Most beautiful turntable under $5k


Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but thought this might be a fun topic. Obviously the most important thing about audio gear is how it sounds, but I find some of it truly beautiful to look at too, particularly turntables, which almost by necessity are best placed somewhere on display. Some days I love the simplicity of something like the Clearaudio Concept Wood (particularly the dark wood)….other days the “audio jewelry” appearance of EAT or VPI. My personal vote, however, would go to the Gold Note Pianosa. For me it has a timeless beauty and elegance that’s never over the top. I can’t imagine ever tiring of looking at in and think it would look great with a wide array of decor.


What would be your personal choice for most beautiful turntable under $5k? What about cost-no-object options?

ethos123

Log another vote for the Thorens 1601. It is my dream table. Anybody own one?

Technics SL1200G.

An easy set up, a VTA adjustment almost on the fly, removable headshell, stability in rotation speed, cover against dust and good looking.

But overall, an excellent sound. 



Beauty is in the eyes of beholder indeed. Another vote for the Technics SL1200G - it’s the culmination of DD functionality and beauty where Technics had to do it all again from scratch in the right way. IMO there is no other table more simple to use and most of all the G is sonically very hard to beat at this price range when you mach the cart right and add a hydraulic damper to the magnesium tonearm.

On the polar opposite: Mag Lev ML-1:

I had one to try for couple of months. Utter beauty to see that levitating platter in action. ...but plain annoying operation (super-slow star- and slowdown times) and sonically not as pleasing, you could hear nearly 1/5th of note variation (wow/flutter) by ear on loud sections and relatively noisy at low level sections, especially in loud environment. But boy, it’s a work of art in it’s phisics-curiosity looks when it plays :)

 

(For comparison 1200G is like a blitz fast rock solid table, utter simplicity and ease of use, class-leading stability and silent as a church mouse even in open-air festival-amplification sound levels and those who ask: for me actually more beautiful in that silver!)

Michell Gyro Dec - I have had mine for 30 years and still going strong. At least two hi-fi reviewers here in the UK use one as a source coupled with an SME 309 or IV tonearm. John Michell preferred the SME V which I use on my "Orbed" Gyro Dec - see my system pics.