I worked ceaselessly throughout to steadily drop the noise floor, and to remove impediments from true speed stability (in the motor, in the bearing, via mass and direct coupling), and to put the sound of materials, isolated and in combination, to work.
With the Reference Lencos I created, with regards to the plinth, a “Symphony in Wood”, tapping into the energies trapped in various but very specific solid woods to give superb atmospherics and detail, while being controlled, via my building techniques and various materials, so as to give a tonally accurate result and a great sense of realism. This was married to a symphony of carefully tested and chosen metals and plastics, to achieve, together (plinth and modified and rebuilt machine) state-of-the-art noise floors and extreme accuracy of information, timing, dynamics and bass.
Then the Reference Lenco MKIII, which started as a test-bed for the elements which go into the making of the Ultimate: 1) a new platter (had to listen to and evaluate the sound of various alloys; as well a test mass and its effect on the main bearing, etc.) and 2) the new chassis (also tested for the sound of alloys and so on) and 3) a new bearing, meant to deal with the greater stresses of the new platter, and also to lower the noise floor and improve the overall sound even further.
The basic building blocks of the Ultimate Lenco verified, to some extent, in the Reference Lenco MKIII, I turned to the plinth for the Ultimate Lenco. I started by testing the sound of very select versions of the woods I use in the Reference Lenco MKIII and MKII, which I did by building a plinth from them, and then comparing two otherwise identical Reference Lenco MKIIIs. The experiment was a success, with very audible improvements across the sonic board (greater dynamics, richness and atmospherics, bass), and so I set out to acquire volumes of the very rare necessary materials for future Ultimate Lenco commissions.
All that done, the Ultimate is built around the new platter, which is 14 1/4″ in diameter, and of a different alloy than the Reference platter to compensate for the extra mass: the aim is to increase inertia without appreciably increasing overall mass, a far more intelligent and effective method than simply building up platters vertically with enormous mass. The increase in diameter results in superior inertia, which results in another improvement of speed stability – which is ALWAYS audible across the board.
The Ultimate main bearing is designed for the Ultimate but is a component of the Reference Lenco MKIII, and is a carefully-designed mix of engineering and materials, same as every other aspect of my work. I wanted to keep these elements and so keep stress on it as low as possible, which meant achieving a total mass close to that of the Reference Platter, which is the final touch for the Reference Lenco series. So, the increase in inertia of the Ultimate platter, rather than depending on simply increasing mass vertically (simply making it heavier), with its greater stresses and wear on the main bearing, as is common with expensive belt-drives, is achieved because the platter is spinning “faster”, and so is harder to stop. This is the principle of a bullet fired from a gun, which penetrates due to speed.
How does this work? Speed is a measure of distance over time (ex. miles per hour). The circumference of a circle is simply its length, calculated via the value pi (3.1416). The practical way of measuring circumference without mathematics is to cut a piece of string, wrap it around the edge of the disc, mark where the ends meet precisely, then straighten the string and put it against a ruler. You now have a straight line which gives you the “length”, or distance, of the outer rim.
RPM means rotation per minute, so that a record player spins at 33 1/3 (33.33) rotations per minute. The “length/distance” figure for the outer rim of a 12″ platter is 37.68″; which, given 33 1/3 rpm, means 1256 inches per minute. This is its speed. The Ultimate Platter, being 14.25″ across, has a circumference of 44.745″, which is some 7″ “longer” than a regular platter, and so the rim speeds along at 1491 inches per minute, which is 235.35 inches per minute faster than a regular platter, or close to 19.6 feet per minute faster, even though the platter still spins at 33 1/3. Like a car or a bullet, the faster it goes the harder it is to stop.
Don’t forget that with a solid platter with most of its weight concentrated on the rim, the Ultimate outer rim is not only going faster, it is also heavier, 7″ of extra metal mass , making it harder to stop again, compounding the inertia where it counts, where it is going faster (like moving to a higher-calibre bullet). This should create an increase in inertia superior to that achieved by the typical vertically-increased platter at multiples of the mass of the Ultimate.
So yes, this means it has more power to overcome stylus force drag, or more simply the friction of the diamond in the groove. Is this increase of outer mass and speed – seven inches of extra material at roughly 20 feet per minute faster – audible? In fact, it is, incredibly so! This is facilitated of course by the Ultimate bearing, and by new techniques in tuning the motor, both of which remove impediments to speed stability, so allowing that greater inertia to be heard.
The platter alloy is also even more tonally accurate than the Reference Platter, which was a hoped-for outcome, which itself is a big step up from the stock platter (also due to increased speed stability due to superior machining/balance). The chassis was redesigned to accommodate the new platter, built stronger than the Reference Lenco MKIII chassis, and necessarily larger to accommodate the larger platter.
The new chassis was also tested in isolation in comparison with that of the MKIII, and found sonically superior again, once all elements had been fine-tuned to achieve an overall correct tonal balance.
As compared with the Reference Lenco MKIII + new platter, The Ultimate has superior, much more detailed and impactful bass (in fact, it is practically impossible, supernatural bass); greater palpability/sense of 3-dimensional/”thereness”; greater transient speed (though this, paradoxically, achieves a more relaxed, “real-time” live feel); greater separation of detail; greater retrieval of detail; more lingering decays; greater high frequency accuracy; and finally an absolutely rivetting, commanding presentation of the music (greater excitement and coherence, expressed as greater menace in appropriate tracks, and greater poetry in others).
It is the final word in overall performance, and in terms of emotional power and artistic intent.
Introductory price of $21,750 for one-tonearm position; add $1000 for two-tonearm positions. While most woods are included in the price, certain very rare burls are extra, specifically Yellow Cedar Burl, and Giant California Redwood Burl.
Yellow Cedar is a tree found only along the coast of British Columbia, being yellow in colour, and prized especially by the Japanese in building their homes, and the burl is especially striking due to the black stripping and patterns against the yellow wood. Burls are understandably rare in this already-rare wood, and burls large enough to do the large panels on my Ultimate Lencos even rarer, and very expensive. This is a $2000 option, see photos in gallery.
Giant California Redwood Burl is even rarer, being from the largest tree on earth, found in the Sierra Nevada mountains. This veneer option is from a large burl piece rescued from a river, where it was submerged more than a century (handsaw marks visible on the back before milling, photos available to those interested). It is partly mineralized due to the submersion, and so making it a veneer requires a specialized process. It is very dark, but extremely striking when a light is shone on it. This is currently a $2000 option (price likely to rise).
REVIEWS
SALVATORE
The “Ultimate Lenco” is now the fourth version of highly modified, and/or completely rebuilt, Lenco idler-drive turntables, designed and manufactured by Jean Nantais, which I have auditioned (and purchased). Below is a quick history of when these respective models were initially installed in my personal Reference System:
February 2010 – The “Original” Reference Lenco – This turntable’s performance, which was shockingly superior (Level 7!*) to anything I had heard prior to its arrival (40+ years), prompted a lengthy and exhaustive essay/review. For newer readers, I highly advise taking the time to read this review, in its entirety, if you want to know my complete turntable history, and to fully understand my reasoning and perspective on the subject of turntable performance in general, and the Reference Lenco in particular.
December 2012 – The Reference Lenco Mk. II – This update, which did not include the heavy plinth, was much larger and encompassing than I had previously thought was even possible after living with the “Original Reference”. The Mk. II update was similar to the typical differences one would observe between a 33 RPM and 45 RPM version of the same record. I can understand how this claim may sound like typical audio hyperbole, but it isn’t.
May 2014 – The Reference Lenco Mk. III – This time, the III update did include a new and different plinth (though the weight was similar). However, while the Mk. III’s improvements were also easily noticeable, they were still not the equal, in either degree or importance, to those I had earlier experienced with the Mk. II. In quick summary – The Mk. III reduced performance negatives more than it increased performance positives. These sonic improvements were still important, but not as important.
November 2021 – The “Ultimate Lenco” – This latest version is almost a complete rebuild when compared to the earlier “Reference Lenco” models. The “Ultimate” has actually been available for some years now (2016), but I deliberately avoided it. Why? I had many prior reviewing commitments (cartridges, speakers, electronics and cables). Even more pertinent, I also wanted to receive a model that had already gone through all of the many minor changes and updates which are typical, and unavoidable, when introducing any new component. (Especially when considering I live 1,500 miles from the manufacturer, I’m unable to lift the turntable on my own and I’m also an underachiever in mechanical skills.)
*Level 7 is the highest (and the rarest) level of improvement in my “HIERARCHY/LEVELS OF AUDIBLE IMPROVEMENTS”. It is also important to note that I have not experienced another Level 7 Improvement since hearing the “Original” Reference Lenco in early 2010, now more than 12 years ago.
The Ultimate looks similar to the earlier Reference models at first glance, since they are all relatively large and bulky turntables, with huge wooden base/plinths. However, the important differences between them become immediately noticeable upon even the most casual inspection:
1. Plinth/Base (Wood) – The size and appearance look (and weigh) exactly the same, but the material composition (and processing) of the wood has changed. According to Nantais, the Ultimate’s wood composition is unique and is also further aged (when compared to earlier plinths) in a manner which allows it to absorb more energy, thus lowering its “noise floor” (Nantais’ expression). In fact, Nantais claims this new process is so successful that 100+ lb. plinths are no longer necessary to achieve optimum energy absorption, so future models will now come with plinths that weigh closer to 75 lbs. Nantais also clarified that only the Ultimate model used these special and aged woods.
2. Chassis/Plinth (Metal) – All of the other Nantais models use a modified version of the original Lenco chassis. However, the Ultimate uses a completely new chassis design, which was chosen after Nantais successfully experimented with a number of different metal alloys.
3. Transcription Platter – The Ultimate’s platter is the most obvious visual change when directly comparing it with all of the previous Nantais Lenco models (as well as almost all the other turntables in the world). The reason is simple: The Ultimate’s platter is an extra-large 14.25″ in diameter. This means that the Ultimate can be accurately/officially described as having a “Transcription Platter”.
This new platter also incorporates new alloys to minimize any residual colorations. Based on my own first-hand knowledge, Nantais spent years of experiments to find the optimum combination of these alloys. The Ultimate’s transcription platter also has extra weight at the outer rim, which provides even greater inertia than a typical transcription platter. (However, because of the increased size of the Ultimate Platter, an extra-long tonearm now becomes an actual requirement, and not just an option.)
4. Bearing – The bearing was designed specifically for the Ultimate (and its extra large platter), though it is also used in the Reference III.
5. Idler-Wheel – This is also custom-made. According to Nantais, the new idler-wheel design is balanced to optimize contact/torque, minimize vibration transmission and maximize longevity, all at the same time.
I received the Ultimate Lenco on October 1, 2021. However, the Ultimate remained in its (heavy-duty) carton until Jean Nantais arrived in early November (which was almost a miracle considering the strict Covid-19 quarantine Canada/USA travelling restrictions at the time). Further, I had informed Nantais, in no uncertain terms, that not only would I not attempt to remove the 110+ lb. Ultimate from its carton, I would not even allow anyone else to remove it either, except Nantais himself. (The Kuzma tonearm was already received in 2020.) However, after Nantais arrived, we did not immediately install the Ultimate/Kuzma combination in my system. We both acknowledged that another important requirement came first…
Since Nantais’ last visit in 2017 (when he assisted me in setting-up the Acapella Ion Super-Tweeters, a difficult and tedious task), there had been many serious changes to my Reference system; speakers, cartridges, cables etc. Accordingly, Nantais and I spent an extra long evening (November 8th) listening to every recording/musical genre possible on the Reference III/Graham. Why? We wanted one final deep immersion with my Reference III/Graham system, so we would better recognize, and appreciate, any and all sonic differences we would later observe with the new Ultimate/Kuzma combination.
As the evening finally came to a close, at around 3 AM, I realized I had to choose the final record I would ever play with the Reference III, a component I had grown attached to over the 7.5 years I owned it (which I admit makes me somewhat of a hypocrite, based on my own advice from My Audio Philosophy). In the end, I felt I made the perfect choice at the time, and I still do today; Richard Strauss – Four Last Songs – Schwarzkopf/Szell – EMI ASD 2888.
Since both the turntable and tonearm were completly new to me (and the tonearm cable as well), I had no idea how they would interact, or what I would hear the first time I played them together. Accordingly, I made a serious effort to eliminate any expectations, or biases, prior to our first listening session, and below is what I observed by myself (and, deliberately, without any input from Nantais, who was sitting next to me at the time):
The very first difference I heard (within seconds, literally) was the improved flow of the music and, shortly after that, a greater separation of the instruments. By the end of the first LP (paraphrasing my contemperaneous notes), I also observed less noise from the record; a reduction of ambiguity; a minor attenuation of the bass frequencies, but with superior quality and control; and cleaner and more precise sonics at all volume levels. Cumulatively, these observations constitute my “first impression” of the Kuzma/Lenco combination.
However, the critically important details, which can only be discovered, confirmed and understood with long-term listening, are what really matter, and that will be my focus below, item by item, in no particular order:
Musical Flow – While this was the first improvement I observed, it is also true that I did not feel it was “dramatic” in its degree or in its effect. I even found myself ignoring the flow within a short period of time, with my attention moving elsewhere. In fact, it eventually required some focus, on my part, to notice (or isolate) the superior flow on its own. This most recent observation was in stark contrast to my first listening experience with the “Original” Lenco Reference, when the improvement in (musical) flow was overwhelming, and literally impossible to ignore.
My two extreme reactions are easily explainable; The earlier listening experience was the first time I was hearing a modern idler-drive directly compared to a belt-drive, in effect the largest contrast of musical flow sonically possible. Further, it is also my experience that musical flow is something a listener usually becomes accustomed to quicker than most other audio changes, with the mind then focusing elsewhere. However, I eventually realized that while the Ultimate’s musical flow improvement could never be as profound as it was with the “Original” Reference, it was not only still important on its own, but also a (if not the) key factor in the overall performance of the Ultimate Lenco. An Explanation:
I was already well used to the outstanding musical flow of the Reference Lenco III, so the improved Ultimate Lenco could not provide that large “leap” in performance which was now necessary to grab and retain my attention. However, the improved musical flow of the Ultimate ended up positively affecting a number of other important areas of sonic performance; bass control and detail; precision and intelligibility; phrasing; inner and outer details; cleanness and purity etc (see below). In short, the improved musical flow of the Ultimate Lenco was a critical factor enabling the turntable/tonearm combination to perform at an unprecedented sonic level for myself and my associate.
Still, there were other important performance factors as well to take into account.
Bass – I noticed a subtle volume attenuation of the overall bass frequencies with the first LP we played with the Ultimate (which surprised me), and this initial observation was confirmed with many other records played over time. However, I soon realized that this attenuation was due to both a reduction in bass distortion and a corresponding improvement in bass tightness and control. These sonic differences were very similar in nature, and degree, to those changes serious audiophiles usually observe when comparing bass notes first amplified by a typical tube amplifier, to those same bass notes then amplified by a good transistor amplifier (with superior bass damping capabilities, but with no sonic downsides).
In short, the quality of the Ultimate Lenco’s bass is now the best I’ve ever heard (thus overtaking the Reference III), and there is yet much more to discuss concerning the bass frequencies…
Even with an attenuation of bass volume, the Ultimate’s bass energy was still more concentrated, precise and controlled, thus giving it greater visceral impact than the Reference III. This characteristic was most easily observed with the finest recordings, and for an actual example; the outstanding Harmonia Mundi LP “Arabo-Andalusian” HM 389, which I’ve used as a reference record for decades.
Deep Bass – Then there is the deep bass of the Ultimate Lenco, which I’ve categorized separately because it was more unique and thus more difficult to describe than just another common improvement. It appears simple at first – The bass of the Ultimate Lenco extends deeper than the Reference III (and any other turntable I’ve heard). However, in this instance, the positive consequences of this specific change are much more important than what a listener would normally expect. The Ultimate not only superbly reproduces the lower notes themselves, which is to be expected, it also captures (or encompasses) the entirety of the instrument creating the note, to a degree that I’ve never experienced before (except live, and in a large space).
Deep bass reproduction at this high level requires much more than simply a heavy platter, multiple woofers and powerful amplifiers, which are only good for moving large amounts of air (which is still important of course). With the Ultimate, you realize that an outstanding amount of control is also required, along with a frequency range deep enough to go even lower than the instrument’s capabilities, and all of this with minimal compromise. Why/How? The extra control (along with lower LP noise, see below) allows the listener to finally hear the bass instrument slightly (yet still distinctly) vibrating well after the note is launched, thus exposing it. Previously, most of these details had been obscured by the note itself.
Finally, there is an interesting anecdote specifically concerning this issue…
Prior to my first listening session with the Ultimate/Kuzma combination, Jean Nantais had told me that the Ultimate Lenco had the unique capability of reproducing the “undertones” of deep bass notes, which he had never heard before. Frankly, I had never believed, let alone understood, the concept of “undertones” (a term I first encountered decades ago), and accordingly discounted Nantais’ claim as the understandable hyperbole of a manufacturer overly enthusiastic with his latest and most serious design.
As it turned out, Nantais was right and I was wrong. Maybe the term “undertones” is not the most appropriate description of what I (and Nantais) am observing, but the Ultimate Lenco (and Kuzma) does reproduce something important in the deep bass which I’ve never experienced before, and if it requires a new and original term, I can be on board with that.
Separation of Instruments – This was the second improvement I noticed and, as it was so obvious, it took far less than a minute to first observe it. This improvement doesn’t require any new expressions or terms to describe. It was the Ultimate’s reduction of both the homogenization of instruments, and general LP sonic ambiguity, when directly comparing it to my previous references (whom themselves were outstanding in this area). Another way to describe this particular sonic attribute is that the instruments appeared to have less effect on other instruments, no matter how loud they played. In fact, the largest differences were observed during the most challenging passages. Bottom Line – Individual musical lines have never been so easy to hear.
Soundstage/Imaging Focus – This category is related to the “separation of instruments” seen above, though more encompassing. The soundstage is now larger and wider with the Ultimate, and with an incredible capture of the recording space. Individual instruments are better focused, and isolated, in their own space and, accordingly, there is a more realistic and convincing space between the instruments. This improvement was observed at all volume levels. Further, in my contemporaneous notes, with one particular LP, I even used the words “holographic” and “X-Ray” to describe what I was hearing.
Precision and Purity – This category is a major improvement, which I noticed on basically every single LP I played, regardless of the recording quality, genre of music or volume levels, and with both inner and outer details. When my associate/friend visited me in December 2021, “precision” was the very first word that came out of his mouth when describing what he heard. I will discuss this important category in greater detail within the Kuzma tonearm review.
Lower LP Noise – The Ultimate had lower background record noise (unlike all the previous Nantais Lenco Reference models). Further, while I’ve experienced this “lower LP noise” phenomenon earlier in my audio life, that was now decades ago and, to clarify any ambiguity as to the descriptions I am using, I have always made a serious and clear distinction between common “noise”, no matter what the source, and the “sound-floor”, which I will discuss next, just below. Interestingly, as with the category of “deep bass” above, there is another anecdote concerning Jean Nantais and this particular improvement as well.
Nantais forecast this change and even predicted that the Ultimate’s already low “noise-floor” would go still lower over time, due to “turntable break-in”. I again dismissed the latter prediction, since I never experienced it before (short of a new bearing) and, once again, as with the deep bass issue, I was wrong…
I ended up observing the Ultimate’s LP background noise go slightly lower over the first few weeks of play, something unprecedented in my experience. Nantais explained to me that this was the positive result of the inherent noise, initially created and stored in the Ultimate’s motor, platter, bearing and metal base, slowly finding a superior/less resistant route to its massive wood plinth, where it would be more efficiently absorbed and dissipated by the special woods chosen, processed and aged specifically for that purpose. This unexpected improvement directly affected the sound-floor in a positive manner, which will be discussed next.
Lower Sound-floor – The Ultimate’s sound-floor was slightly lower than the Reference III. More significantly, there were also noticeably extra details in all the soft sounds, which was even a larger difference. These important results were partially due to the lower record noise discussed above, though I believe the majority of the advancement was caused by the combination of the improved metal base, platter, bearing, idler-wheel and plinth.
Dynamic Range/Intensity – The literal dynamic range (the very softest to the very loudest volume extremes) was only slightly enhanced with the Ultimate/Kuzma. However, the effective dynamic range was notably enhanced. This was because both the softest sounds, and the loudest sounds, were cleaner and more clarified than before, thus making both volume extremes more distinct, and more musically convincing, to the listener. Further, and just as important, the dynamic intensity was also improved, mainly due to the superior concentration of the sonic energy reproduced by the Ultimate (exaggerated analogy: a floodlight to a laser).
Intelligibility/Phrasing – This sonic category is directly related to “precision” discussed above. Not only were the actual words of the vocalists more easily distinguished*, the distinct vocal (or instrumental) phrasing was improved as well, which is directly related to “musical flow” discussed above. (I even believe it is possible that “imaging focus” may also be distantly related to this category.)
*This may prove to be a mixed blessing for those listeners who feel many popular song lyrics are inane or prosaic.
Immediacy – This was noticeable on most records, though not to the same magnitude as the larger improvement in “precision”. Still, I believe these two categories are also related to some degree. Further, I was fortunate to discover a series of LPs, utterly transformed by the Ultimate/Kuzma, which now sound as “live” as the finest direct-to-disc records (Mozart/Haydn – Various String Quartets – Salomon String Quartet – Hyperion Records).
Natural Completeness – The sonics of every LP I played with the Ultimate sounded more “complete”, in the sense of harmonics, decays, natural body, etc., than I’ve ever experienced. For many serious audiophiles, this may be the single most important sonic category, because it directly relates to what many of them term “musicality”. The Ultimate was also slightly more “neutral” than the Reference III, which I believe is partially the positive consequence of the combination of improved purity, completeness and precision.
Individuation – This category is the culmination of multiple categories seen above, especially “completeness”, “phrasing”, “separation” and “dynamic intensity”. When this category is optimized, as it is with the Ultimate/Kuzma, the musicians are “humanized” to the greatest possible degree, which I have long felt should be the ultimate performance goal of all serious audiophiles and music lovers.
Sonic Downsides – This will be simple and fast. There weren’t any. At no time did either I, or my associate, feel that the Ultimate/Kuzma was sonically equalled, let alone outperformed, by the Reference III/Graham, in any manner.
From the first evening I played the Ultimate, I noticed a specific operational change, which I initially ignored because it meant far less than the different and improved sonics I was experiencing for the first time. The “operational change” in question was the Ultimate transcription platter’s relatively longer time, after shut-off, to come to a complete stop (compared to my distinct memory of the Reference III’s platter). When I decided to pay closer attention to this phenomenon, I immediately realized, of course, that this change was critically important because it was proof that the Ultimate had far more inertia than the Reference III.
However, my subjective recollection of the Reference III’s stopping time (even though I owned/used it for 7.5 years) was obviously not as “objective” as an actual measurement. So, I asked Jean Nantais to time/measure the Reference III platter stopping, as accurately as possible, and send me the results. I, in turn, measured the Ultimate Lenco (on 5/25/2022, using an iPhone app), and these are the results:
Measured Time for the two platters to come to a complete stop, after shut-off (33 RPM):
Reference III – 13.18 seconds
Ultimate – 34.63 seconds
34.63/13.18 seconds = 2.63 Inertia Ratio
I had estimated that the Ultimate/Reference III Inertia/time ratio to be around 2.5. In actuality, it was around 2.63. This Inertia Ratio is important and objective evidence of the much greater inertia of the Ultimate Lenco. Finally, there is one more factor, concerning the respective platters, which may also be relevant to their performance. I found that every stock casted Lenco platter, on all the Reference models I used, had a tiny “wobble” while rotating, while the Ultimate’s platter is as wobble-free as my vision allows me to see.
In summary, I believe that the objectively greater inertia is the primary reason for the improved “musical flow” of the Ultimate Lenco, as well as all the other sonic benefits which come along with that specific improvement, and discussed in detail above.
Customer Review, by H. Fischer, Toronto Canada, November 2018:
Jean,
Just wanted to relate to you my experiences with your ultimate turntable. I understand I was one of the first ones to acquire this ‘table, having upgraded from your Reference Mk2, which was a fantastic ‘table in its own right. I owned the Reference Mk2 for approximately 5 years with a 9” Graham Phantom 2 tonearm and a Zyx UNIverse II cartridge. The ‘table itself had replaced my former Oracle Delphi VI and blown it out of the water.
I have now owned the Ultimate for around a year or so, taking it through a few arms and cartridges along the way, tweaking the set-up to my liking (I am a confessed tweaker). I feel that now that I have lived and played with it for a while, I have a good grip on its impressive capabilities.
My first “experience” with the ‘table was when you dropped by to install it along with a Reed 3P, taking in the Reference Mk2 with a very generous trade-in. From the moment the needle hit the first record it was clear that the Ultimate was a different beast altogether. I distinctly remember that what initially grabbed me about the sound was the firm grip on pace and rhythm and the absolute image solidity (size, space and location) in 3 dimensions, even in comparison to the extremely capable Ref Mk2. It was truly an eye-opening (well, more an ear-opening) experience. I had never heard that kind of FIRM GRIP in my listening room before.
For the next few weeks I continued to listen avidly and tweak things and it became apparent that there was an issue getting the finnicky magnetic anti-skate of the Reed to work properly on the ‘table. I tried a variety of things but ultimately it became apparent that the arm’s geometry wasn’t going to allow the magnets to align properly so together we considered a variety of options, ultimately deciding to go with one of your favourite arms (the Durand Kairos). Another few months’ wait ensued, during which time I also scored a super deal on a new Benz LPS cartridge.
When I finally received the new arm and installed it along with the Benz cartridge, the sound was just phenomenal. All the image solidity and grip of the Ultimate/Reed/Zyx combo but now with absolutely prodigious bass and even more truth of timbre. Another “tweak” involved adding your custom platform under the ‘table which improved isolation and refined the overall sonic presentation yet another level.
Once the front end was all finalized, the combination of table/arm/cartridge/platform was truly stunning – and so revealing that it allowed me to hear subtle difference in a variety of other tweaks I had been working on, mostly with positioning of speakers, listening area and acoustic treatments. I had suspected that there was some bass loss at the listening position in my previous set-up and the sheer transparency of the new analogue front end allowed me to get things more balanced with a few more simple tweaks. I get the sense that what I am hearing out of the Ultimate really is the “ultimate” – i.e. what is supposed to be heard – which makes these micro adjustments easier to evaluate.
All in all, I continue to be amazed at how wonderful the music sounds coming from my new analogue front end. It continues to surprise me every day, both on recordings I’m familiar with as well as those that are new. While it’s true that any exceedingly sonically revealing component may also make poor recordings sound poor by highlighting their shortcomings, I can honestly say that even distinctly non-audiophile recordings sound absolutely as good as they’re going to sound with this ‘table. I should also add that in today’s crazy hifi world of components that cost as much as a house, this absolute state of the art ‘table is a veritable bargain in comparison. I’d also like to add that it has been pleasure dealing with you and I would never hesitate to recommend your products and service to friends, audiophiles and music-lovers.
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A Jr., lower-priced version, will also soon be available. Contact for pricing and details.