Best TT under $1k


I’m looking to get into vinyl but don’t really no where to begin. I’ve been doing ample research on what TT to buy but am seeking the opinions of the A-gon community. I’m looking to spend under a grand, $750 if I can get away with it. (new or used)

Some units that I’ve looked at online:

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC Esprit SB Turntable – $599
Rega Planar 2 Turntable – $675
VPI Cliffwood Turntable – $900
Rega Planar 3 Turntable – $945
Technics SL-1200MK2

Criteria in order of importance:

- Sound quality
- Must include cart
- Excellent build quality
- Upgrade-able. Usable now but can upgrade down the road.
- Easy to setup/ use/ maintain

Thanks,

Joe

128x128audionoobie
@bpoletti 

“ I was told that to make a Rega perform, you have to add a lot of tweaks...”

That is simply untrue. The Regas I’ve had sounded great out of the box. True, certain tweaks may have enhanced performance, but this can be true of many tables. 

From your post, it seems your experience with Regas was  quite minimal. You had a few things go wrong and gave up citing “cheap parts, poor access, and substandard performance.”

My annoyance with your original post has little to do with the fact that you can’t stand Regas. You’re free to choose whatever table makes you happy. It’s the fact that you seem to go out of your way to denigrate them, leaving quite a few annoyed Rega owners in your wake. And after portraying Regas in the most derogatory terms, you kindly add “YMMV.” Thanks for that.

And, by the way, you’re not quite as funny as you used to be in your criticism. I found this quote of yours from The Vinyl Asylum:

“A rega arm does an excellent job roasting marshmellows. They slide right off the headshell. No other arm performs that well roasting marshmellows. Other arms are better relegated to the mundane task of helping to reproduce music, a characteristic mostly lacking from Rega products. “

That, I have to admit, was pretty funny. But you may want to learn the correct spelling of marshmAllows before your next helpful ROASTING about Regas.

Thanks so much for all of your replies. I'm leaning toward @helomech's suggestion of the Pioneer PLX-1000 with the Audio-Technica VM540ML cartridge.

I know it's not the most important consideration (perhaps not a consideration at all for some folks), but I love the old school look of the mk1200 and the plx-1000 is its successor.

I want to make an immediate purchase and most of the VPI HW-19's available right now seem to have missing parts or need work. There also seems to be a preference for buying vintage. While I love the idea - given my current knowledge of TT's - it doesn't seem practical.

Have you read this review on the Pioneer?

https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-4-page-2

I usually don't care for his reviews but that one is accurate IME, having myself compared a 1200MkII with a PLX. I personally think the latter feels more substantial in overall build. One big advantage of the PLX is detachable phono cables. Some owners have reported loose tonearm bearings on their PLX, but that's a fairly easy adjustment with some patience. If you go the route of having the dealer install your cartridge, just request they give the whole tonearm assembly a thorough inspection prior to shipment.

Good news is the KAB Acoustics tonearm damper also fits the PLX tonearm - that, aftermarket headshells, phono cables, and Isonoe feet give you a path for future upgrades:

https://www.kabusa.com/td1200.htm

https://www.turntablelab.com/products/isonoe-isolation-system-turntable-feet-4-units




The only thing I dislike about Rega is the stock arm.  No VTA adjustment.  If you end up wanting to experiment with different cartridges later on (which you will) it's a pain to get them to sing without VTA adjustment.

Normally when I install a new cartridge it will take about 2 or 3 weeks to fine tune the VTA and make it sound its best.
I too vote for the Pioneer PLX-1000 with some mods. Which is what I did and now I'm cartridge rolling.  Currently using ML440b and looking to get AT150MLX. Very good TT for the money and it's kinda cool to look at the old look and the eye candy lights.....
Change the footers, Funkfirm mat, record clamp or weight, KAB tonearm mod (later down the road).
@elubow - My opinion.

Once burned, shame on you. Twice burned, shame on me. Three times burned without any success is a significant enough sampling for me.  rega?  Never again..

I've had three VPI tables and two AR tables that all worked and sounded great right out of the box.  Nothing to send back.  All five outperformed the rega tables significantly.  I'm not about to start going through a large sampling of rega tables just to find one that sounds as good as an AR.  I'll take my chances on real turntables and enjoy the music without figuring out shipping options to return yet another poor-performing rega table.

And my comments and opinions have been significantly softened for this thread.  But that's just me.

If your experience has been wonderful, then good for you.