Thales turntable, Statement arm and exquisite st cartridge

If you are seriously looking elsewhere, please please listen to the Acutus; it’s mind-blowing… Truly. End of! Dramatic scale, minute detail, staggering soundstage, the very best I have ever heard… I only have the regular deck with a 282, 300DR and Epicon 2 speakers by Dali; a perfect match made I. Heaven as far as I’m concerned. If anyone is in my East Yorkshire neck of the woods, you’re super welcome to come take a listen…

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Once again non of the above

Kuzma?

I reckon it’s made in the Home Counties.

Can you just give the price level. Because if not it’s too difficult to find.
Better than your SME 20/2, there are a lot. But some cost 50k, or even 100k or more.
Other I could guess as better vs the SME 20/2, without a stratospheric price: Brinkman Balance, Clearaudio Master Innovation, Acoustic Signature Neo, Dohmann Helix, Vertere SG1, Kuzma XL.

Good luck with the new turntable Dunc. Certainly intriguing, especially if something new is going to compete with an SME20. A Brinkman, Döhmann, Kuzma or Dr Feickert perhaps. Look forward to the big reveal and your thoughts on how it performs compared to the SME.

Non above
As for price new would be between 20 and 23, I think, for Turntable and arm.
As said a bit different to the normal, that should give it away I think

As to the topic title–if you think this is a lot of talk about turntables, just wait until several who get them start talking about the SQ and the nuances. This may be why Naim limited the production to only 500 :grinning:

My guess is that “different” means a DD turntable…

Pre loved Kronos ?

There are a lot of decks out there but what is normal at north of £20k?
The Well Tempered Royal 400 is phenomenal with a xv1t on it but won’t fit on a Fraim, it is pretty unusual but probably wouldn’t appeal to an SME owner.
Grande Prix Audio have a couple of decks now that might appeal to an SME user looking for a change, no idea of their prices.
Naiad? Maybe a bit too pricy but exclusive.

A that sort of price there’s usually something to distinguish most of them.

Thales?

This is just stabbing in the dark.

Well see if anyone has heard about
Thales ttt compact mk2 with simplicity arm,plus its extra base.
Very different arm, with its twin tube and moving head, plus battery operated.

See my last stab.

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I could not guess. I hope you will enjoy, but personally, I have heard it once, I would not have traded my SME for it. But it was at a dealer demo, with tubes Ypsilon electronics. I found it a bit lean and analytical sounding.
Maybe it would sound differently at home…
Very curious on your next impressions.

Hi keeping the sme for now as may still go down the 20/12 Road, as not even seen the thales yet, let alone heard it.

The thales with the simplicity arm, does get some fantastic reviews, I like the way it tracks and has very minimal distortion across the complete record, unlike any other pivot arm, more like a linear arm, it was the main reason for going to a 12 inch arm and new sme, but it’s big and very heavy and not really suitable for sitting on top of my fraim. This way I can keep the fraim, I can also re arrange it, so that both turntables sit on top of each stack, plus having the tron phono stage, I can easily switch between both.
The other main advantage is, I have quite a few albums that I just cringe abit, when I play them using my £6k cartridge, this gives me the option to run a much cheaper cartridge on the sme and so not worry.
But as said just about everyone that has tried it, talk about its quality and the way it sounds, so we will see.

By all accounts it will beat even a 30/12 using the same cartridge and gear, the guy that owns this has had many turntables, including many sme decks and said the same as well, apparently its right up there with the very best? But not many know anything about it.

Anyway got to wait for it to try and we will see

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Do you when you will have it?

Things to sort first

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Very nice :grinning:

Should be an interesting day today

Well I should have an update on the turntable front very soon I hope

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