TT Recommendation

@solypsa , Funny you should mention that. I saw two STST Turntables last weekend at Soundsmith. Peter Ledermann is enamored by them.  It is the first suspended direct drive turntable I have ever seen. It has a thick delrin platter and a low torque DD motor which should create less magnetic perturbation in the vicinity of the cartridge. Since the Turntable is German and Peter Ledermann has a close relationship with Frank Schroder having his arms on all his tables, I suspect it was Frank that got him into this turntable. For some reason his own demonstration system still uses a VPI with a Schroder Reference arm on it. Peter says the STST might be the best turntable ever made. Unfortunately, they were not hooked up to his demonstration system so I was unable to hear them. For a top end table the price is not all that bad either. I there a version that can take any size tonearm?

My choice in this price range is the Music Hall 11.3 because MH has included many of the features that makes for a truly outstanding turntable - such as...

• music hall’s unique quadruple-plinth design with improved TPE vibration isolation
• new freestanding and completely isolated motor assembly
• dual motor and flywheel assembly is located on the center left side of the turntable eliminating all motor and belt vibration from the cartridge
• one-piece 9cc Evolution carbon fiber tonearm
• tonearm uses hardened Swiss ABEC 7 ball races in inverted bearing
• tonearm is internally wired with flexible wire drawn from high purity copper with only two contact points from cartridge to output connectors
• counterweight’s center of gravity is level with the stylus tip is decoupled from the arm and acts as a resonance damper
• fully adjustable VTA, azimuth, and dampened arm lift
• exclusive microprocessor electronic speed control with dual motor single flywheel drive system
• 33 1/3 and 45 rpm speed change at the touch of a button
• adjustable magnetic-levitation feet
• inverted ceramic main bearing for ultra-quiet operation
• 7.4 lbs. (3.35 kg) acrylic platter
• detachable phono cable
• high quality gold-plated RCA connectors
• display-style large removable acrylic dust cover

There are several finishes to choose from, for example...

https://musichallaudio.com/product/mmf-11-3-turntable-copy/

Install a Zavfino interconnect cable and just listen to the music

Regards - Steve

Sota

@mijostyn The suspended table is the Motus IIDQ and the little brother is the Motus DQ which is the same drive/bearing/platter but housed in an unsuspended plinth.

As to tonearms either table can be ordered to accomodate 12" tonearms. The unsuspended table can be ordered for double tonearms ( 9" + 12" ) however the nature of the counterweighted suspension on the ’IIDQ’ dictates one arm only.

On RARE occasion a tonearm will be too heavy for the ’IIDQ’ suspension to calibrate correctly- One example is the Kuzma 4pt14 which is just slightly too heavy ( overall weight not effective mass ) so my client with a 4pt14 and Koetsu Blue Lace went with the Motus DQ instead...which is no slouch.

Thanks for asking :)

Thanks for all of the recommendations here.  Some really nice options unfortunately a couple of them mentioned are above my budget.  One of them about double my budget.  As of right now I think I'm going to go with the Rega P8, with the Apheta 3 cart and Aria preamp.  That will be a huge upgrade over what I currently have and still be below my budget.  To equip the Prime 21 like I would really want with MC and a phono preamp would put me around $7500.