The best TT system for under 30K

@chakster 

I read the title of the topic and that's enough, $30k for turntable is insane even if "it's good based on your opinion".

No its not insane. Some people appreciate products that are well built and sound excellent. 

And I don't understand why any person would like to buy 1 expensive cartridge based on other people opinions instead of trying 5 different cartridges at the same total price to make his own opinion about them.

Because he just wants a great turntable. He is probably not interested in spending thousands of hours searching for the bargain of the century on yahoo japan, promoting the product on audiogon, whilst selling said same product on ebay to make a few lousy bucks by passing off second hand clapped out cartridges as state of the art.

It might be difficult for you to comprehend, but some folk work hard, make some money, and just want to enjoy their hobbies.

If you feel an incessent need to put down products based on price and perceived value, based on your own missconceptions, and denigrate other folks enjoyment of our hobby, then you probably need to see a therapist.

Dover sorry next time i may read this stuff.Please forgive my oversight.

@dover I care less about your opinion because you are an ex dealer of high-end gear, probably you are retired dealer, you said many times that you are an ex dealer. As you know, dealer’s margine is more than 30%, sometimes much more like 50%, so please do not tell me about prises, $30k for a turntable is insane, tell your wife if you think it’s normal. No, it’s not normal, especially when a buyer have zero experience and zero knowledge about turntables, tonearms and cartridges! Every week I read posts from rich people on audiogon, they know nothing about analog gear. It’s so weird that being an old dudes (most of the posters on a’gon are retired people) whey are discovering analog later than yourger generation. Their guide is only price tags and an opinions of some other unknown sick audiophiles.
But it’s not about musical enjoyment or a well balanced system, great and reasonable priced high-end gear everyone can buy elsewere, but NOT from the dealers! In fact dealers often know nothing about great produscts, their own experience is limited and their target is a profit and huge margine they got from the manufacturers of overpriced modern high-end gear. Reviewers support this business model. This is how it works nowadays, weird business model! Maybe your own experience is better, but you are retired dealer! When I ask simple questions to the younger dealers they can’t answer even about the basics, sales man like a dealer is not an audiophile or analog enthusiast, often it’s a businessman first. Higher price and higher margine is better for them, always, so this stupid propaganda claiming that more expensive gear is a better gear is 100% BS in my opinion! Normally high-end is expensive by default, but some high-end is simply overpriced to the highest level today (absolutely insane prices).


Used market is an opportunity for enthusiasts like myself or anyone else, if you don’t know how to use this opportunity then you only limit yourself, but who cares? 
When you are trying to tell bad things about ebay or some other auction platforms, where not rich people people are buying and selling their own good stuff, you only demonstare to other that you are a snob!

There is nothing wrong to sell or to buy privately from other enthusiasts (not from the dealers), no matter vintage records or audio gear. This is great for everyone, it’s an open market! You are trying to say the opposite and it’s crazy. If you want dealers to rip you off with a 10 times higher prices then go on, it’s up to you, but this is not a good advice to wise people like most of the “normal” people who also enjoin’ high-end, believe it or not.

  
I’ll tell you one thing: without an opportunity to buy from Japan or from a private enthusiasts worldwide you will never get a good prices for high-end gear unless you are a dealer with 30% - 50% discount from the new manufacturer looking for a dealer in specific region. But there are always better and cheaper stuff that you can’t get from the manufacturer as a dealer, cos there are discontinued classics, not available rare stuff, you know?

If you want to buy a brand new $30k turntable than can be outperformed by a $3k secondhand turntable (same about cartridges) then you know who you are. A wise people already made their choice.

LOL! Folks take it easy. All good here, I don’t feel ripped off at all by my purchase. I can appreciate good product. I used to be a canvassing salesman many years ago and my ex boss have a saying that I will never forget, he said “salesman can lie but price tag will never lie” meaning good products are usually expensive and cheap products are rarely good.

I admit I was a bit hasty when deciding about my latest entire audio system but who doesn’t when just going back to a dear hobby after a very long hiatus? I quit my audio hobby some 17 years ago not because I am bored with the hobby, like I said upthread I quit because I have to grow up and stop getting money from my dad, so it was financial issue really and my mentality dictates that I’d rather be “audioless” than having low end audio so I survived 17 years with portable Bose or Sonos. Took me 17 or so years of hard work and crazy stress to be able to go back to this expensive audio hobby so I just want to enjoy what I can, even my wonderful wife approves. However, right now, I am no way in any shape or form is hasty. The initial excitement has died down and now I am a lot more cautious in selecting my next upgrade, if you look at my other threads you can tell that I am in the stage of researching deeply about my upgrade path but so far I only pulled the trigger on the Kuzma XL DC and I think the decision I made on the Kuzma XL DC is a wise and good one. Especially the fact that I am paying exactly a hair under $30.000 for everything. I am a happy camper. In fact, a day after I paid the down payment for the Kuzma, somebody from a nearby city offered me a Kronos Pro with Black beauty tonearm and cartridge (can’t remember the cart), it’s supposed to be a $65.000 setup and I can have it for $28.000. I didn’t even blink an eye.... that’s how content I am with the Kuzma XL DC after the fact that I have auditioned the sound extensively and I loved it more than anything I ever heard before. That’s enough for me, I’ve heard MY best so I don’t need to hear anything else (same mentality I treated my wife FWIW) 

I am waiting for my custom table to be delivered in two weeks time before I can install (with help) the Kuzma. I realized I have zero possibility of installing the Kuzma on my existing el cheapo plywood table. I will post pictures after everything is setup, it’s gonna be beautiful on top of a custom solid teak wood table.

Thanks for everyone’s suggestions, I think the wisest “preventative” steps I could take right now is to; first buy a cheaper cartridge to familiarize myself on operating one safely and store the expensive Miyajima until I am confident enough then buy the record ultrasonic cleaner.

Peace everyone and please keep this thread peaceful and civil ✌️

@chackster
You have nice gear. But wow it's interesting your take on business. Do you not markup a record you press or resell? Is that not part of your business? Or a cartridge you resell?