Best turntable under $4000


I am looking to take the next step in my analog journey. I currently am using a Fluance RT85 with ortofon 2m blue. I have a Rogue Audio cronus magnum iii. I am running them with Kef 104/2 's. Fluance seems to get alot of hate on here. I was considering a cartridge upgrade but I am hesitant to upgrade more then the cost of the table. I don't hear much background noise and like the sound. I guess I am wondering if I don't know I hear noise because I have not heard a turntable that eliminates that noise? When I went from my Onkyo to my Rogue Sphinx iii I realized I had been missing a whole lot of sound. Then I ditched my rebuilt EPI M150's and heard hidden instruments in tracks I have listened to for years. I am looking for that in a turntable upgrade.  Apperance is important. I have interest in the following:

Clear Audio Concept Wood w/ maestro v2

Mofi fender precisiondeck w/ mastertracker

Stretching my budget is:

Dr. Feikert Volare no cartridge

Gold Note Pianosa no cartridge

These take me out of my budget once I get a cartridge

Any other reccomendations 

I will miss the autostart function for those buzzed listening nights. I would like the 4k to include a cartridge. Any opinions are welcome. Anyone think I should say screw the "rules" and get an Ortofon black?

 

Thank you in advance

cpdkee

I would get the Dr. Feikert Volare and use your current cartridge.

Cartridges wear our and you can upgrade when you can afford it or need to replace the cartridge.

The Technics is also a good suggestion

appearance:

you have generally picked wood, rounded corners, low height, slim horizontal look. can you give other examples of alternate desired appearance regardless of price?

belt or direct drive. you have picked mostly belt drive. coincidence or definite preference? is quartz lock direct drive acceptable? compromise, or equally acceptable?

is used a consideration? not only to save money, access to models no longer made.

semi-automatic, optional manual/auto is a nice way to have that. I suspect used models are more likely to offer that, just an example:

 

 

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personally,

1. I consider a removable headshell as fundamental.

a great many turntables today have fixed cartridges, pre-aligned, nice but very limiting regarding alternate cartridges, i,e, a mono cartridge, a MM, a MC, listen to a friend's cartridge. eventually the supplied cartridge will wear, a new cartridge will  need to be aligned, so that pre-aligned advange is fleeting.

2. tt with no arm. flexible mounting system. buy an affordable arm now, perhaps a better arm later, or best, buy most desired/affordable arm now.

3. two tonearms. if you listen to a lot of jazz, many greats made great music/albums prior to stereo era. 2nd arm: having mono cartridge pre-mounted, aligned, ready to go to switch instantly between stereo arm and mono arm in a listening session is wonderful.

 

 

 

example of used, allows 2 tonearms: luxman PD444DD, rear can be  long arm, side 9".

start with 1 arm. add or never add 2nd arm as things develop.

more metal than wood, but very low/sleek design. needs wider area, advantage, many two arm tables are deeper than normal.

https://www.google.com/search?q=luxman+pd444&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS949US949&oq=luxman+pd444&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512l2j0i22i30l2j69i61l3.9693j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

this example has problems, you would need to wait for a good one to show up.

 

I helped a friend buy and install this with 2 micro seiki arms, there is some great engineering that is not apparent.

used, Mitsubishi linear tracking: single arm, optional auto/manual, removable headshell:

horizontal version is Quartz DD, vertical version is belt drive

I helped a friend buy/install a very lightly used horizontal model. don’t let low price put you off, it is a great performer.

again, this one has problems, just to see it:

 

note: wood look, not real wood, other versions exist without the wood.

vertical belt drive version

 

 

My vertical LT-5V belt drive version is shown here, in office system photos.

 

 

many people love VPI, especially older production

notice, the dust covers for this type are not included, and when made, are quire large

these, the unipivot arm wand simply lifts off, you switch to another arm-wand with other cartridge pre-mounted. I have seen/listened to these at VAS, Steve Leung's shop. Start with one arm-wand, never or add a second arm-wand as things develop