For $5K you should be able to find a very good used table and arm, and possibly cartridge.
Look for something along the lines of a VPI TNT with good arm, or a Sota, for instance.
Every day I see another turntable recommendation...
After digging into this topic, I am convinced now I need to go a bit higher on this first vinyl set up. I think all in, I am prepared at this point to go up to $5k, for the table alone, not including arm or cartridge.
But frankly, being on this forum is like drinking from an information firehose. I have learned a bunch and yet somehow, I am less convicted than before.
With that in mind, to narrow down the decision, I am want to restrict myself to things I can buy, hear and, if necessary, service locally. My local dealers stock, AMG, AVM, Basis, Clearaudio, Michell, Musichall, Pro-ject, Rega, VPI, so I am likely restricted to those brands. I am certain my view will change by the end of this thread.
I am so old I am happy to invest in a state-of-the-art-in-my-childhood equipment, so I am at $600 all-in (Dual 1019 fully automatic German idler-drive turntable, Shure M55e AND Shure m97xe AND Shure V15 Type IV cartridge NOS in radio shack livery but state of the art nonetheless for its day and not-much-exceeded by today's equipment.) Essentially I have three Shure V15 cartridges to run my turntable which changes out headshells in seconds (which these days are 3D printed on EBay.) You may scoff but the Dual 1019 was THE dominant turntable for half a decade back in the day. |
@systembuilder22 The last paragraph is a recent statement made in another thread that should make sense to you. There is no scoffing or contempt before investigation when I read your post. I have used Idler Drives for many years and am not too many years separated from using a Idler Drive as my daily TT. I am sure that in the not too distant, if the ears deteriorate, I will be a MM user for all my replays, no point in pretending the MC is the better Cart' when the ears are not so young anymore. My last hearing test ended with the clinician informing me I was still able to hear and my HiFi investments are still worthwhile, the next test might be a different story.
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