Try a different turntable?


Ever since getting into audio, I've owned a VPI turntable (HW19 upgraded with heavier platter, SAMA, JMW arm). It sounds good, without question. But I've been curious about other TTs that (folks say) come from a different design philosophy--Linn and Rega are often mentioned in this connection.

For the next two years, I am in the fortunate position of having two stereo systems; then I will retire and consolidate into one house and one system. I've set up my second system except for vinyl. What 'table/arm combos would folks recommend as an alternative to the VPI (at about the same price)? Ideally also it would be a tad smaller than the big VPIs since I have less space in the retirement home.

I listen to a little of everything, but like acoustic music (classical, folk, jazz) best, and am looking for a setup that will really connect with the music.

Thanks for suggestions!
magister
The only thing proven is that DD,BD,ID, can sound good..

I don't think i will be throwing away my Wilson Benesch as i did my lenco 30+ yrs ago. At the time an LP12 would walk all over it. Obvious today that people can and do get great sound from DD, BD,ID tables and we can ping pong the advantages back and forth all night it wont change what people prefer and or like.

Enjoy the moment ...

Regards,
The only advantage of BD over ID is the quiet drive. But is NO more a REAL MOTOR DRIVE that operates the platter, actually, exactly the opposite happens : The inertia of the platter guides the belt to creep on the motor's pulley and the resulting speed is (un)controlled by this mix.
But yes, me too I also hear great sound from Micro Seiki, Simon York, Pink Triangle Belt Drives. The point is that most of the critical design decisions by manufactures, are DIRECTED BY THE PROFIT & this is the only reason that we were stacked in progress for 3 decades.
And please Weseixas, you are not alone doing a wrong move downsising your source, me too I change my Denon DP 80 for an inferior Belt Drive, but today I've found the courage to accept my mistake. But NO. DO NOT mention the F***ing LP12. It is the master of this disaster that we pay for all these years of blindness & manipulation.
"What the people like" is usualy a manipulated zone at all the expressions of human's life. Of course it's sure enough, if the only DD or ID turntables are vintage & ugly & requiring a huge refreshing effort in order to perform their potentials, it's more than expected, most of the people to discard them as nostalgic & antique items.
It's about time for manufactures to understand that people are asking for new examples of DD & ID at last.
Now I want to dedicate "wooden ships" by Jefferson Airplane to those who keep the faith for a better audio world.
It's really a matter of one's personal taste in music reproduction, ancillary equipment, etc. I certainly agree that any of the 3 technologies can be made to sound very good such that there will be some among us who prefer any one of the 3 over the other 2. Funny you should mention the LP12. I heard one at RMAF. It caught my attention because I turned to it to see if I was listening to a Lenco. It has the good qualities of a Lenco in an effective plinth, but the properly set up Lenco might give a bit more of what I like. Still, the LP12 sounded very good.
Geoch,

I can assure you , at the time the LP12 was superior sounding to my lenco ( 77), there were no internet, so we had no collective knowledge nor ignorance as we have today. Equipment were bought and sold after many shootout's and the lesser was then disregarded, nothing was ever purchased on impulse as most seem to do today and almost everyone i knew back then was into hi-fi(there was nothing else really) so most decisions were never blind and the Lenco lost out to the LP12 at the time....

Now today it seems you either follow internet folklore or you are considered stupid, well i have been around this game along time, more than just a casual player and what has become obvious to me is that no topology has a lock on good sound there is no magic wand in tubes,SS,Digital or analog, the real change for me over the last 35 yrs is the "tone" when one disagrees with the flock.

Shout the merits of ID, the condescension to BD or DD TT is not necessary nor warranted.

Regards,

PS: Maybe in 20 yrs some upstart TT guru will be on the Gon proclaiming how great his LP12 sounds after certain Home depot mods..... :)