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Re: Roksan Xerexs

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 3:58 pm
by CN211276
I recall reading about that demonstration in Popular HiFi and Chris Franklands take on it. Although the JBE appeared to come out on top he said he would not come to any coclusions, prior to his own comparison. The JBE, Linn and some other high end decks were tested in Popular HiFi soon afterwards and suprise, surprise the Lp12 came out on top:lol:

Re: Roksan Xerexs

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 5:29 pm
by Classicrock
I remember Radfords in Bristol had the JBE and later Roksan while remaining a Linn dealer. They weren't that keen on deming the JBE but more enthusiastic about deming STD305 and Thorens 160s, later of which I purchased (1980). So some dealers got away with pushing a wider range of turntables prior to the Linn dealer purge. That likely helped the likes of Roksan. I later compared an original Xerxes with Gyrodec (1994) at Leicester Hi-Fi (now closed but was next to Cymbiosis). Thought Gyro sounded better. The current top Xerxes 20 combo was thought close to the top Linn combo by What hi-fi for half the money (So it's likely better?). As mentioned original Xerxes suffered from sagging top plate long term and was withdrawn from market to be later replaced by the 10.

Re: Roksan Xerexs

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 6:20 pm
by Vinyl-ant
I posted that link more to show a little microcosm of the industry in the late 70s early 80s, and that some people were starting to resent the bias towards certain products, and that article in particular shows the bias as seen by the author. The bloke had the lp12/grace/supex combo so prevalent at the time and the de rigeur naim amps, and couldn't separate the jbe and the linn. The point he was making, is that that test showed up the other journalists as biased towards the linn with their back tracking and refusal to commit to paper what he saw as the actual truth about the event. It pissed him right off.

Re the xerxes, for me, there are only 2 belt decks of that era I actually like. the roksan with a tabriz on it is one, the other is the yamaha pf800. The yam I heard against a gyro and I much preferred the yam. And its arm was fantastic.

Only other belt deck i have heard and liked enough to want one is another roksan, the radius 5 with nima unipivot. That had some unforced joy to it.

Re: Roksan Xerexs

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 8:33 am
by CN211276
Vinyl-ant wrote: Tue Sep 11, 2018 1:34 pm Look at the practical hifi 79 review.
A real eye opener. Not everyone in the industry was bent it seems, and the reviewer doesnt seem very happy about the state of affairs.
Not a roksan, but i thought it illustrated some interesting points

http://www.jbe-turntables.co.uk/press-r ... 4541266532
Good reading. The Alvin Gold HiFi Answers review says it all with the LP12 coming out on top while not being at its best with suspected damage. Ivor had the magazines under Haymarket ownership (HiFi Answers, Popular HiFi and What hifi) in the palm of his hand. Practical hifi was not Haymarket and not bent.

Re: Roksan Xerexs

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:29 am
by Dr Bunsen Honeydew
Practical Hi-Fi was a Haymarket title. This below may explain the closure of What Hi-Fi Forum.

"Future Publishing is buying five specialist titles from Haymarket Media Group, including Stuff, What Hi-Fi? and Four Four Two in a deal worth £14m."

This was in March this year so the sale must have gone through. Michael Heseltine (ex Tory politician) owns Haymarket. His business gospel, control overheads, employ cheaply, maximise adverts. As he is supposed to have said "publishing is not about truth it is about giving people what they want to read".

Re: Roksan Xerexs

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 12:47 pm
by Andy-831
_D_S_J_R_ wrote: Tue Sep 11, 2018 12:42 pm

The Roksan was DIFFERENT, not better than a properly sorted LP12, having strengths were the other was weak. I readily accept you could get fine results from a RB300 mounted on one, which saved a load of money over the LP12/Ittok. reviewer pal Jimmy Hughes had excellent sounds from his Xerxes with Breuer arm and a variety of cartridges I remember and the external engineering was superb. Saggy arm-boards may be an issue now with thirty odd year old ones perhaps?

Saggy Arm / motor boards were definately a problem way back as I recall, I never owned one but I do remember the problems and thats probably why I ended up with an LP12 / Ittock / Asak (which were not without their own problems either)