Schitt Sol Turntable

[watchnerd]

See but that's not good right? Not for a turntable that price? Or is that standard on hobbyist tables?

Not good for $799, that's for sure.

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon SB has speed regulation for $489 and Ortofon cart included. Fluance RT84 likewise has servo controlled speed and Ortofon cart for $449.

As for 'hobbyist' -- I don't think any other maker uses that term.

 

[restorer-john]

ee but that's not good right? Not for a turntable that price? Or is that standard on hobbyist tables?

It's perfectly fine and realistically little different to the old derailleur style where an arm moved the belt over a stepped pulley. The difference is these motors are probably 300rpm at 60Hz motors likely Hurst or equivalent judging by that pulley diameter.

As for the rumble figure, I want to know exactly how they've measured it and with what.

I also like to see wome W&F tests for it. Let's see if anyone is brave enough to upload/publish a 3/3.15K W&F track...

 

[Frank Dernie]

Why the need to hand start the platter? Sounds like the motor is very low torque?

This is probably because synchronous motors are happy to spin either way and with a bit of vibration when stalled may well go backwards.
My Connoiseur BD1 had a little rubber nub on the on lever which gave the platter a nudge in the right direction as it was switched on.

blank record to set anti-skate force

This is not an acuurate way to set bias force (and this has been known as long as I have been involved in the early 1970s. On a blank disc the stylus tip touches the vinyl, and there is no particular standard as to how sharp this may be because in normal use it doesn't touch the groove, so the friction is unlikely to be representative of the drag when actually playing, which isn't constant anyway since it depends on modulation.

 

[restorer-john]

This is not an acuurate way to set bias force (and this has been known as long as I have been involved in the early 1970s. On a blank disc the stylus tip touches the vinyl, and there is no particular standard as to how sharp this may be because in normal use it doesn't touch the groove, so the friction is unlikely to be representative of the drag when actually playing, which isn't constant anyway since it depends on modulation.

Frank, can you have a look at the A/S design on the SOL arm? My interpretation of the position of the attachment (right angled wire secured below the pivot point) would result in rotational (along the axis of the arm) forces as well as lateral bias...

 

[JJB70]

The whole thing looks very Rube Goldberg for $799.

I don't get it, personally.

For $500, you can get a plug n play TT that has electronic speed regulation, amongst other features.

For $1500-$2000, you can get a proper 'power user' table with replaceable tonearm.

It seems like for $799, you're getting something that is neither fish nor fowl. It's not as easy to use as a $500 TT, nor as upgradeable as a $1500+ TT.

Seems more like a toy, or as they say, a 'hobbyist' turntable.

I think that this turntable has to be viewed in the context of Schiit's marketing and who they are trying to sell to. They have built an image for themselves as the hifi equivalent of Robin Hood, delivering audiophile equipment to the masses at sensible and affordable prices. Their target is the aspiring audiophile who buys into a lot of the audiophile golden ears stuff and wants to be part of the tribe but who is unwilling or unable to spend $$$$$$$$$$$`s on expensive boutique gear. So Schiit offer products that look like boutique gear at prices which are not especially expensive (in the context of hifi) and their marketing pushes the right buttons to do the rest.

Many here (me included) think they are full of their own name, selling less than good designs which in some cases don't even get basic safety right. You can do a lot better for less but they appear to know their market and are adept at exploiting it.

 

[Wombat]

Is it made in USA from USA made components?

 

[watchnerd]

I think that this turntable has to be viewed in the context of Schiit's marketing and who they are trying to sell to. They have built an image for themselves as the hifi equivalent of Robin Hood, delivering audiophile equipment to the masses at sensible and affordable prices. Their target is the aspiring audiophile who buys into a lot of the audiophile golden ears stuff and wants to be part of the tribe but who is unwilling or unable to spend $$$$$$$$$$$`s on expensive boutique gear. So Schiit offer products that look like boutique gear at prices which are not especially expensive (in the context of hifi) and their marketing pushes the right buttons to do the rest.

Many here (me included) think they are full of their own name, selling less than good designs which in some cases don't even get basic safety right. You can do a lot better for less but they appear to know their market and are adept at exploiting it.

That I'd agree with.

Schiit's marketing is "we're going to tick off a bunch of audiophile features that we can give you for 1/2 or less".....as long as you're willing to not be so picky about measurements, build quality, or reliability.

That being said, it's one thing to try that with electronics, which are far easier to use than a DIY turntable "kit".

 

[watchnerd]

Is it made in USA from USA made components?

I'd be shocked if the motor was.

Everything else, sure. Casting and machining operations exist in every mid size city, from what I've seen.

 

[Wombat]

I'd be shocked if the motor was.

Everything else, sure. Casting and machining operations exist in every mid size city, from what I've seen.

If so the price wouldn't be over the top if that is important to the customer but let's not suppose.

 

[watchnerd]

If so the price wouldn't be over the top if that is important to the customer but let's not suppose.

"Designed and Assembled in USA
By “designed and assembled in USA" this is what we mean: the vast majority of the total production cost of Sol—including the die-cast aluminum pieces, machined and stamped metal pieces, boards, assembly, etc—goes to US companies manufacturing in the US. Our castings are done just beyond the Orange Curtain, many subassemblies are done in Simi Valley, and assembly, adjustment, and testing are done by us in Valencia, CA. You get the picture."


So, as I suspected....the motor isn't mentioned as being USA sourced.

 

[JJB70]

The revival of vinyl is like manna from heaven for hifi manufacturers and hangers on like magazines. Unlike digital vinyl does require a little bit of tweaking and hands on adjustment and input which makes it a honey pot for the snake oil pushers. I sometimes think one reason we see such outrageous nonsense in digital audio is that manufacturers and consumers just wanted the same sort of tweako playground that they enjoyed in analogue and just set out to dream up answers to non-existent questions or just outright fraudulent marketing.

 

[Wombat]

Sounds OK to me for home grown.

 

[watchnerd]

I sometimes think one reason we see such outrageous nonsense in digital audio is that manufacturers and consumers just wanted the same sort of tweako playground that they enjoyed in analogue and just set out to dream up answers to non-existent questions or just outright fraudulent marketing.

I've long felt the same....tweakery is part of the hobby. Vinyl has it for real, while digital tweakery is artifice to fill an unmet need.

 

[restorer-john]

we see such outrageous nonsense in digital audio is that manufacturers and consumers just wanted the same sort of tweako playground that they enjoyed in analogue and just set out to dream up answers to non-existent questions or just outright fraudulent marketing.

And you get the green pen award!

 

[watchnerd]

Sounds OK to me for home grown.

Except that VPI is really the quality 'made in USA' turntable icon.

And for $799, you can pick up used VPI vintage tables like HW-19.

 

[Wombat]

Except that VPI is really the quality 'made in USA' turntable icon.

And for $799, you can pick up used VPI vintage tables like HW-19.

Of course there are better value products around but Schitt marketing makes their products preferable, regardless.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I suspect it's just using raw 60 Hz and crossing fingers.

When I started in the business pretty well all synchronous motor tables assumed the mains frequency was stable enough to be used as a reference. Generally, it is IMHO.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Frank, can you have a look at the A/S design on the SOL arm? My interpretation of the position of the attachment (right angled wire secured below the pivot point) would result in rotational (along the axis of the arm) forces as well as lateral bias...

Indeed it could, although if one aligns the little hook the fishing line goes over with the same height as the unipivot is will be OK.
The unipivot height should, as a matter of principle, be at the samee level as the record surface so warps don't cause fore-and-aft movement of the cartridge as it rides them. This is fundamental to arm design but frequently ignored.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I think it looks OK for the price, personally.
I don't like the round section belt, that is poor engineering practice, but cheap and not unusual, otherwise it looks not too bad to me.

 

[Soniclife]

Rega...who just OEM carts from others, anyway.

Only their cheapest is bought in, the rest they make themselves, though I assume they don't do their own diamond polishing. I don't recall ever hearing a Rega cart, which is odd in the UK, must mean something.

I don't see anything wrong with OEM, a good OEM will know their stuff after decades of experience, the exact opposite approach of this new TT.