The HiFi Five Podcast

The HiFi Five Episode 18: Guest Louis Desjardins, Kronos

Hi-Fi Five Episode 18

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0:00 | 1:06:56

What aspect of vinyl playback do you believe is most misunderstood, and how do different turntable designs try to address it?

Do different turntable drive systems have a consistent sonic signature?  Do most direct drive turntables sound similar?  Do most belt drive turntables sound similar?

What is most important to the sound of the system:  the turntable, the tonearm or the phono cartridge?

How important is speed accuracy (maintaining exactly 33.33) versus speed stability (speed doesn’t vary)?

When listeners describe a turntable as having better “timing” or “flow,” what do you think they are actually hearing?

Should a manufacturer who uses a traditional distributor/dealer model terminate a distributor who sells directly to a consumer? 

What your favorite type of cartridge? Moving coil? Optical?

What set-up variable do you think audiophiles underestimate the most in vinyl playback?

For the same tonearm design why would somebody use a longer arm -- 14" or 12" over the 9" version?

Turntables were invented over 100 years ago. After 100 years of development is there anything that can still be improved on a turntable?