You should be able to find a VPI HW19 with arm within your budget. They are built like a tank and spare parts are always available!
$700 Used TT Upgrade Advice, Is it Worth It For Me?
Looking for some advice: I have an Audio Techinca At LP240 that has a AT 120 cartrige with new stylus and fully manual. I am a bit of a TT newbie but like quality audio pieces. Would like to upgrade and spend about $700 for a used turntable. Currently I have 110 wpc integrated Luxman L-509u with MM/MC selection and Revel F50 floor speakers. I stream most of my listening via a nice DAC but like to listen to an vinyl album once a week. Most of my vinyl is classic rock with some newer adult alternative and don't listen very loud any more. I had a little issue with rumble when playing loud but resolved it with 2 raquet balls cut in half, filled with insulation foam, sanded flat, put on audio stand,a large piece of travertine sat on the semi spheres and TT on the tile piece. $10 DIY was very effective.
A few local listings are:
1 REGA PLANAR 3 TURNTABLE WITH RB-300 TONEARM, REGA ELYS 2 CARTRIDGE $700
2 CJ Walker CJ55 turntable, Infinity Black Widow arm with damping trough, new Cardas wire from headshell to phono plugs $600
3 Thorens MKII TD145 turntable looks stock around $550
Would some of these selections be worth pursuing or am I already in the same league? Also, I am not looking for a finicky TT or a project that needs to be upgraded like nice table but no tone arm.
A few local listings are:
1 REGA PLANAR 3 TURNTABLE WITH RB-300 TONEARM, REGA ELYS 2 CARTRIDGE $700
2 CJ Walker CJ55 turntable, Infinity Black Widow arm with damping trough, new Cardas wire from headshell to phono plugs $600
3 Thorens MKII TD145 turntable looks stock around $550
Would some of these selections be worth pursuing or am I already in the same league? Also, I am not looking for a finicky TT or a project that needs to be upgraded like nice table but no tone arm.
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- 9 posts total
You will encounter a fair amount of grief for using one of the OEM Direct Drive DJ turntables. The turntables are primarily sourced from a Far East manufacturer, Hanpin. I was using a Stanton ST 150 turntable for the last few years and if you reference that turntable, you will see that it is almost identical to the AT LP240. http://www.hanpin.com.tw/4_Products_02.html https://musicredone.com/index.php/stanton-ultra-high-torque-s-arm-turntable-with-680v3-cartridge.htm... I very much like direct drive turntables and these tables are built like tanks. Their motors are the strongest in the industry. You can also swap cartridges pretty easily. They are subject to audible hum that comes from the built in preamp which is non-deatable, even if you don’t use it. There are DIY videos on YouTube showing how to bypass the preamp, if you like to perform surgery. The tonearms on the OEMs are nothing to write home about and contribute to what is just ok sound. You pretty much need to spend at least a grand to get better performance. I have had zero luck with used TTs, so I won’t comment on what you have listed. At $1100, the Pro-ject Classic Anniversary is very do-able and you will notice the improvement in sound. That is what I purchased. https://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Classic-Turntable-1 If used is what you are after and want to stay with the DD tables, try to score a Technics 1200 in good shape. Rich |
I would strongly advice to check Technics SP-20 (from 1976) direct drive brother of the SP-10mkII but for lower price. I’ve managed to buy NOS, so my used spare is available. More infor in the description here. The belt drives are too funny, look for the real thing (aka Japanese Direct Drive) to use the arm of your choice, something like the Victor UA-7045. |
https://www.audionirvana.org/forum/the-audio-vault/diy/43633-rp6-hot-rodded-with-remote-motor-mount See this link. I did this with my RP6 and it became a phenomenal TT. The arm change is not the biggest improvement. It was pulling the motor off the plinth. I only changed the arm as I broke it trying to push the envelope. Leave the arm alone. I am confident any Rega planer with the motor remote mounted will perform at a very high level. The Denon 103R in an aluminum head shell is a lot of cartridge for the money. It pares very well with the arm. The Groove Tracer parts make the package more smooth. Less of the Rega snap and mid/high pop. It is by no means necessary. Pulling the motor from the plinth is a must. |
- 9 posts total