3k budget for Turntable and Phono Noob- do I need external power supplies?

Fluance Belt Drive has a Removable Headshell

It comes bundled with Ortofon Blue 2M, which I do not recommend because it is an elliptical shape on aluminum, good but not exceptional. I’d much rather you got an advanced shape, i.e. MicroLine or Shibata shape, on a stiffer cantilever i.e. boron

The advanced shapes cost more, however they have much larger contact surfaces in the groove, less wear/last longer, and they produce less wear to your LPs simultaneously. If it cost twice as much, last nearly twice as long, tracks lighter, less wear on your lps, that is win/win/win.

the cartridge body’s technology combined with the stylus cantilever suspension and lightness/stiffness of material, advanced stylus shape has to be excellent to produce both wide channel separation and tight channel balance: they combine to far better imaging abilities, always check those two specs, then research reviews about it’s ’sound’.

It does NOT have an optional Phono stage, thus you need to decide/buy a separate one, whereas the AT120 gets you started, you learn and get phono stage when you know more.

I tried IFI, sent it back, I tried Cambridge Duo, sent it back, I liked a $14. unit from Pyle more, used it, kept trying others that were returnable, because it is ’preferred’, not ’better’ when it comes to phono eq.

Here’s the $14. Pyle Phono

Ridiculous, Sounds like I do, but I don’t love cheap sound, after rejecting several in a row, I find reading reviews and price does not mean much, use your ears.

I have used it while searching, and loaned it to several friends until they settle on something they try, all shocked at how good it sounds, until they FINALLY find something they like. It’s always good to have a spare setup when something goes wrong.

I had a highly respected McIntosh CC28 SS Preamp, hated the sound of it’s MM Phono. I preferred the AT120’s dinky built in optional phono eq. I now love my McIntosh MX110z Tube Tuner/Preamp MM Phono EQ sound, and use a SUT for my MC so I can continue to use the MX110z for the RIAA EQ and Gain.

I used the Pyle temporarily up here, rejected several, finally found I really like the MM built into the little Luxman Tube Integrated in my office. It has a single setting for MC, never tried an MC cartridge up here, now I might.

I have my NOS AT440ml MicroLine on Aluminum here tracking at 1.25g. My new to me used AT160ml is MicroLine shape on Beryllium Cantilever, also tracks at only 1.25g, I just realized, I am sitting dead center, amazing imaging out of these restored AR-2ax speakers, I’m gonna listen to/compare other cartridges up here. The Mitsubishi LT5V Vertical TT is Linear Tracking, very easy to adjust tracking weight, no anti-skate involved here.

just to show OP, I have ’gotten into it’, assembled this TT with 3 Tonarms, had 2500LPs, inherited 4,000 more LPs, sold over 2,000, need to sell more.

Near instant comparisons of my friends and my cartridges: I can play with all 3 arms simultaneously in the groove, and choose which arm on the SUT’s 3 inputs. Henry posted a video of his similar JVC TT showing no drag effect as he lowered 1,2,3 Quartz Locked Direct Drive keeps speed perfect

Music Hall Stealth DD table with universal mount tonearm, VTA adjust and 2M Blue cart. Add a Schiit Mani2 And some interconnects all for under $2K.  Buy a spare headshell and a Sumiko Bluepoint 3 LOMC for an option…$2500.00. Then, listen to music. Unspent money can go to more carts and headshells, vinyl, or a cleaner.

MoFi Ultradeck + cartridge on sale 1k off, excellent sonic buy.  Many great reviews. 

thanks very much

thus far the advice seems clear, put my money into the equipment first

I'll do just that

is it worth considering the various Project balanced setups?

I do much prefer running into the XLRs on my amp generally speaking