Kuzma Stabi M

[Calle_jr]

There's an indicator lamp on the front of the motor control unit;

http://www.euphonia-audioforum.se/calle_jr/2015-08-26/DSC_1097.JPG

I think the lamp is the receiver for the remote control;

This is the first remote control I ever had to my stereo

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Hi,

Please would you provide a review on the sonic profile between the stabi m and the stabi ref 2. Really curious as to what would be in store for me should I also move in this direction in the future.

Thanks

Just seen that you also have a Kleos - so observations will be really interesting, thanks.

 

[Calle_jr]

Kudos on the setup Calle-- I have the 4point as well--interesting to hear your observations /etc when finalised for playback

Thanks.

I'm a long time Kuzma-user, so my opinions and what I write is obviously coloured by that. I have waited years for the Stabi M. I decided in 2009 to get it, when I saw it the first time. So I've been suffering for more than six years.

Stabi Ref is truly a great turntable, and I prefer that even to XL. Of course XL is more refined in many ways, but it falls outside my "frames" of a turntable. Also in terms of cost. I've heard a fully pimped Stabi S with 4Point present music very closely in par with XL for some records, even if it is not as accurate in the decoding of bass and complex music. Of course.
That is the reason for my waiting.

Stabi M may also appear grotesque, visually. My equipment is normally sized, but with the M in the system, they look like half scale.
Anyway, it's in the operation I experience the differences. The chassis versions of Stabi feels more correct to flip LPs on, I think.

Now that I have auditioned for several days, I think Stabi M superseeds XL on some important points. It means quite a lot to me. The M has a more direct and detailed presentation in the presence area. For midrange and midbass, it feels like I get as close to the source as possible with vinyl. I'm not saying this is a fact, I even think it's not. It's just that I have never heard an XL perform like that. I thought Lyra Kleos should be limiting compared to e.g. Skala, but I can't make myself here that. Perhaps (probably) this will show later on, we'll see.
Kleos sounds soft and nice, despite an impressive authority and slabang it sounds surprisingly airy and natural. I really mean that. I got surprised.
I had connected an Entreq Minimus on each speaker output some weeks ago, resulting in an essentially lower noise, and of course this was positive also with the M.

Many of us ask themselves about "bottlenecks" in their systems from time to time.
I haven't felt this too often recent years, but this turntable was a clear sign that I haven't heard what I haven't heard.

I'm not at all ready with the setup and tuning (in fact I haven't really started), but it was a long time since I got such an ear-opening experience from LP to LP.

Next step is to disassemble the racks and start from scratch levelling the steel frame etc.

 

[Calle_jr]

<-- Clickable!

 

[Bill Hart]

Calle- very good photo essay. I too am a longtime Kuzma owner, first the Reference, then the XL (circa 2007). I have no doubt that with the improvements in motor, plus the additional isolation offered by the "M," it makes more sense than the XL (which has now received the motor upgrade, but is not an easy turntable to isolate). The quality of workmanship on Franc's turntables is also impressive, particularly since he is selling them at real world (not cheap, but not crazy) prices. Enjoy your new table. What does the Kuzma remote do?

 

[Calle_jr]

What does the Kuzma remote do?

Thanks Bill.
It's amazing - it starts and stops the record
So if your phone rings when you sit in the listening chair, you may stop the sound in less than a second.
It's not really an opportunity for me, because my phone is just silently vibrating in the kitchen.


Here are the new shelves;

 

[Calle_jr]

Some comparison images with Stabi Ref and Stabi M;

 

[Bill Hart]

Thanks Bill.
It's amazing - it starts and stops the record
So if your phone rings when you sit in the listening chair, you may stop the sound in less than a second.
It's not really an opportunity for me, because my phone is just silently vibrating in the kitchen.


Here are the new shelves;

You mean like a "mute"? It wouldn't physically stop the record from turning while the stylus is still in the groove, would it?
Your set up is great, I found that after I improved my table/arm/cart/phono stage, all my records were "new" to me. It's a great process of re-discovery. Enjoy it!
(PS: I had one word in Swedish from all my time there- and it was the word for 'pickle relish' since there was a pretty good hot dog stand in the middle of Stockholm that I would frequent when I was in a hurry- I could live there, except for winter!)

 

[Calle_jr]

As you can imagine, I have dismounted the racks to replace the shelves. They are homemade from 42mm birch plywood, supported on brass cones made by a very skilled man in Copenhagen.
I was very systematic, starting by levelling the steel frames (each frame weighing 50kg w/o shelves), then levelling the shelves, then the Stabi M outer frame, and finally the sub-chassis. All the time, I had a tackit chart of sticking plaster to put on several strategic places. Incredible product.

You mean like a "mute"? It wouldn't physically stop the record from turning while the stylus is still in the groove, would it?

Yes, it's a very physical form of mute, it stops with stylus still in groove.

I had one word in Swedish from all my time there- and it was the word for 'pickle relish' since there was a pretty good hot dog stand in the middle of Stockholm that I would frequent when I was in a hurry- I could live there, except for winter!)

Hehe, if it was "remoladsås" I am impressed. I live in the south, just 5 miles from Copenhagen.

 

[Calle_jr]

Recently and today, I've been listening to cello, violin and piano from boxes by Bach, Albinoni and Beethoven, with soloists like Starker, Michelucci and Rostropovich. Starker plays all alone in a gloomy old room at the Great Northern Hotel on Manhattan, rebuilt to a studio by Robert and Wilma Fine. Richter and Rostropovich plays together and Michelucci plays with the 12 man orchestra I Musici who never had a conductor. I also listened to Milstein, Kogan and Oistrakh, and again I can't understand how many of these superior musicians came from the small town Odessa (even more if the whole Ukraine is counted). Just by chance, half of the music I've listened to lately comes from Odessa. I can't think of any other good thing coming from Ukraine

 

[analog brother]

excellent photography and review.
thank you for sharing.
recently i have been looking at the stabi m and i've fallen in love with the 'hardcore-ness' of the build.
it's just so industrially beautiful!
quite the antithesis of all the chromed out, fashionista tt's out there at the moment.
the only one i like just as much is the vpi classic direct, but i also need to wait 5 or 6 years....
i also love your jadis amps - are they the ja-30 or ja-80? i have the 30's; such beautiful, natural sounding amps.
try the e.a.t kt-88's if you haven't already.

enjoy!

 

[Brian Walsh]

The Stabi M is a magnificent piece. I agree, the 4Point is an easy drop-in installation, as it is on the Stabi Reference was well. And while I agree the arm board on the Stabi M is a chunk of metal, I would not describe it as grotesque, rather it is a part designed and fabricated with an important purpose.

Congratulations.

 

[Calle_jr]

excellent photography and review.
thank you for sharing.
recently i have been looking at the stabi m and i've fallen in love with the 'hardcore-ness' of the build.
it's just so industrially beautiful!
quite the antithesis of all the chromed out, fashionista tt's out there at the moment.
the only one i like just as much is the vpi classic direct, but i also need to wait 5 or 6 years....
i also love your jadis amps - are they the ja-30 or ja-80? i have the 30's; such beautiful, natural sounding amps.
try the e.a.t kt-88's if you haven't already.

enjoy!

Thanks,
They are JA80.
I'm using Tung-Sol KT120.
Will keep your recommendation in mind.

The Stabi M is a magnificent piece. I agree, the 4Point is an easy drop-in installation, as it is on the Stabi Reference was well. And while I agree the arm board on the Stabi M is a chunk of metal, I would not describe it as grotesque, rather it is a part designed and fabricated with an important purpose.

Congratulations.

Thanks Brian!
Well, "grotesque" as in "chunky".
I'm not native speaking, and we would use that word on something like that in my country.
I would guess he came up with this armboard design from aspects of intrinsic damping rather than stiffness.

 

[Calle_jr]

My uncle came to visit me. He's old now, a very nice man but he was never into music. I told him Medvedev has a Stabi Ref, but it did not seem to impress him.

 

[ddk]

Recently and today, I've been listening to cello, violin and piano from boxes by Bach, Albinoni and Beethoven, with soloists like Starker, Michelucci and Rostropovich. Starker plays all alone in a gloomy old room at the Great Northern Hotel on Manhattan, rebuilt to a studio by Robert and Wilma Fine. Richter and Rostropovich plays together and Michelucci plays with the 12 man orchestra I Musici who never had a conductor. I also listened to Milstein, Kogan and Oistrakh, and again I can't understand how many of these superior musicians came from the small town Odessa (even more if the whole Ukraine is counted). Just by chance, half of the music I've listened to lately comes from Odessa. I can't think of any other good thing coming from Ukraine

What a great music selection Calle, Rostropowitch, Starker, Oistrakh, some of my life long favorites...

david

 

[Calle_jr]

What a great music selection Calle, Rostropowitch, Starker, Oistrakh, some of my life long favorites...

Glad to read that.
I would so like to browse your records, as I understand you reside in the US.
Sure, there are a lot of UK, Dutch and German releases from the golden era, but there are just so many from the US that we miss here.


Nobody spotted this:

 

[BruceD]

My uncle came to visit me. I told him Medvedev has a Stabi Ref, but it did not seem to impress him./QUOTE]

Interesting that Hmmm--he must have sold his Simon Yorke--since Simon makes them no more--sadly

BruceD

 

[Calle_jr]

Interesting that Hmmm--he must have sold his Simon Yorke--since Simon makes them no more--sadly

He may have both or even more.
I also heard he has a SYD series 10.
Isn't his son working in the company?

Here Medvedev is playing his Stabi Ref:

Image from this article: http://www.itogi.ru/paper2007.nsf/Article/...15_01_4813.html

It may even be a uk original of dsotm. I can't see exactly.

 

[BruceD]

Yes I've seen pic of him with the S10 and Daniel Hertz items--I owned the SY too.

Simon unfortunately is no longer in business --he closed down in March 015--I have Email from him to that effect--sad they were fine tables

BruceD

 

[ddk]

Glad to read that.
I would so like to browse your records, as I understand you reside in the US.
Sure, there are a lot of UK, Dutch and German releases from the golden era, but there are just so many from the US that we miss here.


Nobody spotted this:

i know how that goes Calle, there are European releases that I miss and can't get in the U.S.

What's the counter for? Days since you used the cleaner or no. of times?

david