to you because you dont get the delicious irony of a Jewish boy with heritage from all over Europe buying this Teutonic masterpiece and then giving them the run around over fit, finish, colours etc.etc. The Master Reference (pictured) is no longer their flagship product (but it aint half bad or course). Smaller in the range is the Master Solution (mine) which upgrades to the Maximum solution that greatly resembles the pictures too. The Maximum Solution will be the Max Solution at some point - and probably will be the last TT I ever buy. Looking at it like that it is not THAT expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 I really don't really give a rat's a$$ what they look like compared to how they sound. If both sounded exactly the same and were the same price, then looks would come into play. I've heard both tables but in different systems. Allan's sounds extremely good and yes, he's very anal about his gear. In fact, his entire house should be featured in Home And Garden. Unbelievable attention to every detail. Just gorgeous. Personally, I like the looks of the Basis tables (in black of course).[] From what I've been told by the higher-ups in the Basis organization, the black acrylic is much more expensive then the clear and prices will be changing accordingly. They now sell a Basis Calibrator Base that costs about $500 more in black then it does clear. It's VERY cool. For those with a model 2001, you know what a PITA it is to line up the "pods" (or feet) and the motor making the leveling process very tedious. This base has cut-outs for the pods and motor and allows you to move the tonearm wiring from the table to the base, minimizing any potential vibration. If it wasn't close to $2k, I'd buy one. I could get that Thorens for less!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 Personally, I like the looks of the Basis tables (in black of course).[] From what I've been told by the higher-ups in the Basis organization, the black acrylic is much more expensive then the clear and prices will be changing accordingly. They now sell a Basis Calibrator Base that costs about $500 more in black then it does clear. They would have to have a serious technical logic to charge ANY upcharge for black. Black adds UV protection which if the clear is exposed to UV for extended hours (2000+) the acrylic will start to show little stress cracks or crazing. Turning any plastic black normally requires addition of 3-4% carbon in a form of a very fine powder. Cost per pound of plastic is less than 0.05 USD for the carbon additive. 500 USD upcharge is very suspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 Good to get the straight scoop from a plastics man. So a $500 premium for black, when it costs pennies more. Why am I not surprised? I bet there are people who say the black one sounds better than the clear, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 Yes. Black DOES sound better.[] Don't you guys know ANYTHING????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 that table IS beautiful! in a hour it will be some lucky guy´s treasure....not me though....grrrr...tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whell Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 I have to admit that I thought you folks were crackers when it was suggested that this ebay Thorens would fetch over $1500, but there it sits today at over $2000 with over an hour to go. This table hails from the '60's, and I'm confident that is has been extensively updated. But with the time-value of money factored in, there's no way that this table was going for the equivalent of $2000 in 2005 USD back then. And is it also safe to say that $2000 won't buy you a modern turntable with equal if not better performance? Color me stunned, or maybe just thoroughly uninformed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted September 21, 2005 Author Share Posted September 21, 2005 I don't think this rig has been modified in any way--if that's what you mean by "updated." It appears to be a bone-stock mint original to me. New in the mid-60's this was the most expensive table you could buy. Seems to me it was about $150 without an arm or base--you then had to buy the SME 3012 which was probably near $100. Throw in the plinth and a good cartridge and you're looking at about $300-$350. That was some SERIOUS money in 1965. $350 then is equal to about $2000 today. I thought it would sell for between $1800-$2200. I think this rig will MORE than hold it's own against ANY new $2000 table/arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 I'm sure it's a decent record player, but of course a large percentage of the final price will be for nostalgia. Not that there's anything wrong with nostalgia if that's what you're after. Here's a Thorens that might appeal to a different set. It is acrylic and black (in some areas). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 And for the really nostalgic, another Thorens, from the 1920s, for playing 10-inch 78 rpm records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan Songer Posted September 21, 2005 Author Share Posted September 21, 2005 I'm sure it's a decent record player, but of course a large percentage of the final price will be for nostalgia. Not that there's anything wrong with nostalgia if that's what you're after. Sort of like owning speakers designed in the 1940's or amps from the 1950's? Just because a piece of equipment is old doesn't mean that it can't perform as well or BETTER than something manufactured yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 I just used the calculator on the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis site to find the cost today of my JBLs, purchased new in 1972. They listed for $329 each. The cost today (or at least 2005) is $1531. I think I actually paid about $280 each. If that means I would have to pay over $3k for them today that really hurts. In relative terms, I make much less today than in 1972. Allan is pretty close on the $2k range. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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