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I'm willing to spend as much as $1000.00 on a table/arm on the used market. Was thinking of one of the following:Rega Planar 25, or P5
Michell TechnoDec
Notingham Horizon SE
Roksan Radius 5
VPI 19Jr. (or Scout if it can be done for $1,000.)
Music Hall MMF 7
Kuzma Stabi S
Follow Ups:
I've owned a HW19 Mk. III/IV and though I liked it, I kind of wanted to try something different. I was hoping for some impressions on some of the others, especially The Kuzma, The Roksan and the Nottingham, especially verses the old stalwarts (VPI & Rega). Thanks for the posts.
i found the oracle delphi later model tables to beat the vpi you mentioned as well as the rega and music hall/
Definitely don't exclude a Linn LP-12 from your list. Usually under $1000 for a stock version with decent arm and Vahalla motor board.
I've read so many stories about how hard it is to set-up; that it should be done by a Linn tech. I don't have a Linn dealer in my city, so if true this is a big problem. If you and others can set my mind at ease, I'll put it on the list.
if you can be comfortable with following the set up steps in the manual and do your own fiddling about you will never regret a Linn. Its not that difficult to do. Besides tweeking your own table will give you the sence that you set it up as good as it can be. The pride and the enjoyment you will recieve from that is un-measurable.
Where does this come from, that Linns are tricky to set up, require frequent setup and are finicky?I haven't found that with my LP12, which has travelled with me from the UK, to France, to the US, over a ten year period. That's one of the benefits, too - with the Valhalla board, it woks on 110-240VAC and 50-60Hz just by swapping a fuse and a wire.
It was set up professionally when I bought it, and I had it tweaked once by my local dealer (at the time) in the UK (who charged me nothing, because as he put it "it's fine").
I adjusted it a little when moving to France, and have adjusted it twice during our four years in the US, once on arrival, and once after a house move, when replacing the belt and bearing oil.
Sorry, but they're a lot less "fussy" than people think, and they certainly don't need constant tweaking.
Cheers,
If you can read the set-up manual you can set-up the Linn correctly and it WILL STAY SET UP. The reality is that the LP12, while requiring care in set-up and placement, will reward you with very musically satisfying sound.
Of the TTs you list, I only have experience with the Nott Horizon, which I bought over 3 years ago, shortly after it first came out. The background is inky black; the depth and breadth of the soundstage are fabulous, and it's low torque motor keeps the heavy platter, which is started by hand with a gentle spin, at virtually perfect 33.3, so it has great PRaT. But you've probably read all that.My personal experience is that the Horizon is able to consistently reproduce music that effortlessly draws the listener in while time and place dissipate from conscious awareness. It has the magic. I haven't tired of it yet and have no upgrade-itis.
I did purchase an SL1210mkII recently, not as a upgrade to the Nott, but b/c I wanted another 'table to play musical carts with, and the 1210 tonearm's detachable headshell makes changing out carts a breeze. It can be magical, too, mind you, and often nose to nose, but it's not the Nott. Fact is, I won't part with either.
These show up on Audiogon pretty regularly (I think there is one there today in fact) and they are usually around $900 without an arm and $1,200 with a Rega or AQ.I have the MK III and it's a massive buy for cheap -- I got mine for $650 with a modified RB300 a couple years ago and have been very happy with the table.
If you can find a MK IV you've got a better than Scout package for about the price of a used scout. There is also a Scout on A'gon today for $1100 too.
There have been used Scoutmasters on A'gon in the past week or two as well.
...I liked my VPI 19jr a lot more than the MKIII I just sold. The Jr had better pace and the bottom was super tight. The MKIII sort of plodded along and there was just way too much bass. The same arm was used on both (PT6) and very similar cartridges (OC9 and AT33PTG) ...the rest of the system was the same.I think the Jr is a steal.
There was a nice Scout on AgoN two weeks ago for $995. It didn't last long. I'm sure there will be another, but if you see a clean one from a good seller, don't let $100 stand in your way. When buying used, buy the seller too.
And I like the diffrence.Now I will have to go back and compare the two again. Like you it has an AQ arm. I thought it had more wieght to the sound. Perhaps thats what you would describe as plodding. I did get a great deal on it so I'm not concerned and I still have my Jr. Pain that it is I guess I will have to switch the arm back and compare...Thanks, I think :-)
...my opinion shouldn't count for much. So long as you are happy, that's all that matters.By "plodding" I was referring to pace ...everything just seemed slower and less snappy. As for the bass, that could easily have been a system dependant thing, as they so often are.
If you like your MKIII better, don't look back !
Since I still had the old table here just thought I'd give a listen. I have no bass issue with it. The first record I played was Thomas Dolby"flat earth"
Great bass and nice and tight. I am curious to compare them again.
Thanks
chris
In my junior year of college, 1985-86, one of my roomates owned that LP and we probably listened to it at least once a day for an entire semester. Awesome bass and great songs.Then in my senior year, in the fall of 1986, I bought my first CD player and "Flat Earth" was one of three CDs I eagerly bought that same day. I rushed back to my dorm room to hear how great it would sound, and was like, "What the hell? Where is the bass, the weight, the soul? And what's with this tinny, mechanic, edgy sound? Sh#t!"
I still think of that event as a defining moment for me. I just never really understood what people loved about the format other than the lack of surface noise.
Recently I found the LP in a used record store for a couple of bucks and snatched it up. Now I play it and the CD to friends when they come over to illustrate my disappointment some 20 years ago. Granted the newer CD software and hardware sound better.
Anyway, sorry to hijack the post, but couldn't resist going down memory lane.
Interesting take on the Jr. vs the III. Have you heard/compared the Scout with the Jr.?
I haven't heard most modern tables, the two VPIs I mentioned are exceptions. I am familiar with Oracles, the LP12 and low-end Regas as well, but that's about it. Most of the tables I've had are older. When it comes to tables, I'm a big fan of going vintage and just don't get invloved with the new stuff.
Your message says up to $1K. Which is it? Doubt you will get a Scout in mint condition for under $1K. $1.1K to $1.2K more likely. A HW-19 Junior, if you can find one, sure. These usually go for $500-600 with Audioquest or Rega arm.
Henry
I put the $1,000. to $2,000. in my subject line because most of the tables mentioned are in that price range new, and I hope to find one used for under $1,000.
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