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.

saulh

@casaulguy 

I know it's not on your radar but maybe you should also include the Technics decks for consideration?

It's seems as if the audiophilliac himself, Steve Guttenberg, has finally seen the light shining from the East.

 

Coming around to spending more on a phono stage and maybe a bit less on a tt. Was thinking this was a place to be cheap, but the logic of many of the posters is irrefutable. With that in mind, intrigued by this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/203527281169

@cleeds, of course I have a rumble filter, a very steep digital rumble filter with a cut off frequency of 18 Hz. The rumble is coming from the record. My subwoofer amps will go clear down to DC and although the subwoofers can't project much under 10 Hz they will gladly bounce of their bump stops at low frequencies making a rather disturbing noise. 

All in all judging by your comments you do not have a lot of experience with vinyl and high performance systems or you would know these things. You could argue that because of all the low frequency rubbish on records the environmental noise does not mean much, a very valid point. What you do not seem to know is that using a properly isolated table designed the way the Sota is a joy. You can handle it without having to be do so gingerly. I can put my hand down on it without inducing skipping. I can bump into the cabinet, no problem. I can accidently drop the dust cover.  Children can run around and play in the room, jump up and down and even bounce of the cabinet without any effect what so ever. I can play the system at patently ridiculous volumes without any problem (once I solved the feedback issue).   

 

mijostyn

@cleeds, of course I have a rumble filter, a very steep digital rumble filter with a cut off frequency of 18 Hz. The rumble is coming from the record.

That’s interesting. The last time we reviewed your rumble filter, you suggested it was needed because you have constant earthquakes where you live. Now you blame the record. It’s obvious you have LF issues in your setup that you resolve with the rumble filter, which is fine, of course.

... judging by your comments you do not have a lot of experience with vinyl and high performance systems or you would know these things ...What you do not seem to know is that using a properly isolated table designed the way the Sota is a joy. You can handle it without having to be do so gingerly ...

You and I are getting similar performance, although I’m using a VPI TNT III (on a dedicated stand) with an SME V. My IRS Beta system is essentially flat in-room to below 20 hZ - without any rumble filter. I do have the active LP servo-crossover set to roll-off at 15 hZ, where it is -3dB.

I’ve achieved similar LF performance without rumble filters with other turntables, including a Denon DP-80 in the VPI base. But the VPI has bested them all overall.

Where we agree is the joy of using a properly isolated turntable that avoids the fiddly, bouncy, jiggly, unstable, low mass turntables that some use. I just prefer to avoid aggressive rumble filters and have a setup that allows that.