A turntable is just a spinning platter with a tone arm, yes? And a tone arm is just an arm plus cartridge with a lifter to help things, correct?
I have played with the likes of Davinci, Fidelity Research, SME, SAEC, Rega, Linn…long list…and what always got to me was the somewhat flimsy awkwardness of arm lifts, the delicate attention to move the head shell, the not always even and smooth dropping of the lifter once activated. Then at the end of the record…do it all again the other way around…
Then I met the “EMT” way…be it the 930, 950 or whatever and obviously within the keeping of this blog the “almighty” 927 (or R80).
You have onboard features that enable rapid, riskless playing….I like to use the expression “spin, drop and play”…Oh yes I am not an audiophile who will seek the record and track that rings all the bells…no I just grab a bunch of records and eat my way through them. Some may be tempted to assimilate this with a somewhat philistine approach to music! But all the same the ergonomics of the deck have become an essential part of this approach. I met my “partner” with the EMT approach. Yes other broadcasting decks do it and having had the Sony PS-X9 (http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-PS-X9.html) I can attest that it is just not quite the same…
So here are the key features:
Lifter, super smooth and you can feel the movement.
Light: to illuminate the record, enable to see clear and crystal the exact spot the needle will drop thanks also to the magnifier lens on front of the TSD
Needle position indicator for those dark low light romatic evening…
Brake: Stops the platter even at 78…and the green light tells you that also!
Curves/mono/stereo selector: wow just dial and go….real cool (yes the 139st is a great phono stage…)
On/off: Solid positive…German?
Speed selector: same as on off…the pressure seems juts “perfect”
Cartridge holder/45 adaptor: This is a must if you play all those various formats, no fuss storage of the precious needles…
Or perhaps in the end it is late and you want to listen with headphones….yes it has that too…..oh this is just the modern mans deck….and as my blogger partner has just posted about headphone….all speed ahead!
13Audio 
Spot on ! All those features on the EMT 927 makes is such a user friendly deck that once you are used to it there is no way back ! I just wish that the speed adjustment knob was also on the top chassis and not under, but I rarely use it, the speed is very stable on those decks. Very nice photos !
Hi Jean,
Hope all is well at the place you are.
Bien a toi
Tim
All is very well here Tim, the double EMT 927’s are now completed and sounding fantastic !
Thanks for your help on this project !
All the best on your side, very nice blog you make…thanks for sharing !
Jean
Ok Tim, now I want an EMT even more! I think its the finest table ever made. I dont understand why you have so many turntables? When just the one perfect EMT would do?
Norman
From Chicago
Norman,
There are two writter and two systems at audio16. My fellow blogger has all the turntables…..me? Injust have one turntable in use and indeed its the emt927. Need nothingelse for my tastes. If i used a second turtable it would be mono deducated but have no need for that at this stage.
All fun….
I agree great deck sounds super but my EMT R80S is just a level higher .
Think because of the higher mass of platter.
Use them both with EMT 139st .
Regards Ronald