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I am looking for another turntable/tonearm/cartridge and I don't want to spend more than $1,000 (less, if possible). I have not purchased anything in this price bracket for some time and I don't really know where to begin. So, I have a few basic questions that I hope the wise contributors to the VA can answer. Oh yes, I will be using this with a K&K Audio phono stage.
1) Would you buy new or used. I am not adverse to buying used but I do think you have to be particularly cautious when purchasing a tt on the used market. I have wondered if one of the new DJ tables, like the Pioneer PLX1000 ($699 at Needle Doctor) might be a good option. Or would a used Technics 1200, which come up for sale quite often, be a better choice.
2) I have not listened to an mm cartridge in many years and generally believe that mc cartridges give superior performance. However, my last cartridge, an Ortofon Cadenza Bronze, cost more than double my total budget and I need to explore whether, at this lower price level, mm might be a better option. Or what about a Denon 103R or 301 which have been generally very well reviewed.
All opinions and guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Terry
Follow Ups:
I greatly appreciate your opinions and advice.
I learned this morning that a local dealer, who I know quite well, has a fully KABed SL1200MKII which he will let go for $600. Even better, he will allow me to return the table for full refund if I am not satisfied. Obviously, this is an opportunity that I cannot refuse. Now, getting a Rega home will be a lot more difficult.
I'm still not certain whether to stick with an mc cartridge, like the Denon 301, or to switch to an mm. Any thoughts?
Terry
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reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
That's a great price. You should not be disappointed.
-Wendell
If I only had a thousand dollars, I'd buy a nice suit, shirt, tie, socks and shoes, put some gas in my car, and go find a job. Also, like I did one time back in college: Buy a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter.:)
Oh, you meant "to spend on a turntable and cart". Well, that's a different story.
I would think that, with the advances in mechanical engineering and design, and with manufacturing costs dropping, you could get a very nice turntable for about $600, and a very nice cartridge for another $200, and still have $200 left over to buy a shirt, tie and shoes, maybe also a belt, AND put some gas in your car, so you can go find a job.
:)
Edits: 05/16/17
$200 for a shirt, tie, and shoes? Must be from Walmart or similar. ;-)
Cheers,
SB
Kenwood KP-1010 or 990. Beats anything new at this price level badly.
Yamaha GT-750 or GT-1000. Same as above.
You would probably have to buy direct from Japan and get a step down transformer (Japan is 100V) but it is worth the hassle.
If I were buying a turntable today -- and I am not -- I would seriously consider the manufacturer refurbished, apparently discontinued model Rega RP3 offered by Partsconnexion for $600. This is a proven performer, great value for money, and leaves a generous amount of your budget for a cartridge.
RP3 refurb for $600 US is a DAMN GOOD VALUE.
The 3 is a looking glass into the very high end. To my ears it kills anything else mentioned here. Sorry SL1200 fans but I've done the comparison head to head.
Personally I think a used SL1200 would be the way to go. Adjustable arm for height and assuming it's working to spec still, will have superb pitch stability and superior wow/flutter to any belt drive in that price range (and up). There is no cogging with this design so although the new deck has an improved motor, you certainly aren't "missing out" and you will be saving a lot on the entry price of the new deck! However, buying sceond hand will also depend on whether you are up for the possibility of servicing and how much electronics knowledge you have to do it yourself rather than pay someone as you may need to address issues related to component failure or miscalibration if someone has had a go at fiddling with things without understanding what they are doing. The service manuals are available at VE or, alternatively, Kevin (KAB) would be without doubt the guy to go to if you needed to pay someone to service the deck and bring it up to specification.
Cartridge-wise, a DL110 would be a reasonable option, but certainly the DL301/II would be a better choice for only a bit more $.
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
That should come in at about $1000 and give you great value.
There are a few nice turntables in the $1000 range. You will likely get a lot of POV's and as such will be all subjective. Let me tell you of my experience.I have had a number of good turntables from entry level new models to a few classic higher quality Made In Japan direct drives of the classic era to my latest purchase, a new Rega Planar 3 in gloss black I bought without a Rega cartridge as I already had a newer Denon DL-110 in the wings to put on instead.
LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!. Quite simply the best turntable I have owned. After watching Michael Fremer's 5 part video series of his tour with Roy Gandy of Rega Research's factory (THREE TIMES I WATCHED IT) I found myself nodding yes to Roy's and his engineer's philosophy on turntable design and manufacturing. It all makes sense to me. I had to buy a new Rega Planar 3 even though my current rig was 100% satisfying. For me in Canuck Bucks it's like near $1200 Cdn. and even though in the turntable world that is not uber expensive today, it is a bit so for a guy with a beer budget. BUT I HAVE NO REGRETS! I SIMPLY ADORE THIS TURNTABLE AND HOW WELL IT PLAYS BACK RECORDS!
No, Rega's are not the easiest to fuss around with. No simple VTA adjustments, not adjustable feet, no glitzy froo froo. Rega's are built to the ideas of RIGID, STIFF and LIGHT! You can buy after market VTA adjusters or shims if you like. But Rega's are engineered to be mostly plug n play to their design ideals.
The Denon DL-110 is a bit taller than Rega cartridges and as such on the RB-330 arm cause it to sit tail low. It did not make much a difference to my enjoyment of LP playback IMO, but my cure was simple. I found 9 small metal flat washers, superglued them in stacks 3 high giving them a 2 +mm lift. I drew the tone arm mount screws up and slipped these 3 stacks of washers under each point of the base and then screwed the arm back down. It leveled the arm with the DL-110 to satisfaction and kept IMO a solid arm mount base. I am not going to swap out my DL-110 and I do not feel need to tweak VTA wise each LP. The DL-110 on the Planar 3 SOUNDS SWEET, AIRY, A GREAT SOUND STAGE TO MY EARS ON MY AUDIO SYSTEM!
If you are going to be a tweaker notably on VTA, Well Rega may not be the best choice but Michel Engineering makes a more on the fly VTA adjuster that one can buy and use on new Rega's and use if you like.
I just rather play good clean vinyl records on my Planar 3 and just enjoy the listening.
Dollar for dollar, especially if you agree with Roy Gandy's ideals on turntables the Planar 3 is a hard to beat in the $1000 Us range.
My only beef is their dust covers are too shallow and raising the tone arm to fit the DL-110 with proper VTA meant that dust cover touches counterweight once closed. I FIXED THAT TOO!
I found a black piece of rubber about 3mm thick. I cut with a ruler and sharp craft knife 4 pieces that measure about 3mm x 3mm x 10mm and carefully super glued them to the four corners of my dust cover raising it above the counter weight now. One note the rear tabs were glued about 1cm forward to not interfere with the dust cover opening and closing.
I wish Rega would just make their dust cover about 1 cm. taller in manufacturing.
Edits: 05/15/17 05/15/17 05/15/17
Thanks for the reminder about the excellence of the Rega. I had a Planar 3 about 30 yrs. ago and thought it was good. However, I haven't heard any Rega in many years and I think its time I did so.
Terry
Another vote for the Rega!
I think with the right used table you could be in a better spot than buying new. I've gone both ways. I've not looked for a while, but a Thorens TD 165 or something like that is a really nice table. As for cartridge, seems like a load of different factors. I have a Shure MM on my living room system (a TD124), but a ZYX Bloom on the "man cave" system (VPI Classic table). With the MC you potentially pick up other problems like does your phono stage handle the tiny output of a MC? As for the Denon, I'm one who has tried them and DO NOT like them. IMHO you need the right match between arm and cartridge and then you're still going to need a SUT or a MC phono stage to make it work. The sound just didn't do it for me. The ZYX, on the other hand, is magic.
A SL-1200Mk2 with the KAB upgrades for $600 and the dealers backing/warranty is a deal not to pass up, you can't lose on this one. As far as cartridges go there are many excellent MM cartridges to choose from that are a perfect compliance match for the 1200, you will probably have to spend much more to get an excellent MC cartridge that is a good match for the 1200. With the remaining $400 from your $1,000 budget maybe your dealer can help you out with another bargain on a great cartridge.
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