What makes a good turn table good.

[Vond]

Subject: What Makes a Good Turntable Good? Seeking Genuine Understanding, Not Just Hype

Dear fellow audio enthusiasts,

I’d like to open a respectful discussion—born out of curiosity rather than critique—about what truly makes a good turntable good, and more specifically, what makes a great turntable command prices north of £10,000 while others, like the Rega Planar 1, can still offer a musically satisfying experience for a fraction of the price.

From where I stand, when I look at most turntables—whether they’re entry-level or costlier than a used car—I still see the same fundamental ingredients:
– A 12-inch platter rotating at a stable speed
– A tonearm
– A cartridge with stylus
– And either a belt or direct drive system

So what exactly transforms these elements into a truly special machine?

Let me be clearer with an example:
If I use the same cartridge on a modest Rega Planar 1 and then on a high-end Michell Engineering Orbe or SME Model 15, what exactly am I supposed to hear that justifies such a massive price difference? Is it lower noise floor? Better speed stability? More detail retrieval? Or is it the sense of timing, tonality, or musical flow? I'd love to hear how others would describe the sonic differences.

And a bigger question still: Does a turntable have to be expensive to sound transcendent—or is there a certain point after which the law of diminishing returns kicks in hard, and we start chasing marginal improvements for exponential cost?

Please don’t get me wrong—I’m not doubting the value of fine engineering or craftsmanship. I come from the school of thought that appreciates good audio design and the beauty of mechanical precision. But at the end of the day, it’s the sound that moves us. So how much of that sonic magic really comes from the turntable itself, assuming the same pickup and phono stage are in play?

Lastly, could someone kindly break down in layman’s terms what exactly contributes to a turntable’s sound? Beyond the obvious physical parts—platter, arm, cartridge, drive—what else is at work? Suspension? Bearing quality? Plinth damping?

I’d be grateful for some technical insight, honest listening impressions, and perhaps a few grounded opinions that might help me (and others) better understand this sometimes mystifying hobby we love so much.

Warm regards,
Reginald Mintoff
Malta
A lover of well-made audio.

 

[abacus]

1. A turntable is mechanical and precision engineering costs. (EG. Any car will get you from A - B, however a more expensive one (In most cases) will get you from A - B a lot more satisfactory)
2. Speed stability (Wow & Flutter), a more powerful motor and heavier platter will will give a much better performance than a lighter (Cheaper) one.
3. Suspension/Isolation, any vibration can degrade the performance (The stylus cannot determine whether vibrations' come from just the record or external influences as well)
4. As the stylus picks up the vibrations from the record to convert to sound, any looseness anywhere can degrade the performance. (As in 1, precision count's)
5. As to whether you can hear any difference between decks at various prices is down to you alone, combined with how good the quality is of your equipment.
6. The biggest difference with vinyl is always made by the cartridge, and to get the best out of a more expensive cartridge requires a precision turntable/arm.

Bill

 

[Al ears]

Regarding your "Lastly" sentance then all of those items will make an improvement depending upon engineering quality , and that costs money.

 

[daytona600]

Record player measures a tiny vibration cut into a Groove
1/ Must rotate @ constant speed 33 or 45rpm
2/ Hold/Position a tonearm above the record surface & support a cartridge
3/ Cartridge will measure the groove & produce a electrical waveform
4/ Provide isolation to reduce internal & external vibration
only source of energy is internal ( motor and bearing ) external ( acoustical )
Energy must be drained out / converted to thermal energy not transmitted to and from the record cartridge interface

Sonics = spend funds on
1 LP Recording/Mastering - rubbish in rubbish out
2 TT
3 Tonearm
4 Phono stage / Cabling / Support structure / Racks
5 cartridge

Visit a dealer or hifi show and spend a few hours in front of a great analogue system with a well produced record
( Warning this will deplete your future earnings )

 

[Integralista]

Hi, first of all thanks for a very good topic for this forum.

To make the story short, I recommend to buy and read now very famous book:

A Vibration Measuring Machine – Bill Philpot, Paul Messenger & Roy Gandy - Rega Shop

This innovative new book opens with an in-depth history of the company from the birth of its founder, Roy Gandy, to the present day.

www.rega.co.uk

This book is not complicated, full of information about turntables, their design, lot of interesting information.

And for a fan of Rega like you or me, it is a must Read.😉

 

[BenWatts]

...what exactly am I supposed to hear that justifies such a massive price difference? Is it lower noise floor? Better speed stability? More detail retrieval? Or is it the sense of timing, tonality, or musical flow? I'd love to hear how others would describe the sonic differences.

...Does a turntable have to be expensive to sound transcendent—or is there a certain point after which the law of diminishing returns kicks in hard, and we start chasing marginal improvements for exponential cost?

....

Thanks for questioning. It is really interesting to me as well to grab these points.
So many technologies exist with pros & cons. Sky is the limit with some equipments 'i.e.: Thomas Mayer Phono preamps


The best answer to me has been given in the first reply. Plus your personal taste (listen a lot), coherence of the equipments and ones budget.