August 2018
In This Issue...
About Some Things Said About Turntables
Article By Noel Keywood

  It was flown over as early as possible from Japan specially for us; even the packing and instructions were not ready. So we were honoured by Technic's commitment in getting us their new SP-10R professional turntable for review – see p85.

I will explain that a joint approach worked best here. Both Dave Cawley of Timestep and I share a profound interest in turntables and the measurement and evaluation thereof, as well as history, the technology – and all else. We spoke to Technics from different angles, as it were. You have to understand that they put massive amounts of engineering effort into a prestige turntable like the SP-10R and we have to convince them we are fit to understand it, in order to be able to review it. Looks like it worked!

I've seen some daft things said about turntables, which are a whole blend of differing technologies, and Technics wish to avoid some of the whirling fantasies that derive from over active minds on the internet. You won't find fantasy in our review, just hard fact.

Yes, turntables do sound different, and arms even distressingly different, but there are obvious underlying reasons. The notion that turntables and arms are inert and make no contribution died long ago; we know better now. But such complex and multi-dimensional systems in engineering terms baffle a lot of ‘experts'. A mechanical engineer may understand an arm ringing like a tuning fork, but won't understand why an electronically commutated low speed servo motor eliminates FM modulation from music. The SP-10R overcomes all this: it's one special turntable.

NAD have long delivered technologically sensible yet sophisticated products at budget prices and do it again with their C338 amplifier-streamer on p12. As always you should put NAD on any demo list – they always do an impressive job.

High fidelity may look simple and analogue on its outer face; inside it can be a whole different ball game. I hope you like our insight into modern products in this great issue.

--- Noel Keywood, editor.

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