best "entry level" audiophile TT?

although some people have said otherwise, it's my understanding that direct drive is better than belt - especially in my area of the country (st louis) where temp and humidity go crazy in any single day. if so, why not go the Pro-Ject RM-5 route - direct drive? still looking SUB 1000$, want good, rich sound but not necessarily audio bliss (which would be hard at such a cheap 'table). I'm definitely looking into some of the used, old thorens and AR.

Flyingred, thanks for the cheap answer to isolation. Maybe I can make a zen garden out of my zen music. anyone else tried this?

Tvad: I can sell you some beachfront land for cheap...three dollars an acre. E-mail me.

JohnnyB: I e-mailed you the pictures. There was a nice tourist that let me use their laptop--I don't own a computer. No computers on this island...only little AM radios.

Audiofeil: Raoul has a lot of toys--especially for a kid that smoked weed and listened to music on a Technics 1700. However, he does know how they sound and has let quite a few know that they're being ripped off by the high end establishment. You could relocate to my island and become a real estate agent. Don't worry about the $3 an acre price. We have plenty.

Metalsymph: $500-600 on a Technics 12XX, Kevin's newest $100 modded Stanton 500 cartridge and an eBay Groovmaster record cleaner would leave some cash to go get used records in Chicago.

Groovmaster

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+++ I spent 2 years auditioning "high end" tables before making my choice. Part of the problem was that nothing I heard bested the 25 year old Technics SL-150 Mk II or Lenco L75 that I picked up to re-learn analog set up. +++

Well Red, which one is it? Did you audition high end tables OR have you not heard anything better than your SL150/L75?

Regards
Paul

Seems like the cartridge has a lot to do with the sonic quality of any TT so how can some of you categorically state one TT is better than the other unless the same cart was used for comparison?

Zen gardens ...

Flyingred, thanks for the cheap answer to isolation. Maybe I can make a zen garden out of my zen music. anyone else tried this?

This drove the poor boys at Redrock Audio nuts at my very first ever audio show in 2001 ... the sandbox top plate wasn't ready and there was a bit of visible sand.

There we were ... raking this little Zen garden.

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Here's a quick drawing for a DIY sandbox:
http://www.galibierdesign.com/images/zz_sandbox.pdf.

If you lose this post, you can always link to it from my FAQs page.

This whole topic of stands is becoming deserving of a dedicated section. If I ever get around to making this update (don't worry ... after the Serac becomes real), I'll point to it from the FAQs page.

Also, I need to update the FAQs page with an additional link.

I am receiving excellent reports from a very trusted source on this shelf:
http://www.adonacorporation.com/platform.html

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There's some good advice in this thread on the 1200. You can do wonders for this 'table. As an aside, I've had some good success with the Duals too.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier