Less than 200 hours "as new": Basis 1400 Turntable $1,600 +++, one owner, as new purchased from Ambrosia Audio & Video now DBA Weinhart Design comes with Benz L-2 cartridge $1,295 (not fully broken in), the better Rega RB-300 Cartridge a $300 option, factory Dust Cover $400 & matching Record Weight $250 all with less than 200 hours...

Home Theater Review:

Horrifyingly, we’re only one month shy of it being 10 years since I reviewed the Basis
Debut turntable. Good Gawd, does time fly! In the past decade, the LP
has continued to decline in sales, popularity and importance, but enough
vinyl freaks survive to support a few stalwart manufacturers. So what
happens to those who – unlike Linn, Pink Triangle and Rega – do not
manufacturer amplifiers, speakers or CD players? While Basis hasn’t
abandoned the costly Debut (which now has a moniker along the lines of
‘Debut Gold MK V’ or some such), the company has responded to the havoc
wreaked by CD with turntables way, way down the price ladder. Oh, and
making world-class espresso machines… but that’s another story.

Like
Clearaudio in Germany, Basis developed a series of turntables which can
be upgraded periodically, eventually evolving from the entry-level 2000
into the one-below-the-Debut 2800, with a sticker of £7900. Indeed, for
the better part of a year I’ve been using a bog-standard 2000, which
sells here for £1995 with Basis’ version of the OEM edition of the Rega
tonearm. But, given the brilliance of the sub-£1000 Wilson-Benesch
Circle, it was clear that even the top value-for-money offered by the
2000 wasn’t a low enough tariff for those who have to satisfy an
analogue craving with a less-costly fix. So it was without hesitation
that I put my name down for a review sample of the Basis 1400, to see
just how inexpensive could be the entry into Basis ownership.

To
the review sample’s £995 must be added £169 for the Basis 300 arm
(although there’s a Basis 250 for £95). It was also suggested that I use
one of the company’s record pucks, costing £65 and confirming what I
learned with the 2000, which I never use, uh, . Judicious
shopping, then, means that you can enter the Basis family for under
£1150 if you’re happy with a budget cartridge and the most basic version
of the OEM Rega arm.

Given so many similarities, the
1400 struck me initially as a 2000 in clear, rather than black perspex.
But closer examination reveals other detail changes, the most obvious
being that the 1400 is a locked system, with no upgrades available and
no path up to the 2000 short of selling or trading in your 1400. Like
the 2000, the 1400 is minimalist, compact and absolutely uncluttered.
Its primary parts consist of a clear acrylic main chassis, sturdy
brushed aluminium legs, a matt-finish acrylic platter reminiscent of
Pink Triangle’s and an outboard motor assembly. The latter, it should be
stated, is identical to those used in every Basis model up to and
including the Debut, so the 1400 isn’t simply some cheap,
badge-engineered Basis wannabee. But the main bearing of the 1400 of a lower grade than that of the 2000 – which the same as the Debut’s.

To the review sample’s £995 must be added £169 for the Basis 300 arm
(although there’s a Basis 250 for £95). It was also suggested that I use
one of the company’s record pucks, costing £65 and confirming what I
learned with the 2000, which I never use, uh, . Judicious
shopping, then, means that you can enter the Basis family for under
£1150 if you’re happy with a budget cartridge and the most basic version
of the OEM Rega arm.

Given so many similarities, the
1400 struck me initially as a 2000 in clear, rather than black perspex.
But closer examination reveals other detail changes, the most obvious
being that the 1400 is a locked system, with no upgrades available and
no path up to the 2000 short of selling or trading in your 1400. Like
the 2000, the 1400 is minimalist, compact and absolutely uncluttered.
Its primary parts consist of a clear acrylic main chassis, sturdy
brushed aluminium legs, a matt-finish acrylic platter reminiscent of
Pink Triangle’s and an outboard motor assembly. The latter, it should be
stated, is identical to those used in every Basis model up to and
including the Debut, so the 1400 isn’t simply some cheap,
badge-engineered Basis wannabee. But the main bearing of the 1400 of a lower grade than that of the 2000 – which the same as the Debut’s.

Using the Rega-sourced Basis 300, surely the best-value tonearm on
the market, means a slight savings for UK customers because the British
importer was allowed to take delivery of the Basis-branded arms directly
from Rega instead of watching them fly round-trip to New Hampshire. To
UK music lovers, it’s embarrassingly but deservedly familiar, with its
black arm tube and natural metal cueing lever, counterweight and lower
arm pillar. But there’s one difference which will bring smiles to all
those who know how much Rega disputes the need for concerning one’s self
with such a minor, insignificant detail as VTA: Basis provides a custom
arm-mounting arrangement for its versions of the assorted Rega OEM
models to allow for VTA adjustments. Additionally, the arm says ‘Basis’
on the arm rest, below the pivot, to complete its aesthetic appeal.

With
main measurements of 430x302mm, the Basis 1400 ignores the trend toward
enormous turntables unsuitable for most equipment stands, or in need of
dedicated tables. If you must go smaller, Wilson Benesch’s Circle or
any of the Regas are viable alternatives, but the Basis is no sufferer
of elephantiasis. It still adheres to the 430mm ‘rule’ which has pretty
much determined the way hi-fi is housed (not unlike cookers, washing
machines, etc, enjoying a standard under-the-counter height of 900mm to
make life easier). However, you still have to allow enough shelf space
beyond the main dimensions for the motor assembly, with a footprint of a
75x75mm and standing 100mm tall to make the pulley level with the
platter.

Here’s where you detect another detail change from the
2000: the 2000 features a cut-out along the back edge of the plinth in
which to position the motor assembly. It’s purely there for convenience,
but a nice tough which shows why you pay more for a 2000. As you can
tell, only the drive belt connects the motor assembly to the turntable,
thus ensuring total isolation from motor-borne vibration for the
bearing-platter-LP-cartridge-tonearm loop. As a result, the Basis 2000
system is deliciously quiet during operation. (Nit-pickers will point
out that the motor assembly can interfere with the turntable through the
shelf material on which they’re both resting. In the interest of total
paranoia, I would point out that one could, if one wished, rest the
motor assembly on another stand…)

Read more on Page 2.

Enough
freedom is built in to allow you to position the motor assembly behind
the turntable or to the left, the latter advisable because the motor
assembly also contains the on/off button on its top surface; positioning
to the side makes it easier to reach in most situations. On the other
hand, positioning it to the rear looks a lot nicer and means that you
need a shelf only 430mm wide, if 75mm deeper than the plinth’s 302mm. At
the top of the motor assembly is a two-step pulley for manually raising
or lowering the belt to choose 45 or 33 1/3 rpm. The belt is flat and
it never drifts at all, once the motor housing is in place and spaced
away from the chassis by exactly 4.5mm – the width of the belt.

Set-up
is foolproof and straightforward, the detailed instructions outlining
the procedure for the user to fit the bearing housing, inserting the
platter/bearing assembly and mounting the arm. Because it lacks a
suspension, levelling the 1400 involves nothing more than screwing the
feet up or down as required. It’s also worth noting here that the 2000
rests of four supports, where the 1400 uses only three. And we all know
which is easier to level, so score ‘1’ for the 1400 over the 2000.

If
the lack of suspension upset those who swear by the isolating
properties of a suspended sub-chassis design, note that the pillars
feature spongy feet which provide some de-coupling. On the other hand,
the 1400 – like the 2000 – responds instantly to after-market tweaking. I
used the 1400 on a Hi-Fi News Newsstand equipment rack, weighed down
with McIntosh 275 and Dynaco Stereo 70 tube amplifiers on its lower
shelves. The Basis puck certainly enhanced the performance enough to
suggest that it should be a mandatory purchase, but experimenting with
mats proved to be a waste of time.

It was the same with the 2000: after I tried thin foam, felt and
sorbothane mats, I reverted to the bare platter, which seemed to cause
less deadening of the sound. However, I did say that the 1400 responds
to tweaks, so the effects of the add-on mats are clearly audible. Who
knows? You might prefer the sound with an extra layer between LP and
platter. Oh, and I didn’t have a RingMat handy, so please don’t rule it
out on my say-so. Oh, and don’t forget that the world is full of
turntable platforms to try during those odd hours when you’re not
actually listening to music.

Because I had such good fortune with
the Grado’s wooden-bodied Platinum cartridge (the least expensive in
their Reference range) in the 2000 with Basis 300 arm, I stuck with it
for the 1400. This was fed into NAD’s dirt-cheap phono stage, so we’re
talking about a complete front-end for around 1500 depending on your
haggling skills. In keeping with cost levels consistent with the Basis, I
opted for playback through Roksan’s Caspian integrated amplifier,
driving Quad 77-10Ls, but I also went for a spin with the Unison
Research Mystery One pre-amp, GRAAF 5050 power amp and Quad ESL63s.

Unfortunately
for Basis, the 1400’s performance is nearly identical to that of the
2000, something I was able to ascertain with side-by-side auditioning.
As was the most compelling virtue of the 2000, the 1400 is the sort of
turntable which so oozes analogue warmth that it reinforces anti-digital
sentiments. Where I had the opportunity to play LP vs CD, the latter
sounded discernibly cold and harsh, even when using CD players noted for
their aural benevolence. Transparency was marginally better with the
2000, as was its lower noise floor; these must surely be by-products of
the superior bearing assembly.

Absolute transparency and noise
floor aside, it was hard to tell the two apart, the 1400 aping the
dearer deck’s rich midband and clear treble. It makes the Basis 1400
something of a treasure, then, for those who recognise the total
superiority of 1950s Capitol LPs over all other vocal recordings since
the dawn of musical storage. Particularly rewarding is the way the 1400
deals with fine detail, especially vocal textures, the myriad types of
sibilance and assorted, chest-related artefacts.

Also like the
2000, the Basis 1400 is a bit shy when it comes to jackhammer transients
in the lower registers, but then neither could the W-B Circle nor any
of their belt-driven, suspended sub-chassis rivals. Yes, it’s odd noting
a softening down below in a product manufactured by the creator of the
Debut, which is undeniably a champ in this area. But you’ll only notice
it if you still have playable copies of Eddy Grant 12-inchers or Diana
Ross’ ‘Muscles’ in the one-foot-across edition. Note, though, that
removal of the puck worsens this condition, so don’t even think of using
the 1400 sans centre weight.

Burning in the back of your mind is
the question, ‘Can I live with the 1400’s lack of upgrade potential, or
should I bite the bullet and buy a 2000?’ Let’s put it this way: Beyond
what’s between you and your bank manager, the reason for buying a 2000
is a lack of immunity to upgrade-itis. The 1400 is so good, so coherent,
so confident that, like the slightly softer-sounding but livelier
Wilson-Benesch Circle, it may be all you’ll ever need from a turntable.
What’s so reassuring is that, with the Basis 300 arm, it’ll do justice
to Lyras and Transfigurations and cartridges costing as much as the deck
and arm combined. It will never embarrass your LPs. It has no rough
edges, physically or sonically. It’s a open invitation to a tweaker’s
limitless GBH. And it looks so handsome that you’re gonna be looking for
the Michell badge.

Or a higher price tag.

=========================================

It is best to call David and visit: www.weinhartdesign.com with questions
in Los Angeles Showroom 310-472-8880 or on my cell after hours and
weekends 310-927-2260 any time from 10AM - 10PM.

Weinhart Design has lots of other items new and used and if you're in Los
Angeles or visiting please accept my invitation to experience our World
Class Audio Showroom and please visit our web site @ 
www.weinhartdesign.com

We are always interested in purchasing quality Audio and Video items, LP collections and most quality trades are welcomed.

All sales out of California are State Sales Tax exempt.

California State Sales Tax of 9.5% applies for items picked up or shipped to a California address.

We accept payments by Bank Wire Transfers without fees and is the only
form of payment on all sales out of the U.S. and Canada. We prefer this
method of payment and also makes shipping to addresses other than
billing agreeable.

VISA,
MC and Papal are gladly accepted within the U.S. and Canada as long as
the charge is approved and shipping to the billing address on record and
adds 3% to cover costs for VISA or MC best to call David.

Please call me directly in my world class showroom in Los Angeles weekdays @
310-472-8880 or any reasonable time on my cell including weekends @
310-927-2260 and I can answer your questions and help you with all of
your new and pre owned needs.

                                                  

Weinhart Design The AV Experts Audiogon E-STORE