Most hyped turntable, tonearm, and cartridge?

I've probably written this too many times already, but if the OP is interested in a vintage DD, then I think the Denon DP80 is a bigger bang for the buck than the SP10 MK2.  Can typically be purchased for under $1000, with or without plinth. I have owned both, side by side on the same system for about a year. I eventually kept only the DP80.  This is not to say that I can claim the DP80 is superior to any of the new G series Technics and certainly not to the Mk3 (which I also own) or the SP10R.  Those latter two are world class. Considering that the lower cost G series tables come with a good plinth and tonearm, that's where I would go if on a budget of under $2K.

You can’t ignore Technics because almost ever record made with Technics motor involved in lacquer cutting process on the Neumann cutting lathe. 

There is a Technics Direct Drive motor under the Neumann platter when the cutting stylus working on doing its magic. 

This is misleading. The Technics cutting lathe motor devloped for the Neumann cutting head was the SP02, Its about the size of a medium cooking pot with torque figures dwarfing even the SP10mk3.

Furthermore the SP02 was SPECIFICALLY designed to work in conjunction with the 70lb Neumann flywheel.

The majority of the direct drive turntables couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding by comparison to the Technics SP02 lathe motor, and their lightweight platters have little inertia compared to the Neumann flywheel.

I love the metaphor, Dover. And your point is well taken; it's been noted by others as well, and all you have to do is look at the SP02 to know it is far more massive than any turntable motor needs to be. However, the Mk3 does have a 21-lb platter, a bit heavier than the skin off a rice pudding, at least my wife's rice pudding.

Where did I say the motor was other than SP-02 ?

I posted many pictures of this motor in my posts earlier this year (thanks to jpjones for the images in his blog).

It is Direct Drive and your records made with Direct Drive, period.

SP-10 mkIII and SP-10R are best DD from Technics available today.

Technics platters are all super heavy!

Denon DP-80 and Victor TT-101 platters are lighweight.

Those are greatest direct drive turntables available today for very reasonable price in my opinion.

If you like something else - no problem.


I like Garraard 301 Hammertone, but only because it looks cool, never tried. Using Denon, Technics, Luxman, Victor direct drive and I can’t detect any single problem with these different type of direct drives.

Apologies for my ignorance on Technics DD turntables. I only knew that some of their high end models were good for DJ in dance club. Now I see that some of their high end models are as good as turntables can be. 

lewm,
Thanks for your suggestion of  Denon DP80. However, if I ever buy a turntable again, I would go for a new one that requires minimal setting.
In that sense, I like my Clearaudio Bluemotion. The setup is so easy. The only downside is that I cannot install an SPU. I need at least two turntables, one for stereo and one for mono. Preferably three for two stereos. I have so many albums that do not deserve expensive cartridges.

I see two different schools of thoughts from turntables users: one who highly values vintage Thorens, Garrard, and EMT, and another who highly values DD turntables from Technics, Denon, and other Japanese companies. However, I have not heard yet from anybody who have had both about their cons and pros. Maybe those issues were discussed multiple times before, and I would not ask them again here.

I have one different question though, if I may. Which is a better table between entry level Clearaudio turntable (like Concept) or similarly priced Rega 6 and Technics SL-1200GR? I prefer the simplicity of Clearaudio and Rega, but if Technics is at least as good, and if it can be used with SPU cartridges (with additional counter weight), then I would go for Technics as my future turntable.  (Well, I've read that it is absurd to use SPU cartridges with SL-1200GR tonearm, but I've seen some people were happy with it.)

Again, thanks for all your posts.