Is this for audiophiles or audiophools?

[k4kyv]

If you have money to burn and high-end audio is your thing, surely this would beat throwing away your hard earned cash for $600 a.c. power cords, $50,000 amplifiers using WW2 surplus triodes, or $10,000 speaker cables.  Maybe they would accept a KW-1 in trade?

Record enthusiasts often dream of playing their records without damaging them. ELP Japan (formerly BSR Japan, established by BSR U.K.) acquired manufacturing rights from the Finial company of the U.S. and has made that dream a reality and revolutionized record playback... The Laser Turntable! This technological marvel plays vinyl records with master tape sound quality and no wear. The Laser Turntable is perfect for record collectors, archivists and vinyl enthusiasts alike.

However, it is believed that Vinyl Records will be replaced entirely by CDs.  Since 1989, ELP has encountered resistance to the Laser Turntable (LT) because it is believed that mass production of the LT is not available, meaning cost reduction is not possible.  ELP exclusively continues to manufacture and promote the Laser Turntable because we strongly believe that analog music lovers will appreciate this unique way to revitalize and preserve their vinyl collection for years to come. Current record owners wholeheartedly refuse to believe that their vinyl is obsolete, even if their needles are slowly and inevitably making it so!

Light scratches have little impact on the sound compared with records played with a needle. The noise from deep scratches is markedly reduced compared to what is reproduced on a conventional turntable. In some cases, the LT plays even broken records when all the pieces are placed on a tray without tape or glue!

In 2006, ELP achieved a milestone of 1,200 units sold, so it is very important for us to develop the best way to support all LT users worldwide as well as to cultivate new customers. The ELP Fan Club was established by several Japanese LT users in September 2006. This group, 100 members strong and growing, wants to emphasize that vinyl is not obsolete and to unite all LT users, not only within Japan but outside of Japan in the future.

ELP Laser Turntable

Price information.  These prices do not include the shipping cost from Japan. Additionally, you are responsible for the Import Duty and Sales Tax in your country.

[AF9J]

Ahhh, I don't think so Don,

I replaced all of the vinyl records I wanted to still listen to, with CDs some time ago.  Even if I still had them (I had about 100 plus of them), I can't see spending from 12-$16,000 just to play LPs.  Although, I could see a university library, or museum, that archives rare old records, maybe buying one of these turntables.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

[AB3L]

I had heard about this back in the eighties and I guess it was in the developmental stage. The ideal answer to protect your investment. My friend who got me interested back then, had a room full of vinyl and a hefty cash outlay. For him the thought of lazer vs. needle was heaven sent.

I just sold off all of my sealed albums that I had put away, probably in the same time frame. Judging from what I got for them, the price for the turntable is not at all out of line for the audio hound.
The albums were Mobil Fidelity Sound Labs pressings. I think they averaged about $150. to $200. each for them. One Beatles album got me over $600. Sadly looking back I should never had opened any of the MFSL's that I owned that being about half of the total count, though the opened ones did fetch near $100. or so each.

[W1RKW]

I have over 700 LP's.  I won't give them up.  I have 2 turntables that I use them one occasionally.  When I get the time I put them to CD to preserve them.  Despite recopying them I want to keep them mainly for the artistic value of the covers.  Buying a CD that is 4 or 5 inches square doesn't cut when looking at them.  Plus, I'm approaching 50 years of age and my eyesight doesn't like the small graphics. 

[Bill, KD0HG]

The hip thing now is USB turntables.

Instead of plugging that turntable into a preamp, you plug same into a USB port on a Windows computer.

Couple hundred bucks at many audio and computer stores.

[W1DAN]

Hi Don:

Yes this was designed in the 1980's by a guy in CA...he could not sell it though, so he sold the intilectual property rights to the guy in Japan who mad a product.

It uses 5 lasers. I heard demo audio of this and it is very clean sounding. My brother's school in Japan has one. I archive and restore 78RPM records and transcriptions to CD and thought of buying one about 10 years ago. I still use real good turntables and they sound good...but not as good as the ELP.

I thought of trying a simple laser pickup, but I do not have the time to actually do it.

73,
Dan
W1DAN

[W1ATR]

Definitely audiophile category. If your a serious vinyl collector, then 13kilobucks really isn't that much money if it actually works as well as advertised. It looks to be about the price of a top of the line needle turntable anyway.

[WU2D]

Don,

You can get rid of those record scratches by using one of these 49 cent err I mean 49 dollar capacitors -

http://www.v-cap.com/tefloncapacitors.html

Mike WU2D

[k4kyv]

Aren't Black Beauties and Bumblebees supposed to be better?

[WD8BIL]

One of the biggest challenges with Teflon film capacitors is the permeations (microscopic pinholes) that form during the fabrication of the film, .......  and ultra-stable tension to the custom spec'd teflon film during the winding operation. This greatly reduces the formation of permeations in the Teflon film,

If the permeations form during the making of the film, how can changing the way you wind it into your product reduce their formation ? 

These guys always give their scam away. Like Dad use to say; " Let'em talk. They'll bury themselves every time!"

[KA1HNH]

Just when I was about to make a new post about the Audiofoolery, ya beat me to it Don. Here are a few more links for you all.
http://www.stealthaudiocables.com/technotes/index.htm  Look at the section at: About the burn-in process

Let us not forget the pricing: http://www.stealthaudiocables.com/pricing/

And this nonsense: http://www.stealthaudiocables.com/products/wp.htm Wow what a plug-cord! And starting at only $2500 I have to buy a few!

And finally a 304TL amp we of course must all have...
http://www.mothmuseum.com/mothaudio/m304tlhi.html

http://www.mothmuseum.com/mothaudio/ts-m304tl.html  "304TL Imac"... and the "Polypropylene in soybean oil" caps..... Please make it stop now.....

http://www.mothmuseum.com/mothaudio/images/mothbrochure2002.pdf


Oops, forgot the Eimac 15E night lite..... http://www.mothmuseum.com/mothaudio/nitelitehi.html


An Audiofool and his money are soon parted....... somebody should write a song...

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

http://www.mothmuseum.com/mothaudio/ts-m304tl.html  "304TL Imac"... and the "Polypropylene in soybean oil" caps..... Please make it stop now.....

Not such a stretch when you consider that oil-filled caps were once used extensively in electronics, valued for their durability and longevity. When PCBs put the scare on everyone, many hams switched to using mineral oil in their dummy loads, for example. Soybean oil is, therefore, the next logical step. Particularly for audio, where it could provide a more 'natural' sound. Think GREEN (it SELLS)!

Moth Audio deserves credit for being creative, at least. That's some very nice looking schtuff. I love that night lite. What a clever use for this weird little tube. It's now at the top of my 'gotta have' list. In fact, I'm calling Santa tonight, as soon as I get home.....   

Besides, everyone knows the E in Eimac is silent. Now it's invisible, too.

[Tom WA3KLR]

I have never liked the sound of tofu, so I would not use soy bean oil capacitors.  I would think that the highs will sound rather painty, the mids too milky and the lows not firm enough.