martysworld Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 I am trying to find some info on a Turntable I acquired a few years ago. It really is a stunning piece with a solid marble platter. I don’t know much about it other than it’s got a Rega Lid, I think a Rega tonearm and then a brass plaque that says: Continuum Dohmann (I’d say Mark Dohmann maybe?) and Gusew? Reason for asking is I’m thinking of selling but have no idea what $$ value it would be. The person I bought from thought it was from the mid 90’s? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian McP Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 yep, Mark Dohmann http://www.telosaudiodistributors.com/about-our-team/ < Mark Döhmann Mark started his audio journey in 1974 with a broken mechanical wind-up 78 RPM Gramophone with the instruction from his engineer father, “son, see if you can fix this”. Vinyl replay in this home at that time was a state-of-the-art Pioneer Quadrophonic stereo and player. Little did he know at the time that his father’s words would be the spark for an amazing career in audio. With a solid background in aeronautical engineering gained during a tenure with a major Australian airline during the 1980's, Mark designed and built his own record players from 1982 to 1993 (by Dohmann & Gusew). These beautiful hand-crafted players quickly developed a reputation as the best sounding turntables of their generation and are still held in high regard today by their owners. > a pic! < Aussie Hi-Fi history. A young Mark Dohmann (right) and Mark Gusew (left) with the first Continuum turntable (1982). > http://ow.ly/i/8L1YP 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martysworld Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) Wow, thanks @Ian McP any idea of what I should ask for this? Wonder if anyone has any info on this actual model? Edited August 20, 2018 by martysworld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian McP Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 you could be cheeky and contact him direct for advice http://audio-union.com/Helix.php 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martysworld Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 I'll hold off for a little bit see if anyone on here knows anything first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Marc Posted August 20, 2018 Administrator Share Posted August 20, 2018 @Mark Gusew is a member here and might be able to offer advice. @BMC HiFi 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kab Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Just watch out for the vultures swooping..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martysworld Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 Awesome thanks @marc Admin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Marc Posted August 20, 2018 Administrator Share Posted August 20, 2018 A pic Mark shared with me a while ago I had to do some resto on :) I believe it was the first turntable to wear the brand name. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martysworld Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) Wow awesome Pic Marc. Thanks for sharing Edited August 20, 2018 by martysworld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kab Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Unless your getting out of vinyl keep it i reckon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martysworld Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) Making a decision as to whether to get out or not. Not listening to too much vinyl anymore. Edited August 20, 2018 by martysworld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Doehmann Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) Hi Marty Very early gen "CONTINUUM by Dohmann & Gusew" made by Audio Synectics circa 1984 by Mark Dohmann and Mark Gusew (and we're still best mates!). Rega 3 donor parts for platter and bearing. Hurst motor synchronous. RB300 Arm with mods. The key was the constrained layer plinth using a very soft marble (low quartz content). This was cut with diamond tooling to fit bearing adaptor using a Boeing Alloy and adhesive. Timber frame to allow lid to work. Sonically they had exceptional imaging stability which was due to motor mounting being different to Rega compliant o-ring suspension for motor. We used to run these up against the big rigs like Ariston RD11s/Sota Star/Goldmund Studietto which was an easy decision. The added mass in the plinth created a much quieter noise floor. I would be happy to run this "old faithful" against 10K rigs today. It was a giant slayer back then in a biblical sense. As for the designer aging as well as the table - I can assure you I'm much worse for the wear but still playing vinyl and designing better solutions to the same problems we had back then. Come to think of it some classic music from that era is still spinning on my table tonight. I wouldn't get out of vinyl as I often hear big regrets from those who did. Buyers of the rig can reach out to me and I will offer to upgrade the design to the last of the series in 1993 which included a very unique armboard design which principle was fiendishly clever at the time. At the time it was too expensive to use due donor material very hard to get but "ol RMH" was a bit more fuel efficient after a D Check nonetheless Good luck on your quest. MD Edited August 20, 2018 by dohmannaudio added pics before and after 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martysworld Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) Wow thanks @dohmannaudio, never expected that. Thanks so much for the contact. It really is a stunning deck. Great to hear you guys are still best mate. Love the pic Marc put up on this post. Did you make many of these? I've never seen another. Really appreciate your filling in the gaps. Edited August 20, 2018 by martysworld Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Doehmann Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) Hi Marty About 35 of that series. By 1995 I had resigned myself to the fact that "most people were deaf" and that CD had won. After deciding that arguing the point was only delaying the sale of vinyl by those embracing the "revolution" I decided instead to look for preloved vinyl and enjoy the music with friends who also decided the perfect CD format lacked that special magic pop and crackle ;-). Only now in last few years has the "magic" been rediscovered by more and more listeners. I'm enjoying rediscovering old vinyl on new rigs. Never gets old! Pretty nice to see the rig still works all those years later. Reliability Engineering obviously wasn't wasted. Edited August 20, 2018 by dohmannaudio speller 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martysworld Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 (edited) Yes she still sounds and runs amazing. Quiet as. If I decide to keep I'll have to chat about those upgrades. Hey Mark @dohmannaudiosent you a direct message on here. Have you seen? Edited August 21, 2018 by martysworld 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Marc Posted August 20, 2018 Administrator Share Posted August 20, 2018 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMC Audio Visual Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Hey Marty, I'm Mark Gusew, the other half of Doehmann and Gusew. I'm very pleased that your early Continuum is still working well and sounding great. They were absolutely great tables and as Mark Doehmann said they are certainly giant killers as far as performance goes. Much of the research and work done on these early tables had a direct bearing in later state of the art production tables, including the current Helix range, some of the best sounding tables on the planet! Marty, what you have there is a piece of audio history. Of course, I believe that it's priceless but unless you intend to buy something rather more costly, or heaven forbid get out of vinyl altogether, why not keep it and put a nice cartridge on it and fall in love with it again? 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wimbo Posted September 3, 2018 Share Posted September 3, 2018 On 20/08/2018 at 9:33 PM, dohmannaudio said: By 1995 I had resigned myself to the fact that "most people were deaf" and that CD had won. Love it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltech Posted September 3, 2018 Share Posted September 3, 2018 (edited) @BMC HiFi Is there somewhere in Victoria Australia we can listen to your Helix turntable? Edited September 3, 2018 by eltech Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD19 Posted September 3, 2018 Share Posted September 3, 2018 Great thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wimbo Posted September 3, 2018 Share Posted September 3, 2018 1 hour ago, eltech said: @BMC HiFi Is there somewhere in Victoria Australia we can listen to your Helix turntable? See if you can get to here the latest or latter Continuum as well. Easily the most engaging front end I've ever heard. Although I did here Marks Helix 2 at LWA, but the speakers were small bookshelves. I heard the Continuum on Focal Grand Utopias many times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martykt Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 12 hours ago, eltech said: @BMC HiFi Is there somewhere in Victoria Australia we can listen to your Helix turntable? Wrong Mark there @eltech, it's @dohmannaudio that's behind the Helix !! To answer your question I believe you can listen to a Helix TT at Tivoli Hifi ( @Tivoli Hi-Fi ). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martysworld Posted September 4, 2018 Author Share Posted September 4, 2018 @dohmannaudio Hi Mark would like to make contact to see about the upgrades you mentioned as I have decided to keep the turntable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_F Posted September 4, 2018 Share Posted September 4, 2018 I may have missed something but isn't this a standard Rega Planar 3 with the switch moved to the front edge and a slab of granite fixed on top? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts