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$ 2500 -- Best Way to Spend It Today ?

Okay, here's a great hypothetical question, which may indeed help me reach a purchase decision. I've got a $ 2500.00 total budget for a new analog front end. What's the best way to spend the dinero ?

..... $ 1500 for a new rig and $ 1000 for a whole lot of new records.......or $ 2500 for a new rig, and enjoy (maximally, of course) the LP's that I already own ?

An example of the $ 1500 front end would be a Music Hall MMF 7.1/Goldring Eroica H or a Rega P5/Dyna 10x5. A possible $ 2500 front end would be a VPI Scout/Benz Ace H.

..........Let's hear what you think, and then recommend a great $ 1500 front end and then a great $ 2500 front end to get my juices flowing. The cash outlay needs to include table, arm, and cartridge (MM or high output MC, as I want to keep my current phono stage). I'm looking forward to some wonderful suggestions on how to spend the moolah. Thanks, and Happy Listening !!
adam18
piedpiper
753 posts
 
I would recommend spending the $2500 on the best table/arm you can and put a $50 cartridge on it with an eye to upgrading within a year. You won't be wasting anything when you do upgrade and you won't need to upgrade the table/arm ever perhaps, and if you do the better table/arm will give a better frame of reference for judging upgrade contenders. Buying LPs is ongoing and needn't be part of your budget. They can also be gotten used quite cheaply.

What floats your boat at that budget is too much a matter of taste to narrow it down to one recommendation. Also, are you thinking used or new?
les_creative_edge
174 posts
 
How I would spend $2500.00 today?

1: Buy a KAB USA modded Technics SL-1200MKII with Carads arm rewire and fluid damper. about $1,000.00

2: Buy a Denon DL-160 H.O. M.C. cartridge which will fit nicely to the Technics about $200.00

3: Buy a Sumiko head shell for cartridge about $60.00

4: Buy a vacuum cleaning record machine VPI or Nitty Gritty about $600

5: Buy a Cambridge Audio 640p phone preamp about $250.00

6: Maple shade product Turntable platform about $350.00

Total:$2500.00 as a rough total cost.

You'd be set with a nice vinyl setup
scotthobby
60 posts
 
No matter what table, arm, and cartridge you go for, a VPI record cleaning machine will do more for your enjoyment than any other purchase. It's amazing how much better a clean record sounds on any tt.
countingbackwards
138 posts
 
+1 for the record cleaning machine.

If you can, audition different tt's. You might like the Marantz TT-15 setup, which is made by Clearaudio and is around $1500 including a good cartridge...you might also like Rega, VPI, a used Basis, Michell, etc. Turntables can sound very different from one another, regardless of price point.
adam18 OP
670 posts
 
I'm really enjoying all your ideas, and am learning quite a lot. Thank you all very much. Let's keep those creative juices flowing, and keep the ideas coming in. It's wonderful being part of such and active and knowledgeable audiophile community.
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