Turntable Upgrade

Dear @drbond   : Yes , your Dohmann Helix is an excellent TT that outperforms any of the other TTs named here but is at the same time a lot more expensive.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

who will set up your new TT? verify pivot distance and overhang is done right? check/verify all is well periodically? change optional headshell/cartridges or future MC stylus re-build? set tracking weight, azimuth, vta, anti-skate?

I strongly encourage you (everyone) to get the few tools and practice NOW until confident doing it yourself. Read your manual, the ability to adjust is there, they just assign the responsibility to the dealer.

arm height ’on the fly’, is very nice, but not needed, and you might find you are not comfortable with your steadiness in any case, I find features are one thing, but implementation varies, and that mixes with my unique physical steadiness. you can always raise the arm, adjust height a spec, check with mirror and perhaps a pair of mini-levels, ears

tool free arm height adjustment is a definite plus

I verify the tonearm is level when playing, to my ears, that's good enough, I don't seek perfection, I don't hear obvious differences nearly as much as I do when I refine azimuth, and I use the blank side LP method to see the actual force on the arm while listening to content with specific l/c/r imaging. Clearaudio's anti-skating, MM one turn, MC two turn of a screw is blind, I find no providing user adjustments insulting actually.

don't forget: dust cover!!!!!

I am not sure why you can not adjust the VTA by yourself. The screw holding the tonearm base is easily accessible.

As the owner of both VPI and Technics TTs perhaps I can lend some perspective.  Right up front you can't make a bad decision here, you are considering great turntables.  I have a VPI HW40 sitting next to an SL1200GAE.  Generally the former is set up for stereo and the latter for mono, but I switch up depending on cartridges, SUT and mood.  The VPI does sound better, there should be no surprise there, you get what you pay for, but it is no where near as easy to set up.  The GAE is much easier to set up, change cartridges, that sort of thing.  It is a record collector first choice TT because you don't ever have to futz with it.  They are both rock steady in terms of speed, wow, flutter etc. as in no difference at all.  So my advice to you is to know yourself first.  Once set up, both TT are stable, they don't go out of adjustment, but if you like to change things up, like switch cartridges often, go for the Technics.  If you are really after the maximum sound quality chances are good you will be happier with the VPI.