The Mc is way cool.
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
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- 162 posts total
cpdkee OP22 posts Thank you everyone for the responses. All the feed back helped me narrow my search. Looks like I am going blow my budget on just the table and arm then buy the cartridge seperately. Thank you all ............................................ did you buy a TT?
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for your viewing pleasure, a Micro-Seiki with 3 tonearms installed custom round table included. 6,000 euros
.................................................. here, TT only, $1,900. No armboards included (not readily available) . you could make your own easily enough ........................................ and 2 arms, .............................. vintage knob
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I have an RT85 and actually like it! Nice sounding deck. I also now have 3 high-end decks: Clearaudio Innovation Compact, Master Innovation, SOTA Nova V. Yes, the high end decks are better. The weaknesses of the RT85:
I thought about putting an MC cartridge on it to better match the arm mass - something like a Benz Ace SM. But in the end, decided this would be a waste given the tonearm’s quality shortcomings. A Cadenza Black would be way overkill. It’s already nicely matched to the 2M Blue, quality wise (if not compliance-wise). So anyways, I think SOTA is a always a fine answer for these sorts of questions. Unfortunately their prices have gone up a good bit, though it’s come with significant materials & tech improvements. Unless you’re on concrete slab, you really want to make your like easier with their 4-point suspension on the Sapphire and higher models. You might be able to squeeze in a Sapphire - I haven’t priced them out lately. |
Montgomery Ward, World-Pioneering since 1872. Just to remember them Montgomery Ward is the name of two successive U.S. retail corporations. The original Montgomery Ward & Co. was a world-pioneering mail-order business and later also a leading department store chain that operated between 1872 and 2001
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- 162 posts total