Turntables

@mechans  are you familiar with Direct Drive turntables ? I hope you understand why Coreless Direct Drive motor is better than any belt drive or idler drive or whatever. So why do you compare a VPI and Technics ?

One VPI Direct Drive cost $30k another one cost $15k 
Technics Direct Drive cost $1700 for GR and about $4000 for G

Technics SP-10R without plinth and tonearm is $10k
Technics SL-1000R with plinth and tonearm is $18k  

https://www.technics.com/download/brochures/us/SL1000R_SP10R_US_Print.pdf

Please recall any other NEW Direct Drive with a motor equal to Technics SL1200GR ($1700 new) or coreless G/GAE or SP10R for what they are asking for ? Technics is definitely the best priced NEW High-End Direct Drive turntable today. And Matsushita is the most experienced company in that field today. 

Here is all info about G
http://www.technics.com/us/products/grand-class/direct-drive-turntable-system-sl-1200g.html

And everything about SL1200GR (black version is SL1210GR):
http://www.technics.com/us/products/grand-class/direct-drive-turntable-system-sl-1200gr.html

If you prefer belt or idler drive for some reason then it's another story. 

I don't even know of any modern turntable with the same build quality as Technics, only vintage Direct Drives are better in my opinion, but then we have to remember SP-10 mkII and EPA-100 tonearm.  

   

@luvrockin -

So, do the best you can with your budget.  Simple as all that and it can be done.

My getting back into vinyl was frustrating.  I wanted to cover all the TT bases, without wanting to spend tons of cash and knowing that I was only willing to get so deep into the minutiae that seems to go with current day vinyl playback at the higher end.  

I started playing records 55 years ago (62 y.o. now), never did the jump to cassette tapes, and was a later converter to CDs, so I thought I knew something about the whole TT process.  After 5 minutes back in, I was genuinely confused as to when it became all so complicated.  

Your budget is at the low end of what you will need to spend to get vinyl playback at a sound quality level that you are accustomed to with other sources and will not wreck your records.

It's like buying a cheap guitar to see if you will like playing guitar ... you will learn and get the idea of what is involved, but the guitar may not sound good enough and the whole experience may not be satisfying enough to want to drop big money on a top Martin or Taylor guitar.

I got back in by first buying used vintage TTs (70s & 80s).  It is so hit or miss, I would advise against it.  The TTs may work fine at first, but they will need maintenance, and if you don't have a qualified repair person nearby, you are S**t Out Of Luck.  I had a Denon DP 31 that was fine, until its motor died.  Then there was a SONY PS X-7 whose speed controls went out of whack.  This was getting expensive, so why not just buy new? 

I went with a new Stanton ST 150.  This is a DD motor, Technics 1200 look alike, that is part of a family of TTs commonly referred to as OEM TTs.  The Pioneer 1000 arguably shares this lineage.  These TTs are more than ok for the money, but they can have issues ... notably hum (even if you bypass the built in TT preamp), and tonearm looseness (needed for DJ scratching).  

Well the hum got to me and after studying most TTs in my NEW, UPDATED price range ($1500 new without cartridge, old price range was $600 without cartridge) and only wanting a minimum of stress with set-up and maintenance, I went the following route.  

I also wanted TT playback in both of my systems, so this would be a times 2 scenario.

BTW, this is just the route I went with and I am not saying to go this route.  At the end of the day, all I wanted was relatively fuss free TT playback and maintenance that also sounded as good, if not better, than my CDs sounded.  I invested in better than average CD players, so I always had good CD sound.  

System #1

Pro-ject Classic (25th Anniversary) @ $1100 with cartridge 

https://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Classic-Turntable-1

I liked the looks of this TT.  It was being paired with a Prima Luna PL5 tube power amp and a Musical Fidelity CD PRE 24 preamp/ cd player.  This pairing has been in place for 13 years.  I needed a preamp.  I had the Schiit Mani.  It was ok, but just ok.  I had much better luck with the:

Parasound Zphono @  $250

https://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PAZPHOUSB

After I was settled in with this for about a year, I also changed out speakers from Opera Platea to Zu Audio Dirty Weekend Omen.

Very pleased with all sources on this system.  Even my wife says it is the best it has ever sounded.  Go figure.

System #2

Technics SL-1200 GR @ $1700; Audio Technica VM 540 cartridge @ $250.  

I wanted something in my system that would not need maintenance until I had long since departed from this good earth.  This is a special TT.  Can not find flaws with it.  I have it paired with a Rega Brio amp and Omega Compact Alnico monitors.  This is my single driver speaker system that I always seem to have around and sees a lot of use.  

I am using an Audio Technica VM 540 cartridge with the Technics.

https://www.valueelectronics.com/Technics_SL-1200GAE.php 

https://www.needledoctor.com/Audio-Technica-VM540ML-Phono-Cartridge?quantity=1

This whole journey started about 5 years ago.  With the two turntables I purchased new, the merry go round stopped and I have not done any tweaking for a long while.  I have also not felt the need to.


Rich 

I went with a new Stanton ST 150. This is a DD motor, Technics 1200 look alike, that is part of a family of TTs commonly referred to as OEM TTs. The Pioneer 1000 arguably shares this lineage. These TTs are more than ok for the money, but they can have issues ... notably hum (even if you bypass the built in TT preamp), and tonearm looseness (needed for DJ scratching).

This is very bad advice, when you’re looking for cheap and bad quality plastic clones (of Technics) for teenagers don’t forget that the old SL1200 mkII avaiable for under $500 on used market and can be upgraded pretty easy step by step.

Tonearm loseness does not need for scratching, an iconic dj turntable for professionals is still an old SL1200 mkII, mk3D or mk5 and all of them can be found in very good condition for $300-700. So why anyone has to look for cheap plastic toys like Stanton or Pioneer turntables if the original Technics Sl1200 mkII available used for $300-700 ?

@luvrockin 
Here's a more affordable option that's close to the 1200G/GR. Until those came out, many in your shoes bought used 1200 or 1210(gray color) and did some relatively affordable mods to greatly improve the sound. These can be done in steps according to your budget. 
Two excellent sources to explore this idea are the "Techiepedia" section of the theartofsound forum in UK and KAB USA, which is probably the top 1200 modder/provider. You could spend a day reading on what people have done with their 1200s to get them out-performing many table far more expensive and not as well built.
The 1200 was not designed to be a DJ table, but because of it's durability and reliability it's popularity with DJs SOARED! There are millions out there. When they were discontinued, prices went up. Now that the 1200G/GR is out, some of the demand is down, and that can help you. Caution, you don't want to buy one used as a DJ table, ask many questions. I see them often for ~$300 on craigslist at local shops, etc., but these are more likely to have been abused. The ones on audio sites or ebay are more likely to state details about history of use and ownership. Those will sell at a premium ~$400-600. Add cart and phono stage, and then use what's left for upgrades like the KAB fluid damper, Isonode feet and/or tonearm rewiring. Upgrade as time/budget allows. Even some of these tweaks pop up used occasionally. Cheers,
Spencer 

Personally I think it cost a lot more to to achieve same digital sound quality with viynl. So buying used is about the only way to go. If it was me I would put good amount of my budget in a phono stage and cartridge. It's really not hard to set up a table if you have the right protractor( down load for free) and don't mind spending a little time learning.In $500 range for phono, maybe black cube, Sim Audio or PS Audio GCPH. Stay away from low output moving coil cartridge, nothing more agrivating not having enough gain you will never be satisfied. I guess I would worry more about cartridge and phono stage than table. Music Hall and Rega were recommended are nice choices, but there are others take your time.