"Bob Latham" wrote in message

In article ,
David Looser wrote:
"Bob Latham" wrote

Perhaps they decided that all R&D improvements would
only be on next years model and people who purchased
this year's, would go without.


Have there been any improvements in turntable design
over the last 30 years?

In your opinion obviously.

If there had been a signficiant improvement in turntable design or even the
whole area of vinyl cutting and playback, then you could cite me the
corresponding scholarly paper. I track such things, and if memory serves,
the last one was dated in the late 60s or early 70s.

not but I'd expect you to say
the same about CD players and amplifiers.

They've both made dramatic improvements in things like size, weight, cost,
maximum power (amplfiiers) and reliability.

It seems to me that current models are all firmly based
on designs available in the 1970s. All three of the
currently available drive arrangements: idler-wheel
drive, belt drive and direct drive date from the 1970s
or before, electronic speed control was introduced in
the 1970s.

No problem with any of that.

Modern turntables work no better than those of the 1970s,

You know this how?

Absence of evidence.

Measured them all?

Done my share. `

Listened to them all?

Done my share.

Or is it just bigotry?

Bigotry is the only explanation for the ongoing claims of any generalized
sonic superiority of vinyl over good digital.


You've made your mind up that
everything sounds the same from a certain point in time
unless there is something wrong with it.

The only reason why everything didn't always sound the same was that back in
those days, there were so many things wrong with it.

So why do you have any interest left in Audio then?

For me, its all about how good things sound when you do everything right.

Its done and dusted, end of.


I don't need the promise of pie in the sky on the other side of the rainbow
to get me started in the morning.

I cannot say if one item is better than another. I can
say I prefer the sound of one item over another and in
that context I preferred my Linn to other TTs at the time
and if I'm honest it is still in many ways nicer sounding
than CD.

I heard people's deified Linns many times and it wasn't the second coming.

nor has the LP changed in that time.

So if the turntable manufacturers *are* doing R&D it can
only be in terms of manufacturing methods aimed at
reducing production costs.

According to your "everything is the same unless faulty"
logic indeed yes.


Prove that there is anything actually something logically wrong with the
idea that "everything is the same unless faulty"

Like Jim you are choosing to take a very extreme view

Actually, their/our viewpoint is not extreme. Many people have gotten off
the "everthing sounds different" bandwagon.

and the only value that I can see in that is to provoke
people so I'm now out of this conversation.

Yup, take your ball and bat and go home. How cordial and mature of you! ;-)