Every day I see another turntable recommendation...

@saulh 

I definitely wouldn't buy any high end audio equipment from eBay.  

If you're interested in used equipment, stick with sellers with feedback here on Audiogon, or could try the other US Audio Mart...be sure to inquire about history of repairs, etc

If you want quality you virtually have to consider used gear.  This is especially true for tape decks ; NO quality tape decks being made anymore.  There is perhaps a resurgence in quality turntables but they cost twice as much as they should be costing.  High quality workhorse super durable turntable from the '60s '70s and '80s should be $1,000 to $2,500 in today's prices.  $5,000 is beyond what you could pay back then.  This is why I don't think that new gear is generally any good.  There is gear from the past that will still be working when every turntable made today has worn out and broken down!  Today's gear is either rubbish or 2x what it should cost,.  I'd take a best-selling turntable from the 80th percentile of the market from 1980-1990 over anything sold today.  When you are going to make 10 million turntables a year you can make a much higher quality product than when you are going to make 10,000.

Having owned turntables since the 1960’s and decent turntables since the ‘70’s and audiophile turntables since the 80’s as well as constantly evaluating and listening to them since the 70’s I can assure you the sound quality has improved dramatically over the period particularly in the 90’s - 10’. A 1980’s turntable purchased for $1,000 would be a cost today of ~$4,000. Sound quality… of a good TT in this price range today is much higher quality.

@ghdprentice

I agree with what you're saying generally across the board.

I have little doubt that a Planar 3 is considerably superior to my Rega 3 from the mid 80s. Nor that there are some fabulous designs around the $1k mark these days.

I guess it's hardly surprising when you consider the amount of competition that is out there today plus the fact that sound quality seems to be far more of a priority these days as compared to convenience. The advances in design technology and engineering, of course, aren't going to hurt either, are they?

However, what happens if we were to compare a Technics SP10 from 1971 with its modern day equivalent?

Or, going back even further, a carefully restored AR turntable with a similar design from today?

I can't help but wish, for the sake of perspective if nothing else, that there were far more 'real world' comparisons such as this.

So happens I had an AR turntable from the late 70’s. I treated it with great care. Had it maintained a couple years ago. It was not remotely competitive with the VPI I bought in 1995 and certainly not in the same league as my current Linn LP12.