October 4,
2007
A Sound Relationship
There is ample proof that
analog playback is undergoing a serious renaissance, and some of the hottest turntables on
the market right now are those from TW-Acustic, a German company with two models that are
the products of solid engineering. TW-Acustic's US distributor, High Water Sound in NYC,
reports that sales of the Raven AC ($11,500) and Raven One (shown on top of a Silent
Running Audio Craz Reference rack, $5500) are brisk. A new OEM agreement with Silent
Running Audio, well known for its equipment racks and platforms, should elevate the
performance of these 'tables even further.
SRA will soon provide product-specific Ohio Class
and active Virginia Class products for both TW-Acustic 'tables. According to Kevin
Tellekamp, head of SRA, each platform will be designed specifically for the layout of the
Raven AC or Raven One. "Should an owner choose to add an 'arm or motors down the
road, it becomes a fast and simple process." Silent Running Audio does not believe in
placing the plinth and motors on the same plane. As Kevin Tellekamp told me, "This is
a huge performance compromise. Our designs will employ separate isolation pods for each
motor, plus a separate unit for the main plinth."
Prices for TW-Acustic-specific SRA isoBases will
begin at $900. In time, I suspect we'll see more of this kind of collaborative
arrangement, especially as analog continues to chug along.
...Marc Mickelson
editor@soundstage.com
