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Oracle Turntables

P

PBB

pfm Member
I live in the city where they are manufactured. They have been around for years and years. Have never owned one and I can't recall having heard one but I probably did at some point.

So, what have you to say about Oracle turntables generally and which model(s) would you recommend?

I suddenly feel "patriotic" and find on looks alone that they leave my Rega P9 in the dust.

Thanks.
 
I wanted an Oracle Delphi for 30 years, and finally got a Mk1 a few years ago. They need careful setting up, but are one of the best sounding TTs ever, IMO. I added new suspension parts, made Delrin feet and pillars, and Mk6 micro-damper pots, and a foamed PVC mat. The only thing that might join it (never replace) is a Lenco L75 with a PTP top plate and stacked birch ply plinth. For bass slam, which is the only aspect of the Delphi that I could surpass at a real world price. All IMO, of course.
Oh, and I would love one of their CDPs, just for the looks.
 
PBB said:
I live in the city where they are manufactured. They have been around for years and years. Have never owned one and I can't recall having heard one but I probably did at some point.

So, what have you to say about Oracle turntables generally and which model(s) would you recommend?

I suddenly feel "patriotic" and find on looks alone that they leave my Rega P9 in the dust.

Thanks.
Click to expand...


I suppose beauty's in the eye of the beholder. I had a Mark1 Delphi 40 years ago, and it did indeed make a very striking visual impression, but there were some flaws/compromises in the design. Not least the crappy power supply and the 'half-lid' style clearly wasn't created by a cat owner.

I also owned an Alexandria for a while, which was very pretty in a more conventional manner, I always remember that fondly in part at least because it so closely resembled the Luxman turntables I lusted after in the early 70s. The Paris never appealed quite so much.

Performance was good but not without compromise, the Oracles did some things better than the Linn which was their main competition in the UK when they first appeared, but there were areas where the Linn perhaps remained superior. Your choice just depended on your preferences/priorities (so nothing's changed there then).

The Delphi of course was very expensive in the UK, I assume in Canada it would look like much better value against any imported competition..
 
I had one with the onix power supply both very striking to look at and very good in performance once set up properly, I would recommend strongly especially if you live in the area their made.
 
I had an Alexandria with a Profile arm (IIRC) and a Signet mm cartridge. Sounded terrific. Also had a Delphi with Finale arm (again, IIRC!) which was even better. And super cool looking, needless to say.

Wound up going down the LP12 rabbit hole, but that's another novel.
 
I was blown away by the looks and the sound when I saw/heard one in a dealers maybe 38? years ago, same combo as the post above. Raised the hairs on the back of my neck but price was way out of my league. Picked up a Mk11 Delphi from Audiogon for $500 about 15 years ago. Have had countless Linns, Xerxes, Systemdeks, Logics, Lencos but it still takes pride of place. Just pray the Pabst motor keeps going. Would love to upgrade the suspension but the prices, last time I looked were ridiculous. Definitely a thing of Beauty but unboxing building and setting up is not for the faint hearted, makes fettling an LP 12 like Child's play. However barring accidents ( mine's had been victim of an Earthquake), they stay set up,lol.
 
In the 80´s, I was shopping for a serious turntable to replace my Rega Planar 3.
The two most serious contenders were the Oracle Delphi and the Linn LP12.
Ended with a LP12 with a Deca gold cartridge as it seemed to me to more more lively and makes me want to listen to more recordings, something that didn’t happen with the Oracle that was too neutral for my taste.
I had the Linn for about 20 years and never regretted my choice.
 
I tried a LP12, a Oracle Delphi and a Sota Sapphire in the 80's to replace a Thorens TD165. The Sota was best and the Delphi second best. I still use the Sota with a Alphason HR100s arm.
 
Got to be honest I never knew they were still around, good on them! I always liked the slightly unconventional look as opposed to the standard plinth format.
First heard one new in the early 80’s with an FR64 I think. There was a lot to like!
 
One of the best turntable ever had (Delphi MKII).
Spare parts are expensive and hard to find (armboard).
 
Moodybuilder said:
I had one with the onix power supply both very striking to look at and very good in performance once set up properly, I would recommend strongly especially if you live in the area their made.
Click to expand...
Mine came with Onix PSU, and fortunately the motor is still OK. As for the silly half lid, I made up a clear polycarbonate wall which sits below, and inside, the lid, keeping dust out. My cat is too old and slow to jump that high. He can hardly manage the catflap!
49749018156_31e60ebaec.jpg
49749018741_d574a66e9f.jpg

The seller posted it with the lid still attached to the hinges, so it twisted and broke the back of the lid! I glued it; I wasn't going to spend nearly £200 on a new one.
And I lust after this.
CD2500-1.jpg
 
There are not many turntables that look as beautiful as the Oracle Delphi.

I am happy to say I was an original owner back in 1981. At that time it was considered as the finest turntable you could buy. Then a few month later the Goldmund turntables followed by Audiolabor and Pierre Lurné turntables came out...
 
The early Delphis had a laminated chassis, and a movable balance arm. The arm quickly went, and different springs used for each leg. Later ones have a one piece aly chassis, theoretically not as good, and the even later ones have added balancing mass underneath to improve spring loading. And the very latest have silicone fluid micro dampers. I have a small lathe, so have been able to make the dampers, Delrin legs and feet, and the missing clamp. I may make the balancing weights sometime, if I can find the time. :D Apparently the only reason they stopped using the original AC motors because they became unavailable, not to improve performance. And as for the armboards, I made several from damped aly in different weights to allow for the varying weight of my 3 arms, so I could change them without re-balancing.
These are engineered TTs, so suit modifying if you have the ability.
 
Just a word of warning.. nice as the original Oracle record clamp looks, I got a present of a record sans run out groove, music finished, arm headed to centre and edge of clamp removed cantilever. I now use an aftermarket clamp, if at all.
 
Si74 said:
Just a word of warning.. nice as the original Oracle record clamp looks, I got a present of a record sans run out groove, music finished, arm headed to centre and edge of clamp removed cantilever. I now use an aftermarket clamp, if at all.
Click to expand...
I use a magnetic arm lift (for those times when I fall asleep), which lifts the arm before it gets that far.
 
PBB said:
I live in the city where they are manufactured. They have been around for years and years. Have never owned one and I can't recall having heard one but I probably did at some point.

So, what have you to say about Oracle turntables generally and which model(s) would you recommend?

I suddenly feel "patriotic" and find on looks alone that they leave my Rega P9 in the dust.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Nah , the P9 is one of the best looking tables out there.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I guess.
 
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