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Complete vinyl system, TT to speakers, for $1500?

We just returned from a 2-week visit to our son who lives in Tokyo.  While there, we met a nice young woman who told me she would like to acquire an audio system with the express intent of playing LPs in her apartment.  Her budget is $1500 or less, as noted.  It's been years since I ever had to think in such budget terms, and when I did think about a $1500 system, it was back in the 70s when you could really buy something decent for that total amount.  (You could also buy a car for only a little bit more.) So, I am here for advice; she needs TT, tonearm, cartridge, phono stage, amplifier, and speakers. Thanks.

lewm
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,662 posts
 

The Klipsch R-51PM includes a phono preamp!

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_714R51PM/Klipsch-Reference-R-51PM.html

And for the turntable this Pioneer!

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Pro-DJ-Black-PLX-500-K/dp/B01K1WUS9O?th=1

blackbag20
455 posts
 

 

Fluance would be easiest ...

 

Denon, Technics and Yamaha make entry level gear and should be readily available!?

dinov's avatar
dinov
834 posts
 

Wow….that would be a challenge.

crustycoot
643 posts
 

Teac 3BSE includes an AT cart and RIAA Equalizer/preamp. Sells for $529.00 USD, here. Maybe less there…looks better quality than Fluance,with an SAEC knife edge bearings tonearm. For a small room, a Chinese FOSI BT20A is excellent and sufficient for $100.00 or so, even has BT and tone controls! I don’t know the Japanese speaker market, but a $K pair should be easy. To keep the budget really low, a pair of Dayton Audio BR1 kit is $300.00 here, and is not at all bad. That’s a good playback system under a grand, and she gets to know a bit about what’s inside to boot.  Complete with WBC cables, of course.

rar1's avatar
rar1
1,769 posts
 

Go with a TT and powered speakers. See which brands are available from where she would be most likely to shop and go from there.  Different electrical standards to consider as well.  

I would think that something like an Audio Technica 120 would be available or the equivalent from Pioneer or Yamaha or Denon some other respected brand.

Same for the powered speakers.

This should not be so hard, essentially a starter system for a studio apartment. I had a similarly small apartment 20 years ago in London and did exceedingly well with a CD boombox (no kidding) for the one or so years I was there. Tucked in a bookshelf nook, I got pleasing sound reinforcement. Small spaces don’t require 3/4 of the audio niceties that are deemed so critical in our hobby.

Rich

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