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Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: Pink Triangle Anniversary Vector Turntables by Tintin

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REVIEW: Pink Triangle Anniversary Vector Turntables

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Model: Anniversary Vector
Category: Turntables
Suggested Retail Price: £1069
Description: Upgrade to PT TOO by the Funk Firm
Manufacturer URL: Pink Triangle
Model Picture: View

Review by Tintin on April 12, 2011 at 17:42:45
IP Address: 220.238.161.14
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for the Anniversary Vector


This previous review for a Funked Pink Triangle has been here for a while now. It was part of my decision making process to go down the same path. I'd originally bought an original pT back in 1983, and like grandpa's axe, it's going through several upgrades. IThe previous upgrade had brought it to PT Export level, but after several years it fell to the common curse of Pink Triangles, well early ones anyway - dodgy electronics, so it seemed opportune to look at another upgrade, especially as PT had been reborn as The Funk Firm.

I sent my old PTExport over to the UK, and apart from a poor 3 month turnaround time, my turntable was transformed. It had a new sub-chassis of laminate end grain balsa and carbon fibre to which was bolted a new DC motor and Vector drive - 2 slave pulleys set asymmetrically. There was a carbon fibre top plate, and a new external power supply. PTs have always been easy to set up, so it took little time to remount my tonearm and listen. These changes really did make it considerably better in terms of lower noise floor, more low level detail, less colouration and more bass. It significantly improved speed stability. An Achromat also lowered the noise floor further, although I lost use of the built in screwed clamp as the thread would no longer engage. However Achromat - clamp sounded better than clamp - Achromat. I tried an old GB clamp but this added nothing to the sound.

Incrementally I've also upgraded my tonearm from a modified Ittok LVII to a Kuzma Stogi Reference, another dramatic improvement in detail, imaging and dynamics. I've changed the armboard from a steel armboard to the new balsa/carbon composite, again with an improvement in detail and imaging. I've also moved from a Koetsu Black to a ZYX Airy 3, and finally to the sublime Soundsmith Strainguage. Each change has shown just how much the PT has to give, each change has revealed more information from the same basic design. All that really remains of the original is the platter and bearing now but you can really get a lot out of the upgrade path with this turntable, and I'm yet to reach the limits of the basic design.

I've compared it to several Kuzmas and a Fieckert Woodpecker, it's not as good as the $30,000 Kuzma (I hope not) and certainly not as good as the best turntable I've heard - a Continuum Caliburn but that is really in a different league from almost everything else anyway and costs 'just a little bit' more:)

My next consideration is whether to upgrade the tonearm to a parallel tracking Thales Simplicity, I'm yet to find the limits of the Pink Triangle.


Product Weakness: doesn't have that ultimate bass weight of a mass loaded turntable
Product Strengths: neutral, dynamic, detailed


Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: N/A
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): StereoKnight B&R passive
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Funked PT, Kuzma Stogi Reference, SoundSmith Strain Gauge
Speakers: ADAM Tensor Delta active speakers
Cables/Interconnects: WSS-Kabel Platin Silver
Music Used (Genre/Selections): eclectic
Room Size (LxWxH): 4 x 5 x 3
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 year
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): solar power!
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Pink Triangle Anniversary Vector Turntables - Tintin 17:42:45 04/12/11 ( 1)