The frequency response of the cartridge is about the worst I have seen, for Moving Coil. The whole reason for using those is the extended high frequency response and many, like the Denon versions, go past 40KHz. While it's true that the LPs don't usually have anything up there, why not be able to produce it if the LP is direct to disc or some other version that is above the rest in quality?
And, if you read up on what audiopiles want in a turntable, this uses direct drive- they prefer belt drive because it doesn't transmit vibrations from the motor. Hell, some manufacturers separate the motor and base completely.
That said, I have come to the conclusion that it's best to keep these as simple as possible- mine has a servo-controlled tonearm and, while the background noise level is extremely low, it occasionally has some hiccups because of dirty switches so, at almost 40 years old, the time may have come to replace it.
Not surprising...
I just love seeing people, companies that are good at one thing figure that this gives them the cred to do something else... and charge high prices for it.
Cambridge Audio
designs some reasonable DACs. They then moved into entry level and (later) mid range amps and receivers, phono preamps, etc. which makes sense from a circuit design perspective. But turntables are electro
mechanical devices, which is a different ball game.
So perhaps their time would have been more productively spent learning about TT design from the ground up... designing simple and inexpensive turntables before moving into a price range within which a lot of very experienced manufacturers reside.
I regard this as something akin to actors or musicians who use their celebrity to start talking about politics. It's their right to say their piece, but nobody's going to take them seriously unless what they say is particularly considered OR steeped in some experience. Their credibility is compromised when they say one thing and do another.
Bono is the an example of a unimath, who thinks he's a polymath. He's also an avowed socialist who has a spotty record of paying his taxes in a country that already boasts a low tax rate, which I find rather odd. Outside of crooning, I'm surprised he's taken very seriously be anyone.
Who knows, maybe this product will cast CA in the same light. Hope not... they should stick to what they're reasonably good at. If they want to expand, they'd be well advised to do so in a measured fashion. Otherwise, they run the risk of becoming the sort of "audiophile" company that sells for more and delivers less.
