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While the Premier certainly revealed Zen Arcade's sonic limitations, it also revealed the power and emotion of the Hüskers at full throttle. I've never heard this album sound so visceral and solid. My eldest son who has a penchant for the likes of Metallica, Linkin Park and a sub genre of Metal accurately titled Screamo (I think the name says it all) was shocked. "Who are these guys?" he asked. "Were", I replied. "Hüsker Dü were cranking out tunes while the bands you listen to were still in diapers". As with Velvet Underground or The Replacements, the Dü didn't sell a lot of records but just about everyone who bought 'em formed their own bands.

The Premier II had the hairs on the nape of my neck stand on end with Karen Dalton's eerily beautiful cover of "When a Man Loves a Woman" from her In My Own Time LP [LITA 022]. The film-noire vibe of Stan Ridgeway's The Big Heat [IRS 5637] was equally well rendered. Other records that saw plenty of spin time included a pair of brilliant re-issues: Lenny's Shostakovich 5 [Cisco/Columbia MS 6116] and Jim Hall's Concierto [CTI 6060] plus a terrific vinyl pressing of the Drive By Truckers' Blessing and a Curse [New West 50081] which positively sizzled on the Premier II. The Scheu did not favor one musical genre over another. Whatever I chose to spin was thoroughly enjoyable.

During playback, I was impressed by the Scheu's dead-quiet background and the lack of flutter or wow. It was as though some black hole sucked away all the annoying little noises one normally expects with vinyl playback. The result of this quiet backdrop was greatly improved detail retrieval over my RPM 5. The placement of performers, dimensionality and sheer physical presence all took a giant step forward. Subtleties obscured or masked by my Pro-Ject were now startlingly audible. To one degree or another, playing records involves some noise although it tends to be masked somewhat by the music and is generally easy to ignore. However, with the Premier II, no extracurricular brain activity was required. The only extraneous noise I heard during my time with the Scheu was from the recording itself. In some cases, it was the tape machine or traffic passing in front of the recording venue; or just a particularly bad pressing. Never once did I suspect the Premier II was adding anything.
Next to the Scheu's quiet backdrop, 'neutral' came readily to mind. The Premier II was not what I'd call a particularly vivid or colorful performer as had been a couple of Garrard-based rigs I briefly heard. Its MO leans toward the decidedly clean and neutral side of the scale. Those readers lusting for a little more blood & fire might want to look elsewhere. Recorded performances were full-bodied and rhythmically alive with a fine sense of flow and momentum. Using a well-worn cliché, music just flowed along like water trickling in a stream. Instrumental timbre was also spot on. Comparing the AT33 with my Ortofon Rondo Blue on the Cantus was interesting. I thought bass was fuller and more fleshed out with the Blue but the AT33 was sweeter, smoother and had a beguiling way with the midrange that won me over. Mind you, that was with this particular tonearm. I'm sure fitting the Rondo or AT33 to other tonearms and tables would offer different sonics. In fact, I did prefer the Rondo Blue to the AT33 on my RPM 5. Go figure.
In comparison, my Project RPM 5 sounded a little rougher, lacking a little in weight and suffering a far higher noise floor. I was constantly aware of low-level motor rumble and noise. The presentation of acoustic music wasn't as airy and dimensional as with the Scheu. It's still a great table that I shall keep but the Scheu surpassed it in all areas. Overall, I was impressed with the Scheu's way with the music. Forget the audiophile obsession with sound. The darn thing just played the tunes. I enjoyed the startlingly low noise floor and how instruments and voices emerged seamlessly from a silent noise-free backdrop with all their timbral qualities intact. I truly got more enjoyment from my records over the Scheu. It was neigh impossible to pick apart the Premier II as I couldn't maintain any degree of concentration in that regard. I just got lost in the music, which to me is about the highest compliment I can offer. There was also something endearing about the table particularly in terms of temporal flow and forward propulsion. Call it PRaT or whatever you want but music just sounded more real and there.

I cannot tell you how the Premier II compares to other similarly priced tables but if you currently own a modest table such as a P3 or RPM 5 and are looking for an upgrade, the Premier II should knock your socks off. Moreover, while $4,000 seems steep for a table/tonearm combo, upon audition it comes across as a smashing good value. My only regret was not having a more resolving phono stage on hand. While Pro-Ject's Tube Box SE is a fine inexpensive stage, I certainly felt that I was not hearing the Premier II's full potential. I expect something along the lines of Graham Slee's Era Gold/Elevator combo should be a killer match. In many ways, the Scheu reminded me of my recent experience with Audiomat's Opéra Référence amp. I felt that this was the end of the line. I could settle down and get off the upgrade merry-go-round. Frankly, the Premier II could be the last table I'd ever own. I could simply spend the rest of my record spinning days experimenting with different tonearm/cartridge combinations.

Attractive to the eye and ear, the Scheu Premier II/Cantus was a joy to have in my home. I would call this a true giant killer and one of the best tables out there but frankly, I just do not have the experience yet to make that call. Ask me in a couple of more years. If you are looking to improve upon a decent mid-priced table such as a Rega P3 or Pro-Ject RPM 5, put the Premier on your list. It just might be the ticket to your own vinyl nirvana.
Quality of packing: Well packed with hard and soft foam in a sturdy cardboard box.
Reusability of packing: Appears to be reusable several times.
Quality of owner's manual: While I did not receive one, emailed photos indicated detailed instructions (including pictures) for table and tonearm.
Condition of component received: Flawless.
Completeness of delivery: Perfect. Plinth and bearing assembly ship pre-assembled and turntable base ships preloaded with lead shot. In addition, table comes with a small bottle of bearing oil, roll of string and a pair of white cotton gloves.
Website comments: Needs attention. Devoid of useful information. Best current source of info including setup is via www.soundscapehifi.com/scheu-analog.htm.
Warranty: 3 years for Premier and Cantus.
Human interactions: Professional, helpful and friendly.
Pricing: Seems quite reasonable
Final comments & suggestions: Scheu needs to update their website. In addition, it might be useful to post manuals online.
Scheu Analog website
Canadian distributor's website