vintage vs. modern TT/tonearms with $2.5K+ modern TTs

Vinyl Asylum

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My return to vinyl a couple of years ago started with a budget ($300) modern TT (Pro-Ject Debut III) which left me totally undewhelmed. I then moved up 4x in price (including cartridge) to a Rega P3. Big step in quality but I still was not experiencing the vinyl "magic".
For me the revelation came when I first heard a properly set-up Thorens TD124/SME 3009. Since then I restored two 124s and bought a beautiful 125 (all equipped with SMEs) and finally achieved the magic I was hoping for - albeit at a price; the 124s, for example, take a while to come up to speed and are subject to AC variations. They also have an audible rumble compared to modern turntables. Nevertheless, I think that in the $1K price range, a nicely set-up vintage TT/tonearm is hard to beat with a modern $1K TT/tonearm.
But as I am thinking about my next table (yes, I want another table, the "upgrading", tweaking, and experimenting is one of the fun parts of this hobby for me.). I am thinking that I should give higher-end modern TTs a chance. I am not getting rid of my vintage tables, but I am thinking of getting rid of my P3 (which I never play) and replace it with something like a SuperScout (but I am open to other suggestions).
Again, my hypothesis is that great vintage tables and arms (Thorenses 124+125, Garrards 301/401, SMEs 3009, etc.) are a better value for the money than modern "budget" (sub $2K) TTs, but that at a higher-end (say $2500+) the modern TTs/arms offer more.
I know first hand that a nicely set-up TD125 or TD124/SME 3009 knocks the socks off a Rega P3 (at least to my ears) for the same price, but I am not positive that they's beat a ScoutMaster with that very cool looking unipivot arm.
I would love to hear other inmates experiences in going from modern to vintage, or vintage to modern, or modern to vintage to modern again.
Alberto

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Topic - vintage vs. modern TT/tonearms with $2.5K+ modern TTs - albertoderoma 09:25:00 09/10/06 (8)

Re: vintage vs. modern TT/tonearms with $2.5K+ modern TTs - "skeptic" 22:10:11 09/10/06 (0)

Re: vintage vs. modern TT/tonearms with $2.5K+ modern TTs - keldasdad 20:34:28 09/10/06 (0)

Re: vintage vs. modern TT/tonearms with $2.5K+ modern TTs - David Schalkwyk 12:29:52 09/10/06 (0)

Mid-modern? - paul_s 12:01:36 09/10/06 (0)

Re: vintage vs. modern TT/tonearms with $2.5K+ modern TTs - Fred J 10:44:18 09/10/06 (3)

Fred you point out my current limitation in BOLD CAPS..... - tubesforever 11:20:00 09/10/06 (2)

I forgot ! Korato URL - Fred J 12:44:19 09/10/06 (0)

Re: Fred you point out my current limitation in BOLD CAPS..... - Fred J 12:30:13 09/10/06 (0)

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