Using the Rega scale:
A little more stability in the image.
Slower transit outwards after lifting out of the grooves.
Just a little better overall.
Thatās very pretty.
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Thanks 
I got revised tariff-era pricing from my dealer today. If I had to buy my complete Clearaudio turntable rig today (TT, two 12" tonearms, one 9" tonearm, record weight, record outer ring) the retail cost would be $8,000 more than it was a month ago. 
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Imported stuff with shipping and distributor markup and exchange rate buffer already puts gear between a third to double the price of the country of production. With tariffs thatās likely to mean the death of foreign hifi in the US. Imported stuff already has to compete with domestic stuff a range above it because thatās where the price got pushed. I canāt see imports competing with domestic stuff nearly two ranges up.
Of course, thatās the idea. 
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The problem with domestic production is it relies on foreign parts and materials, so that is subject to tariffs too. Foreign and domestic hifi prices both will get pushed higher due to tariffs. For example, my Boulder phono-stage is made in Colorado, but they use a lot of aluminum to machine casework. That might not be sourced domestically. Trek and Specialized are two of the largest American bicycle manufacturers but all their carbon frames come from China. Many are build with Shimano components that come from various Asian factories (Shimano is a Japanese company).
There is precious little thatās 100% made in America. That ship sailed a long time ago and isnāt ever turning back. Thatās the massive flaw in logic from the current U.S. administration.
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I get that but the disparity on tariff price increase between an expensive finished imported product versus tariff markup on much lower cost components will be large. The cost of that Boulder stuff might go up 5% (for example) depending on parts sourced and how much they want to absorb. But the price of a finished item from the EU is going to go up substantially more.
My fear is that this is dark days and others are seeing that they can get away with this too. This trade barrier madness is highly contagious. If it sticks around then a couple years from now others will be doing it [more than they already are] too.
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I think it just remains to be seen how much disparity there will really be. It might be not be 5% vs 20%. My example with Boulder was just for aluminum, but itās possible a lot more might be sourced internationally. I already know that American āmadeā bicycles are going to take a big hit. I have a friend who owns three shops here.
I believe American manufacturers are going to take a bigger hit than you think they are. Iāve already been hearing about it. Itās not pretty.
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Oh I completely agree. Weāre only at the tip of the iceberg currently and it is not really clear what shape this will take longer (or even mid) term with the complex supply chain interdependencies. Of course even if the disparity in cost increase is near zero, I think the impact to the hifi industry could be significant. If everything both foreign and domestic is eye watering expensive, existing customer (who are the bulk of the revenue generators for the industry) will be priced out of any upgrade - this is true because it has already happened over the past 5 years to a large degree. People have to spend twice as much as what they own just to move sideways. Imagine you were buying the equivalent Clearaudio turntable in 2015 and then contemplating an upgrade in 2025. Youād be thinking, āCrikey I need to spend twice as much as it was in 2015 just to replace it with current version. Iām calling it quits.ā The tariff based impact we are staring down the barrel of is going to exacerbate that greatly - first for US consumers and then the impact will absolutely start to spread beyond the borders. If you give existing customer nowhere to go, they will opt to spend no money at all.
Both my wife and I work for major US corporations. Hers a well known global producer of a very broad range of prodcuts. Mine, primarily shielded by being in an exempt category but our customers are not shielded and we sort of get a delayed impact passed down depending on how this affects them. Nothing but question marks over everything really.
Naim already lost me as a customer with the NC eye watering prices for what is likely nominal upgrades to me, and thatās even before the inevitable tariff-based price increases. Between that and the apparent collapse of Naim sales/service in the U.S. I am on the cusp of cutting my losses and jumping the brand.
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It sounds unlikely to me for you to end up with Mille Regrets. Rather le Deploration de Julian Vereker.
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Thatās a lovely looking deck, very cool, no doubt the SQ betters its looks.
Wow, thatās a staggering increase, can the dealer afford to keep stocking the brand?
Dealers here donāt stock anything, except for high volume, low cost products.
My dealer has models on demo, but just the ones they can sell (Clearaudio Concept, Performance DC, Rega Planars, etcā¦and now my ex-Innovation Wood). I have a Clearaudio Master Innovation and the 12" Universal arms. Those are pretty high end and not on demo. I suppose dealers in the largest cities (like NYC, LA, Chicago, etc) might have something like a Master Innovation on demo, but I doubt they stock anything like that.
If the dealer canāt sell a product or brand they eventually sell off their demos and drop the brand (Naim, for example).
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Thanks, yes it is a step up from the already great Nottingham Analog Dais that i was using.
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Testing a used Vertere tonearm on my Xerxes. Sound impression is great! Mechanical not so, since tonearm lift doesnāt feel steady.
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Thatās a lovely looking Xerxes and I think it looks great with the SG tonearm. I hope it works out for you..
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Thanks! I got this deck for 50 euros and Iāve changed a lot to get it playing this well. Wish I would find new blobs for it but seems that those are out of stock everywhere where I ask.
I feel this beauty has now more fun-factory than my SME10 with V tonearmā¦ Quite a achievement! Itās just that musical.
Iām planning to build PTP6 Lenco during this winter so letās see how that compares to those two. Iāve The Wand Master 10,3" reserved it for now but might test the SME V on it as well.
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