I've owned this table now for two years have losing my XPression II in a flood. The Xpression II was a very good turntable and I didn't think that this replacement model would improve quality of sound as much as it did. I was using the Ortofon 2M Red on both models so the comparison is strictly between the tables.

Like the table to before it, this is snap to get up and running. It took me all of 30 minutes from carrying the box to the HT room to listening to my vinyl collection. The two albums I always resort to are Dire Straits "Love Over Gold" and Yes "Fragile" Both of these albums are very dynamic and offer single instruments playing as well as the entire band jumping in at full tilt.

During the quieter part of the tracks, I was amazed at how quiet the Xpression III is compared to its predecessor. The XpressionII is no slouch and was a very good performing table. However, the Xpression III is even better. There was no audible rumble at all and no hum or vibration was transmitted to the cartridge and through the system during my auditions. My take on that is that the acrylic platter offers better isolation than that of the older Xpression II's metal platter. I was concerned too that the lighter weight of the acrylic platter would increase speed variations but the revamped the motor on the Xpression III took care of the lighter platter concerns. I detected no speed variations during my audition. Just to re-affirm this, I but on Supertramps' Breakfast in America and listened to the piano parts. All piano tracks played solid with no waver in tonality.

The tone arm I believe remained the same between the two models. It tracked through all the grooves digging out all the subtlies in the music while maintainingg the dynamics of the music. Loud or soft or anything in between, this tone arm faithfully pulled out the music.

The price tag of $699 brings it out of the entry level market. Even at that price its a very solid performer doing everything right and nothing wrong. Its worth every penny.