SPJ Alba/La Luce
- Thread starter bonzo75
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I believe Edward Pong has this TT although we only listened to some R2R tape when I was there.
Do you have a link for this as the one in the List of Turntable Manufacturers is inactive?
Do you have a link for this as the one in the List of Turntable Manufacturers is inactive?
Some combo!
All those tables all sound very different from one another and the SPJ is still different sounding from all of them again, making any broad comparative comments is an exercise in futility...
david
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Hi Bill,
Not that easy without an established, accepted and we known reference, just the Techdas is complex enough by itself to describe with its multiple platters and the effects of air pressure on the sound without having to compare four of them together in any meaningful manner.
david
Sorry, should have mentioned the Airforce III. The reason is that in a couple of years the AF3, Kronos, XL4 will all be good values in the used market.
Which is easier to set up and adjust?
The SPJ on classical had excellent tone, weight, dynamics, and was coming right out into the room. The system was Spectral + Rockport Avior, and I wanted to leave quickly because it was so boring on the digital (admitted his digital wasn't great, but even then...), till we put on Oistrakh and Espana on LP.
Which is easier to set up and adjust?
The SPJ on classical had excellent tone, weight, dynamics, and was coming right out into the room. The system was Spectral + Rockport Avior, and I wanted to leave quickly because it was so boring on the digital (admitted his digital wasn't great, but even then...), till we put on Oistrakh and Espana on LP.
Hi who is Edward Pong, any contact details?
The guy I know replaced his SME 30-12 with the Alba and rates it much higher.
You can search for SPJ on this http://www.high-endaudio.com/RC-Tables.html
The spj alba will always be a turntable close to my heart, not particularly the prettiest but one of the most musical turntables ever built. The turntable is rather simple in actual execution but very well thought out as is the tonearm. The turntable has great slam, drive and weight with lots of air and nuance it has the ability to allow speakers to disappear. Not many of them around compared to the La Luce so extremely difficult to source. I listened to one at a friends house last night at it made me smile once agin.
the man behind Ultra Analogue R2R catalogue
https://www.dagogo.com/interview-with-dr-edward-pong-of-ultraanalogue-recordings/
His la luce has the original spj arm a complex bit of kit I used to sell them in the 90,s basis and vpi tnt turntables
Thanks tang thats the original spj arm, it was a magnificent bit of engineering. More certainly a bit fussy
Judy spotheim is still making turntables to order, I receive a special version of the alba featuring a Graphite tonearm and a special aramid platter shortly. This will be interesting, in 1973 DuPont was the first company to introduce a para-aramid fiber, which it called Kevlar, to the market; this remains one of the best-known para-aramids and/or aramids. In 1978, Akzo introduced a similar fiber with roughly the same chemical structure, which it called Twaron. Due to earlier patents on the production process, Akzo and DuPont engaged in a patent dispute in the 1980s. Twaron subsequently came under the ownership of the Teijin Company. In 2011, Yantai Tayho introduced similar fiber which is called Taparan in China.
Para-aramids are used in many high-tech applications, such as aerospace and military applications, for "bullet-proof" body armor fabric. The material is quite difficult to source as a solid structure.
It is truly encouraging that the the turntables are still in production.
The current retail in the UK is around £45000 GBP in this guise as of now only two of these turntables are in existence.
Could you elaborate on SPJ tonearm being “fuzzy”?
I have an opportunity to get La Luce with SPJ arm, I’d like to know what I’m getting myself into.
I’m using AF3 with 12” Reed 3p tonearm now. Kiseki Purple Heart cart.
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