Help with TT ideas for my first TT


Hi All,

I have been reading alot of reviews and searching around for my first TT.  ALot of recent recordings that i want are basically only coming out on vinyl or super crappy mp3.  I have an Aaron integrated amp, with some custom built SB Acoustic Monitors (Bromo).

I am looking at the marketplace in the 1 - 1.5k range and see I can find alot of different solutions and wanted to get peoples thoughts:

Marantz tt-15 - Seems like  bargain at 1500, but difficult to setup
Clearaudio Concept - good reviews, bumps against the magnetic arm (Cement floor at my place)
Music Hall MMF 7.3 - Seems like a great solution
VPI Cliff Wood
Pro-ject X1 or X2 - Have read some reports of motor noise
Rega Planar 2 or 3 - Seems to be they are what they are

With such a crowded field how do people choose?  I live in Central Mass, and dont have alot of options in terms of auditions so would love to get peoples thoughts. 
kro77
almost done now. Seems like a whole néw micro universe to obsess over.

Well, of course, some of us call that ‘fun’ 😁
Seems like a lot of good press out recently between what Hifi and stereophile recommendation for the ultra deck. Thanks all
Get the thorens td 203 and put an audio technica at f-7 moving coil on the end of it. Then get the origin live gravity one record weight, done! A great set up, and with the money you save on turntable (on sale for $579/ebay/rutherford audio) you will be able to afford the above cartridge and record weight. Run all this into a tavish design tube phono preamp or the pro-ject tube box ds2 and be happy. The td 203 has a better tone arm than any of the others mentioned....place tt on a solid wall mounted turntable shelf for best isolation.
I like the wall mounted shelf idea, had not thought of it but makes perfect sense...