20/08/2009 Continuum Criterion turntable.

Tagged under Continuum, Criterion, turntable
Posted by Len | No Comments

 

The Continuum Criterion turntable, complete with Copperhead tonearm, has now been installed at Len Wallis Audio. How does it sound? Staff member Geoff Forgie took it for a run:

“Continuum Turntable – first impressions:

Watching this turntable being assembled is an education in itself. Every piece looks as if it is not just precision-engineered, but massively so. The bearing assembly, the chassis, the platter, the associated switchboxes and phono stage are all built and finished to a standard you’ll not see often. In contrast to this are the extremely fine litz wires coming from the tonearm and flying through thin air to what looks like a large inverted fish hook. This steel curve guides them down to the deck where they again fly freely to the output terminals on the rear of the chassis.
The arm looks for all the world like a black snake, with the pickup mounting bolt holes for eyes. A vicious looking curved metal fang sticks out at right angles to the head – this is the manual lifting handle. I prefer to steer clear of the fang and use the lift-lever near the base of the tonearm. I’d hate to drop that unclad Lyra Titan MC cartridge and bend the ever-so-slim cantilever.
Placing a prized Decca LP on the platter, I add the center clamp and activate the vacuum pump. The LP is sucked down flat. Select 33rpm. Your eyes are drawn to the blue glow in the front window, which looks into the ribbed side of the platter heavy casting. The platter spins up, and we’re ready to go. Maneuver the pickup into position and lower it gently to the lead-in grooves. There’s the familiar click and crackle before it settles into the playing area.
Respighi’s Roman Festivals (Cleveland/Maazel) is not a gentle classical piece. It’s an assault on everything in sight or earshot, with screaming strings heralding the arrival of shock troops with bass drums, and great brass fanfares ripping apart a calm, spring-like afternoon. The depth of the soundstage is immense, the accuracy of depiction of each instrument is arresting, and you are there, like an audience at the colosseum for the big gladiatorial fight. It’s almost a relief when the last blows are administered to some unhappy combatant, and the death-throes fade into the second, somewhat calmer scene.
The dynamic range is huge, from soft, gentle zephyrs to storm and tempest the recording is reproduced with unflappable aplomb. I suppose some credit has to go to the Focal Utopia Grande EM speakers and the Krell 202 pre and 600w monoblocks. But if the source was not of the highest order the other equipment would have torn it to bits as surely as if it were a hapless human fed to hungry lions. This is a totally revealing system, and tolerates no weakest link. Fortunately, this time there is no weak link, and I come away from the show with a feeling of elation and slight giddiness, as if stepping off a high speed, corkscrew roller-coaster. Perhaps a bit of Mozart next time!”

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