New Kronos Sparta Review

Mike

Mike

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http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superi.../Kronos_Sparta_5_Turntable_Upgrade_Review.htm


"[Louis] put on a mono recording of Louis Armstrong that is frequently played at shows. There was a holographic, three-dimensional soundstage between the speakers that measured about 30 degrees between my outstretched arms that encompassed it. Louis then disengaged the lower, counter-rotating platter so only the top platter rotated. With the same music, the soundstage collapsed to about a five degree angle. Essentially, my arms were pointing straight ahead. When he re-engaged the lower platter the monaural soundstage expanded to its original width. Of course with a stereo record the soundstage expands even further, often beyond the width of the speakers, but the experiment suggests that even more accurate holographic imagery is achieved with the counter-rotating platter when stereo recordings are played. It was clearly one of those phenomena that you didn't know existed until you were first exposed to it, and then had it taken away."


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Mike: Thanks for sharing this review of the .5 Sparta and the full upgrade. Would you agree with ETM's ratings of the .5 relative to the full Sparta? They actually appear closer than I expected.

I still don't get Rick's infatuation with Louie Louie. Repetitive, indecipherable lyrics coupled with some of the worst sonics ever recorded hardly makes for a good review recording. Otherwise, it's a really great review.
 
Barry said:
Mike: Thanks for sharing this review of the .5 Sparta and the full upgrade. Would you agree with ETM's ratings of the .5 relative to the full Sparta? They actually appear closer than I expected.

I still don't get Rick's infatuation with Louie Louie. Repetitive, indecipherable lyrics coupled with some of the worst sonics ever recorded hardly makes for a good review recording. Otherwise, it's a really great review.
Click to expand...

Barry - One of the first things I did when I got my Kronos Sparta was compare with the two platters vs one (it takes two seconds, just slide the belt off of the bottom platter). To me, the soundstage collapsed (EXACTLY what the reviewer said). I also found it was less "smooth" sounding and flatter in a less 3D sort of way.

I did it a few more times for others to hear and everyone could hear the difference. It's the secret sauce. It's what makes Kronos fundamentally different from its competitors. It not only provides a solution to a problem, but it creates so much more. So much more.

The Pro takes things a step further than the Sparta. Honestly, I refused to believe the Pro could be better. I was over the moon happy with my Sparta. I had it and wanted for nothing. But Louis kept insisting I needed the Pro. I resisted for over a year. Finally, when he implemented the new motors in the Pro, the discussions were now centering around how the Pro went up yet another notch. I finally capitulated and went with the Pro. I'm delighted. But honestly, I was also delighted with my Sparta. A good analogy would be a car like a Porsche. I would be delighted with the 911 Carerra S but the 911 GTS is just a little better.


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Will the Kronos work with Ikeda or Fidelity research? I am looking at arms that can run Koetsus and Ortofon A90/95
 
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