When I lived in Tokyo for a spell in 1998, I was fascinated by the avidity for vinyl records among Japanese hi-fi enthusiasts. In America vinyl had not really made its big comeback. But as near as I could tell, the Japanese never lost their love for the black disc. Quite the contrary. To enter a record shop—and there were many—in Shibuya was to see grown men frantically rifling through bin after bin of LPs, their fingers moving with a speed that would rival a professional touch typist. It was, in its own way, a deeply moving sight, if you know what I mean. Once I stopped blinking in amazement, I had a go at it myself, eventually returning home with several suitcases full of Japanese pressings, many of which are stellar. Upon return stateside, the customs officer at Dulles airport looked at me as though I were a serious nut job and queried, 'Are you reselling these?' After I assured him that I had no intention of parting with my precious cargo, he shrugged and waved me through.
Prof media 8 1 0 – a media converter toolbox. If Japan is obsessed with LPs, it is also a mecca of high-end stereo equipment. It has a long tradition, among other things, of producing superb turntables. The new TechDAS Air Force III is a case in point. As the 'III' suggests, this 'table is the third progeny of TechDAS, with the mighty $105k Air Force I (reviewed by Paul Seydor in Issue 254) at the head of the line, both in sonics and price. The belt-drive Air Force III is a different customer. It offers a tremendous amount in a small package, ranging from vacuum hold-down to an air-bearing platter. The vacuum is pleasingly silent during operation and never once failed to lock onto an LP when I used it. The front panel control, with its array of buttons to set the platter speed (33 1/3 or 45rpm) and to control the vacuum, is compact and elegant. The panel also contains a nifty digital readout of the precise platter speed; if necessary you can also increase or decrease the speed. My review sample automatically hit the right numbers without fail. The Air Force III can accept virtually any tonearm thanks to an array of interchangeable armboards.
It is a 3 speed turntable that has the capacity to play 7, 10 and 12 inch Records giving you the opportunity of enjoying all your favorite music collection without any exception. Some of the features of this unique turntable are Bluetooth, USB/MP3, RCA out, built – in speakers and many more. Currently Unavailable. Product Title Vintage Vinyl LP Record Player Turntable 28cm 3 Spee. Average rating: 0 out of 5 stars, based on 0 reviews Current Price $56.37 $ 56. 37 List List Price $84.56 $ 84.
The 'table was delivered to me by Maier Shadi of the Audio Salon in Los Angeles, whose fastidiousness knows almost no bounds. He stayed up all night to assemble the 'table, then bounced in—well, at least emerged—the next morning eager to get it running, which he did. The 'table came outfitted with a Swedish Analog Technologies (SAT) tonearm, designed by the brilliantly talented Marc Gomez. The 'arm, I gather, is the personal one of the venerable designer of the TechDAS 'tables, Hideaki Nishikawa. The SAT 'arm, which is as inert as they come, made an indispensable contribution to the overall sound.
So what was that sound? In a word, silky. It was evident from the very first needle drop that the Air Force III, coupled with a TechDAS cartridge, possesses a remarkably continuous sound. This makes for an extremely non-fatiguing presentation, one that will you have pulling out album after album, not in a search of the last detail contained in the grooves but for the lovely—dare I even say holistic?—sound produced by the Air Force. For there is something reassuring about listening to this 'table. The Air Force simply sails soothingly but also punctiliously through any LP you play on it.
Sometimes older jazz and classical LPs can sound a little strident or thin. Not with the Air Force. Take Stanley Turrentine's marvelous album on the Impulse label Let It Go. Like me, Turrentine was a Pittsburgher and jazz was in his blood—the liner notes disclose that his father took him as a kid to hear the Jimmie Lunceford band at the Savoy ballroom. His father was himself a saxophonist who played with the Savoy Sultans and taught his son to play with a sumptuous and bold tone. On the sixteen-bar composition 'Let It Go,' Turrentine performs with organist Shirley Scott, who's also his wife. The album provides another reminder that Turrentine wasn't a sheets-of-sound kind of guy in the Coltrane school; rather, he played in the mainstream bop vein with a heavy dose of ballads. On the title cut 'Let It Go,' his tenor sax sounds beautifully mellifluous. The lavish abundance of micro-detail, coupled with the sinuosity of the 'table, gives Turrentine's sax work a live quality that is anything but easy to reproduce. At the same time, Scott's organ notes pealed out with a jaunty bounce that I'm not sure I've ever really sensed to this degree. In listening to this album, it also becomes clear that the Air Force has wonderfully silent backgrounds, another reason that the instruments sound so vividly palpable and present. Something similar occurred on the number 'Ciao, Ciao.' A great sense of hall space and depth became apparent at the outset when Mack Simpkins enunciates a Latin rhythm on drums from the rear of the room. The clarity of the interplay between drums and Scott's organ was simply delightful to experience. Never underestimate the time machine aspect of LPs. To listen to this kind of lofty musicianship at these sonic heights is a rare treat, one that makes you almost feel like a time traveler to the past.
Indeed, I had much the same feeling in listening to another great jazz album, an old Blue Note, one of many that, in a fit either of madness or wild generosity, my audiophile chum Bob Stenerson recently gave me, called The Big Beat. Listen to the first cut 'The Chess Players,' and I defy you not to get goosebumps when you hear Lee Morgan, one of the all-time trumpet greats—may his name never be forgotten—deliver a blazing solo, bending the notes, offering a variety of tonal shadings, driving the band forward with propulsive force. I could break it all down, but it comes a little like the proverbial frog on the dissecting table. What the TechDAS conveys above all is the emotional intensity of the music. Obviously, the rest of the gear has a lot to do with it, starting with the new Wilson WAMM Master Chronosonic loudspeakers and subwoofers. But there's no disputing that the source, the fons et origo, is where it all starts, and how, with the TechDas.
One of the toughest parts of putting together an analog player is determining what bits play well together.
When buying a budget analog deck in the $500 – $1,000 range, it's pretty tough to go wrong – nothing resolves enough detail to screw it up too much. However, when you take the next leap or so to a $2,000 – $4,000 analog rig, you're thinking about tonearms, cables, resonant points, etc. and, of course what cartridge is going to maximize your analog experience, it's a bigger world. Now, you're extracting enough information from those delicate grooves to make a real difference. And there are quite a few good choices.
In this case, the latest T-3 turntable package from LSA/Margules and Underwood HiFi hits the scale at $3,499 and ticks all the boxes. Featuring the T-3 turntable/arm package, it also comes with a $2,000 SoundSmith cartridge pre-installed, aligned, and ready to rock. Underwood even packs an alignment protractor and a digital stylus force gauge, for the day you decide to change cartridges. An excellent phono cable is included. Unlike some tables that lock you into a fixed cable, or others that utilize a tonearm cable requiring a DIN connector, the T-3 uses standard RCA connections, just like VPI and Luxman. Of course, we can always argue about cables, but I like the practical approach here. Just for giggles, I substituted a much more expensive Cardas Clear cable, optimized for tonearm duty, with integral grounding wire. In comparison, it does provide another step up in performance, your well on the right track with what's supplied.
Turntable 3 2 3 Drawer
The competition heats up pretty fiercely as you move upscale to the $2,000 – $4,000 range. The jewel here is that all the heavy lifting is done – you only need to unbox, do a little bit of quick assembly and you're playing records. Double-checking LSA's work with a full suite of Analog Majik software reveals they did an excellent job setting the table up. I was still able to fine-tune it a smidge, but for those not wanting to go the extra mile, you will be delighted with how this table plays right out of the box.
Our review sample exhibits excellent speed accuracy, and even though three drive belts were enclosed, Underwood stresses that you only need to use one. (It does look kind of cool with three belts, though.) Much like earlier Regas and some VPI tables, changing speed is the only manual adjustment you'll have to perform. If your record collection is mostly 33 r.p.m. records, this won't be an issue. If you listen to 45s a lot, this may become aggravating, and some tables in this price range don't require bothering, with a speed change only a button click away. If you are new to this kind of thing, make sure your hands are always clean when handling turntable drive belts. Getting your skin oil on the belts will make them fail prematurely. I wouldn't call this one a deal-breaker, because again, this means less complexity, but you need to be aware.
In this case, the latest T-3 turntable package from LSA/Margules and Underwood HiFi hits the scale at $3,499 and ticks all the boxes. Featuring the T-3 turntable/arm package, it also comes with a $2,000 SoundSmith cartridge pre-installed, aligned, and ready to rock. Underwood even packs an alignment protractor and a digital stylus force gauge, for the day you decide to change cartridges. An excellent phono cable is included. Unlike some tables that lock you into a fixed cable, or others that utilize a tonearm cable requiring a DIN connector, the T-3 uses standard RCA connections, just like VPI and Luxman. Of course, we can always argue about cables, but I like the practical approach here. Just for giggles, I substituted a much more expensive Cardas Clear cable, optimized for tonearm duty, with integral grounding wire. In comparison, it does provide another step up in performance, your well on the right track with what's supplied.
Turntable 3 2 3 Drawer
The competition heats up pretty fiercely as you move upscale to the $2,000 – $4,000 range. The jewel here is that all the heavy lifting is done – you only need to unbox, do a little bit of quick assembly and you're playing records. Double-checking LSA's work with a full suite of Analog Majik software reveals they did an excellent job setting the table up. I was still able to fine-tune it a smidge, but for those not wanting to go the extra mile, you will be delighted with how this table plays right out of the box.
Our review sample exhibits excellent speed accuracy, and even though three drive belts were enclosed, Underwood stresses that you only need to use one. (It does look kind of cool with three belts, though.) Much like earlier Regas and some VPI tables, changing speed is the only manual adjustment you'll have to perform. If your record collection is mostly 33 r.p.m. records, this won't be an issue. If you listen to 45s a lot, this may become aggravating, and some tables in this price range don't require bothering, with a speed change only a button click away. If you are new to this kind of thing, make sure your hands are always clean when handling turntable drive belts. Getting your skin oil on the belts will make them fail prematurely. I wouldn't call this one a deal-breaker, because again, this means less complexity, but you need to be aware.
Being there isn't much setup, spinning records comes quickly. Again, kudos to Underwood for getting you to play right now. Listening begins with Joni Mitchell's Don Juan's Reckless Daughter. Not always a favorite of Joni fans, but a record that is somewhat of a tracking torture test and prone to inner groove distortion. Like my Grandfather used to say, 'do the thing you like worst, first.' The T3 aces this torture test. Going back to the insanely deep bass riff in the opening track reveals not only the amount of low-frequency information this arm can handle but also how the table does at controlling external vibration.
This turntable is not a sprung or isolated design, so sitting in the same room with a six-pack of REL no.25s is a challenge for the T-3. In room two, as part of a system containing the new Egglestonworks Nicos, (with substantially less LF output) on top of a Quadraspire rack, everything is as it should be. You can turn the volume up as loud as need be to rattle the stuff on the shelves. My mid-grade Linn LP-12 does a better job with this, my Technics 1200 mk.5, worse, the VPI Classic One about the same. As with any table in this category, if you crave subterranean bass, mount that baby on the wall!
Listening to solo acoustic music, or classical pieces with a lot of space and air illustrates the table's overall quiet, indicating the motor and bearing both do their job and interface well. This is usually where the lesser than tables slip up, with noise creeping in at higher volumes through the quiet passages. Going way, way back to an old favorite on the Phillips label, Beethoven Wind Music, performed by the Netherland Wind Ensemble, is played without the grinding in the background that is present on a budget table. This is one of the main things you should get when stepping up to a table in this price range. Money pro: personal finance 2 0 6. More of what you want – the music, and less of what you don't want – noise, speed inaccuracy, and a restricted sound stage.
Turntable 3 2 3 0
Playing substandard records often reveals more of a turntable's character than playing pristine ones. In this case, the T-3 scores a B+. Part of this can be attributed to the moving iron design of the SoundSmith cartridges. Like the Grado moving iron cartridges, these cartridges all have a lovely midrange, with the dynamic feel of a MM, yet are easier to deal with than an MC cart, because they utilize 47k loading. The Aida 2 cartridge has an output of 2.2mv, so it will not require the additional expense of an MC phonostage. Again, with so many excellent MM phono stages in the $1,000-$2,000 range, this is a table/cart combo you can put in your current system without the additional expense - a big bonus. However, these cartridges are never the last word in tracking, though the current Aida 2 is better than past SoundSmith designs, and at the top of its class. Remember, your analog setup is a system, so a $3,800 table and cartridge (with solid phono cable thrown in for good measure) that doesn't need a phonostage upgrade is a major value right there.
Some of the worst rock records from the 70s that feel like they have a soundstage the size of a basketball, deliver the goods when played on the T-3. Those awful Monkees records of mine sound a lot better than they have a right to, and Rare Earth's 'I Just Want to Celebrate' is dynamic and forceful. The more sheer resolution a turntable/arm/combination can offer, the better it can unravel poorly recorded records, making more of your collection genuinely listenable—another plus for the T-3.
The Aida 2 does so much right, and along with its major dynamic swing, has a very natural tonal balance that has a drop or two of warmth in the mix. I prefer this sound, but your taste may vary. Reaching for some records that have better production, the SoundSmith/LSA combination really shines. The overall sonic picture that it paints is reasonably large and dimensional. It's easy to see/hear what making the next step up from the $1,000 tables brings to the party.
Going through several well-worn favorite pressings, it's easy to see that the arm and cartridge work incredibly well together. Again, this plays to the system concept of the T-3, so you could save a few bucks if you already have a cartridge you are fond of. (but it might suck, when you mount it up, and then you'll be wishing you bought that bundle…) Still, after trying the table with a few other comparably price cartridges from Dynavector, Sumiko, and Ortofon, I think you'll be hard-pressed to get substantially better performance from something else. It won't be a screaming deal like the T-3 and SoundSmith combo. Check the Underwood Hifi site for exact pricing, sans cartridge if you prefer to be stubborn and go your own way.
The only thing we haven't really discussed this far is the aesthetic of the T-3. This is always personal, but I enjoy products that sound great and are a bit more fashion-forward. In the never-ending quest to get more hifi in the living room where all can enjoy it, the T-3 makes a bold statement with its curved plinth. That's pretty cool. The T-3 is not a 'me too' design.
What makes the T-3 worth one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2020 is the way it performs as a complete analog system. Stepping up to a table at this price can offer more performance than your average $1,000 table, but with higher performance, also comes the chance to screw it up. The wrong arm, an arm/table/cartridge mismatch, an underperforming tonearm cable can sour the recipe, leaving you wondering what you spent all that extra cash on in the first place.
If a $3,499 table/arm/cartridge fits your budget, and you don't want to fuss, the T-3 with SoundSmith Aida 2 is one of the biggest values going. Especially when you consider they throw in all the accessories you need to boot. Those wanting the table alone can get it for $2,299 (with accessory kit and dustcover), or with the SoundSmith Carmen cartridge for $2,999.00. I say get the big box of chocolates, but I'm great at spending other people's money!
