# The Ultimate turntable?



## muse77 (Dec 14, 2006)

How about this for a turntable?
http://www.laserturntable.com

Never wear out an album again.:spend: 

Bryan


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## Danny (May 3, 2006)

I would love one but can't afford the starting price of $15000. It's a great idea though. and they are hand made.


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## geekwithfamily (Aug 31, 2006)

I don't know how popular these players are, I remember a review from a couple years ago saying they sound great. I wonder why vinyl freaks who are willing to spend that kind of money avoid this player?

It may take away from the visceral nature of the needle in the groove, and the pride in a precision cartridge alignment.

I'd also wonder if the technologies used remind enthusiasts too much of a CD player (or really LD) and assume that the pure analog signal is mangled into digital at some point (though I bet it isn't).

Another fear could come from watching one too many James Bond movies and assuming lasers could easily cut through your favorite LP like they did to Sean Connery's pants.


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## muse77 (Dec 14, 2006)

geekwithfamily said:


> Another fear could come from watching one too many James Bond movies and assuming lasers could easily cut through your favorite LP like they did to Sean Connery's pants.


:rofl: 

I wonder how well it will play my "3 albums for a dollar"?
Now if the price could drop to about $200.00

Bryan


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## ifeliciano (Feb 14, 2007)

geekwithfamily said:


> I don't know how popular these players are, I remember a review from a couple years ago saying they sound great. I wonder why vinyl freaks who are willing to spend that kind of money avoid this player?


Just like you stated this player has, at some point, to do digital, and for the vinyl freaks that is a no-no. :dumbcrazy:


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## Bob_99 (May 8, 2006)

> I would love one but can't afford the starting price of $15000.


Actually, you're in luck. They're having a sale. Does this help you out any?
:spend:

Bob

Model Speed (rpm) Disc Size (inches) Old Price New Price 
LT-1LRC 33, 45 7", 10", 12" US $15,000 US $9,900 
LT-1XRC 33, 45, 78 7", 10", 12" $17,000 $13,000 
LT-2XRC 33, 45, 78 7", 8", 9", 10", 11", 12" $19,000 $14,000


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## Otto (May 18, 2006)

ifeliciano said:


> Just like you stated this player has, at some point, to do digital, and for the vinyl freaks that is a no-no. :dumbcrazy:


Well, they don't offer much information on how it actually works, but they did state this in the FAQ:



LaserTurntable FAQ said:


> *Q: Does the LT digitize the audio signal from the record? *
> *A: There is no digitization. The LT maintains a constant analog audio signal. *


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## jackfish (Dec 27, 2006)

So instead of stylus deflection responding to the contours of the grooves, it is the length of the reflected laser beam corresponding to the contours of the grooves which is then converted into an analog current? Reflected light converted to an analog signal instead of a mechanical movement.


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## Otto (May 18, 2006)

I would imagine it would be something like that... I don't see a need to sample the signal, so, yeah, it doesn't have to be digital (and as Ivan pointed out, no analog freak is going to pay that much for a digitizing turntable!).


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## Chrisbee (Apr 20, 2006)

Nothing new under the sun.. I remember reading about something similar way back in the 70s. That was just a laser stereo cartridge I think. Never heard any more.


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## ifeliciano (Feb 14, 2007)

Otto said:


> Well, they don't offer much information on how it actually works, but they did state this in the FAQ:


 
I guess I need to study my LASER's a little more :nerd::dumbcrazy:. The way I see it. Most analog purist want to keep the originality of the traditional turntable. The unit, like geekwithfamily said, resembles too much of a CD or LD transport system. With the ejecting tray and all. I guess since a laser is being used, the unit needs to be enclosed. Anyone know what class laser it is ?

Ivan


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## jackfish (Dec 27, 2006)

http://www.laserturntable.com/about/how.html


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## planet10 (May 27, 2007)

Chrisbee said:


> Nothing new under the sun.. I remember reading about something similar way back in the 70s.


This is actually a development of a table that goes back to the 70s. 

And as far as expensive TTs, $15k is pretty easy to spend these days, with dozens of choices in that price range... with a number of tables now costing north of $50k (Goldmund has a TT now that costs a quarter million dollars!!) $15k doesn't seem alll that much. 

dave


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## muse77 (Dec 14, 2006)

I looked at the website faqs and it does say the sensors are analog but the signal is converted to digital in a microprocessor. Mmm... 15K or 50k for a turntable maybe I am missing something.:scratchhead: I am the kind of guy with $20 albums and converted my shop vac into a vacuum record cleaner. :dontknow:

Bryan


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## alan monro (May 9, 2006)

Yet another way to extract heaps of money from the gullible rich . sigh..............Alan .


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## Chrisbee (Apr 20, 2006)

One must pray that it isn't also direct drive. 
If it doesn't sport a rubber belt it will never catch on.


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## muse77 (Dec 14, 2006)

It would be fun to experiment on. The sensors are analog. Dismember the turntable, input the sensors into a vacuum tube pre-amp... oops... I mean a matched valve pre-amp (charge more for it then). Ahhh.. Pure analog.:T


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## tarsier (Aug 2, 2006)

Along the same lines:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11851842

It takes an image of the disc and then converts it into a waveform. I haven't heard any samples tho...


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2007)

I've read a few reviews of the laser turntable over the years. The caveat is that it picks up too much info. Even aggressive stylus shapes don't normally read the bottom of the groove where the gunk tends to collect. The laser TT does, and reproduces it along with the music i.e. lots of snap, crackle, pop. Maybe good for archivists, because the record never wears out. OTOH it's likely safer to play a record once and before archiving it.


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## superchad (Mar 7, 2008)

I have heard that Laser table and it is very finicky with dirt on album..much worse then regular records, you can buy a "de-ticker" for it for an added $3000.
The best tabke I have heard is a Walker but its gonna set you back $30.000.


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## yourgrandma (Oct 29, 2007)

muse77 said:


> I looked at the website faqs and it does say the sensors are analog but the signal is converted to digital in a microprocessor. Mmm... 15K or 50k for a turntable maybe I am missing something.:scratchhead: I am the kind of guy with $20 albums and converted my shop vac into a vacuum record cleaner. :dontknow:
> 
> Bryan


The analog to digital converters are on the tracking lasers. The audio side remains analog. I've never actually seen one of these, but I've alway thought it would be a good idea.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

$12k for a turntable:dumbcrazy::spend: 
Thats just crazy. I have a handfull of LPs but would never spend that kind of cash.


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## yourgrandma (Oct 29, 2007)

I love looking at the really expensive turn tables. They are often very beautiful. as with most top end equipment. Some cd transports with the disc out in the open, tube gear, ect. That $10-12K laser turntable is less than 10% of the price of a lot of high end TT's out there. Sounds like abargain if you're into getting the absolute most accurate sound out of vinyl.


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## superchad (Mar 7, 2008)

Turntables get expensive quick! I have what I condider a budget set-up and it cost about $3500, ok maybe not budget but nothing really earth-shattering


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## Zembonez (Mar 17, 2008)

I love my vinyl... My vintage Sony Mag-base table with an SME arm and a Grado cart probably set me back a grand in today's money but WOW what a sound that vintage clean vinyl makes... 

And yes, I know a grand isn't a lot in the world of turntables. I just can't justify more at this point.


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## shoester5 (Apr 6, 2008)

I'm too a vinyl junkie...I love the warm sound from vinyl. 

Between the used price I paid for my Denon, having it completely rebuilt, and a new cartridge, I have close to $1000 in it. If I had it, I would have no problem putting down $15K on a new TT but not that Laser TT.


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## DougMac (Jan 24, 2008)

As mentioned, the laser TT has problems. The records have to be clean room clean. They can only play black vinyl (I know, big woo). It's also reported that they really don't sound better than a nice sub $1k standard TT.

Someone invented a similar device to play cylindar records. It has allowed the capture of cylinders too fragile or damaged to play with a stylus. See: http://www.christerhamp.se/phono/nakamura.html

I've got ~3k LP's, ~4k 78's and ~2k 45's. I use two TT's to play them, a Technics SP-15 with an Audio Technika arm (not the radio arm) and a Technics SL-1500 Mk 2 I bought from Goodwill for $15.00. I also built a DIY vacuum record cleaning machine that's made all the difference in sound quality.

Doug


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## superchad (Mar 7, 2008)

The Laser table comes with an optional and now standard "De-Clicker" device to squash clicks and it was reviewed for use on any table but it takes so much life out of the music the review was negative noting the records sounded better with the pops, ticks and life rather than a popless yet lifeless sound.


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## Guest (Apr 12, 2008)

Rockport Sirius System III with the most linear cartridge I could find. Connected to a Boulder 2008 Phono Preamp.

http://www.stereophile.com/analogsourcereviews/258/index.html


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## Guest (May 30, 2008)

Out of my budget


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