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Should I keep the Turntable or sell it?

I’ve been back and forth on this decision for about a month, and the more I learn, the harder this decision gets.

Backstory: I won the brand new Cambridge Audio Alva TT turntable in an online contest in mid-May, and while it sounds great, I decided to list it for sale a couple weeks ago. I’ve always wanted to try out a Rega P6 or P3 with a really nice cart, because I feel like I’m not getting enough out of my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. Prior to winning the Alva TT, I switched the Red Ortofon out for the Blue, and there was a great improvement in sound quality. But after comparing the Pro-Ject to the Alva TT and hearing what a $1700 turntable can sound like, I definitely am interested in exploring more high fidelity turntables. The issue is that I feel like I prefer the sound of tubes over solid state, and the Alva TT uses an integrated Alva Duo phono preamp for the RCA out, and their own DAC for the Bluetooth out if I want to go that route. I don’t have a ton of experience with tubes, and maybe it’s just the “cool factor” I actually like and I’m just having a placebo effect.

So I decided to list it for sale to try and get a Rega, because I heard so many great things about them. But over the last week or so, I’ve learned more about the Alva TT and how it uses Rega’s famous tonearm. I looked up the cart and it is listed at $500 separately, which is probably why it sounds better than the Pro-Ject w/ Ortofon Blue. I’ve also read on these boards about direct drive being better than belt, which the Alva has as well. It also has the added bonus of Bluetooth that go directly to my KEF LS50 Wireless, but I would most likely just use interconnects.

So I would love to get some advice from you all. I’ve gone back and forth about keeping the Alva or selling it, along with my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, and buying/trading for something like a Rega P3 or P6. If you had my first world problem, what would you do?
bignamehere
analogluvr
859 posts
 
 The one thing that I would add is that people keep saying that Belt Drive is inferior. There are vastly different implementations of belt drive. I have tried the standard rubber belts, dental floss, and now tape drive. I have found tape drive to offer the best musical attributes of both direct drive and belt drive. It’s very quiet  but you have no stretchy belt speed inconsistencies. 
 I do own belt drive, direct drive and did on a Lenco idler drive. I find it interesting that people speak of the Lenco as if it’s superior due to its drive. I found if you looked at mine cross eyed or breathed on it the wrong way the speed would slow.  I think the secret to the Lenco sound is the fact that you have a rubber idler wheel damping the platter all the time.  It was the worst of three technologies speed wise, at least the example that I owned. 
 And I know you don’t want to hear this but if I were less of a tweaker and wanted an off-the-shelf solution I would take a hard look at technics. 
bignamehere OP
56 posts
 
@best-groove 👍

@analogluvr I have listened to the following tables on at least 2 occasions:

Direct Drive:
1. Higher end Technics - friend’s dad’s table
2. Cambridge Audio Alva TT - my own Turntable

Belt Drive
1. Pro-Ject Carbon Debut (Ortofon Blue 2M) - my table
2. Marantz TT-15S1 - local shop
3. Clearaudio Concept MM - local shop
4. Rega P3 w/ Elys - local shop
5 Rega P6 - friend’s table

If I were to rank them in preference for the sound I appreciate, it would probably be this:

1. Marantz TT-15S1
2. Clearaudio Concept
3. Rega P6 (wine may have helped)
4. Pro-Ject (Ortofon Blue 2M)
5. Alva TT
6. Technics tying Rega P3

I have a feeling, I have a preference for higher end cartridges. The Clearaudio Virtuoso sounded slightly warm, but very clear.

tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
If you are into white papers and stuff like that, try looking at the Basis Turntables.  They are great tables and you can find them used in the same ball park as the tables you listed. 
analogluvr
859 posts
 
 It is very hard with all these different comparisons as I assume none of the other variables were accounted for.  Cartridge  definitely has a huge impact on the sound, more so than the table 
bignamehere OP
56 posts
 
@analogluvr I would definitely agree with that statement... there are too many variables. But my original hypothesis still stands and aligns with your statement that cartridge plays a large role in the overall quality and character of the sound. So if we want to just look at the cartridges that come with the tables, that might be better. An additional hypothesis is that all the turntables I am considering are within an acceptable range of quality and performance to each other, so we can consider the “turntable package” as a whole, with the cartridge being the major determinant. Also, from a retail “package” perspective, tables come with only one or two options for cartridges. For example, the Pro-Ject Classic SB can come with an Ortofon Silver, Ortofon Red Quintet MC, or a Sumiko Blue Point #2. You can assume the Pro-Ject table is within the same quality and performance range as a Rega P3, Marantz TT-15S1, and Clearaudio Concept. 

With all that in mind, would higher quality cartridge be the main determining factor? I would say yes, so I am leaning towards a turntable that comes with the highest quality cartridge... the Marantz.


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