Well, this won't make your choice any easier: New VPI Cliffwood table at $900. (and the Scout Jr. is being blown out at $1299 most places as it's discontinued). http://americanmadeaudio.com/2017/06/30/vpi-launches-entry-level-cliffwood-turntable-actually-made-c... |
I know I've read better reviews somewhere, but I can't find them at the moment. If you can find a seller close enough that shipping doesn't kill the deal, good luck. http://totallywired.co.nz/wax_engine.html |
Sometimes things that sound like an excellent proposition are not..... I had a friend, who is now a dealer......purchase a Marantz TT15 on my recommendation, because on paper, it seemed a killer value.....I think he paid about 1290.00 new for it..... He owned it for about a month. It was one of the worst turntables I have ever heard......and I've heard 10s of dozens...... Very muted, motor noise....wasn't ideal, but overall it was lack of dynamics that made it a boring table overall......Clearaudio pedigree isn't worth anything.......many of the lower cost Clearaudio tables are also rather anemic..... If I were shopping in this range, I would adjust your price range, to between a grand and two grand.....and if you select one in the upper range, just save up some more money, instead of buying it over again and spending more...... I would consider the brand new Oracle Origine.....the dealer friend of mine who had the TT15 has one that he ordered when I ordered my Delphi MK VI and he thinks it is a fantastic table for only 2 grand list and that is with an ortofon cartridge... Other than that, I would try to find a gently used VPI Classic 1. These can routinely be had for well under 2k and they obliterate tables at twice the price.......I've owned several VPI tables and you'll find them to be very unfinicky and they will last a lot of years with good support..... |
